Civil unrest in the Eurozone may not directly effect us, but the pressure they put on government, and perhaps the collapse of those governments from that pressure, will have consequences that are far reaching enough to harm Americans.

From The Guardian:

One of Ireland’s biggest trade unions warned today that the nation was on the brink of civil unrest as government officials negotiated a multibillion euro bailout for the country’s ailing banks.

The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union said further “draconian” public sector cuts of €15bn (£13bn) over four years could lead to street disorder. It urged a campaign of civil disobedience unless the taoiseach, Brian Cowen, calls an immediate election. An emergency cabinet tomorrow will discuss the new round of cuts.

“When the measures being proposed are heaped on top of the €14.5bn cuts already implemented in the last three brutal budgets, life in Ireland will be unbearable,” said the TEEU leader, Eamon Devoy. A group of 16 officials from the International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank are staying in Dublin’s luxury Merrion hotel, holding talks throughout the weekend with the Irish government and Ireland’s central bank. Financial sources told the Observer that a strategy could be announced as soon as Monday to stabilise Ireland’s banks.

The Unions are also protesting the Eurozone’s demands that Ireland raise their low corporate tax rate. Those rates are responsible for most of the investment in Ireland but other Eurozone countries have long waited for an opportunity to force a raise and “even the playing field’ with the rest of Europe. The raise in taxes would cost Ireland about 90,000 jobs.