"Place de la Republique" square, Paris, France 08 december 2018
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The French Resistance (World War II) ... Thanx to Simple History
This posting will serve 3 series of this journal/ blog, which is to look at the tensions and resistance to neoliberal policies in France, that been going on since november, so it's fitting for the "Neoliberalism Crisis" series. And what they're trying to push in France (and all western Europe), is the privatization of everything, from healthcare to education, retirement, or whatever can make a profit for big investors, they want to make it all like America/ U.S., and for the French Parliament to be controlled by only corporate lobbyists ... and many Europeans are not too excited about trying to be like us, who can blame them either? But a little history in the above video on France to open with. This is not like the Nazi occupation of past ... but this is what I would consider an occupation by neoliberalism of today, similar product, different packaging, whether it be fascists or oligarchs, as alwayz. I really admire the way the French people have a history of getting involved politically, speaking out and questioning, I feel we can learn a lesson from them on this ... I consider these folks as patriotic and fitting for the "Public Patriots" series. I don't know much about the French politics though, being a working class American and focused mostly on America. And because their political parties seem to be different, as far as what is left, right, or center there ... it seems to be far more diversified and broader than here. Here in the U.S. for example, what is considered as "liberal" or even "left" is laughable to me, I see U.S. even as a semi- puritanical society, sorry American liberals {:-) In the U.S., if you are for something as basic as healthcare for all, through the government, such as I am, you are an "extreme" leftist radical and borderline communist, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh {:-) ... I'm serious too, even some liberal Democrat politicians here, will say it's a radical idea {:-) It goes into "The Awakening" series, because since I started this series and journal years ago, being to record various resistances that I wrote about, that will come in waves globally over the years, as people become more aware and informed of what is going on in this new wave of forced globalization. Nothing wrong with globalization, and it's alwayz been a great thing for trade, immigration, learning and sharing, but we naturally become more global anywayz as we evolve. This globalization of today is force- fed, not to benefit the majorities in our countries, but to benefit those with the most money, and to allow them to take more control over our governments, and so they with the wealth can be more free to do what they want wherever, without being accountable to any government, people, or laws of any. I added some links and videos below, which I wanted to start off with Diana Johnstone's article, because of how straight up it was. Then I will add a little more of my views on this below.
***** CONSORTIUM NEWS | DIANA JOHNSTONE: Yellow Vests Rise Against Neo- Liberal 'King' Macron ... (newsread)
Reporters: What do France's 'Yellow Vests' protesters want? ... Thanx to FRANCE 24 English
***** THE GUARDIAN | KIM WILLSHER: Macron bows to protesters' demands and says: I know I have hurt some of you ... (newsread/ video)
***** THE LOCAL | FRANCE (Ben McPartland): 'Yellow Vests' slam Macron's speech as 'charade' and vow to go back into battle ... (newsread/ video)
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***** PD/ RCJ: "NEOLIBERALISM CRISIS" ... PART'S 4 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "THE AWAKENING" ... PART'S 51 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "PUBLIC PATRIOTS" ... PART'S 59 THRU 1
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Valerie, who worx full time nights 9pm to 5am in a sock factory, finds time to work the front lines of the resistance (La Croix)
High School students forced to kneel in mud with hands behind head, by armed police, at Mantes- la- Jolie outside Paris (France24)
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Thomas Hudson Pickering/ Ranch Chimp
When this first started and I briefly heard the first news coverage, which was small in America ... much talk was that you had a bunch of right wing nationalist types in France, protesting a fuel tax that is supposed to be for the environment, etc. But I suspected more to it, and further reading, I found that as somewhat misleading, and anything connected to the word "nationalists" brings negative thoughts, because of how we are programmed, especially in America. A certain amount of nationalism is healthy in any country, it's simply patriotism of sort, I myself, consider myself as a sort of nationalist. President Trump calls himself a nationalist, but I don't believe he is, any more than I believe his talk about bringing all these jobs back to America, when people of his class, especially him and his daughter, do all their job creation in countries such as Indonesia or China, where wages are rock bottom. If Trump was concerned about this, he would bring his jobs to moderate wage places that need jobs here, such as Arkansas, West Virginia, or Mississippi for example. If he was all about national pride and making America great, he would have all his stuff made here, in America, plain and simple, no damn excuses. President Macron is commonly labeled in France, as the "President of the Rich", you won't hear much about that in mainstream America though, America is more sugar coated and politically correct ... and because we adore the rich here, oligarchic political puppetry in the U.S. is not "fascism" here though, it's more like "fashionism" ... heh, heh, heh, heh, heh {:-) Macron won by a landslide, but I think many in France even suspected he was one, especially in his campaign talk about the economy, expected that he may embrace some neoliberal policies. But who were they choosing from? ... you had him, and this sort of "nationalist", I guess, Marine Le Pen (I actually like some of what Le Pen stands on, I like her more than Trump) ... we had the same thing in the U.S., the choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump ... I chose Clinton, although she had neoliberalism wrote all over her, because I knew only one of these 2 would be President. These type political choices these dayz, are getting big money support in every major country of economic importance it seems, these prepaid political picks come a dime a dozen. I mean, I knew Macron would embrace the neoliberal policies, reading up on him, as much as I know Trudeau of Canada will on much, and as President Obama did. I voted for Obama because he was more bipartisan and a sort of Constitutionalist, and figured it to be a plus, but did not expect him to embrace neoliberalism as much as he did, plus it was only 2008 here, and the polarization was less, and it was before the disastrous "Citizens United" ruling by the SCOTUS (wikipedia), and neoliberalism was not as strong out front as it is today.
Also much credit to all the high school students who got involved, plus, last I read, you still had 70% of the French people in support, although, because of the strain on business mostly, you have over half that want the blocking and trouble at roundabouts to stop. Here's the bottom line though, it is ONLY because of the aggressive action of the people, why even Macron made these new concessions ... what had he done for the last few weeks ... hide? I thought his address he gave from his office was decent, at least ... I mean, it is a better response than anything I would expect out of an American President in my country (U.S.). Violent protests of course are not the only way to get things done, but, it happens from time to time, violence is used against the people too. Depending how willing the government will be to negotiate, the less willing, the more action you give them. The other bottom line here, is that you DID get Macron to move ... if you just held up protest signs at roundabouts, in peaceful chants, and holding hands or praying ... how would he have responded, if any, eh? The economy of France is already in a pinch, and the banks that orchestrate this austerity shit know this, they offer only one way out, which I point out plenty throughout this journal ... the bottom line? ... keep the masses in debt, to assure servitude. This is going on worldwide because of neoliberalism too, whether it is France, Greece, Italy, or in the America's and U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America or North. You see the same tactics orchestrated by the same groups of wealth/ assets doing this globally. And what Diana Johnstone talks about covers so much of the reality, the same here in the U.S., forcing us to have to further privatization, and to especially sell off all of our national treasures and land, just to try to play a game of "catch up", where you will NEVER be able to catch up, because of the way it is rigged. Bucking this shit tooth and claw, you have nothing to lose that you are not going to lose anywayz, without a fight! This talk that the fuel tax was for the environment? ... I would have to see it to believe it, most of these taxes today are going to help the rich get richer, do you think that will just go to green infrastructure? Lesson, never trust these types in our politics today, any further than you could throw them, until they show something of substance. As far as France's healthcare, that 15% or so supplement type coverage you buy (called "mutuelle/ mutual") ... I'm an American and know well, because of what they done here ... if you let these insurers, pharma and such gain too much ground, they will weasel their way deeper and deeper, until they have the majority of your healthcare privatized for profit, and the deeper it gets, the harder to get out, this also impacts the GDP getting too deep. Before you know it, they will have more lobbyists than you can shake a stick at muscling politicians, healthcare and rights, as they do in America, and they don't care if working class die, many welcome it, the only importance to them is profit ... never forget that.
Neoliberalism in political policy and economics is already here, and is not going anywhere soon, they been implementing this newest model in the west as the 21st century design since the 1970's, piece by piece. But my heart also goes out to France, because they are under pressure to improve their economy, and fixing that, is not only up to banks or Germany, the people of France need to be part of it too. The positive the top see in neoliberalism, that it will expand wealth, industries and development of all kind, many new millionaires will come out of it, and it will build new middle classes based in science/ medicine, finance/ banking, engineering, software, or whatever is developed. But at the same time, because of our getting away from past needed labour, and the inflation, as you can already see growing, it will create early on, a much larger wealth gap and poverty. Only because of the current design though ... this is why it is importante to hammer it from every angle, in the streets there will need to be violence and disruption of business from time to time, in waves, and careful better planning of strategies to make them listen to your voice, view it as a matter of life and death. Once you are no longer needed for labour, which will become eradicated as technology expands, they expect millions to die off of the poorest classes, one way or another ... the objective is to have a future society of individual wealth at various levels, with no poor, if that makes sense. Even without oligarch pressure though, people will also stop populating the way we have for thousands of years anywayz, and you won't need medical care as today, because much of our ailments and health issues can be eradicated at first life. Just because you have a neoliberal model now, that we are knee deep in, doesn't mean it's all over either. Populism can play big in future politics and many adjustments and modifications can be made in the new economic model, anything new needs testing, ironing out, and modifications, even most economists see the problems in this current design. Populism can change politics as well, again, pressure. Even those with much wealth who are mainly profit driven, can see the massive flaws of too much deregulation in all industries, and know how self- destructive things can get ... there are way too many interests and players involved to have any one conspiracy or agenda going on. When others join folks like the Gilets Jaunes, maybe a little solidarity, it's a positive ... sometimes we need to join others for common goals, and fight together for common liberties. I'm what may be considered as a progressive leaning liberal here in America (even though, I consider myself an independent, that is both liberal and conservative, depending on the issue), but I have friends that are libertarians, a couple I known for years ... despite our differences on taxation, politics, economics or whatever ... I alwayz reach out to let them know that we can come to some common interests, as we alwayz do, no matter who I meet that is totally opposite from me, the oligarchy is our worst enemy, not our next door neighbours with a different opinion.
Word Out ....
Ministry- Thieves (live) ... Thanx to Giovan Hell **** I chose this song, in the spirit of protest, to dedicate to our French allies, by the Ministry ... the LYRICS HERE say it all, which is fitting, as far as the people losing trust in these liars and thieves. I attended the first 1989/ 1990 tour of this, which was excellent as far as their sound engineering and show, my buddy Turner, who is also a guitarist, worked for the Ministry for a year on their tour as a roadie. I know 2 guys that worked for Al Jourgensen (vocals/ songwriter), who described him as one of the most generous and warm people in the industry to work for. This will also be included in the "RCJ Music/ Arts Honour Roll Society".
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** "THE RESISTANCE | PERILS OF THE POWER POSSE" ... ( a 2 part futuristic Ranch Chimp Journal dream to dream on )
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