French Lessons for U.S. Workers

[Joanne98]

For OpEdNews: shamus cooke - Writer


The world watches as France once again erupts in protests,
demonstrations, and strikes. So much is at stake. If France's
corporate-dominated government is able to increase the retirement age,
other governments will be empowered to follow through with their plans
to do the same.


If labor, student, and community groups succeed in stopping the pension
reform -- or toppling the government -- workers in other countries will
likewise be inspired to fight back and organize in the French fashion.


The worldwide recession has encouraged business-focused governments to
pursue the kind of anti-worker policies they've been discussing for
years. There is common agreement among these governments on a global
scale as to the necessity for these polices. Working people disagree.


There have already been massive demonstrations or general strikes in
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Portugal and elsewhere. In England,
massive cuts to the public sector -- 500,000 job cuts -- have been
announced that could cause a similar backlash.


In the United States, President Obama has formed his Deficit Reduction
Commission, which has in its sights Social Security and Medicare. The
Los Angles Times reports:



"Social Security is one of several areas being eyed by the panel
for changes...other commission targets
include Medicare, defense spending and a range of tax policies..."
(September 29, 2010).

http://www.latimes.com/sns-us-deficit-commission,0,4509425.story


Obama's commission will report its "findings" sometime after the
November elections, possibly as early as December 1st. In this way, the
public will have no immediate recourse to punish the House and Senate
members involved in these closed-door sessions, which will open the door
to massive spending cuts in social programs.


This backroom, undemocratic scheming is happening all over Europe, with
incredible implications: enormous changes are happening to nations with
zero input from the population; no voting is taking place over these
policies, they are simply being pushed through.


But France is changing everything. French workers stopped a conservative
government in 1995 from implementing a similar reform -- they are
confident that they can stop this one too.


The French working class is busting a myth broadcasted from governments
everywhere, that massive spending cuts are "necessary" and worse,
"inevitable," no matter how unpopular (undemocratic). In France, 71
percent of the population supports the unions' opposition to raising the
retirement age. And given that the inequalities in wealth have been
growing for the past several decades throughout Europe and the U.S., an
obvious alternative to lowering the budget deficit would be to tax the
rich.


If the French workers can force "their" President and "their" Congress
to back down, resign, or change nationalities, working people all over
the world will be inspired to do likewise, even in the United States.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/French-Lessons-for-U-S-Wo-by-shamus-cooke-101025-127.html

[MedicalAdmin]

1. This might just be the most important story on DU today.

Viva la France. Viva la revolution.

[Sherman A1]

2. K&R Well Said

:toast: