For the last month, the attacks on public sector unions in Wisconsin, Ohio, and elsewhere dominated national news. The target is not just unions but on labor in general. But state bills barring or restricting collective bargaining are just one battlefront in a growing war on the working class — a war that will have consequences for the middle class, too.There are now some signs in the US that working people who are being directly targeted for cut-backs and union smashing, as is now happening in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, are beginning to wake up to the realities of this class war.
But the ignorance of most Americans about the important issues of today is appalling. Whether working people can wake up soon enough to wage a successful war to save themselves is a big question. Especially since WWII, they have been subject to the most sophisticated campaigns of information management through the ruling class's control of media, educational institutions, and the film industry (see this). Only now when workers are being directly targeted can they see the realities of this class war that is so hidden and distorted by mainstream media.
As always, the strategy of choice is divide and conquer. Right-wing mainstream media are attempting to separate out public workers from the workforce for their first attack. For example, see this. Likewise, they are stepping up their campaigns to target American Muslims.
The more liberal section of mainstream media will frame it as a political battle between Republicans and Democrats. Both, of course, represent the interests of the capitalist ruling class simply because they both are sponsored by this class in order to maintain the illusion of choice, of "democracy". This technique has been very effective as we have seen in the past few years. (If you have nearly 2 hours to spare, and you need further details about capitalist style "democracy", I suggest you view this documentary.)
In 2008 Obama made all kinds of promises about "change", and he and many Democrats were voted into office. But, as usual, very little change has occurred. (See this and this.) The pattern has been repeated many times over the decades, and as a result, many working people no longer bother to vote.
Others that do vote, merely vote to "throw the [current] rascals out". This is precisely what happened in last year's Congressional and US state elections, and as a result, many Republicans, who nowadays are rabid right-wingers, were voted into office and are now engaged in aggressive class war. So, you can see how the ruling class uses these managed elections to provide a veneer of legitimacy to their governments and justify their attacks on workers.