Occupy Olympia!

We are underway in the WA State capitol city with an occupation that started back in the spring when we had a week of action to challenge the legislature to close loopholes and raise revenue instead of cutting essential services. The state has so far been unable and/or unwilling to challenge initiative-based mandates that hamstring revenue generation, but I think the occupation in Wisconsin inspired the WA activists to seize the rotunda for a day or two.

A lot has happened this year. The occupy Wall Street movement was planned from mid summer as fas as I can recall and appears to have picked up momentum. I would like to think that the oligarchs have overplayed their hand, that we have reached a national critical mass that is committed to leveling the playing field. If so, it’s bad news for the millionaires, your taxes are going up, business as usual is over. We understand that the United States has the best government that money can buy, but when the people show up in the street and start practicing democracy independent of the established political parties (dumb and dumber anyone?) maybe the game has changed. God, I hope so.

A couple of quotes for the day:

“The problem with capitalism is it puts a price tag on everything.” John Muir

“Terrorism is the war of the poor. War is the terrorism of the rich.”
— Leon Uris
(1924-2003) American novelist

Get out and take part in a general assembly somewhere. This is what democracy looks like.