As an American that strongly advocates for direct action, this depresses me (further). If taking to the streets still doesn’t get anything done, what hope is there?

Have hope, but be smarter about it, we need to strategize, out in the open (because keeping a secret from the state in 2024 is all but impossible), with the clear realization of what our oppressors are willing and able to do to stop us. People online seem to think that real change can only come from enough of us getting pissed simultaneously and taking to the streets, but what does sending a very strong signal to someone that doesn't care really get us? ...or violent full-on revolution but that strategy is impossible to grow and is likely to backfire big time. We need to consciously evolve our culture to not need a state.

--> The state cannot exist, any state is a target for the power hungry to take over and start the cycle over again.

That government that stops or slows our progress, it's made out of people. I'm a bit older, I saw the "Tea Party" in the U.S. go from a few excited people giving a speech at Sizzler to causing problems for the whole world. Why can't people that want to make things better do that?

1. We need to get more good people into office at any level possible, to demilitarize the police, prevent book bans, help prevent ordinances against protesting, guerilla gardening, etc.

2. We need more people to run to vote even if they can't win to influence the Overton Window and call out the right wingers

3. We need people to form and join worker's co-ops. Why isn't there a local co-op pizza shop, bike shop?

4. We need people building community that is separate from capitalist interests. What does this look like?

• Learn to garden, plan harvests and food sharing with neighbors to save money and be less dependent on the fragile system.

• Garage bars, dinner parties, tiki parties, BBQs, block parties. Anything that gets neighbors talking and having fun and building shared interests.

• Walking and riding around your neighborhood making friends, knowing faces

There hasn’t been two consecutive elected Democrats since 18-fucking-56).

pre 1940s I'd say this isn't really an issue. there were a lot of dixiecrat shitbags, but thanks to the southern strategy things kinda reversed.

I agree with the part about french workers on strike becoming a meme, but I wanna stress that it didn't happen by itself.

It's the result of voluntary and sound political strategies from our (economically) liberal governments.
Step 1: "let's make a very offensive law proposition"
Step 2: workers go on strike.
Step 3: "okay let's take back the worst point and still applythe rest"
Step 4: workers' lives are worst despite the strike and the unions lose power and credibility
Sprinkle in the fact that most media were bought by billionaires who aren't too fond of workers' rights, a few corrupt union leaders and you get the current situation.

It's interesting that you mention SNCF (state-owned - for now - french railway) because the always make the reason of their strikes clear and (spoiler) it's never for fun. But when strikes occur, most of the media interview people who wanted to go to work/on holiday by train and can't because of the strike, "economists" who rant about the hundreds of k€ losses for businesses because of the strike, some ass***e from the government who stated "we think the right of strike and protest is very important, but not when it bothers other people" and never the union's heads or the sociologists who can explain how the previous laws have made life worse for the rail workers and how the current one is gonna be worst.