You cannot rule France against the will of her people. Many rulers have tried, and they have all failed. The French will respect a rule of common sense, but if one attempts to rule them with a high hand or an iron first one ends up facing resistance, riots, mass demonstrations and, ultimately, revolution, unless one backs down. The government of France, when it goes too far, either backs down or is overthrown.

Such is as it should be, really. A country's people should not let it be ruled against its will, and just because you won an election does not give you carte blanche to do whatever the hell you want until the next election.

It is hard to rule a country that will not let itself be bullied. Which means that it's hard to rule France. Really hard. A whole system has been structured to provide for people, and they understand how it works. You can't just rip that away and expect a mass of people who are suddenly suffering to take it. No. Change must be done slowly and incrementally, so that you don't cause massive disruption in people's lives. Macron moved way too fast, with way too little persuasion or preparation.

You cannot rule France against the will of her people.

And you shouldn't be able to do this in the USA. Time's running out fast for us as the unwashed, illiterates from Mexico and SA are filling up the empty spaces. Congress is doomed as it always has too damned many Maxine Waters and Casio- Cotezes.

Wouldn't you think that the key part of the story -- the REASON for the riots -- is the amount of tax increase? In other words, what is the current price of gas, how much of that is tax and what will it be going to?

That information is not in this story, nor can I find it anywhere.

Macron is part of the Trudeau/Obama gang of idiots.

They have no clue how things actually work and believe it just takes willpower. They are liars and will always try to take other peoples credit when not deserved.

Macron making fun of Trump is something. Macron would kill to have Trumps worst approval rating! I think Macron is in his teens! WOW!

It was about a 2.5% tax increase. Gasoline is about 6 Euros per gallon in France already.

It was about a 2.5% tax increase.

The tax increase was 2.5%? That's it? They rioted over a 2.5% tax increase? Can't be.

Yep. 2.5%. Remember, French gas is already $6 a gallon. It’s already massively taxed. The problem is not simply that taxes went up on gas. It’s that they simultaneously were adjusted downward for the rich, and they are breaking away from the rest of the society in prosperity, while everybody else is stagnating and their taxes are going up. Macron’ s error was in simultaneously de taxing the rich while increasing taxes, at all, on everybody else. Had he eased off on the rich but NOT raised the gas tax, he would have probably gotten away with it, either by allowing an increased deficit or by cutting something (something that was not a social benefit). But what he tried to do was essentially US Republican-style politics in France: detax and deregulate the rich, while trying to balance the cost on the middle. And that will not work in France: the public is too vigilant (they expect their leaders to favor some cronies, and they get right on top of it).

So Macron provoked the people, as so many French leaders do. Now he has to learn what they all learn: you cannot bully the French, and you can’t pull much over on them. He’ll back down, the tax will be rescinded, the deficit will increase, and life will go on, pretty much like in A,Erica or the rest of the Western world.

Wouldn't you think that the key part of the story -- the REASON for the riots -- is the amount of tax increase?

No because if you read in part what the writer was referring to besides gas increase which reads in part, "...like an increase to the gas tax that would stimulate long-term investment in new jobs while combating climate change."

The real issue is not an increase in the gas tax at all. It's the concocted up "climate change" that is the real issue. It's just plain fraud in its face and the people of France are not that damn stupid. They see through the bs for what it is.

The reason for the riots is the gas tax. The excuse for the gas tax is "climate change".

And the reason they get shot, is because they’re terrorist snowflakes... imposing terror for their AGENDA.

Once a few are shot in the forehead... the “terror” will evaporate... and they no longer are terrorist. Then they’ll be shittheirpantsorist

Gasoline in France is around $6 per gallon -- 65% of that amount is tax. The tax goes up 25 cents and NOW they riot?

Gasoline in France is around $6 per gallon -- 65% of that amount is tax.

Maybe they shouldn’t have elected to tax and spend assholes, they did.

Maybe the protesters didn't vote for Macron.

Maybe the protesters didn't vote for Macron.

Macron was elected with 67% of the popular vote. These 33% are using violence to overturn the will of the majority.

Just sayin'.

I don't care about majority rule. The right side should rule. As in correct and honest.

The right side should rule.

Hmmmm. And that would be … let me guess … your side.

Well, when the 33% riot in the streets to take away your guns -- because they believe they're on the right side -- we'll see if you still feel the right side should rule.

There is a good and bad. A right and wrong. A moral and immoral.

If some idiot thinks they are right or says they are it doesn't make it so.

I'm for A moral leader who does right. If some faggot snowflake doesn't understand that I don't give a shit about their opinion.

Right is right.

I'm right most of the time.

You are right some of the time.

The Bible is right all of the time.

If you disagree I don't give a shit.

If some idiot thinks they are right or says they are it doesn't make it so.

I assume you're excluding yourself from that statement.

I assume you're excluding yourself from that statement.

I know right from wrong. If you don't believe in right and wrong then you are part of the problem.

Macron was elected with 67% of the popular vote. These 33% are using violence to overturn the will of the majority.

What Mr. White said.

If France didn’t want to suffer from the ills of democracy, then maybe those ignorant toads should have developed a REPUBLIC.

They are reaping what they sow... and at this point they have three choices AND VIOLENT TERRORIST RIOTING AINT ONE OF THEM. They can...

1) Shut the fuck up and wait to remove the socialist politicians during the NEXT electoral cycle.

2) Shut the fuck up and do nothing.

3) Get shot for being a terrorist.