Yellow Vest protest. Could it spread?

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Pattayamale
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Yellow Vest protest. Could it spread?

Post by Pattayamale »

COULD IT HAPPEN IN THE USA?
The “Yellow Vest” PROTESTS... is a part of present an extraordinary venting of rage and resentment by ordinary working people, aimed at the mounting inequalities that have eroded their lives.
Some people feel this inequality is why people in the USA voted for Trump. He made promise to save jobs and restore the middle class jobs and social, economic prosperity of the past.
Yes he lied about it. He has done the opposite as more people will see when tax time rolls around and they pay higher income tax.
The Mueller investigation about Russia interference in helping Trump get elected has not caused outrage in his base because they believe that Trump would make it better for them.
Now that they see Trump hasn't brought the middle class back to where they were economically 15 - 20 years ago.,will the "yellow vest" protests take hold in America?
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Re: Yellow Vest protest. Could it spread?

Post by Captain Kirk »

Can't see it myself.
fountainhall

Re: Yellow Vest protest. Could it spread?

Post by fountainhall »

I can't see it either - if only because the conditions in France are so different from most other countries.

The yellow vest protest is a result of a hike in fuel prices due to a new carbon tax introduced by President Macron. An emphasis on green policies was part of his election platform so why the French people are surprised at the new tax is itself a bit of a surprise. Apart from the professional protestors from the hard left and the right, the movement seems to have been started by commuters who need to travel longer distances and who have been hit by the tax harder than others.

France is a strange country where its people seem to want a lot more than those elsewhere. The legal working week is just 35 hours with overtime of a minimum of 25% extra for hours worked in excess. All workers are entitled to no less than 5 weeks of paid vacation in addition to the 11 days of public holidays. French farmers are wealthier than most of their European counterparts because of huge subsidies introduced when the EU was formed. France has adamantly refused to reduce these ever since.

Then there are retirement benefits. In the UK the basic pension is now around €7,300 per year. In France the pension scheme aims to provide a worker with up to 50% of his income during his highest earning years - but with a cap of €35,000. I expect most earn less than this but it is fact that France has one of the best state pension schemes in the world.

Against these benefits, the French are amongst the most heavily taxed people in the developed world. Macron wants to reduce some of the benefits in return for lower taxes. Yet the French do not want to give up all their lovely benefits. I don't have much sympathy for them.
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