Viral Protesting

When all hope is gone, you take to the streets.
If I felt hopeless, after all my best efforts and energies, I would do that too. How has our country lost hope? Is this universal?

I remain hopeful.

Its easy to cast blame, much harder to come up with constructive solutions - that satisfy both sides.

How have we come to this? Or is it lack of concerted effort that got us here?

Nature abhors a vacuum. So - have people become so disenfranchised with the political system, that they abdicated the responsibility to take part? Can you force people to listen to you by planting a tent in a bank lobby. And how does this help the foreclosed homeowner, the debt-ridden student.

By being "unpredictable" and not obtaining permits to march along public thoroughfares, are they gaining more attention. Does this translate to credibility? Or, is it just tangling every day people who can't get to work, can't use the park, can't get a police callback?

The public is becoming disenchanted. The OWS fad, the pet rock, the macarena. Or --- something more lasting. They do have the unions on their side.

Union membership, not what it used to be in this country. Like any organization, trying to maintain its organization is Purpose #1. Iowa Workforce Development Department decided to install kiosks in lots of places in the state - libraries, public buildings. And keep open chat lines for job seekers -evening hours, Saturdays. By these performance improvements, they were able to save over $6 Million. The response? The union and several state legislators are filing a lawsuit. Lost jobs, don't you know.

Next story: creative destruction. And just why don't we keep making buggy whips? Or Ford Pintos? I think tomorrow when I take stock of all the leaves that have fallen off the trees, what with the wind and cold sleet we had today, I should try to recapture them. Glue them back on the trees. Preserve fall forever.

Take a Deep Breath

.. I am nervous.
Every day I spend in Portland is a perfect day.

Police on the corner waiting for a confrontation. Given their track record.. be very nervous.

Young 20-somethings standing on the corner, holding Bank of America signs. Something like "get banking out of the banks", their signs were logo-perfect. A large sign on the block was "Move Your Money". Well, given public pressure, B of A backed off their $5 per month debit card fee. Proving that public pressure does work. rah.

I am still outraged by the Occupy Portland group, now living in public parks in downtown for over a month. Basically preventing access for "the public".

Tell you what, if they tried to occupy Mt Tabor, if the roving bands of wild dogs don't drive them out, then I would mount a citizen campaign to rout them out. Public means public for all of us - not just you.

I have yet to find anyone on the blue side of the fence who agrees with me on this OWS ourtrage thing. I snuck a peek at the Multnomah County Republicans site; they too are outraged. Good. Someone should be.

Sorry to say out country has gotten *so* polarized and that even our Commander in Chief has now become the Complainer in Chief. What ever happened to hope and change?

I remain hopeful and I want change. And its not about party ideology.

Back to Occupy Portland. At 12:01 this very evening, they have been told to evict themselves. The Mayor, Mr Sam Adams, said so. Given that this is the West Coast, this will happen on West Coast time - so don't expect immediate action. Give it 2 weeks. But Jim and I will set our watches for 12:01 and see whats happening.