# How far away are Americans from the "breaking point"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 16, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948 "2011-03-16T18:36:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Le\_Jacquelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/1 "2011-03-16T18:36:33Z")
Some of the powers that be are seeing the threat that America is on the verge of rising up in protest. Big protests. Revolution-level protests. On a side note, I recently pointed out how clueless the definition of inflation is. Apparently many others have seen through this traditional definition, too. Is it possible that we could soon see another major game-changing revolution on the level that ended the last Gilded Age, except in fewer years? [http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/536035/Jeffrey-Sachs%3A-"The-American-People-Are-Going-to-Reach-a-Breaking-Point"](http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/536035/Jeffrey-Sachs%3A-%22The-American-People-Are-Going-to-Reach-a-Breaking-Point%22) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/2 "2011-03-16T18:39:30Z")
Zero chance. It’s the sheerest, most far-fetched fantasy. We have this thing called “democracy.” We don’t need revolutions, nor is there any reason to want one in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/3 "2011-03-16T18:42:15Z")
Well, the next national elections are in 2012 - so that’s the date of the next potential government overthrow. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/4 "2011-03-16T18:45:21Z")
I love revolutionary magical thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/5 "2011-03-16T18:48:58Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I love revolutionary magical thinking. It comes from believing that 1. Most people are as angry as you are, 2. They are angry about the same things you are and 3. They have the same solutions in mind that you do. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/6 "2011-03-16T19:02:59Z")
> [@](#): > > Some of the powers that be are seeing the threat that America is on the verge of rising up in protest. Big protests. Revolution-level protests What are they going to rise up and protest about? The price of food? Even with the rise in costs it’s still practically dirt cheap. Their lost jobs? Well, 9% of the working population might rise up I suppose, but to what ends? I know you think that the solution is to impose stiff tariffs on selected countries that use cheap labor and to force businesses to bring back jobs to America, but I doubt there are enough Americans deluded enough to rise up against the government to overthrow it in some sort of revolution. As DtC says, we have this thing called ‘democracy’…so, if people actually think along the lines you THINK they do, then they can always vote in politicians eager to capitalize on populist view points. > [@](#): > > On a side note, I recently pointed out how clueless the definition of inflation is. Apparently many others have seen through this traditional definition, too Well, since I’m on ignore, can someone ask him to give a link and maybe expound on this? What is the ‘clueless’ definition of inflation…and how does Le Jac’s definition differ? Who are the ‘many others’ who have ‘seen through this traditional definition too’?? > [@](#): > > Is it possible that we could soon see another major game-changing revolution on the level that ended the last Gilded Age, except in fewer years? Considering that this didn’t happen during the Great Depression, which was a much worse crisis than the current financial woes, I’m going to go with ‘no’ as the answer. I don’t even think there will be a revolution in Greece, Ireland or Iceland, let alone one in the US, which, all things considered, has things much better during this recession than most other countries. What I think will happen is that we’ll need to import more cheese to go along with all of the American whine… -XT ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/7 "2011-03-16T19:13:47Z")
Not that the OP will see this, but I think the question is best posed as a John McLaughin Group type of question. JML: “On a scale of 0 to 10, with zero being no possibility, and 10 representing complete metaphysical certitude, what are the chances of Americans taking to the streets with pitchforks and torches? PAT BUCHANAN!” PB: “1, John.” JML: “WRONG! Elandor Clift!” EC: “Zero.” JML: “WRONG! Freddy the Beetle Barnes!” FB: :rolleyes: JML: “WRONG! Frank Sinatra!” FS: “I’ve had chunks of guys like you in my stool.” JML: “WRONG! The answer is… 0.25.” ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/8 "2011-03-16T19:17:00Z")
It’s too bad he has you on ignore man…that was truly funny. 😛 ETA: Not that he’d have seen it that way, mind. He seems to be getting more desperate to get his point across to what he see’s as a hopelessly conservative and pro-business, pro-offshoring/outsourcing, pro-free trade message board. -XT ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/9 "2011-03-16T19:25:12Z")
Okay that was funny Ravenman. No matter how much you desire revolution Le Jac, it ain’t happening here anytime soon, sorry to disappoint you. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/10 "2011-03-16T19:37:36Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Well, since I’m on ignore, can someone ask him to give a link and maybe expound on this? What is the ‘clueless’ definition of inflation…and how does Le Jac’s definition differ? Who are the ‘many others’ who have ‘seen through this traditional definition too’?? I’m sure that someone will come along and give you a more technical answer, but for my purposes, anything like the Consumer Price Index that ignores gas and food is pretty much worthless for valuing inflation in my daily life. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/11 "2011-03-16T19:43:19Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I’m sure that someone will come along and give you a more technical answer, but for my purposes, anything like the Consumer Price Index that ignores gas and food is pretty much worthless for valuing inflation in my daily life. I agree. I think that the justification is that the prices of those goods are more volatile, reflecting temporary gluts or shortages, but I think it’s wrong to leave them out. On the other hand, I can’t see people ever rising up in armed revolution over the technicalities of the consumer price index. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/12 "2011-03-16T19:43:38Z")
Anyone old enough to remember the 60s when there were ACTUAL protests, instead of people going online and yelling on blogs 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/13 "2011-03-16T19:45:13Z")
Just keep on dreaming… ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/14 "2011-03-16T19:49:45Z")
A revolution? In the US?!? What the hell is there to revolt against? Sure, you might get worked up and in a lather over slights from politicians, real or imagined. But you’re life and liberty most likely are not in daily jeopardy. It’s been said that being homeless in America I’d still better than housed in many countries. Life is too good for too many to get a revolution going. And most of the ones that are likely candidates for the fight grown up with the belief that things have a very real chance of getting better. If there were a revolution in this country it would have happened in the '30’s. Nope, I’d say odds of a revolution (that has been predicted since the Sixties, BTW), are nil. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/15 "2011-03-16T19:50:23Z")
[QUOTE=Markxxx] Anyone old enough to remember the 60s when there were ACTUAL protests, instead of people going online and yelling on blogs [/QUOTE] Well, I remember seeing them on TV (when we finally got a TV…I was a kid in the 60’s). For obvious reasons my folks didn’t do the whole protest thingy, so I have no first hand experience…and Tuscon wasn’t exactly a hot bed of protest in any case. 😉 -XT ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/16 "2011-03-16T20:02:48Z")
> [@Le\_Jacquelope](#): > > Is it possible that we could soon see another major game-changing revolution on the level that ended the last Gilded Age, except in fewer years? Not while American Idol is on. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/17 "2011-03-16T20:03:39Z")
I don’t know about the rest of America but I’m almost to the “breaking point” of writing an angry letter to my representative. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/18 "2011-03-16T20:06:17Z")
On the other hand, the power structure in Egypt probably thought it would never happen there either. I don’t recall a violent change of government ending the Gilded Age. The revolutionary level fervor will not change our government, for certain, but might change the attitude of the American people. Anything on the level of the anti-war pretests of the late '60s early '70s would do quite nicely. Who is going to protest? Maybe the unemployed whose benefits are running out, and wondering why the government can afford to give more tax cuts for businesses but not give them money to feed their families. These things need a spark, and we can never tell what it would be. BTW, it is fascinating that Dudley used the iPad as an example of how we all have it better, just like many people here seem to say that since the poor have TVs they can’t possibly have anything to complain about. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/19 "2011-03-16T20:08:22Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > What are they going to rise up and protest about? The price of food? Even with the rise in costs it’s still practically dirt cheap. > > -XT The food banks and charity kitchens around here are seeing more demand then they have ever seen, so this supposed low cost of food doesn’t seem to be that helpful to those with nothing. The price of cake is probably pretty good, though. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948/20 "2011-03-16T20:12:04Z")
I rose up in protest last Thursday. Didn’t do any good. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-away-are-americans-from-the-breaking-point/574948.md?page=2)