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Indybay Feature

Yellow Vests Unimpressed By Macron

by Leon Kunstenaar, Photos: Leon Kunstenaar (kunstena)
Macron Verbiage Seen As Empty
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As France’s “Yellow Vest” protests continued into week 24, President Macron’s “great debate” conclusions failed to sway the protesters.

To counter his image of aristocratic aloofness, the French president had toured the country, appearing in shirtsleeves, to hear and discuss peoples’ concerns.

Consistent with the oft expressed “he talks a lot but does not say very much,” Macron’s proposals were seen as cosmetic or vague.

Classrooms would not exceed twenty four students. No medical facilities would shut for two years. Retirement benefits would be “re-indexed”, whatever that meant.

To be fair, there were some other progressive social service adjustments. But the two big issues, ever decreasing purchasing power among working classes and taxes on the wealthy, reduced by Macron’s elimination of the wealth tax, were left unmentioned.

As in the US, cutting taxes on the wealthy, justified by the fiction that they will therefore build and employ, is followed by “we” have to save money by cutting services that working people need, is Macron’s neoliberal agenda.

Symbolizing the hoped for fusion of the yellow vests with labor, the march was led by the fiery leftist leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon.

There are big plans for the May Day march next week.
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by Leon Kunstenaar, Photos: Leon Kunstenaar
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