Are these US protests significant?

[VictorCharlie]

Miles
I'm not sure what the end state was in Indiana or Ohio but the ability of public sector unions in Wisconsin was drastically cut. I think it is awesome but I also do not really care since I don't live in Wisconsin. The pundits and media would like to make this a huge national issues but the truth is that large parts of the U.S. are right to work states, meaning there is very little to no unions, and the fact that the pension plans for public sector employees really are driving states into bankruptcy. As far as the protests go, sure there were a lot of passionate people in Wisconsin getting lots of media attention, but the MAJORITY of the state's population clearly backed the governor and states legislators when they voted them into office based on the promise to end the public sector union's stranglehold on the state capitol.

[Ghost]

To the people involved in the protests, they matter. Are they significant?

About as significant as a British citizen, who currently lives in Korea, talking politics on a boxing forum, with a hard on against the US.

Not really.

JMO

[greynotsoold]

If public sector unions are the root of all evil, then why weren't police pension plans included? In California, specifically, for well over a decade local governments have been complaining that police pensions, specifically, are over-taxing their budgets. I think that if the problem of public sector unions is to be addressed, then all public sector unions should be affected equally. Unless, of course, the intent is to create a police state, then by all means they should be treated differently.
And I'm self-employed and always have been.

[Gandalf]

To the people involved in the protests, they matter. Are they significant?

About as significant as a British citizen, who currently lives in Korea, talking politics on a boxing forum, with a hard on against the US.

Not really.

JMO

I have nothing against the citizens of the United States and only wish them well, but there is no escaping the fact that middle America has been systematically taken apart for well over 30 years. And this is planned and deliberate. So, because I am British and live overseas, that automatically means that I should have no viewpoints about international politics and should certainly abstain from any opinions concerning the country effectively rules the world? Damn the BBC for covering the Libya crisis too, eh?

Once again you respond with nothing more than snide little comments. Whatever floats your boat.