I don't think Americans are soft; I think they know that the odds aren't in their favour. America is a massive country, so it is hard to reach critical mass - the point at which people feel they can go out and "raise hell" without simply getting arrested/killed because their group is too small and lacking in support. For example, the Restore The Fourth protests were extremely tiny. They barely made a blip in international news, which tends to feature happenings in the US prominently. An uprising of that size would be extinguished almost immediately if it became violent or destructive. However, if the streets were filled with angry protesters, to the point where local police might not be able to handle it, then people would more open to revolutionary action. At a certain point, people will recognize the risk/reward balance is in their favor, but right now it is not anywhere close. I think you can blame the fact that Americans have fairly comfortable lives. If Americans were going hungry, it would be different.