Retirement age is not really the issue at all. This is about union busting and "putting people in their place." It's about in whose interests will society be run.
Workers who have contributed to France's steadily increasing wealth over decades are enraged that Sarkozy is re-neging on his campaign promise to not raise retirement age.
With declining earnings and a culture of borrow-and-consume, America's workers face a future of uncertainty and little money to pay for their retirement.
Compared to people in other developed countries, Americans don't ask for more vacation time, don't take all the vacation time their employers give them and continue to work while they are on vacation.