Even though I’ll grant you that some left-wing parties, like the Communists, did advocate limiting immigration up until the early 1990s, France had, since 1945, reembraced anti-fascism and tolerance—thanks in large part to the efforts of the Communists working alongside De Gaulle.
The US had a campaign to educate Americans about fascism. Citizen's United is a major problem here. It has hardened corporatization by consolidating corporations and the billionaire class. Add religion -- what a horrific cocktail. Democracy doesn't have a chance.
I agree... And that's my disappointment with France during the last 20 years (Sarkozy the first piece of shit), because a large part of our 'elite' pushes to follow that American model...
That's why we tried to keep religion at a personal level (and thus avoid the public sphere) with the law on secularism, and why we separated church and state much earlier.
We're not even a true democracy. The Southern gents, who lived off the work of slaves, forced the 3/5ths compromise. Horrible. And, I was enlightened about this... Take a read. I won't spoil it. 'The Greatest Heist In History' share.google/2JPvCt2YUqVI...