Demonstrations Continue in France, What America Can Learn
Look at the photo slideshow HERE and see what is going on in France in response to proposals attacking pensions and other conservative actions of the Sarkozy government, now seen as a failure.
What can American workers learn from their French brethren? Don't sit idle, don't let yourself be misled into thinking that corporations from around the world financing candidates through the Chamber of Commerce is a good thing. Don't trust rich elites who want to privatize Social Security and rail against it as insolvent when it's not.
While there are activists in America who know we are in danger of being swept aside by corporate power in a growing plutocracy, there aren't enough. Who is the most vocal and most angry in America? The Tea Parties, and for all the wrong reasons.
Manipulated by corporate money and astroturf organizations fronting as grassroots, Tea Party groups are acting against the interests of workers and for the interests of those who would see them whittled down to poverty. That so many have been so mislead by the right wing propaganda called the Tea Party movement is a testament to just how powerful corporations are already.
Tea Partiers, and the behest of the likes of Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and the rest of the right wing noise machine, have been the biggest inhibitors to what we really need to be doing. We need stronger financial reform, more complete health care reform, and real action to address energy policy and climate change. We need labor laws that take away the absolute advantage management has when it comes to organizing.
While the Democrats over the past months have been able to take steps to real reform, right wing obstructionism has kept them from being able to make the kind of real progressive changes we need. And yes, there are far too many corporate "Blue Dog" type Democrats helping them along.
It seems like what we may end up getting out of the 2010 elections is a still Democratic controlled Senate, holding on to just enough seats. The House, unless turnout surges, may well go to the Republicans. If so, look for two years of complete obstruction, versus the all-out, but not completely successful obstruction we currently see.
To borrow a phrase from more than one movie, we can "hold the line!" against the far right.
What American workers should be doing is letting Washington know, in no uncertain terms, we will not stand for being pushed more to the margin. We will no longer be the losers in what has been a classic redistribution of wealth. The very top has been stealing from the rest of us in a rigged "free market." We should be pushing for labor rights, so big companies like Wal-Mart can't abuse employees.
And if it takes more action, we need workers willing to hit the streets and stand up for each other. We can do it now, or we can do it later, after right wing corporate strategies have made all but the very top working poor, health care is only affordable to few, education is considered a privilege and not a right, and our landscape is polluted and scorched. Then we will stand, but it will be too late to stop the damage.
If Tea Party candidates and other right wingers take the House and shut down government, or obstruct all positive legislation, we should take a lesson from the French, and from the Spanish - A las barricadas!
Published by Jeff Musall
Jeff Musall has a passion for writing, a knack for frank and informed expression, and a desire to engage the minds of readers. He is an avid sports fan across the board and loves good competitions. His work... View profile
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11 Comments
Post a CommentFascinating article and comments. Still chuckling about the comment about the Sarah PAC ad, though the ad has disappeared...
As for what "we American's can learn" as you suggest, is how we should never let us become the mirror image of European social Democrats as you so wish for. And if my peeps were the violent threats to your little liberties to call for and advocate for riotous behavior, wouldn't someone have dealt with you by now? I mean, you are rather clear it is me and mine that is the violent right winger who is the problem. You keep telling us you have been threatened and all. Yeah, so have we gotcha yet? Been attacked a lot have ya? You're so full of it I am shocked there is room in that noggin for anything beyond your paranoia or your BS. Let's see? Theocracy? NOPE! Right wingers shooting you cats? NOPE! My peeps trying to deny your right to the First Amend? NOPE! My folks attacking Muslims? NOPE! Attacking innocent Latinos all over the place are we? NOPE! You're as full of it as a Thanksgiving turkey. Better watch your butt Jeff, some right winger might try to bag ya and serve ya up on turkey da
Love this. Hey, you advocate our own proletariat become riotous like the Frenchies and I'll advocate for my, as you accuse, "right wing, armed up extremist militias" ( yeah, paraphrased and a tad bit of dramatic license) to take to the streets to push back against your happy call for Americans to take to riotous behavior so you can get whatcha want. This oughta be a big time BLAST. And I am the one accused of fomenting revolutionary concepts of violence? I have seen the "protests" in France. I for one love it when rioters throw things at me like bricks and crap. I am all for throwing things back at them. And don't whine! You are the one calling for this, not me, but I am telling how much fun it will be for me and mine to meet ya there. Holy crap Jeff, ya little revolutionary, you!
Great work. Like the others, I cannot believe the irony of the ads on your page.
"That so many have been so mislead by the right wing propaganda called the Tea Party movement is a testament to just how powerful corporations are already."...and a testament to the lack of critical thinking emanating from the American electorate. Sad that this is where we are in the 21st Century...still concerned with who's Christian or Muslim, still proudly repeating "liberty and justice for all" while continuing the discrimination toward gay citizens, all while the foundation crumbles beneath the weight of hypocrisy.
Great article. As someone who lives in a state where the Gov is all about "tax cuts for the rich" I agree that the GOP is trying to make the country a place where only elites have power and a normal standard of living. Oh, and now there is an ad next to this stating "FOX 411" links, sigh
Interesting read Jeff, I struggle sometimes with corporate greed because it is such a fine line between infringing on free market and infringing on personal freedom. I just wrote a piece on Health care and CEO salaries. On one hand I do not want to inhibit what people make but on the other hand I cannot justify paying a CEO tens of millions of dollars when millions of Americans cannot afford healthcare. A funny thing though that with the passage of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 CEO's are condemning the bill because they say it inhibits business, or is it because the law makes them responsible? I think it is comical that CEO's and executives feel justified in their salaries but also feel like they should be free of negligence and responsibility.
Yes, it's not all just about the retirement age...
Your article makes sense when dealing with the American issues, but I'm not sure I agree with you on the French. Raising the retirement age from 60 to 62 makes sense in a world where people are living much longer. I think there are other issues in France that don't make the news stories.
I don't care what ads are placed with your commentary - your article is excellent & should be read from beginning to end. The arguments are sound, but I'm afraid that too many people do not want to be confused with the facts. Great work on this!