Today’s reversal by Bank of America on their proposed $5 monthly fee for users of debit cards shows that our voices are being heard. A few people who know what they’re talking about offer some advice…
Last night, former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer (who probably could have become president if only he could have kept his dick in his pants) appeared on Countdown with Keith Olbermann and gave the protesters a few ideas:
Rick Perlstein gave some pointers via his blog at Crooks and Liars
An excerpt:
…the reason the Occupiers have changed attitudes in politicians, or at least become a nagging presence in the back of would-be-austerians minds, is a bluntly traditional reason. It is the same reason politicians have always responded to “street heat.” Politicians see a crowd, and count votes. Not just the votes of the people in the protesting crowd—the count two votes, ten votes, a hundred votes for every member in a protesting crowd. They understand people willing to undergo hardship—certainly people willing to make the awesome commitment to keep and hold public space—as people with the motivation to influence voters around them….
…If sustaining a physical presence in public space is your political goal, well, then we can be very, very happy. But that is not my political goal.
If figuring out nifty new ways for large groups to make democratic decisions is your political goal, then we can be very, very happy. But that is not my political goal. My goal is…economic justice.
Change, Occupiers, or die. Scare politicians. Systematically. Do politics—even if it means the messy of forming coalitions with the nasty organizations “that got us into this mess in the first place.” Human beings got us into this mess in the first place. And no one is saying we shouldn’t be working with them. Or if you are, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.
And this creative young man shows us how to Keep Wall Street Occupied from the comfort of your own living room:
Today on the show, I pontificated on OWS, tomorrow’s general strike in Oakland, and Saturday’s Move Your Money action. By the way, should you be in a position and want to donate some needed goods to OWS, all the info is here. Stay tuned for info on a general fundraising for occupations around the country, and a fundraising effort for Scott Olsen.
I also read Allen West’s latest “weekly wrap-up” – which is misguided in oh, so many ways. He ridiculed Occupy Ft. Lauderdale for protesting outside the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. Read their take on the action at their website: occupyfortlauderdale.org.
In hour two I was joined by The Political Carnival‘s GottaLaff, for our weekly get-together. Today, we talked about these stories and more:
News Corp.’s James Murdoch gets a pay raise
Virginia GOP Halloween e-mail shows President Obama with bullet hole through his head
Why even President Obama’s highest poll numbers ultimately may not matter
VIDEO: Herman Cain sings… again. Also plans to “take a nap” on first day of his administration.
other quotes +VIDEO: Herman Cain on Face the Nation
Herman Cain, who wants to be leader of the free world, keeps admitting he’s ignorant
Republican: “We don’t have much tolerance for too many facts or too much information.”
Occupy Respect
Jesus Ween