Dock workers strike in past history
The protests are now in their third month and its time to pause and evaluate. Has their message to the public been successful? If the answer is yes- has it made any changes in Wall Street? If that answer is no how can changes be made?
Some protesters generating the most media coverage are in N.Y and Oakland and doing more damage to the movement than good. The protesters getting the most coverage are the young people as the media searches for anything negative to create interest. They must remember they are not participating in a pep rally or party. This is serious business and must be taken seriously by the public. Their attire and behavior paints a picture of the movement as a whole.
The protesters, falling into a violent state will discredit their claims, turning public sentiment quickly against them. In our so-called freedom loving government the police are in their riot gear, an indication that violence is the aim of the 1% and will increase.
Protests of this size must know “when to hold them and when to fold them”. If they haven’t made their point yet they never will. It is now time to fold them and select leaders to develop plans to affect the economic elite. Some suggestions were given in a previous blog, “Advice to the Protesters”. Talk is cheap, but must be followed by actions.
Many people are under the illusion we are operating under an honest democracy and the will of the people influences our economic system. American should have learned that when rich organizations and wealthy individuals shower Washington with millions in campaign contributions, they get what they want. Our President promising change has raised more money from banks, hedge funds and equity managers than any Republican candidate.
Those on the lower end of the economic ladder must realize they have little power at the ballot box and must now exert the real power as consumers. Public officials have rewritten the rules of American politics that have benefitted the few. The 99% must be extremely creative in retrieving a fair share in forcing business leaders to respond to their protests.
If the protesters use their power wisely they will achieve what the political system is incapable of accomplishing. No improvement in our economy will take place as long as jobs can be shipped to slave labor countries. Protesters in small groups picketing establishments selling goods manufactured by cheap slave labor could be a step in creating jobs in this country. This and other actions affecting the economic elite draw more attention now that the protesters have made their point.
This will require sacrifices by those protesters raised in an affluent society. Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Don Cooks 
I think the Wall Street protests have brought attention to the problem. It is the peoples problem and not the stage for the politicians to dance upon. I agree that to continue will only bring the movement to a lower level. I agree that it is time to reorganize the effort and hit them as consumers with the emphasis on businesses that outsource our jobs and collect their bigger profits.
If the protesters use their power wisely they will achieve what the political system is incapable of accomplishing. No improvement in our economy will take place as long as jobs can be shipped to slave labor countries. Protesters in small groups picketing establishments selling goods manufactured by cheap slave labor could be a step in creating jobs in this country. This and other actions affecting the economic elite draw more attention now that the protesters have made their point.
I love this paragraph. I think your right that our political system currently doesn’t have the will to change. It needs a nudge from the people.
Don,
I have been thinking about how we are going to change as a people. And then, I was driving today and heard about this book “Demonic” and thought about you and your article. What will change America? Is it a liberal vs conservative divide or is it something else? Here is a review of the article,”The demon is a mob, and the mob is demonic. The Democratic Party activates mobs, depends on mobs, coddles mobs, publicizes and celebrates mobs—it is the mob. Sweeping in its scope and relentless in its argument, Demonic explains the peculiarities of liberals as standard groupthink behavior. To understand mobs is to understand liberals.
In her most provocative book to date, Ann Coulter argues that liberals exhibit all the psychological characteristics of a mob, for instance:
Liberal Groupthink: “The same mob mentality that leads otherwise law-abiding people to hurl rocks at cops also leads otherwise intelligent people to refuse to believe anything they haven’t heard on NPR.”
Liberal Schemes: “No matter how mad the plan is—Fraternité, the ‘New Soviet Man,’ the Master Race, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, Building a New Society, ObamaCare—a mob will believe it.”
It peaked my interest and I wondered if you have read it.
Judith
Judith—Thanks for the comment-I read one of Coulters earlier books and have had no desire to read her latest. You might be interested in Googling “Intellectual Scatology” for another review of her latest book. I have seen her selling her book on TV panels and interviews, but not having read her book can’t give an honest opinion.
I haven’t read Ann Coulter either, but I have to say that I don’t think the mob mentality in the Occupy movement was brought on by the liberals. From personal experience, when a person is totally screwed over and loses everything they’ve ever worked for, they tend to grab a sign and run out to join their fellow citizens in protest.