I have heard from the media that the Occupy Wall Street (and Portland, Oakland, etc.) protesters fail to have a plan of action or agenda, that they seem leaderless, that this is an important shapeless mass of frustration.
Many of us have sympathy with this frustration.
Economic conditions are not good. And when we think of Congress — failing to work and so self-serving — we all get angry. The image of the arrogant refusal by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to cooperate in finding solutions; of the haughty reply of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, to questions about her insider trading; of that superior-acting dandy of a speaker, John Boehner, R-Ohio; and of the inarticulate bumbling of Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. — we understand that the congressional system runs our elected officials, not the reverse.
We put these bozos in office.
My suggestion to the protesters is that they organize other protesters and vote.
How about a pledge? A card with a pin that says “I voted.” The card must be signed and says “I paid attention to the issues and candidates so I voted.”
Protesters must organize and fill out their ballots, voting for self-reliant candidates who will change the system and make democracy work again. It’s not easy, but it’s more pleasant than camping in the cold.
