The other issue is that America just doesn't have the same perception on strikes. While strikes are still okay in the minds of many for labor issues (as in a single company's workers striking), the idea of a general strike as a means of change isn't even on my radar having grown up in Iowa. I think that likely true for many. It's just not how it's done. And sadly even now, labor strikes are often seen as obstructionist and "whiny".
The closest thing I can think of to a general strike recently was the one in protest of the pending immigration bill (was that a year ago already?) But even in California, there was a lot of negative opinion of it -- it not being the "right way" to change things.
I guess we haven't found the right venue to have our grievances addressed by the Democrats or the Republicans. A general strike movement - even growing publicity of holding strikes - might succeed in calling more legislators to action.
