It might be a bit crowded down in the Pearl and at $200 a ticket...

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2011/10/25/horse-spectacle-makes-splash-in-pearl.html

The demonstration effort first identified themselves as the “99%”, but it developed into what many perceived as little more than pity party. Now dubbed “flea baggers”, they have lost all momentum.

They said they wanted jobs, but only the really good ones. They wanted to rid themselves of those outstanding college loans, despite it being unfair to those who actually worked themselves through school. They hate the bankers of course, but locked arms with politicians like Blumenauer and Adams, who may have misdirected millions.

It was all about them, now it isn’t.

I think now that winter is starting to set in, the city should shift it's funding(100,000 plus) of it's other un-permitted event, Last Thursday, over to Occupy Wall Street. At least this latter event has a worthy goal.

Well, that's one way to look at OWS, Gibby.

Here's another:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/owss-beef-wall-street-isnt-winning-its-cheating-20111025

Man, I love Matt Taibbi.

Young college educated white people moving to the Pearl to avoid looking at poverty? Same as it ever was.

Jack,I'm a little off topic here, however one of the links stated Sam Adams recent trip to Asia. What was the reason for this trip?
I hope it was not to convince China to import more jobs from Portland and from the rest of the state!

Ex, I don't disagree so much with Taibbi. But even he admits it was the government who gave bankers a license to steal. So why the anger at children behaving badly when parents are really the ones responsible?

99% may support changes on Wall Street and in Washington, but the OWS movement is clearly directionless and clueless as to how to do it. They do not represent the 99%.

Gibby, you need to complete the circle. With Citizens United smoothing the path for K-Street bribery, our "freely"-elected leaders do little more than follow scripts provided by the banksters.

And I (and I don't think many in the OWS movement) disagree with you that government is at fault here as wel, Gibby. I might have missed something, but I don't see where OWS has "locked arms" with any politician.

No, I take issue with your implication that all the protesters are ignorant (or maybe just idealistically naive), and are demanding unfair entitlements. Which was the theme of the piece by Taibii that I linked to.

If 99% of the people support changes on Wall Street and in Washington - and that is what OWS is all about - they do represent us. It's a grass roots movement to bring attention to these issues, not an orchestrated and well-financed campaign to trot out one group's ideology in a neat little policy package under the guise of populism (like the Tea Party). I agree that OWS is a messy affair. Democracy often is.

There is a reason that we have a republic. It allows for elected representatives to make laws based on the needs of its citizens.

Obviously this whole system has broken down. Mostly because of the invasion of big money into elections and the takeover of every facet of our lives by entrenched and serious conflicted public agencies.

The occupy wherever groups are not the answer. Rather they point out that mob rule is a much worse solution to our problems. Our founding fathers knew that direct democracy is a recipe for disaster. What we need to do is go back to the basics and apply our constitution as pure as possible and only elect folks that adhere to those principles.

Roger,

K Street bribery was around long before the Citizens United ruling.

Gibby, OWS is in fact focusing on change through Washington (i.e. more regulation). I don't see how OWS and greater government regulation of Wall Street are incompatible whatsoever. I'm guessing that very very few protesters would be expecting Wall Street to rein in itself.

And your position is a bit ridiculous. "It was the government's job to stop us speculators from blowing up the economy." Talk about entitled.

Populists on the right and left need to understand that they're fighting the same battle. It is a collusion of elites in industry and elites in government, mostly facilitated through K Street.

'OWS is in fact focusing on change through Washington'

So they will be voting to throw out the current ruling class then?

I doubt it.

Occupists 'do not/do' represent 99% We the People, including my-voice 'me'.
"Do not." "Do too." "Do not." "Do too." ... and so it continues.

Occupation is a moral issue. Self-identified 'Republicans' are of two shades: 'fiscal' or 'social,' which signifies that 'conservative sensibility' poses the personal horns of a dilemma to choose either living as a thieving greedhead or a self-righteous moralizer. More it is the thief-type who get riled and adamantly voluble when having their conscience pricked. Which is what the presence of a moral issue does:
twinges guilt and pricks conscience.

Which is why 'corporate' (conservative) massmedia faces (who are of the 1%) squirm, hedge reporting, twinge at the news, and yet cannot stop speaking for themselves in the presence of the Occupy story, (and disallowing any of the 99% to speak).
How To Frame Yourself: A Framing Memo ..., George Lakoff, CommonDreams.org, October 19, 2011

Moral issues 'do too' represent me / 'do not' represent me -- your choice for
how you frame yourself, your mind, your life.

Occupation is NOT a Democrat/Republican thing. It's a legal thing.
Recently, some guy and gal traveled Washington and Oregon to California (allegedly) murdering four people along their way. Conscience asks not are 'they' leftist? rightist? Serial murder 'politics' is NOT a Democrat/Republican thing; it's a legal thing.
Occupy the World is NOT a Democrat/Republican thing. It is about moral issues, it is a LEGAL thing. Banking and financial persons illegally stole public money for their personal riches. Existing laws should be enforced, banking and financial persons must be arrested, indicted and brought to trial in Court.

Which could be a new way of looking at Occupation for those whose only look at and become what they behold in TV 'news'.
Self-value is hard for whoever holds authority as Truth, rather than Truth as authority. [Placard in the Zeitgeist Movie series ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EewGMBOB4Gg ]

Indie, which party do you define as the "current ruling class"? Which current candidate from either party do you think wouldn't act as a member of the "curent ruling class" if elected?

"... throw out the current ruling class then?"

Maybe instead let's try Warren Buffett's proposal - a Constitutional Amendment:
Whenever the 'deficit' exceeds 3% of 'GNP' then
every seated Member of Congress is ineligible for re-election.

See? it's about Public money, and who is stealing it. http://www.webofdebt.com/

The ones that have passed all the bailout giveaway-public union legislation for the past three years.

(Or in Oregon's case, decades)

Looking around at all the cabals and corruption in Multnomah County, City of Portland, and Salem...I don't see many Wall Street types destroying my quality of life.

I've said it before: I'm much more afraid of METRO and the minions at City Hall than anybody in D.C. or Wall St.

Their impact on my quality of life is so immediate and tangible; Wall Street seems like an afterthought by comparison.

"Or maybe they'll move to the Pearl District, which would be hysterically funny. We'll definitely send pizza money if they take over Jamison Square."

Ask and ye shall receive...

From the Occupy Portland website:

Occupy Pearl District, Sat. 29th, 4PM
October 27th, 2011 · occupypdxer · Events, General Assembly No comments
Saturday, October 29th

Jamison Square: NW 11th and Johnson

Camp Meeting starts at 4:00 PM, with a Potluck at 7:00 PM, and a Cuddle Party at 10:00 PM. We plan on staying the entire night.

Occupy Portland is in Solidarity with Oakland, Atlanta, and all other cities which have experienced a hostile police take-over. We will gather for a camp meeting to discuss the prospects of our future political actions, which may include the expansion into new territory.

We will be demonstrating in Pearl District to bring awareness to the inequality of wealth within our very city. We are not proposing redistribution of wealth- we raise our concerns to the truth that basic needs for safety are only guaranteed to those with the economic privilege.

Jamison Square is privately owned. It is emphasized that you REMAIN ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR. Drugs and Drama will not be welcome.

Please bring: Food, tarps, sleeping bags, mats, hand warmers, water coolers, and buckets. NO TENTS!

Celebrate with the 99%.

***This event has been endorsed by the G.A.***

The fleabaggers are being kicked out at multiple cities now. Sam wants to be different so he'll most likely beg his fleabeggers to stay all winter. Just think how progressive and cool that would be. The city that holds the fleabagger record. At last a legacy for Sam.