Just watch what is happening in France to understand what is going to happen in the U.S. France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, sold himself as a radical democrat for the people, but he is governing like a monarchy. He has culled the ranks of local authorities, slashed local budgets, and replaced the housing tax that funds local government with a promise of a block grant.
French history teaches that when a monarch oppresses the people, the people revolt. France’s mayors gathered for a congress in Paris last week. They bristled at being labeled spendthrifts and set themselves in opposition to Macron. They will find allies in workers’ unions and the media, since Macron hasn’t held press conference since his inauguration.
This is just some of the things that are happening in the U.S. Our people were promised things by our new occupant of the White House is now acting like a monarch. A lot of the people who voted for him are starting to see just what they really voted for and it was not job creation or rebuilding our infrastructure or draining the swamp or making America great again or the many, many other lies he has promised. His promises were about gaining power and ensuring he and his rich “friends” (who aren’t so much friends as they are people he is indebted to) profit from his tenure in politics at the people’s expense.
The inequality of the people, which breeds homelessness, substance abuse, no healthcare, pensions and the threats to our Social Security and Medicare, raising retirement to age seventy, and taking tips away from wait staff so owners can decide how they are distributed. We are heading into a revolt. We are just waiting for the right person or persons, and the right tipping point. Will it be France or the U.S. who will revolt first?
The tipping point here could be the scam of a tax plan and the attack on unions. But, can we still hit the streets without going to jail? There smells like a ploy is underway. Prosecutors in Washington, D.C., brought charges against inaugural protesters, claiming these protesters were violent and destroyed property; however, they had little or no proof these particular protesters did the violence or destruction. The jury acquitted six of the protesters, but 188 are still to be tried. What smells back is that, given this administration, antagonizers can infiltrate the peaceful protests and do damage that the others will pay for and ultimately scare people away from protests, and against stifling descent.
I hope that I am wrong, but what I see at this time is our unions are going to be in the fight of their existence. This is the most perilous time of our life. The life we had is threatened like never before. Unions are the largest organized group of people who can save our country if things keep going the way they are heading at this time. We need to all stand together for power, but we each must prepare and plan to take care of ourselves and our families. We can fight the big fight and not be distracted by worry about things that can and should already be taken care of. For instance, stashing at least one month’s pay and at least a month or even a year’s worth of food, whether the food is staples (pasta, rice, canned goods) and meat or chicken in the freezer. Keep your vehicles' tanks full and if possible a gas can full. It’s in your best interest to also save money for house or rent payments plus extra. This is not new thinking for us old trade workers who had to prepare when...
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