Unbelievable...and scary...

I just read this article in the Guardian.  If you haven't read it, you probably should.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/nov/25/shocking-truth-about-crackdown-occupy

I have been dismayed by the mainstream media position that the OWS protesters don't have a "platform" or any coherent ideas.  Then to support their claim they ask 3 different people one thing that they are protesting, and when each person says a different thing, they stand back and say "see!"

However, if you asked 100 people to list the top 10 reforms they'd like to see, and then charted the frequency of like responses, I bet you would start to see what the platform would look like.  And the answer, is that the platform is challenging the status quo in a way that challenges just about every power structure in this country, financial and political.

The extremely disturbing thing from this piece is that the Department of Homeland Security is involved.  The department formed by the Bush administration purportedly to protect us from terrorists, is coordinating with mayors across the country and telling them how to quell protests.  This is happening in a country that had freedom of speech implanted in our DNA from the first western dissidents to land in what became New England.  This implies that DHS is operating under orders from President Obama, because presumably they wouldn't do this without his direction.  This is just unacceptable, and if it is true, should outrage anyone that the federal government is funneling its powers to stop protests.

I, personally, wish I could do more.  I wish I could just say f*ck it, and fly out to New York, and do whatever I can to help.  But I can't.  I have a house, a job, and a beautiful family, and their stability is far more immediately important to me.

My hope rests on those younger than I.  Those undergraduate or graduate students who are a year or two away from graduating.  They are watching this unfold, and are discussing it with their economics professors, with their sociology professors, and their political science professors.  And I'm guessing only about 60% of them come out of college and find full employment soon.  The rest are underemployed, or unemployed, and they should be furious, smart, motivated, and without the responsibilities that I proudly shoulder as a husband and father.

Good editorial in Rolling Stone on OWS

I feel like the Occupy Wall Street movement and the related "We are the 99%" is getting some fair representation outside of the conservative echo-chamber.  This Rolling Stone editorial is a good one:

OWS's Beef: Wall Street Isn't Winning - it's Cheating

Speaking of the conservative echo-chamber, take a gander at this if you want to see the Heritage foundation completely miss the point.

The Conservative's Guide to OWS

I haven't read the whole thing, but to me it sounds like the two sides are talking past each other, because of the Conservative's insistence of defending the status quo at all costs.  The OWS movement is essentially saying "The socio/political/economic system today isn't working.  These are the things we want to change."  Then this Heritage foundation blog counters "But the changes you suggest don't fit within our current socio/political/economic system, thus what you are asking for is ridiculous."

Kind of like telling the painter "I don't want my house to be red, paint it blue."  And the painter responds "I only have red paint buddy, deal with it."

The Constitution is an old document.  It has survived extraordinary tests over time, but it could not have foreseen the society we live in today.  It is time for some amendments to restore it's efficacy, and to take it back from the 1%.

The 99% includes those in the top quintile - surprise!

I think one thread that earlier seemed to be missing from the We Are the 99 Percent Tumblr, was any messages from those in the top 20%, but now I am seeing some.

My family is in the top 20% of income distribution.  We're doing OK, and are able to save a little.  But the only reason why we are in good shape has a lot to do with luck and timing.