Occupying Wall Street versus the GOP and MSM

CNN and FOX are refusing to even acknowledge that Occupying Wall Street exists. Romney accuses the protesters of class warfare (a lovely joke, that one). But something is going on. There appears to be as much anger on the left as there was on the right when the Tea Party first appeared -- before it was coopted by Dick Armey et al. Today, on the one side, we have a lot of angry, mostly young(ish) people who use the new media to communicate and who are springing up in OWS groups around the country. It feels very organic to me. They can't agree on what they want, but they are angry. On the other hand, you have the GOP, refusing to even consider Obama's jobs bill and stimulus spending package and refusing to acknowledge that the "99%" have issues that are worthy of being addressed. Instead, it has been one bill after another introduced or blocked at the state and federal levels that are designed to suppress (democratic) voters, cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits, destroy unions, deny women's rights, etc. It is all about power.

I consider myself a pragmatic progressive and I have totally supported Obama since I first heard him speak so many years ago. He has lived up to my expectations as POTUS, leading us, albeit slowly, in a direction that I think is good for the country. I have zero patience or tolerance for his critics, the so-called emoprogs, who apparently live to criticize his every move.

Having said that, I have watched the evolution of the OWS movement (which may be too structured a term at this point to really describe what is happening) from a bit of a distance. As a child of the 60s, I can understand the thrill of a protest and making "a statement", but I am too involved with running my own business and trying to take care of an unemployed and depressed husband and a disabled adult son to do much more than observe. As those of you who follow my tweets know, I am more focused on 2012 and what needs to be done to take back the House, hold the Senate and reelect POTUS. I have listened to and watched some others whom I respect withhold their support and withhold their judgment of OWS because the goals or objectives haven't been clear. Lately, however, some of the brighter minds have started providing some advice and nudging.

We have seen what was started and accomplished with the Arab Spring when the young people were angry and highly motivated, when they rose up against those whom they saw as oppressors. In this country, we also have the benefits of laws to protect freedom of speech and a tech-savvy youth.

I am a little nervous about where this is all going and what the impact will be on 2012 because there is so much at stake in that election. However, I generally support the way the OWS groups are protesting. If I were the GOP and MSM, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss what is happening. When people are backed into a corner, they will fight to survive. A lot of greed led to the near collapse of our financial systems just three years ago and a lot of people got hurt. The lessons have apparently been forgotten. As the gap between the rich and poor continues to grow dramatically, the gap between the haves and the have-nots, as the middle class continues to shrink, something is going to give. I'm not convinced that anyone can control or channel it. I just hope that no one does anything stupid on either side.