It’s Strategic, Not Tactical

Charlie Pierce had a look at what’s going on in New York City: Occupy Wall Street: More of a Movement Than the Tea Party

I’m not sure what the people now occupying Wall Street ultimately will accomplish, but I’m a little tired with the argument that, because we don’t know what they may or may not accomplish, the entire exercise is doomed and useless. There has to be something to be said for people who at least direct their anger at the people who deserve it. The president has not been interested in doing that, unless he’s been flogging Tim Geithner in the solarium without our being aware of it. The Democratic party doesn’t seem overly concerned any more. Among the Republican presidential candidates, the issue is largely invisible, except when one of the candidate stands up courageously and applies a soothing balm to millionaires whose fee-fees have been wounded because the president has taken to talking about them in less than complimentary ways.

Reading reports from people who are actually at the location and have talked to the people involved it becomes clear that the main immediate goal was create the infrastructure and procedures to sustain an extended effort. They aren’t using the old ‘tried and failed’ American model, they are using the model that worked in North Africa, and is being applied in Europe.

It is already showing results, as the Airline Pilots Association took their demonstration to Wall Street, and a number of local unions have announced plans to join in the process.

This was never designed to be a one-shot protest over a specific issue, it is a movement against what Wall Street has done to the US. There is no point in talking to the ‘servants’ in Washington – you need to confront the real power on Wall Street.