The People Of France Reject Macron's Policies - How Long Can He Survive?
The current wave of protests in France, which started two weeks ago, is growing in impact and applied violence. On Saturday some 120,000 people took part in demonstrations around the country. The movement was initiated from the political right but many other parties also support it. Most of the participants seem to take part spontaneously. The movement is supposedly leaderless. But it is too early to exclude that there is some larger organizing power behind it.
In short: The Arab spring arrived in Europe.
"The people demand the fall of the regime." - bigger
Like the 1968 May protests that started in Paris this new movement will have echos in other countries.
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While mostly peaceful protest were held in all parts of France the situation in Paris caught the most attention. On Saturday the protesters stormed the Arc de Triomphe. They rearranged the interior, damaged a statue of Marianne, and redecorated the outside.
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When the riot police tried to intervene it came under a hail of cobble stones (vid) and had to retreat. Graffiti left behind by the protesters read: 'We’ve chopped off heads for less than this', 'Topple the Bougeoisie', 'May 1968 December 2018'.
The immediate reason for the protests are an increase of the fuel tax that President Marcron defends as a step to fight climate change. But the fuel tax is only the last drop of a steady stream of price increases for the poor and middle class while their income stagnates. Meanwhile the rich are receiving one tax cut after the other. The fuel price is important for anyone who needs to drive to work. Public transport may work well within the Paris ring-road but most people live beyond the view of the Elysées and do need a car.
On Saturday the peaceful protesters in Paris were accompanied by 'moderate rebels'. They left behind the usual trail but are still waiting for foreign powers to arm them.
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Trump does not get along with Macron. How long will it take for him to suggests a no-fly zone?
The use of yellow warning vests, gilets jaunes in french, give the protester a smell of an arranged 'color revolution'. Then again - it is always helpful in demonstrations to distinguish one's side. These warning vests are mandatory emergency equipment in each car, they are readily available and sell for as little as €0.65.
After seeing the same neoliberal policies executed under the presidencies of Sarkozy and Hollande, the French people despised both the conservative party as well as the 'socialists'. But they well still not ready to move to a more radical parties on the right or left side.
The powers that be put up a former Rothschild banker as an alternative to the established parties and the media pushed him over the finish line. But Macron is even more neoliberal that Sarkozy or Hollande ever were and he is way more aloof and arrogant than both of them. He resembles a modern Marie Antoinette: 'If they don't like my fuel taxes let them buy electric cars.'
Macrons next projects are a pension reform and changes in the unemployment insurance. Both will cause more protests. Polls show that the French public overwhelmingly supports the yellow vests protests and their demands while Macron's popularity has fallen from 55% in May 2017 to some 27% now.
Some commentators blame the EU for Macron's policies. But that excuse is false. The EU did not demand the elimination of the wealth tax in France. Moreover - the EU implements the policy guidelines the large EU countries set out. Macron could surely change those if he wanted to.
On Saturday both sides were violent. But Macron and his police are far from innocent in the escalation. On May 1 Macron's top security aide Alexandre Benalla was filmed beating up protesters. In July a scandal ensued when Macron attempted to cover up the case. He sees violence as an appropriate way to handle resistance against his polices.
On Saturday the police even deployed sniper teams on roofs.
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One clip purports to show a protester going down after being hit by a bullet, followed by a light streak that seems to be from a tracer round fired from above. Another clip shows some ten heavily protected policemen using their tonfa sticks to beat the shit out of one lone unarmed protester. As usual it is difficult to verify these videos.
Today an 80 year old lady in Marseille got killed when a police tear gas canister hit her face.
Anthropologist and demographer Emmanuel Todd commentated (vid, french) on the riots on a French TV show. Sophia translated his main points:
"The violence comes from Macron. He seems to take pleasure in humiliating ordinary people. With with the Benalla affair, we saw the violence coming out directly, not only from the Elysées, but from the mind of the president.
By refusing to enact a moratorium on the taxes that provoked the protests, the govt is enacting the strategy of chaos whereby if these protests, which are popular now, continue, a layer of the population will rise against them."
Macron might enact a state of emergency but that would only fuel the protests. It is doubtful that Macron's plan of a 'strategy of chaos' will work. The French president gets elected for 5 years. Only 18 month in Macron managed to move a large majority against him. It is unlikely that he will serve out his full term.
This is a Moon of Alabama fundraiser week.
Posted by b on December 3, 2018 at 20:21 UTC | Permalink
next page »"Some commentators blame the EU for Macron's policies. But that excuse is false. The EU did not demand the elimination of the wealth tax in France. Moreover - the EU implements the policy guidelines the large EU countries set out. Macron could surely change those if he wanted to."
B you literraly contradict yourself in that sentence by saying macron policies emannate from the EU but the EU is not to blame.
Moreover how well did Macron fare when he tried to change the EU detached worker policy that let people work in foreign country while paying the social tax of another country ? He got laughed in the face by Poland and couldn't do a thing about it .
How is Italy faring right now with changing Eu policy toward it s budget ? Italy is the the third biggest county of the Eurozone ...
You really are wrong on that subjet .
As you said Macron policies are the same as his predecessors and it s not a coincidence . He is just what you would call a political noob compared to the previous sharks and has absolutely no finess or craftiness .
Posted by: Hugo | Dec 3 2018 20:59 utc | 2
Little Napoleon in France, defiant of regular people. Wouldnt surprise me if he impose martial law and use even more violence against protesters, all with the support of EU that dont support the people against the dictatorial ruler this time.
Posted by: Zanon | Dec 3 2018 20:59 utc | 3
Good recap on the events so far, b. Macron, like Hillary Clinton, has a certain arrogance and an almost gifted ability to make statements that are so out of touch with ordinary people that they incite an instant dislike.
I think that on an even playing field the French people would have preferred Melenchon's policies. Now, the voters may be coming to regret that falsified media narrative that anointed Macron their royal ruler.
Posted by: worldblee | Dec 3 2018 20:59 utc | 4
"On Saturday the peaceful protesters in Paris were accompanied by 'moderate rebels'. They left behind the usual trail but are still waiting for foreign powers to arm them"
Brilliant, just brilliant b. Love it. Thanks.
Posted by: Tannenhouser | Dec 3 2018 21:35 utc | 5
"... B you literraly contradict yourself in that sentence by saying macron policies emannate from the EU but the EU is not to blame. ..."
I believe it's common practice for individual governments of EU countries to pass legislation they know will be unpopular with their own publics through the EU parliament in Brussels. Members of the EU parliament do not generate bills off their own initiative; bills come from the European Commission whose members are appointed by the European Council, made up of the heads of state or government in individual EU countries. The EU parliament then basically rubber-stamps the legislation and it becomes law in the jurisdiction of that government that snuck it through Brussels. Then if people in that jurisdiction complain, their government will shrug its collective shoulders and say "Well it's EU law, nothing we can do about it".
This was one of the sticking points with supporters of the Brexit campaign in the UK.
Posted by: Jen | Dec 3 2018 21:51 utc | 6
taxes are - like most political ideas - sometimes desirable in theory. where they - like those other ostensibly high ideals - fail is in practice and when you ask "cui bono?" france has the sixth largest military budget in the world and the largest in the EU. were the taxes going to ease austerity as opposed to funding future adventures that "succeed" as well as the attacks on libya, the hoi polloi might object a little less. it also reinforces the right-wing talking point that any climate legislation (sincere or otherwise) is just a "tax grab". or a chinese plot. or some other retarded idea.
the references to 1968 are telling but especially considering the roots of those events. after WWII it seemed that the french elites objected less to the axis invasion than to it not being "their idea". the vichy adaptation of fascism kept rolling along and - within the lifetimes of many people living today - the streets were filled with gunfire and eventually scores (some say hundreds) of dead algerians. the EU is just a logical and post-modern ("why use guns when we can use finance") extension of that tendency.
it is easy to see - as you pointed out - a suspicious "colour revolution" tinge to the current riots but only if you ignore the pressure that's been building for years under continued austerity; the same arrogant mentality held by "remainers" in the UK is personified by macron and his ilk in france. paris also resembles london, manhattan and DC in the way to which you alluded: the cores are reserved for the ultra-wealthy and everyone else has to commute from the fringes (although DC is a bit different as it has vast, marginalized and mostly black ghettos and the fringes include the insanely rich northern virginia suburbs). making it expensive to live in the centers is bearable but then taking away the affordability of the outskirts is a step too far.
Posted by: the pair | Dec 3 2018 21:51 utc | 7
Macron is a megalomaniac, and possibly even more narcissistic than Trump.
Posted by: bjd | Dec 3 2018 22:10 utc | 8
BJD France wishes it had a Donald Trump who actually gave a shite about the people. The French have had this coming for years for voting in the same flunkies. Marine Le Pen will be president and France will be better for it.
Posted by: Fernando Martinez | Dec 3 2018 22:20 utc | 9
People of France: Emmanuel Macron proclaimed himself to be your "Jupiter".
Your righteous protests prove that Macron is not your Jupiter; he is Uranus.
Posted by: Ort | Dec 3 2018 22:35 utc | 10
This is the version of Léon Crémieux, unionist from NPA:
What is at stake in the French “yellow jacket” mobilization <http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article46977>
According to Crémieux:
1) the riots were indeed ignited by a mix of the far-right and spontaneous manifestations, but the far-right backed down after a facebook event created by a truck driver ignited a series of road blockades. Now, the far-right is officially condemning the manifestations (because the road blockades are hurting business of the elite).
2) the unions are not behind, much less in control, of the manifestations -- albeit they support them.
3) it seems the term "gilets jaunes" is a media fabrication: the movement is amorphous, and doesn't call itself by a unified name.
4) the fuel tax is much more sinister than it seems: apparently, Macron cut tax to the rich, and pretends to cover that deficit with half the fuel tax increase. This only came out due to a leak, because, officially, the government is rising taxes on fuel for environmental reasons.
5) the French dismal public transportation described by b is true: the French are, on average, highly dependent on cars to go to work, they working in Paris or not.
I remember when the second round of the French presidential elections happened. When Melénchon lost by just 4%, I told a person on my side that: "the French didn't have the courage to go on with positive change, now they'll have to choose what they want to lose first: their flesh or their spirit". With the election of Macron, they chose to lose their flesh first. The spirit will soon follow.
Police take off headgear in support of yellow-vests:
https://twitter.com/BreakingNLive/status/1069340718844522496
Firefighters turn their backs on authorities:
https://twitter.com/FrDesouche/status/1068894774336327682
Posted by: jsb | Dec 3 2018 22:57 utc | 12
@worldblee (post 5)
We do not want neither Macron nor Melenchon, the later is a sneaky and coward one. But I can't say we don't deserve this situation, we put into power people who do not represent us since the 70s. In a way, I would agree with Charles De Gaulle's quote "French are calves". We want something else, but the majority also wants to keep all this assistantship which is absolutely contradictory and an impossible task. In 4 years we won't choose, at least I hope, extremism, and we'll get another one from the moderate right or left wing. And we'll wait, again ! It's like if we were masochists.
Posted by: Paul | Dec 3 2018 22:58 utc | 13
Thomas Edison in a 1921 NYT article was quoted as below. Perhaps Macron and other leaders should listen. Of course, they know this already
“.......under the old way any time we wish to add to the national wealth we are compelled to add to the national debt.
“Now, that is what Henry Ford wants to prevent. He thinks it is stupid, and so do I, that for the loan of $30,000,000 of their own money the people of the United States should be compelled to pay $66,000,000 — that is what it amounts to, with interest. People who will not turn a shovelful of dirt nor contribute a pound of material will collect more money from the United States than will the people who supply the material and do the work. That is the terrible thing about interest. In all our great bond issues the interest is always greater than the principal. All of the great public works cost more than twice the actual cost, on that account. Under the present system of doing business we simply add 120 to 150 per cent, to the stated cost.
“But here is the point: If our nation can issue a dollar bond, it can issue a dollar bill. The element that makes the bond good makes the bill good. The difference between the bond and the bill is that the bond lets the money brokers collect twice the amount of the bond and an additional 20 per cent, whereas the currency pays nobody but those who directly contribute to Muscle Shoals in some useful way.
” … if the Government issues currency, it provides itself with enough money to increase the national wealth at Muscles Shoals without disturbing the business of the rest of the country. And in doing this it increases its income without adding a penny to its debt.
“It is absurd to say that our country can issue $30,000,000 in bonds and not $30,000,000 in currency. Both are promises to pay; but one promise fattens the usurer, and the other helps the people. If the currency issued by the Government were no good, then the bonds issued would be no good either. It is a terrible situation when the Government, to increase the national wealth, must go into debt and submit to ruinous interest charges at the hands of men who control the fictitious values of gold.“
Wise words. Anyways nice to see some signs of life in France, assuming its real. Too much lithium and fluoride in the water in US for this to happen.
France has not had much of a recovery since the crash. For those saying its not due to the EU I am surprised. Anyone in the Eurozone has lost their sovereignty to the Eurogroup when it comes to fiscal policy, as it enforces its 3% limit on fiscal deficits (read Edison /Ford again). Since 2008 countries in the Eurozone have experienced 0.6% growth. That is negative per capita growth in a number of countries. No recovery there. Pure austerity.
Macron is a Rothschild puppet. The ultimate neoliberal globalist. Shocking he was elected. Yeltsin like Privatization, tax breaks for the rich and let everyone else eat cake. I”ll be surprised if the protests lead to any meaningful change but I admire the effort. Nothing wrong with reminding the elites of a time when their ancestors heads were detached and mounted on stakes.
Posted by: Pft | Dec 3 2018 23:09 utc | 14
>>>>: Fernando Martinez | Dec 3, 2018 5:20:28 PM | 9
a Donald Trump who actually gave a shite about the people
Bollocks! The only person that President Trump gives a shit about is Donald J. Trump.
I'm just waiting for Macron to blame it on Putin or Assange.
Posted by: Ghost Ship | Dec 3 2018 23:10 utc | 15
Those catchy yellow vests seem like a page out of the CIA colour revolution playbook, particularly in connection with the msm's assiduous obedience in portraying them.
Quickly escalating violence, even snipers on the roofs - will we have a memorable "Champs Elysees" after the "Maidan"?
Posted by: Leser | Dec 4 2018 0:06 utc | 16
From France I can assure you that it is not a rebellion managed from outside. Because if Trump or anyone wants to destabilize french governement they can reveal the 2 million of euros Macron has hidden in fiscal paradise, wich is an information knew by all secret services but hidden by french media.
Manifestations has been launched by radical right - wich is anti-american - against fuel tax but then take in charge by working class and middle class wich are speaking about their own social condition, rejecting neo-liberal policies and any political party, including radical right. Now all political parties are affraid by what is happening and try to calm down people, but not François Ruffin, a revolutionary from Mélenchon's party who is the only politician accepted in manifestations (Mélenchon himself is hated). It reminds me 1789 when bourgeoisie gave rifle to peasant to overthrow the king but then was affraid that the peasant had guns.
Violence are due to far right and far left demonstrators and undercover agent from Macron who has a stategy of chaos as Emmanuel Todd said.
The ideological gap between french working class and the bourgeoisie and also between Parisian and the rest of France is huge and is the key of this event. Media shows to the French a political theater divided between cultural liberalism and cultural conservatism but working and middle class don't give a fuck about this comedy of puppet and only want to speak about social condition and economics.
Don't forget that violence only happens in Paris and that the manifestations in the rest of France are more significant and peacefull.
Scuze my english ;)
Posted by: Renard | Dec 4 2018 1:01 utc | 17
Is Macron trying to balance a budget or does he see a deficit looming? Destructive riots sound like something out of an antifa playbook.
Posted by: Curtis | Dec 4 2018 1:01 utc | 18
macron may and merkel are strong they are forging a new jerusalem.
as barbera lerner spector said france is in the birth pangs of a new diverse culture.
you cannot make an omellette with smashing egg heads.
macron will prevail the resistance must be cracked and divided.
the innocent of the middle east turkey and africa must have a home
now
Posted by: geldoff | Dec 4 2018 1:01 utc | 19
@16 -- "Those catchy yellow vests seem like a page out of the CIA colour revolution playbook, particularly in connection with the msm's assiduous obedience in portraying them."
Indeed, but their use in this context sets up a strong cognitive dissonance by associating popular rebellion with (at least where I reside) infrastructure maintenance type crews -- aka, the authorities at work. It is an absolutely brilliant attention grabbing (and mind bending) psyop choreography effort. It will go viral as a strategy, imo.
Posted by: imo | Dec 4 2018 1:05 utc | 20
Pft @14--
Excellent illustration of how the Money Power operates, how the mechanism of Financial Control operates as was put into play during Dollar Diplomacy Era to the IMF/World Bank Structural Adjustment Loans and Neoliberalism of the present day. Again, France's situation cannot be solved given its subordination to EU financial diktat. The rosy idealistic propaganda that was used to sell the EU concept has proven to be the lies it was to begin with, and the only way to get out is to Get Out and become independent again. Of course, those designing the Eurasian Economic Zone are learning what not to do, and it will soon become much more attractive for nations to leave the EU bloc to join the EEAU bloc as the difference is slavery versus freedom, which is why the EU bloc is so emphatically anti-Russian.
Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 4 2018 1:14 utc | 21
Bread and circuses for the commons. And no taxes on the rich. Macron is doing exactly as ordered from on high, yet this rebellion is quite frustrating.
If it is the CIA, why, when Macron is following his orders for austerity for the commons and tax relief for the rich?
Posted by: fast freddy | Dec 4 2018 1:18 utc | 22
@ b who wrote
"
The use of yellow warning vests, gilets jaunes in french, give the protester a smell of an arranged 'color revolution'. Then again - it is always helpful in demonstrations to distinguish one's side. These warning vests are mandatory emergency equipment in each car, they are readily available and sell for as little as €0.65.
"
The warning vest meme is powerful but too easy to be coopted, IMO. I would much rather see something like the kettle banging that I read about in South America every day at some time in the afternoon/evening.
The elite have been pushing the levers to get us to this social conflict point and the adage of taking advantage of a crisis will play a big role here and now. The elite of the West want to force a restructuring of the global social contract before they lose more of their waning power. This would be fun to watch if there was no so much at risk....
We are seeing a global version of the Shock Doctrine being played out on the West with lots of positioning before the music stops and social safety net promises are broken more.
Good on the French for getting out there and showing that protests can be mostly civil but are trying to say WARNING very loud to the political class.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 4 2018 1:27 utc | 23
It seems that nobody today really understands what is going on, and can answer the following questions.
- was there some undeclared network behind the impressively successful movement start (November 17th).
- why did the media speak so much about this movement before it even began?
- to which extent have some undercover policemen participated to riots?
- has the police left rioters break/burn in order to impress and build a show (as it seems on Arc de Triomphe for example)?
- if yes, was it in order to impress the media/people, or Macron?
- is Macron targeted by some part of the deep state (as in the Benalla story)?
- at the contrary, is Macron happy with the situation, and will he declare a state of emergency, in order to facilitate his next reforms/steps, and reinforce his power?
Posted by: kapimo | Dec 4 2018 1:33 utc | 24
Posted by: Jen | Dec 3, 2018 4:51:34 PM | 6
"I believe it's common practice for individual governments of EU countries to pass legislation they know will be unpopular with their own publics through the EU parliament in Brussels. Members of the EU parliament do not generate bills off their own initiative; bills come from the European Commission whose members are appointed by the European Council, made up of the heads of state or government in individual EU countries. The EU parliament then basically rubber-stamps the legislation and it becomes law in the jurisdiction of that government that snuck it through Brussels. Then if people in that jurisdiction complain, their government will shrug its collective shoulders and say "Well it's EU law, nothing we can do about it"."
It is not the "individual governments" agenda that gets implemented that way, it is the dominant agenda in the EU that gets implemented. In EU economics matters that means German agenda. Which in turn means austerity. Even for France.
You don't get to "snuck" anything as the European Council is controlled by the largest countries and the paymaster - Germany. If they do not like your particular agenda - and if that agenda, even if "domestic", does not take into account their interests - nothing will get through.
In this case, Germany does not want large budget deficits anywhere in the EU, and Germany is the paymaster, so all countries, even France must obey. Or the euro implodes (and possibly the EU too). Since the Euro will implode if Germany does not back it.
Posted by: Passer by | Dec 4 2018 1:54 utc | 25
Thanks renard @17. Your information confirms the most logical explanation which is that such manifestations are largely spontaneous reactions to years of appalling policies by successive governments mandated to 'reform' France by attacking the living standards of the 99%.
Neither the fascists on the right nor the craven and discredited unions could organise events like these- they have tried but nobody trusts them. As to the idea that the US government is involved! Neither they nor any other sinister outside force is behind this explosion of anger from a population that has been provoked beyond all reason.
The question is when the rest of us-we're looking at you America- are going to follow France's lead and roll back half a century of neo-liberal theft and lies.
Posted by: bevin | Dec 4 2018 2:10 utc | 26
The reason for the gilets jaunes is, I would say, the fact that you might be fined if standing on the road without wearing one. And in the EU it's compulsory to have one in the vehicle, and wear it when you step out in case of malfunction or accident. The vest and a signal triangle must be on the vehicle when passing inspection or it fails. I guess it's another Brussels regulation, we had none of it before joining the EEC. (no alcohol meters either, first thing that would come to the table in trucker restaurants would be a full bottle of wine, one per head, and a big basket of bread for all)
So I suppose people starting wearing them when the first roadblocks started, so that the cops wouldn't have an immediate excuse to identify and fine them and then it went viral. I doubt Soros is behind this one.
Posted by: estouxim | Dec 4 2018 2:17 utc | 27
The French Macron Tax Riots are just one of many protects going in the world against the
benefactors of monopoly powered capitalism. Capitalism is a democratic process in principal, but when monopoly powers are added to it, it becomes a major siphon of funds poor and the from the masses to the wealth retention of the few.
Privatization is the key word. but the method is to theft by rule of law.
ABC play marbles together at B's house. B is not happy that he cannot win all of the time and his greed makes him jealous of the marbles that A and C have. So B says to mother, make a rule please, that no one but B can roll the dice.. Needless to say without competition, B soon has all of the marbles.
A and C were blocked by the rules B parent made.
Posted by: snake | Dec 4 2018 2:30 utc | 28
On French blogs and on some websites such as "Democratie Participative (which is banned in France) commenters are saying that this a revolt of the French working class against the Jewish oligarchs who control France
Protestors can be heard chanting slogans such as: "Macron pute à juif!"
pic.twitter.com/xYb5JxzOFj
One commenter wrote that "Louis-Ferdinand Céline is with these gilets jaunes protestors in spirit"
Céline (who Charles Bukowski called the greatest writer of the last two thousand years), developed a a working-class, spoken style of language in his books such as "Voyage au bout de la nuit"
(Journey to the end of night) and Mort à crédit (Death on the Installment Plan)
He attacked what he considered to be the overly polished, "bourgeois" language of the "academy"
Although L.F. Céline is widely acclaimed by literary critics as the most unique French author of the 20th century and despite the fact that a good dozen of his novels are readily available in any book store in France, his two anti-Semitic pamphlets are still officially off limits.
Posted by: Mandy | Dec 4 2018 3:05 utc | 29
The elites are pushing the working classes around the globe into a corner of income insecurity, hopefully the French can push back enough to engender the same response in other countries including the U$A.
Posted by: ben | Dec 4 2018 3:15 utc | 30
Paid Trolls
Is it me or do others get the impression that moon of Alabama is now frequented by paid trolls who seek to disparage B and his points. Their comments always seem to show up early in the comment list. The main goal is always to really discredit B. They don’t just argue points. There is always a personal attack in there.
The MOA community handles the comments well. Try disagreeing like that in any democrat forum and you’ll be quickly banned.
In any case, B seems to have someone’s attention.
Posted by: Alaric | Dec 4 2018 3:46 utc | 31
@kapimo To respond to your questioning about the impressive success of the mouvement I would quote Victor Hugo "Every poor has a grudge against the governement". French are opposed since a long time to globalization and neo-liberal policies and it is exploding now because Macron incarnate all these. Also the revolutionnary myth is important in the french way of thinking and France's history (1789 is well know but also 1793, 1830, 1832, 1840, 1848, 1871 and 1968). According to Emmanuel Todd this type of revolt - messy and organized at the same time - is typically french.
Also it is not true that the media talk a lot about the movement before it begun, they started to speak about it the first day of manifestations because they could'nt ignore it and since the beginning every mainstream media is against the movement and supports Macron. The only media mainstream objective about the situation is "Russia today france" wich is quite popular because socialist thinkers and radical right are pro-russia.
@bevin I hope America will follow too, a little advice : here ordinary people just fuck off the fake debate between cultural liberalism and cultural conservatism to defend their interest against the bourgeoisie. The "gilets jaunes" bring together all people from working class and middle class no matter what they think about LGBT, veganism or other bullshit like that.
@Mandy that's not true french ordinary people don't care about the jewish and there is just one anti-semitic party organized around the humorist Dieudonné but it affect very very few people.
Posted by: Renard | Dec 4 2018 3:53 utc | 32
thanks b and to the many fine comments from people in or out of france, but particularly those in france or in tune with france.. thanks...
obviously the numbers on macrons popularity are not great, but they could be worse... he got 66% to le pens 34%... i wonder how it would change if people could vote again... of course the msm is in tow to the neoliberal agenda.. le pen was painted as far right... i am not sure how true that is... macron is clearly working for the neo liberal agenda.. neo liberal seems pretty far right wing to my mind... i guess i characterize it like i think of it..
the pictures with the snipers on the roofs are disturbing.. are they going for another set up like ukraine? is that intentional? i can't imagine that, but the pictures are ominous...
@14 pft... that nails it on the head and was written in 1921... almost a 100 years later, and nothing has changed... what does that say about where we are today? quote from your post.. “It is absurd to say that our country can issue $30,000,000 in bonds and not $30,000,000 in currency. Both are promises to pay; but one promise fattens the usurer, and the other helps the people."
Posted by: james | Dec 4 2018 4:01 utc | 33
@14 pft... of course that was after the fed reserve was put in place in 1913... after that, it was a done deal and it will continue to be a done deal, until more people are made aware of it and challenge it...
Posted by: james | Dec 4 2018 4:04 utc | 34
This guy is awful but the French people literally voted for this. I don’t even think he believes there should be a France. He continuously pushes for a nationless Europe run by one group. My hope is that more start to rise up and stand up for the common folk. This is how it’s done. The French people don’t have a choice here their entire way of life is on the line with an elitist globalist of the worst kind in power there.
Posted by: Daniel C | Dec 4 2018 4:07 utc | 35
Here is a perspective on the protests from Gilbert Mercier, informative and with the perspective that, whatever the origins and very complex and opposing political factions participating, the protests have become essentially a general revolt against neoliberal capitalism and the ruling class, a perspective supported by the graffiti mentioned in b's OP: "We’ve chopped off heads for less than this', 'Topple the Bougeoisie', 'May 1968 December 2018'."
Obviously the situation is again very complex and one cannot have a single definitive reading especially at this stage in time, and I think it not accurate or productive as some do to simply see the CIA or "globalists" behind everything. I oppose the CIA as much as any compassionate human being, but they are, despite their self-image, not an omnipotent force behind every popular uprising. Yes, there are extreme right-wing forces such as Marine Le Pen's Front National attempting to co-opt these protests, but, as Mercier notes in the above interview, these protests are about bread and butter, about the basic livelihood of the French people, who see that the neoliberal capitalist economy and super-rich ruling class of which Macron is the French sycophantic and shameless representative, is a dead-end.
Posted by: George Lane | Dec 4 2018 4:09 utc | 36
Has Macron made any statement saying "Assad must go"? If so Macron might be the next victim of the curse of Assad.
Posted by: QuietRebel | Dec 4 2018 4:31 utc | 37
@37 quietrebel... James F. Jeffrey mentions it every few minutes.. hopefully he can suffer the curse sooner then later, as i am quite tired of his personality.. https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/12/287752.htm
Posted by: james | Dec 4 2018 4:41 utc | 38
I personally feel that most of the protesters are legitimate and are not happy with Macron and their ruling elite. At the same time I have always believed that some faction of the elite is behind each organized protest so as to further their agenda.
I dont know much about French domestic politics but it seems to me it could be another Fake Wrestling event pitting Globalists against so called Nationalist Populists like Trump , the goal being to free France from the EU like the UK so as to negotiate a separate trade agreement with the US and to be able to pump more money into the US arm industry and run up big deficits/debts that pay lots of interest. The people will be thrown a bone which will appease them temporarily
Of course under the current financial system France would need to borrow USD or Euros to run up huge fiscal and trade deficits, perhaps setting up the French people to end up like Greece or Turkey. Keeping demand strong for the reserve currencies is a huge plus. The Eurozones fiscal deficit restrictions, while serving the global elites purpose at one point (curbing living standards) must be broken. Does this mean good times ahead for the little people? No. But its party time for tbe Global Elite should it happen.
Posted by: Pft | Dec 4 2018 5:00 utc | 39
Weird, ominous, why was statue of the Marianne, her head, hacked in that particular manner?
Eerily resembling the Eye of Horus symbolism promoted by global occult celebrities...?
Symbols are crucial in the MSM programming of the masses...
Posted by: PeacefulProsperity | Dec 4 2018 5:22 utc | 40
"so all countries, even France must obey."
What?! Are you crazy?
Posted by: PeacefulProsperity | Dec 4 2018 5:35 utc | 42
Hi everyone,
i'll insist on one point b. made: there is a deep divorce between paris and the provinces. pretty much as deep as the divorce between the elite and the people, the media and the people. people know too that everything is decided in paris, even though most of french people despise paris and its inhabitants... it is very quiet in paris, people don't really know what to think, although they agree with the revolt. it's like they unconsciously desire a revolution happens, and realize they do... french blood or dna maybe. we've ousted kings many times... the good thing is : they don't want to negotiate whatsoever. anyone doing that (negotiate) is not part of the movement, and people know it, and say it. they need a "constitution" (a piece of paper) to cristalize. people don't believe people anymore.
Posted by: Alain | Dec 4 2018 6:19 utc | 43
but not François Ruffin, a revolutionary from Mélenchon's party who is the only politician accepted in manifestations (Mélenchon himself is hated).
Posted by: Renard | Dec 3, 2018 8:01:32 PM | 17
Renard, why is Mélenchon hated?
Posted by: BM | Dec 4 2018 6:49 utc | 44
The French seem to have rebellion in their genes, luckily. It's not necessary to go back as far as 1968 to revisit violence on the streets of France. I vaguely recall riots in France in the early Noughties during which hundreds of cars were torched. An Oz blogger was following those riots and introduced his regular updates as News From The Car-b-que.
I wonder how many French citizens have forgiven the French MSM for the well-orchestrated smear campaign which encouraged them to ditch Marine le Pen?
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Dec 4 2018 7:45 utc | 45
I'm possibly letting my mind wander too far 'outside the box' but...
Is it mere coincidence that the 'elites' of the used-to-be Christian Colonial Countries became so accustomed to associating great wealth with oppression, mass-murder and daylight robbery of Simple Folk in far-away places ... that when the Colonial Era came to a screeching halt after WWII they began to yearn for the Good Old Days and decided to dumb-down the citizens of the Homeland in order to make it easier to perpetrate the Colonial Era experience on their own home-grown Simple Folk?
The CCC elites, worldwide, are certainly united in their arseholery and the chronology fits reasonably well.
I grew up (so to speak) in the 40s and 50s and the Future was shaping up to be a Fabulous Wonderland full of unlimited opportunities for everyone. It looks the way I expected it to but it doesn't feel right for an increasingly large proportion of people...
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Dec 4 2018 8:20 utc | 46
Of course everyone is going to ascribe this massive expression of public dissatisfaction with either their pet cause or favourite nemesis. It is likely that many of those participating are doing exactly that - but so what?
The issue isn't whether macron is stealing from the poor using global warming as a faux cover, or whether the fuel tax increases are merely a method to make cuts for the rich affordable. Both are probably motivators for particular segments of the population.
As I pointed out last week the people participating have a range of political views, but they are united by total dissatisfaction with the direction (upwardly mobile inequality) of 'contemporary political discourse'.
The refusal to have leaders is an important part of this spontaneous action.
Politicians, police and the media will continue to demand leaders be identified - all the better to harangue, smear and arrest 'em.
Any reasonably educated population has moved long past the need for 'leaders' a reality that scares the sh1t out of the next generation of wannabe's but here we are. Let's hope the people of France are more successful in their dealings with that issue.
Yep just like Occupy in amerika, a number of drongos will insist they are a gilets jeune leader and the sleaze media will use that in an attempt to create dissension but this can be easily dealt with by gilets jeune positively interacting through the same vectors they use to spread the word about actions. A lighthearted p1ss take will spread the message far n wide fast, yet not create a controversy the parasites can feed off of.
Media outlets are sufficiently vain to believe that if they say someone is a leader the masses will agree.
That is not the case, so if the french people stand firm and deny media claims, it will likely backfire on the fishwraps and TV 'commentators'.
Passez moi le popcorn s'il vous plait
Posted by: Debsisdead | Dec 4 2018 8:36 utc | 47
So Dave Sirota dug up a tweet of Max Boot relating Macron and saying America needs a leader like him. Now that he dug up the tweet and folks are making fun of him, ol' neocon Booty boy is blaming Russian bots for attacking him.
Posted by: KP | Dec 4 2018 8:44 utc | 48
My education and that of my siblings and offspring didn't cost the parents any significant out-of-pocket expenses beyond the cost of food, books and fares. The fees were a few dollars for Registration and the vast bulk of the cost was funded by the Govt. My youngest child was a tail-ender and the only one in this story to graduate with a Student Debt, albeit a manageable 5-figure sum with no overt pressure, interest penalties, or deadlines. I'm told Oz is more prosperous now than in my youth - so how come the Govt can no longer afford to educate Oz's children? < That's a rhetorical question. We know why.
The Govt no longer belongs to The People and is Privately Owned.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Dec 4 2018 8:55 utc | 49
Here are four articles that can provide additional background on this Revolution:
Les Gilets Jaunes – A Bright Yellow Sign of Distress
Diana Johnstone • December 3, 2018
https://www.unz.com/article/les-gilets-jaunes-a-bright-yellow-sign-of-distress/
All Power to the Banks! The Winners-Take-All Regime of Emmanuel Macron
Diana Johnstone • May 22, 2017
https://www.unz.com/article/all-power-to-the-banks/
The Tragedy of the Cheminots-The Deep Meaning of the French Railroad Strikes
Diana Johnstone • April 21, 2018
https://www.unz.com/article/the-tragedy-of-the-cheminots/
Emmanuel Macron’s Assault on French Democracy
Harrison Stetler October 19, 2017
https://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/emmanuel-macron-assault-french-democracy-labor-reforms-resistance
Major sites that align with the Gilets Jaunes movement are:
http://www.objectif-france.org/
L’Union populaire républicaine led by François Asselineau
https://www.upr.fr/tag/frexit/
The independent site titled France frexit
https://francefrexit.com/
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 4 2018 9:16 utc | 50
The French Prime Minister just announced a moratorium on the gas taxes.
https://www.valeursactuelles.com/politique/carburants-philippe-va-annoncer-un-moratoire-sur-les-taxes-101368
This government tactic is designed to fragment the Gilets Jaunes movement by appearing to offer a concession on one of many issues that contribute to the overall movement. This is just a short term retreat by the government as “'This is a progressive tax that grows every year according to a supposed price of carbon per ton of CO2, which is to reach 100 euros in 2030!' the journalist remarked. 'In 2015 it was at 14.5 euros, in 2017 — 22 euros in 2017, in 2018 — 44.6 euros and so on.' ”
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201811301070254065-macron-merkel-may-eu/
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 4 2018 9:39 utc | 51
@27
interesting thesis - makes a lot of sense in connection with the all-important words quoted of a "strategy of chaos" being implemented, also called 'strategy of tension', which is the Gladio modus operandi in a nutshell: infiltrate a popular movement of the political enemy, discredit it with violent agents provocateurs under the spotlight of the msm and finally usher the sheep back to the authority of the government.
Without a doubt there is lots of complain about in France, and the middle classes and even bourgeoisie surely aren't entirely unsympathetic. The point of this Gladio intervention is to have them eventually recoil at the senseless violence and destruction of the protesters, deny them support and rally around the gov't as the devil they know.
Fantastic reporting by b as always.
Posted by: Leser | Dec 4 2018 9:43 utc | 52
A quick observation about the problems of the EU.
Germany, after being utterly beaten in WWII, finally realized it would be impossible of it to conquer the European Peninsula by force.
After some decades of post-war development and the oil crisis (1974-5), the Germans slowly matured the idea of an European Union, under the narrative that the subcontinent should be "pacified" (that was a lie, the goal was always to create a unified market, as Barry Eichengreen's new book about the dollar standard demonstrates).
Germany, then (maybe after the oil crisis; certainly after the Plaza Accord of 1985) decided that the best route to European hegemony would be the post-1970s American tactic of financial dominantion (debt enslavement). This worked at the beginning because the Euro Zone wasn't created suddenly: it was a fruit of three decades of common market and convergent development. The peripheral members were baited.
It didn't quite work for one simple reason: Germany doesn't enjoy the prestige (soft power projection) of the USA. The conditions which made the USA the undisputable leader of capitalism in 1946 are difficult -- if not impossible -- to replicate. If a new multipolar order arises, no member will enjoy the dominance the USA enjoyed in the 1946-2008 period.
Alas, the American soft power hasn't depleted out yet. That's why many peripheral European members (specially from the East) don't accept German governance, but accept the American one.
In an effort to discredit the protests, the French Main Stream Media is accusing the gilets jaunes protestors of belonging to either the "extreme left" or the "extreme right"
And so, in an effort to understand what is really going on, the following is my rough translation from reading French blogs that are considered "far right" by the French media
I won't link to them, because it might get me banned here
Here's one:
For some protestors, Hervé Ryssen is considered to be one of the unofficial "leaders" of this leaderless gilets jaunes protest.
As everyone knows the persecution of people who dare to address the Jewish question is ever escalating worldwide. And France is one of the worst places. Like Monika Schaefer, Ursula Haverbeck, Sylvia Stolz in Germany and Alison Chabloz in UK and many more, Hervé Ryssen is persecuted for the serving the Truth in France
Although still free, chances are good Ryssen that he will be re-imprisoned pretty soon.
His update is upsetting for those who still think that speaking Truth is some sort of game.
At the same time it is sobering and very inspiring.
Despite the fact that Hervé mostly quotes Jews themselves he is being persecuted relentlessly. He has been imprisoned several months for tweets like:
The Jews are primarily responsible for the massacre of thirty million Christians in the USSR between 1917 and 1947”
and:
Uncomplicated: as long as you do not accuse the Jews of their innumerable crimes, they will accuse you of their own.”
In total he has already been convicted for 11 months only for tweets and Facebook posts.
He was sentenced for 6 months alone for just sharing a photo compilation about WW2 on Twitter.
And more is coming.
To learn more, search The Persecution of Hervé Ryssen
Posted by: dh5 | Dec 4 2018 11:14 utc | 54
As usual Meyssan's take is worth reading How the West eats its children
Posted by: PeacefulProsperity | Dec 4 2018 11:17 utc | 55
BTW What happened to the "Quenelle!" movement?
Posted by: PeacefulProsperity | Dec 4 2018 11:21 utc | 56
France temporarily block tax cuts for 6 months to stop protesters:
>French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has announced a six-month suspension of the fuel tax hike which triggered massive unrest across the country, saying the measure is aimed at stopping the violence and restoring public order.
The French government will suspend the fuel tax rise for six months to calm down the Yellow Vest protests, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said in a televised speech on Tuesday.
@RT
Posted by: Zanon | Dec 4 2018 12:05 utc | 57
Renard, why is Mélenchon hated?
Posted by: BM | Dec 4, 2018 1:49:13 AM | 44
Mélenchon is hated because he is seen as a new Tsipras who will betray lower class if he gets the power.
I agree with that because Mélenchon is a ancient member of "socialist" party (wich in fact give up socialism since 1983 and the Mitterand's decision to replace socialism by cultural liberalism), because he don't want to speak about a Frexit or a release from eurozone, because he voted yes to Maastricht's treaty in 1991, because he is implied in a case of fake invoice during his 2017's campaign, and because he has oversized ego (a few month ago he stated 'I'm the Republic!"). I add that the treason of Mélenchon began a few days ago because he decided to exclude sovereignist branch of his party (incarnate by Kuzmanovic) to spotlight the cultural liberalism branch, as Mitterand did in 1983.
Now I want to correct something I often see in comments : anti-semitic parties are not popular at all in France. Dieudonné and his "Quenelle" movement, Thierry Meyssan or Hervé Ryssen (I personnaly don't know that guy) are nearly unknown and just assemble maybe a few thousands of people on the entire country.
Posted by: Renard | Dec 4 2018 14:27 utc | 58
The class contempt on both sides of this protest is evident, with the protestors attacking the symbols of the plutocracy and the Twitter journalist/commentator class whining about the damage to monuments which once symbolised the revolution but now only reflect the values of the bourgeois class. Notorious neocon/radlib/centrist trolls have attacked Pamela Anderson for supporting the protests as a "WikiLeaks" supporter- in other words, a "deplorable" who supports "fake news." The class hatred behind the "fake news" meme is widely underestimated- Trump pushed lies to the elite class in the media of the wealthy (NYTimes, Guardian), which in any case promote the most dangerous fake news by supporting the oligarchy and economic growth worship. Similarly, Bernard-Henri Levy, neocon philosopher, has attacked the use of the word "gassed" after Macron's CRS did just that to high school students, saying that the word should be reserved for Douma! You see, certain linguistic weapons must be reserved for the "elite." At the same time, the Yellow Vests have also refused to be branded as the property of Le Pen and the Republicans (parties of the rich). Note that the entire French left, from Melenchon to the antifas and the Invisible Committee, support the movement. The Winter Oak Press has translated the thoughts and dreams of the French uprising at https://winteroak.org.uk/2018/12/03/france-on-the-brink-either-we-topple-the-system-or-it-will-crush-us/
Posted by: Blooming Barricade | Dec 4 2018 14:31 utc | 59
@dh5 Thankfully most Yellow Vests (75 percent of French back the movement) do not support that racist and genuinely anti-Semitic extreme-right filth material. To many, it is the rebirth of the "French Intifada." It is important for the people to keep on alert and repel this out of the movement lest it take control!
Posted by: Blooming Barricade | Dec 4 2018 14:40 utc | 60
Thanks, b, for the report and the many very useful comments here. I had waited for this article to understand this event.
Alexander Dugin has a good view of this situation, in which he explains the dynamic of populism as one that essentially casts off the contrived divisions between left and right, and all other such divisions. All classes are united in the yellow vest. His overview of the "revolt of the elites" of the last few decades is a perfect, brief summary of how the the lack of principle, fueled by greed, and usually clothed in the policy of neoliberalism, has destroyed life for ordinary people around the world. He makes the clear point that this populism identifies with no political party or view. Political forces are trying to lead and co-opt it, but so far no traction. It's quite short, very lucid, and recommended: The anatomy of populism and the challenge of the Matrix
Thanks @ 52 Krollchem for the Diana Johnstone articles. I've read the recent one, and she offers great anecdotal views from the real life of people. She reinforces Dugin's view about the populist antipathy to politics:
"So what next? Despite having been sidelined by Macron’s electoral victory in 2017, politicians of all hews are trying to recuperate the movement – but discreetly, because the Gilets Jaunes have made clear their distrust of all politicians. This is not a movement that seeks to take power. It simply seeks redress of its grievances. The government should have listened in the first place, accepted discussions and compromise. This gets more difficult as time goes on, but nothing is impossible." - Les Gilets Jaunes – A Bright Yellow Sign of Distress
As a further insight into the meaning of this uprising - and it truly seems to be an authentic expression of the ordinary people - Theirry Meyssan offers a compelling summary to the piece linked at #57 by PeacefulProsperity. I've only skimmed the piece so far, but it covers a lot of global ground, tying in Bush senior and Trump from the same era, the populist outbursts in the UK, Italy and the US, and the demarcation of the world into the new world order, followed by the rebellion against it from ordinary people pushed to the wall. It's worth reading.
The summary includes what I believe is the global truth of this yellow vest event:
"...by taking to the streets, the French have become the first Western population to take personal risks to oppose financial globalisation."
- How the West eats its children
Posted by: Grieved | Dec 4 2018 15:20 utc | 61
To understand these protests better, beyond the stick it to the man aspect (Macron the evil bankster, etc.), some might be interested in one of the fundamental issues underlying them - the price hikes on diesel - so diesel itself, as well as a slightly wider context of ‘cars in cities’ and their regulation, + an older post by Ugo Bardi.
cars in cities, ex.
Ugo Bardi blog
Ressource constraints exist.
Man does not live alone on the stage, posturing, the backdrop is just as important, as are the red curtains that open and then close.
Ignoring fundamentals is what the PTB manipulates the plebs to do, so that they pay attention only to superficial issues, mostly identity politics, jockeying for power, alliances, etc. etc. if even that (besides Kardashians etc.) In a vacuum divorced from .. well everything that counts.
Posted by: Noirette | Dec 4 2018 15:20 utc | 62
PP 57
Reading along - everything fine, then get to this nugget of shite.
By allowing capitalism to run wild, President Bush Sr. hoped to extend prosperity to the world.
Gag me with a spoon!
Posted by: fastfreddy | Dec 4 2018 15:37 utc | 63
gilets jaunes is, I would say, the fact that you might be fined if standing on the road without wearing one. And in the EU it's compulsory to have one in the vehicle
you must wear the vest only evil doers anti semites and tax dodging nazi believers in anarchy do not comply with these jacket yellow vest laws.
having said that the evil doers burning gay paris are undercover russians,syrians and nasty types from irania.
these yellow vested gangs counter gangs and pseudo gangs must be crushed
they hate us frenchie for are sexual freedums
Posted by: geldoff | Dec 4 2018 15:55 utc | 64
From France I can assure you that it is not a rebellion managed from outside. Renard at 17.
Yes. I live on the border, no longer in F, but am familiar. Many months (actually years) brewing in a public way, before that more or less only in private since a long time.
Yellow vests symbolism.
- Car-drivers in F were obliged to buy and hold in car…some objected to these forced buys.
- grabbing, donning, a visible sign, badge, flag, available without shelling out (not like pussy hats or whatever)
- allows high visibility for cams / onlookers (ha ha > was designed for such!), identity-solidarity identification, car-driver or supporter thereof..
- at the same time signals an ‘authority’ function, as hyper-visible vests clad bozos direct traffic, stop ppl, man emergency situations, shout orders, etc.. Car drivers take on the role of those who regulate cars.. brilliant.
Posted by: Noirette | Dec 4 2018 15:55 utc | 65
The need to adequately balance the budget, provide for social needs and national projects, and the defense is common to most countries, and when the economic growth is none or tepid, something has to give. Macron could try to learn from good and bad examples. Recent "troubles" in Russia:
Reuters, WORLD NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 / 7:18 AM / 3 MONTHS AGO
In his address on Wednesday, Putin watered down the original draft pension reform legislation, introduced by the government on June 14, which opinion polls showed was opposed by 90 percent of Russians and which has provoked a string of protests in recent weeks.
Polls by the Levada Centre show Putin’s personal approval rating has fallen around 10 percentage points since the pension reforms were proposed, although it still stands at around 70 percent.
Putin, who was re-elected in March, offered to cut the proposed retirement age for women to 60, from a retirement age of 63 first proposed by the government. Russian women currently retire at 55.
Putin said that the proposal to raise the pension age for men from 60 to 65 would remain unchanged.
=====
"Authoritarian" Putin spends a lot of effort to explain the fiscal measures and to make compromise solutions to maintain national consensus. So stupid Russians approve him (70% cited by Reuters may be a high outlier among the polls, but at lowest they were about Macron's numbers at their best).
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Dec 4 2018 16:50 utc | 66
I'm french and you're wrong when you say that politic is made by Macron. Macron is just a puppet who follow the EU. Politic is made by EU since 30 years and whatever the president , it's always the same politic . That's why people are so angry because they see that election does'nt change anything.
Posted by: berti | Dec 4 2018 17:28 utc | 67
thanks renard....
noirette.. i thought i would read a more interesting viewpoint from you but i think i get your point.. now that macron has given a moratorium on the gas tax, is it over?
Posted by: james | Dec 4 2018 17:36 utc | 68
berti and others.. how much of this is a rebellion against the eu? it seems like italy has adopted that position and perhaps that is built into this too... macron embraces the eu as i understand it.. he's the perfect neo liberal, warmongering agent...
Posted by: james | Dec 4 2018 17:37 utc | 69
Well, what nobody points out here is the answer to why now is that this protests erupt, why in France, and why in this form...
Austerity measures dictated by the European Comission are not only applied to France, but to the whole European Union, being countries like those of the South Western Europe, with revenues quite lower than those in France and almost the same or superior taxes which mainly most suffer, and then a "color revolution" has not happened in Spain. Spain has also been applied a higuer tax on Diesel, equating already that of unleaded petrol, with which advantage of Diesel cars has decreased when their maintenanace is more expensive, not to mention the increase in costs for the truck drivers, and then nothing so far has happened.....In fact, truck drivers are one of the most affected by this "revolt", since the borders are collapsed for international convoys, waiting in queues and losing hours and even days of work in the border countries....
France enjoys still today, a social security system still enviable for not only people in the rest of Europe, but also for the rest of the world. A considerable tax cut has also been applied by Trump to the richest in the US, while life conditions are by far quite worse in the US for the average worker than in France. Enslavized US workers would sign tomorrow without blink to enjoy the regulated work hours and social benefits the French still today enjoy, and then no similar "revolution" has so far taken place in the US, something curiously Meyssan, Johnston, and even Wikileaks, forget, no wonder these three have supported Trump as if there was no tomorrow.....
The thing is that these protests, with its extremely agressive component ( very similar in methods and indumentary wore by these les casseurs to those of the Maidan and those which took place in Iran months ago...) and its organization mainly through internet social networks, started just a week or so after Macron announced his support for the European Army to defend Europe amongst other threats, from the US....
Macron and his labour reform has everything to be contested in the streets, as well as rises in taxes for the poor coinciding in time with cut taxes for the rich, but, anyone who has ever participated in any workers or left wing demonstration, knows that this "style" is not that of the left or workers, who would go to hugh pains to not set cars or comerces belonging to other workers on fire, not to mention destroying public property in such a way, which then will end being payed by the workers themselves at share...It is precisely regular workers who pay taxes and know what it takes to pay for a car or anything who never will use such "methods" to protest....
From my point of view ( and of many awaken viewers ) this "revolution" has all the marks of the far-right Rasputin, Bannon, by the violence displayed, the way of organization through social networks, and the unusual "support" by non European media, including the WP, WSJ, and so on...in a context, six months to the European elections, where Bannon will be trying to get the results of Brazil, or at least those of Andalucia past Sunday ( both campaigns managed by him...) to rise the far-right, directly managed and funded from the US, to the European parliament to block the recent still slight sovereignist impulses inside the EU related to resisting US presure.
To this end, a lot of money is being spent to get known to the people fringe organizations and parties so far with scarce relevance and support in Europe because of their extremist and really anti-European discourse.
The real European left and the working people must pay especial attention to not offer any support to their own executioners, even when there are plenty of reasons to go out in the streets to protests, since, as have been proved in Brazil, privatizations of eveything, destroying of what is left of environment, tax cuts for the richest, worse conditions for workers, harshest control and censure for labour organizations, and a general regression on rights and freedoms, will follow the next very day after rising the far-right to power.
Posted by: Sasha | Dec 4 2018 19:34 utc | 70
@70 sasha... i dunno sasha... at this point macron looks like the french executioner..
Posted by: james | Dec 4 2018 20:31 utc | 71
I am French and live in France.
The current events in France are only incidents related to a racket.
France's problem is its debt.
In May 68 18 Jewish leaders overthrew General de Gaulle and imposed the former Pompidou President of Rothschild Bank. In 1973 he adopted the Rothschild law obliging the French state to borrow from private banks ... you know the rest.
France's debt represents 100% of its GDP.
France can not even pay interest on the debt ... the French state has just borrowed 225 billion to complete its 2019 budget ...
So the French pay more and more ... for everything ... it's a real racket organized by Macron former bank? form the bank ? ... Rothschild.
That's the truth.
The French people will have the balls to say to the crooks: "we do not pay the debt anymore"
Will the USA then send their F16s to bomb France? ... because that's how it happens when the people are opposed to Wall Street Jewish crooks ...
We are here.
Everything you hear from different can only be wrong.
Posted by: Laurent | Dec 4 2018 20:33 utc | 72
The mystery is that the French people did not arise sooner…
« Contrairement à tout ce que l’on peut entendre, le mystère, ce n’est pas que nous nous révoltions, mais que nous ne l’ayons pas fait avant. »
https://lundi.am/Prochaine-station-destitution
The Gilets Jaunes protests are occurring throughout France, as many cannot afford to go to Paris. The protests have spread to the Corsica, DOMs-TOMs and not just La Réunion where a curfew had been decreed in 14 out of the 24 communes. Other countries are experiencing support for the Gilets Jaunes, including Belgium (both Wallonia and Flanders), Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Bulgaria. The support in Bulgaria may be related to the EU preventing it from getting transit fees from the cancelled South Stream gas pipeline:
https://tomluongo.me/2018/01/28/pipeline-wars-realpolitik-meets-geography/
France, like the rest of the Western world, is facing a wide range of failed institutions due to a creeping dynamic that those in power (insiders) seek to prevent their power from being diminished.
https://www.oftwominds.com/Pathfinding-Our-Destiny-sample2.pdf
The uprising reminds me of the old French joke from the sixties "Liberte.Egalite.Fraternite." , where the periods are called pointes which translates to "Liberte non, Egalite non Fraternite non. At least the French have now rediscovered Fraternite. The best representation of the Gilets Jaunes revolution is the poster:
Macron = Destitution
Gouvernement = Demission
Systeme = Abolition
This Gilets Jaunes revolution has echos of 1788, 1968 and the 1978 French cyberpunk rock musical that revolves around the character Zéro Janvier, a billionaire getting into politics by running for the presidency of the Occident and the Black Stars who revolt against his totalitarianism. Here is the best performance of the famous STARMANIA song that captures the emotions of life and death (now facing the French people) "S.O.S. d'un terrien en détresse" ("S.O.S. of an Earthling in Distress") as performed by Dimash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf_UIAOWfAU
Renard@17 is spot on in his analysis of this revolution against neo-liberal corporate (inverted) totalitarianism also explained by Chris Hedges:
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/neoliberalisms-dark-path-to-fascism/
Renard is also correct that most of the violence is in Paris and is instigated primarily by the Black Bloc (Antifa) anarchist fringe (Google at your own risk). The defacing of the Arc de triomphe bore the symbols of the anarchist movements and there are videos of members of this terrorist group attacking Gilets Jaunes protesters. The Gilets Jaunes’ are shown in videos protecting the eternal flame from the anarchists.
Likewise, Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS) agents have been seen promoting violent acts when arrested showing their badges. As for the looting, there are a lot of very poor in Paris and the smashing and looting occurred mostly at night aided indirectly by the Paris police being diverted to deal with the Gilets Jaunes. After days of being gassed there is a negative feedback loop where the anger of the people is increasingly directed by the CRS whom older French often refer to as murderers.
This combination of Black Bloc attackers and police reassignments provides a highly inaccurate image of the Gilets Jaunes as terrorists than need to be crushed. The western media is eating up this mime, but if it were happening in Iran the US and EU security agencies would be handing out weapons like candy on Halloween. The offer to delay the fuel taxes a few months is a ploy and if the bait is not taken the state will remove the silk glove exposing an iron fist.
The Macron regime has tried to paint the Gilets Jaunes as just far right supporters of Marine Le Pen, however, Le Figero has reported that about 80% of the French support the Gilets Jaunes while only 4% of the French strongly support Macron. These protests are against all current politicians, including Marine le Pen and all have been asked not to participate. All these politicians are trying to be the one to replace Macron, with the possible exception of François Asselineau. Contrary to the media in France (what the Gilets Jaunes call merdia), the protests are not just about the gas taxes as there have been several months of protests covering other issues by medical personnel, police, Judges and lawyers, teachers, farmers, truckers, transportation unions, etc.
The labeling of Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National (formally the Front National) as being far right and by extension anti-Jewish is misleading as her partner is Jewish and her brother-in-law was a Mossad agent. Fortunately, the Gilets Jaunes reject all politicians and even the corrupt union leaders.
Renard@ 17, @58 is correct that Mélenchon, the rich old socialist, is hated by much of the Gilets Jaunes’ and has been seen trying to infiltrate the movement and then being booed. Mélenchon is also disliked for being close to the turncoat Syriza Greek government, especially Yanis Varoufakis.
This is definitely a death of the old system (5e Republic) and hopefully the birth of a new system.
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 4 2018 20:48 utc | 73
no no no this is not a banker issue my friend no no. we must not fall into that trap it is us who are to blame we are fat with freedom and liberty fraternitit etc etc.
earning modest amounts of interest is not a sin the simple fact is this rabble have been run from the start of the affair by nazi antisemites elements.we cannot allow this too become a 1939 issue all over again again already.
if you have debts payerbill eye say
pull yer belt in pay the man.
no such thing as a free frenchie luncheon
Posted by: geldoff | Dec 4 2018 20:50 utc | 74
we must all help france as a world community help them now at these moments of greatest needs.
we should all send monies
help them help frances clear some of the interest payments the pharisee banks need these infusions already
taxes are needed so the icebergs and goldbergs can live already
Posted by: dana | Dec 4 2018 21:05 utc | 75
send in the trolls... reminds me of a song called send in the clowns.. very similar in content in some regards...
Posted by: james | Dec 4 2018 21:14 utc | 76
@70 Perhaps you can tell us why the protesters are attacking symbols of French nationality like the Arc de Triomphe? It suggests a certain element of self-hatred. Why not go for the banks or the EU Commission (which I believe is on the Blvd St.Germain.)
Posted by: dh | Dec 4 2018 21:31 utc | 77
Gilet Jaunes. Ultra-right Accused of Creating Saturday´s Violence
According to initial reports, (the violence) was in the majority created by members of the ultra-right, who infiltrated the movement with the sole intention of smashing everything up. These rioters were largely said to be young men, who came from the regions.The historian of social movements Sylvain Boulouque evoked the “political colouring” behind the flags carried on the Champs-Elysées, some of which held symbols of the Sacred Heart and the fleur de lys. “Calls were spread on the all the web sites of the radical right calling for people to pour into the Champs-Elysees and to storm the Elysée, or at least to get close to it.”
Posted by: Sasha | Dec 4 2018 21:54 utc | 78
French Police use excessive force to club down protesters:
https://twitter.com/XiuXes/status/1070040559966937091
https://twitter.com/nicolasgregoire/status/1070043795478204422
https://twitter.com/czarymarybum777/status/1070067611197759488
Protesters jeering Macron with chants "Macron regign":
https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1069265296001851392
https://twitter.com/LarryLeChanceux/status/1070065706987868160
Posted by: jsb | Dec 4 2018 22:06 utc | 79
I echo Grieved's thanks @ 61, Krollchem. I've said elsewhere that this increasing protest reminded me of Occupy, especially in its nonpolitical aspects and general popularity. The difference is that occupying the streets in mass protest at understood intervals frees people in ways that Occupy with its emphasis on territorial occupation and all the logistical problems that arise therein could not do. Inclusivity was a problem for Occupy; it isn't for these events. They can't be called a movement because they involve an entire population.
Posted by: juliania | Dec 4 2018 22:50 utc | 80
Peaceful Prosperity 55
It's funny to read Meyssan point out how the middle classes rose in China while they declined in the West. The globalists like Zakaria used to do this too back when I used to check out their CNN shows long ago. But a connection was never made. It was always Americans are stupid, lazy, etc. Considering our leadership choices, that is a possibility. But Americans' general successes were the result of opposite qualities. So maybe it was something else?
As to the EU, it's predecessor EC, NATO, and other regional organizations spring from UN/globalist pushes by elitists. It's good to know there are people protesting corruption. Hopefully they won't be misled. It is good to hear the other perspectives.
Posted by: Curtis | Dec 4 2018 23:07 utc | 81
Perhaps you can tell us why the protesters are attacking symbols of French nationality like the Arc de Triomphe? It suggests a certain element of self-hatred. Why not go for the banks or the EU Commission (which I believe is on the Blvd St.Germain.)
Posted by: dh | Dec 4, 2018 4:31:49 PM | 77
The far-right always destroys everything, prefereably by setting it fire, to then build its own "new order" according to its "new rules", and this they do under payement, symbols of French, or for that matter any, nationality, leaves them cold
Looting anything of value and set fire others´ propietry, and even people, is what the neonazis do in Ukraine these days. The same was done decades ago in Nazi Germany, Nazi Italy, Nazi Spain....
There is nothing new here....in fact so old that smells of rancid....
Posted by: Sasha | Dec 4 2018 23:09 utc | 82
@82 So you're saying the neo-nazis are smashing stuff up to make people with a genuine grievance look bad. Do you know who is attacking the police?
Posted by: dh | Dec 4 2018 23:14 utc | 83
Eh, yeah, si, oui, she is the "great white hope" of Europe...sure.....
Posted by: Sasha | Dec 4 2018 23:20 utc | 84
is it not a no brainers global warming and climate changes need to be taxed it simple these hoodlums are making pollutions they does not cares about are planets.if they did they would not burns paris frances.
cctv 8k videos should be used for filmings these brutes they should be arrested and forced to pay an extra pollution smoke and building burns tax.if they refusnicks they should be shooted in the temples
Posted by: max | Dec 4 2018 23:41 utc | 85
Well, i don't know about anyone else, but I am fed up with the Satanic fiends in all positions of power, the demonic forces in control from the highest to the lowest, the great global whore of babylon mass media spewing out its degenerate filth 24/7, the non-stop degenerence, depravity and debauchery, the Deceivers, the god haters, the blasphemers, the constant blasphemies against the holy ghost, calling truth lies, good evil, lies truth, the sacrilege, vulgar vile profanities, the hypocrisy,the corruption of language and hatred of the truth, false flags, mass murders carried out behind a deluge of lies that we the people have been inundated with so that the world is a constant living hell that is intolerable to any decent person.
Posted by: evilempire | Dec 4 2018 23:52 utc | 86
Sasha@82
Check out videos of the tagging of the Arc de triomphe with anarchist symbols consistent with the black Bloc. Note also that the real Gilets Jaunes were protecting the eternal flame.
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 5 2018 0:00 utc | 87
@87 Black Bloc is the extreme left n'est ce pas? I remember the riots of May 68 in Paris started by students at the Sorbonne. Makes me think street fighting is something of a French tradition.
The police got really nasty in 68 so this is quite a mild response....so far. I guess it's all Macron's problem.
Posted by: dh | Dec 5 2018 0:21 utc | 88
The globalist agenda is accelerating as Macron is heading for Morocco on November 10th to sign ONU (UN) Le Pacte de Marrakech on open migration as well as the UN refugee pact. This will tear the EU apart as the Visegrad four (Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia plus Austria and Italy) as well as Bulgaria will not sign this document.
https://www.dw.com/en/what-is-the-un-migration-pact-and-why-do-some-oppose-it/a-46129568
https://www.dw.com/en/populists-attack-un-global-compact-on-refugees/a-46414476
The Prime Minister of Belgium has indicated he will sign, which will result in the fall of the Belgium government, as the Flemish alliance party of the government opposes the pact.
https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-charles-michel-to-head-to-parliament-amid-political-crisis-government-un-migration/
See the analysis of this pact by François Asselineau (in French)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K3amF3BGi8
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 5 2018 1:22 utc | 89
dh@88
"Black Bloc is the extreme left n'est ce pas?"
Even worse they want to burn everything down. The Black Bloc came a night as they promised and conducted the damage and tagging with their symbols. Here is a video of real Gilets Jaunes protecting the eternal flame during the daytime and no tagging was evident at that time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPDhCGFElBE&list=PLc0PGt2JHZomCO6DNkA3S44OwWDfK6eyU&index=4
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 5 2018 1:27 utc | 90
@90 Fascinating. The Gilets Jaunes need to make a strong statement but it looks like the Black Bloc want blood in the streets. Mind you we have a few posters on MOA who are into that.
I see it as an economic problem. It looks like Macron is isolated from the general population but the French do have a lot of social services that have to be paid for somehow. Le Pacte de Marrakech on open migration won't help him at all IMO. He needs to concentrate on domestic problems.
Posted by: dh | Dec 5 2018 1:57 utc | 91
Macron appears to lack the support of the National police gendarmerie and the Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS) of the Interior ministry. Here is the secretary-general of the National police (VIGI) union stating that most police support the protesters over Macron. In other videos the police unions are also calling for the dismissal of the Paris chief of police.
https://www.rt.com/news/445352-police-union-yellow-vests-france-macron/
The National police union has also filed a lawsuit against Macron's senior security chief Alexandre Benalla
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201807191066520306-france-trade-union-macron-aide/
Furthermore, Général de gendarmerie Bertrand Soubelet (four star) who was formally the Chief of Operations for the National Gendarmerie retired as soon as he found out the composition of the corrupt Macron government.
http://www.bvoltaire.fr/general-soubelet-se-retire/
Général Soubelet is an author of several books including the best seller Tout ce qu'il ne faut pas dire Broché – 24 mars 2016 https://www.amazon.fr/Tout-quil-faut-pas-dire/dp/2259249094
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 5 2018 2:00 utc | 92
@92 I'm sure the police sympathize with the Gilets Jaunes but surely they can't hand over control to the Black Bloc.
RT sure know how to stir things up...
https://www.rt.com/news/429338-japan-love-russian-police/
Posted by: dh | Dec 5 2018 2:11 utc | 93
So the black bloc is known, how long has it existed, and why has it been allowed to continue to exist?
Posted by: QuietRebel | Dec 5 2018 3:39 utc | 94
Thank you all for your responses.
About Marine Le Pen she is not accepted by demonstrators because she has undermined herself between the two rounds of presidential election by giving up the sovereignist branch, giving up the frexit, and being volontarily ridiculous during the predidential debate with Macron.
Front National (now Rassemblement National) is now seen as a key party in the political system to aspire ressentment and to finally loose volontarily. Indeed Le Pen family is a great family of french oligarchy. Front national is a puppet of the political comedy the medias shows to the french.
Posted by: Renard | Dec 5 2018 5:21 utc | 95
Renard@95
Je suis tout a fait d'accord avec votre analyse de Marine Le Pen. François Asselineau repete chaque fois qu'il le peut que MLP est juste la pour garantir que le candidat du systeme globaliste/sioniste est elu. Tout comme Macron, elle ne quittera jamais la scene politique et fera tout pour affaiblir l'opposition au systeme. Depuis 1972, Jean-Marie Le Pen a tout fait pour empecher un candidat valide et pro-France d'arriver a la tete de la Nation ... et sa fille a pris le flambeau pour remplir cette meme mission!
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 5 2018 6:58 utc | 96
Renard@95
In summary:
For the past 19 days, the French nation has been rising up in seething anger against a disdainful, anti-anything that is French, and oligarchic president.
In response to this growing hatred of a government that has been destroying France and has already sold and is still selling the French patrimony to foreign government as well as multi-national corporations, the Gilets Jaunes responded to the call to defend the Patrie. Contrarily to the MSM claims that the people’s anger was caused by the latest gas tax, the real root cause of the civil problem are reduction in social benefits, unrelentless taxing, desertification of the rural areas, reduction if not elimination of public transportation, etc. Most French are clamoring that they can’t live anymore but that they just barely survive and they will not accept this situation!
The Gilets Jaunes who are totally pacifist are not issued from the Left or the Right, they are not racist, not class oriented, they’re young, old, white collar workers and blue collar workers, unemployed, homeless, rich and poor. They have lost their dear Liberte and Egalite but they have found the real Fraternite that they need for the fight to save France from the claws of the globalist, Zionist, capitalist, oligarchic, oppressive, and destructive masters of the New World Order.
Realizing that mass protests would not be enough for their voices to be heard by the elite hiding in the Elysee, Matignon, Bercy, the National Assembly or the Senate, the people of France moved to the next step which was spontaneous but pacifist insurrection. This hasn’t worked either as the CRS and gendarmes loyal to the Minister of Interior have used tear gas, water canons, flash balls, and shock grenades to disperse them. The Gilets Jaunes issued a national call for action asking everyone available to gather in front of all national, regional, departmental, and municipal government buildings and to stand in total silence on December 5, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Each of the first three week-end of popular revolt marred in violence was labeled Act I, Act II, Act III of this French Tragedy. Act IV will be played on December 8 and 9 on the main stage at the Champs Elysee. Will this Act be titled Presidential Destitution or will it be titled French Revolution of 2018 … that’s the question!
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 5 2018 8:26 utc | 97
Black bloc are anti- facist! If your anti black bloc your pro facist. Black block are anti war, anti refugee persecution, anti climate change! What’s not to like.
This demonstration is not left or right wing! It is the general public standing up for there rights ! Against curuption and the greedy elite! An inevitableity in the face of media propergander and oppression.
It’s also the antidote to devide and rule. The poor defending them selve against the rich. If that scares you, your on the wrong side.
Viva black bloc !!!
Posted by: Mark2 | Dec 5 2018 8:27 utc | 98
This is a video of the director general of the National Police stating that armored vehicles will be deployed this Saturday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAVUWP3ZvXU
Warning from Saber Solo Seven:
Yellow Vests CAUTION SATURDAY PLEASE Armored Vehicles Gendarmes Traitors Are Ready To Intervene.
Posted by: Krollchem | Dec 5 2018 8:42 utc | 99
Nougayrède doubles down on her conspiracy theory:
The comments to this entry are closed.
This is how it’s done......
Posted by: notlurking | Dec 3 2018 20:53 utc | 1