There are cops out there from other agencies, and I'm not sure they are as eager to coddle the "young creatives" as our local bobbies.

I can't disagree with that assessment, either, Jack. A regular whine my ex-wife made when faced with hard decisions was "I don't want to have to be the grown-up," and that helps explain why she moved back to Portland after we divorced. At this point, that could be the mantra for all of Portland, too, all the way around.

Excellent piece, Jack. It is really a tragedy that everything you say is true, and the so called government in Portland is so incapable of changing anything.

Portland is certainly leaderless. But, it has an abundance of enablers.

Some Christmas shopper in an SUV from the suburbs ...

... will be thankful for the safety and free parking at Washington Square.

Who do we know that will score on the diminished values of Real Property in the City?

And the PoPo confirmed that it took 3 hours to respond to a rape victim yesterday, because of the "resources" being used to deal with the "occupy" moment .
So while all the cops in the Metro area are "busy" downtown, the violent criminals are "busy" as well I gather.
Happy Holidays! Everyone.

Creepy better hope they don't ask for his bank statements. A nervous breakdown could be the least of his concerns.

Nanny State or Police State. Do it because I have given you limited choices that I deem best for you. Do it or I'll bust your head.

I don't get what the occupiers are trying to gain from getting in the cops faces and yelling, screaming and cussing at them.If they should even accidentally bump into one of the cops what do they expect will happen?

Lets all pray for 1/2 inch of snow as that will launch the Storm Teams and move the TV News Live Remotes to Skyline Road where the PSU children are seldom known to congregate.

If only the Tram would have been a linchpin to 10,000 biotech jobs.

Of if the desparate could just wait till the new linchpin, Milwaukie Light Rail, linchpins the new biotech research building in SoWa. That's what OHSU/PSU are calling MLR and the $300 million Life Sciences Collaborative Complex building.

But it aint.

My point is the racket around here get's away with repeated and layers of lies while corruption runs amok.

Imagine how TriMet can provide $10 million for this project in SoWa?

They are broke, cutting service, in a labor dispute, raising fares, and collapsing.
Yet they have $10 million for another government development scam?

This is an example of the parasite and many tentacles destroying this region.

Thankfully the folks in LO and Clackamas County are lopping off some tentacles and working their way back towards Portland.

If their effort were combined with Portland Mayor Jack Bogdanski the whole region could be rescued before it is destroyed.

Too bad Occupy hasn't a clue what is killing our region.

It seems that more and more of the OWS-P demonstrations will be timed for weekdays, like yesterday's events, rather than on weekends. While they can draw in more people on the weekends, it's more disruptive to traffic on a business day. And the targeted banks and other businesses are of course open. This in itself greatly increases the tension.

One other related thought: What's the Democratic National Convention going to be doing to deal with this issue? It's in Charlotte, which is probably a better choice than, oh, let's just say, Chicago, but the potential for massive demonstrations and an equally massive police response are tremendous. And it will make Portland's activities yesterday seem like child's play.

Why don't they pull a Waco and just bring out the tanks?

Nothing like watching our beloved government with its heavily armored goon squads bullying a bunch of defenseless citizens.

So they block a street and make people late for whatever their "important" business is.

Definitely a reason to club and pepper spray them.

Anybody know what happened to the 'concentration camps' that were being built all over the land of the free to house these pesky citizens that would dare make the rest of us late?

If the #OWS was more cohesive, articulate, organized and peaceful, then I think many more folks would support them.
Anarchy, or the appearance of it, solves nothing and exacerbates the feeling of insecurity that many people are feeling these days.
Personally, when I see the cops all dressed up n full riot gear...that puts a large knot in my stomach.

I woke up at 5:30 a.m. with an analogy. What we are seeing here is our part of a pandemic. Derivatives were a financial virus that came into being - not in Hong Kong - but on Wall Street. I've been too focused on trying to figure out who caused it but that is like trying to find the swine who started the swine flu.

Derivatives virus was worse than airborne. It traveled over our computers and before long the world was infected to the tune of 600 trillion dollars.

At that point every human on earth had derivatives virus - even the most distant tribesman in the Amazon was in a position to suffer because of its effects. The incubation period had begun.

The outbreak of the contagion hit other countries sooner: Iceland, Greece, Portugal, Italy, Egypt, etc...That's right: Egypt was driven by a huge spike in commodities.

Here at home, we've been feeling badly for years, but the true outbreak just started a couple of months ago. These people protesting are not the worst cases, they're the first cases.

If we have a spike in commodities pricing - let's say Israel attacks Iran and oil goes to 200 a barrel - you will see this derivatives virus outbreak hit these shores in numbers that will make yesterday in Portland seem like the good old days. Pandemics are not easy to control. The 1918 Flu Outbreak is the model here and that only went away when it had run its course.

Of course, there were some places that were hit less hard than others.

I hope we're one of those. Be well, everyone.

I suppose I cannot argue with your assessment of me. If anyone knows a bully, it most certainly would be you.

Bill, your analogy is brilliant.

Hi Randy, will be paying for the police overtime out of our water rates?

Good grief is this really you?
Randy,
You have as much financial ruin and chaos blood on your hands as anyone around here going back decades. In some cases worse because of your attitude running through every lazy and inept kneejerk position you took. Your idea of due diligence has been a quick glance at some staff report or some biased Oregonian BS you relied on for years. All of which has been poisened by your political thuggery.

You can't say it's the economy's fault, or you were only following orders, or you were misled or any other excuse.

Bottom line is your judgement sucks.

Demonstrated by your comment today but
Here is Exibit A.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMnY5FAKhl4

Aaaaaaaand we just got confirmation that no grown-ups work in City Hall. What's next, Randy: telling critics "If that's what you are, then what am I?", or lighting paper bags of dog crap and leaving them on critics' front porches?

Hey Randy, if that was really you that posted, then you have just written a perfect example of why you are considered a bully, by many of us.

al m - Yes, there are people whose idea of "important" business differs from protesting and disruption. Someone needs to make the money to pay the taxes to be distributed for the common good.

I told my wife the other night that some of these "grass roots movements," OWS included, lose any hope of getting more mainstream support because of their stupid tactics.

You know what would endear me? How about if these "protesters" do something positive and tangible to help the masses they want on their side. Go build something. Go help in a homeless shelter. Go pick up the trash from the park that you trashed. Just yelling and screaming? Making my commute home, taking time away from my family? That doesn't impact a bank or the government, it just ticks me off and makes me think you are foolish.

See where that gets you.

No way comments above would be made in-person to Commsioner Leonard.

Why is that? What will he do . . . hit us? Wouldn't that prove he is a bully?

Have him schedule a meeting, with Bojack posters, and let's see who shows up in person.
I would seriously consider it. On the other hand what positive outcome could be accomplished? The guy is leaving office and his nasty, expensive, draconian polices are not going to be going away.

I agree these protests aren't likely to bring about any of the changes they ask for directly, but if they keep coming back and don't allow themselves to be silenced, they will eventually raise people's awareness that there is way too much business influence in public policy making, something this blog itself tries frequently to expose.

Thanks Ben. Your posting of that ridiculous video by the Fireman serves to remind us all what a vile, common, rude man he really is.
Portland has suffered because of his undue influence, and the sooner he is gone from public life the better.

This has become "bigger" than I ever imagined that it would. And, I see no end in sight.

Bill, you're absolutely correct. If the OWS/PDX protesters were more articulate than complaining about B of A's foreclosure issues or Chase's banking fees, they would generate far more support if they concentrated on things like the transfer of derivatives from B of A's Merrill Lynch subsidiary to the FDIC insured B of A retail bank. This, of course, puts taxpayers on the hook for the losses:

http://tinyurl.com/preview.php?num=3uoodmr

So they block a street and make people late for whatever their "important" business is.

Who are you to judge whether or not someone else's business is important or not? What if that business was picking up a kid at daycare? What if that business was rushing a relative to the ER? What if that business was running home to take some medication?

All of those things are possible. It's not like the N17 goons take a poll before they selfishly block traffic. They just go ahead and do it, consequences be damned.

The outrage on twitter last night after the chief said that the cops were delayed in getting to a rape victim was especially absurd. The protesters HATED hearing about the consequences of their actions. What? You mean blocking traffic and forcing all the cops to be called out actually hurts someone other than a CEO in New York? Uh, yeah, it does.

You know what would endear me? How about if these "protesters" do something positive and tangible to help the masses they want on their side. Go build something. Go help in a homeless shelter. Go pick up the trash from the park that you trashed. Just yelling and screaming?

~~~~>Interesting point of view indeed!
Right, so using our methods those pesky "coloreds"of the south could have achieved civil rights speedily if they had just "helped" around town building things?

And Ghandi could have easily brought down the British empire much faster if he had "helped" around India rather than leading that 250 mile march and getting in the way of those "important people" who were generating taxes to support all the "little brown people".

If only these great social movements had used your methodology things would have happened so much faster than they did!

I do appreciate your point of view however.

Follow the money.

Local and state governments tried and failed in the last couple years to get the federal government to bail them out, after having gorged themselves on unsustainable and unsound pension schemes. The public servants have already lost. The only question is when and how the pension schemes are recognized as being at a dead end.

On the TeaParty chopping block:

Eliminate the Department of Education.
Save, first year: $95,000,000,000
Save, 10 years: $950,000,000,000
Eliminate HUD.
Save, first year: $53,000,000,000
Save, 10 years: $530,000,000,000

Sell off a portion of the U.S. held loan portfolio, across the government. Collect, first year: +$0 Collect, 10 years: +$355,645,022,618

The assets to be sold include direct loans to students, which would then be privately held debt but collectible just as if they were owned by the government.

See for example, the principal that will be applied to the sale of the student loan debt:
Porras v. Petroplex Sav. Ass'n, 903 F. 2d 379 (5th Circuit 1990)

"Claims and defenses barred as to the FSLIC by the D'Oench, Duhme doctrine are similarly barred as to private parties who purchase the assets of the failed institution from the FSLIC."

Regardless of who wins the next presidential election the young people who cannot find a job like Amy Ruiz within city government could instead gather signatures for an initiative to dissolve the city. Then re-incorporate, with a clean slate and focused only on core functions. This would not be anarchy, in my opinion. The generational divide is upon us, and there is a legal path to seek redress at the ballot box.

The current cohort of Occupy'ers will not voluntarily yield to the next (younger) set of Occupy'ers.

al m - you miss the point.

We are not talking about racial discrimination. We are not talking about people being denied basic human rights. In desperate times, facing those sorts of severe inequalities, your examples are appropriate. Those who took action still weren't intentionally disrupting fellow citizens, though.

We ARE talking about protesters whose admitted "enemy" is the banking industry and corporate greed. Good for you, I agree, I'll send you a donation, but how does stopping me from going about my life going to effect change? Preventing the police from helping crime victims? How is that going to show anyone that this "movement" will lead to something positive, rather than just creating noise?

This isn't a "social movement" and it is somewhat insulting that you would equate it as such.

Bill McDonald’s post is spot on, and I say that not agreeing with all of it. How can this be? Because the root of the problem is the depression we’re in. The specifics, minutia, are debatable, indeed that’s one of the reasons Occupy _____________ is inarticulate. That minority that does have a basic knowledge of the current situation (rather than the “I can’t find a job and the corporations are evil!” majority) doesn’t speak with one voice because there’s no agreement on the specifics.

But the majority of taking-it-to-the-street people are just disinterested in really understanding things economic, too busy “keeping it real” to learn. Reminded of an old Absolutely Fabulous:

Edina: “Yes, I need to do this, to get my finances under control. Yes, I’m ready. Tell me what I need to do!”

Accountant: “Well, starting with your expenses…”

Edina: “I’m so bored!!!” {Throwing herself down in a heap)

Learning, putting together a cogent plan, lobbying for that plan within the system, staying disciplined and seeing it through. Too boring!

I think we're making a mistake trying to see this as the deliverance of some message. This is not people expressing an opinion. This is an outcome of the derivatives pandemic. Whether they're gathered in one spot or spread around society, if the numbers continue to grow, at some point society won't function.
We're acting like the problem is their attitude but all that's just a symptom of a deeply unhealthy state of events.

It is interesting to see how Iceland responded when the riots hit there. That's one treatment model.

Here we're just continuing the same protocol that got us into this unhealthy state, and eventually we'll lose what they call herd immunity to it.

Then it won't really matter what anyone is trying to say or accomplish. It'll just happen.

al m: Nothing like watching our beloved government with its heavily armored goon squads bullying a bunch of defenseless citizens.

So they block a street and make people late for whatever their "important" business is.

You really don't get it, do you?

These idiots are claiming to be "The 99%", but they aren't. They're working against the very people they claim to represent.

Maybe it escaped you, but the folks who holed up in the bank yesterday refused customers access and refused workers egress. As noted above, the idiots are working against the very people they claim to represent.

I gotta say, al - they sure as hell don't represent me.

I've got one sticker on my car. It reads:

Don't spread my wealth.
Spread my work ethic.

Portland goverment et al is like the Matrix and Sam Rand is agent Smith.

Every critic over the years who has persisted appears to be now getting this lecture as it all crumbles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YC7TMi0l68&feature=related

But who is Occupy & where do they fit in?

Or better yet, riddle me this.

Who is it that Occupy would turn over the county to?

This isn't a "social movement" and it is somewhat insulting that you would equate it as such.

One thing I'll say in poor, befuddled Al M's defense is that our "buy! buy! buy! spend! spend! spend!" society doesn't really give people many avenues to "make a difference," cliched as that may be. So when the creative class kids finally decide "hey, I need to make a difference," they do so in unfocused, selfish, and self-defeating ways.

Max,
We're 15 trillion in debt and we spent 203 billion we don't have just in October.
As bad as those numbers are, I shudder to think what they could be without your work ethic.

Here's an example of a more therapeutic way of treating the pandemic that's corrupted our financial and government systems, using complementary medicinal techniques of applied protest:

Protestors With Occupy Movement March Over Greenfield Bridge
November 17, 2011 4:28 PM

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Protestors with Occupy Pittsburgh held marched over the Greenfield Bridge in response to a call for a national day of action.

Several unions, including steelworkers, ironworkers and teachers participated.

The group held a rally at Magee Park in Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood before taking their message to the streets – close to the start of the evening rush hour.

The people in the demonstration say they represent the “99%” of Americans who are the workers of this country – including the unemployed and underemployed.

The group picked the Greenfield Bridge because they say it’s falling apart.

Additionally, protestors say they want the powerbrokers to understand that if they are put back to work, then they can be repairing bridges like the Greenfield Bridge and restoring the country’s infrastructure.

VIDEO
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6464497

Some of the marchers carried signs that said: “Tax the rich, Fix a bridge,” “Fighting for the Middle Class” and “America Wants To Work.”

From
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/11/17/protestors-with-occupy-movement-to-march-over-greenfield-bridge/

Call me old fashioned, but I think you ought to spend some time trying to understand what's causing a problem before you set out to fix it. Clearly the majority of the Occupy protesters have only the vaguest idea how we got into this mess and have no clue how to get us out.

Yesterday's protest displayed a lack of understanding of the banks' role in causing the global economic meltdown. They chose to focus on the bailout instead of the actions the banks took to tank the economy. I didn't hear any mention of underwriting sub-prime loans, bundling them and selling them as derivatives, insuring them using credit default swaps, then hyping them to investors while secretly betting against them. It was that type of behavior that threatened to crash the financial system and prompted the bailouts.

Poor, poor Randy. The victim of my bullying.

For what it is worth: the large majority of protesters tried very hard to stay on sidewalks and out of the street. Around pioneer square, the police were mustering in the street and blocking traffic for the most part, though some protesters were also intentionally trying to block traffic.

At the bank, reports make it sound like that when police decided to move into Chase to start arrests, that they also decided to form a barrier between the bank and the outside protesters. They had to push their way in front of the bank.

Protesters were pushed into the street, where they met other police and horses telling them not to be in the street. They were sandwiched, then things got real chippy (both sides to blame) and pepper spray was used. This caused stampeding in a confined group, which leads to more pushing and injuries.

While the building I work in was locked down yesterday at lunch time, a coworker of mine said to no one in particular, "I liked them better in the park."

I was downtown across from Macy's yesterday early afternoon when the protestors were marching, as noted above, primarily on the sidewalks. The police presence was overwhelming. Really, they couldn't spare a few to be in other parts of town? And, they may not have tanks but they seem to have some sort of armored truck they ride on, on the outside of it.

And, to Jack's original post, it does seem this will not end well, nor do we have anyone in City government with leadership skills.

The building on which this image is projected is the VERIZON Building. Marvel:

Keeping literary watch from the 12th floor over Portland for 50 years or more.
She drinks you know.

I saw the protesters. I would not characterize them as “young.” Many looked old enough to have lost homes to foreclosure.

The most recent addition to the National Mall was a statue of a guy who advocated doing exactly what the OWS citizens are doing for exactly the reason they are doing it. They are mainstream America, upholding our highest ideals.

There's a lot of willful disconnect here; if you haven't yet discerned the message of Occupy, you simply haven't made an effort.

Part of the point is that there are no simple solutions: Working in a homeless shelter (which, BTW, was more or less what Occupy was doing for the final two weeks in Lownsdale and Champan squares) is a band-aid solution; it helps but doesn't solve. We have allowed our society to deteriorate to a point where many things need to happen to produce the systemtic change required to restore our equilibrium.

History shows that change is messy.

I saw the protesters. I would not characterize them as “young.” Many looked old enough to have lost homes to foreclosure.

At the Pioneer Courthouse pepper spray party yesterday, as at the parks over the weekend, there were relatively few people over the age of 30. Here's who was arrested at Sixth and Yamhill:

Criminal Trespass II

41-year-old Steven Eugene Daily
20-year-old Elizabeth Evon Nichols*
19-year-old Lara Victoria Baskin
19-year-old Angel Damien Camacho-Mireles
24-year-old Theon Matthew Weber*
24-year-old Evan Johnson*
22-year-old Anthony Hurley
22-year-old Daniel Kenneth Wallace
36-year-old Jessie Timothy Baumhauer
21-year-old James Robert Tudor
15-year-old male

Criminal Trespassing II / Disorderly Conduct II / Interfering with a Police Officer

40-year-old Troy Thompson*

Harassment / Interfering with a Police Officer

31-year-old Eli Franklin Richey*

Disorderly Conduct / Interfering with a Police Officer

30-year-old Jay Eric Yungerman*

Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree

22-year-old Nicholas Stephens

The average age there is 24.27 years old.

Yesterday morning, some gray hair did appear in the march. But overall, the protesters are young.

Bill:

We're 15 trillion in debt and we spent 203 billion we don't have just in October.

I believe that's 5 trillion in the last 3 years.

I don't hold Obama entirely accountable for that, though he IS the Prez. He could show some leadership.

But ultimately, it's the House that supposedly controls the purse-strings, and in my view, everybody there is complicit.

Can we stop the madness?

That's like asking Sam, Metro, and Tri-Met to stop building billion-dollar rail lines to nowhere.

I suppose I would be far more critical of the Portland city government if I could see brilliant solutions emanating out of other cities dealing with the same problem.

Jack, all your arrest list shows is that younger protesters are more likely to do something to get arrested. That's hardly a representative sample set.

Does anybody commenting here (besides Fireman Randy) think our current government of, by, and for the Corporations (and hence the "1%") is a good thing? I will assume you don't, and ask you, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

Being a citizen in a representative democracy means more than voting in every election. If you want change, then voting for a D or an R, same as last election, is not going to accomplish anything. Making snarky comments in blogs is not going to accomplish anything. Again I ask, what are you doing to effect change?

The people participating in the "Occupy" movement are at least out there making the status quo uncomfortable. They're making it quite clear that the powers that be don't give a damn about upholding the Constitution that they swore to uphold. For that we should thank them.

It's easy to be an armchair quarterback. Too easy. You may rest easy in your armchair now, but how long will that last if we continue on our current trajectory?

If you don't like the protesters' methods, if you think they should be doing something else, then go down and participate in one of their GAs and tell them how they can improve things. At least then you'd be doing something. LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Otherwise, get out of the way - you're just supporting the status quo.

Randy and I passed each other years ago in one of the downtown parks. He didn't know me from Adam (still wouldn't), but the stare he gave me when we briefly made eye contact was a mean, "you wanna make something of it, punk?!" one. That impression has stuck with me.

Max ,
If China ever stops loaning money to the US, the money given out to states and cities for streetcars and high-speed rail projects has to stop. Shall we all wish for the US to default on its debt? Or will the feds figure out that they cannot give away something they don't have? Are you listening Earl? No more playing with toy trains until you clean up your financial mess.

Hey JD,

Move out to Clackamas County and enjoy the company of a whole lot of doing something about it.

The next imminent war about to blow up out there is a massive rebellion that stops the LO streetcar, Milwaukie Light Ral & all of the Metro development that always comes with them.

The demographics of the general protests that took place yesterday was very different than the demographics of those who were arrested in the banks.

I saw the crowd blocking the bridge, and the march at full force. Plenty of older people. Unions mixed in had something to do with it too.

"Fireman Randy" is an idiot and typifies everything that is wrong with Portland and its leadership. Seeing these juvenile OWS "protests" in Portland makes me all the gladder that I moved my family out of that creative class hell-hole 3.5 years ago.

Fireman Randy, Sam and the other PDX civic 'leadership' cabal wouldn't last 5 minutes here in Houston.

What a joke of a city. And the city leadership is the butt of the joke.

I just returned from the area in Portland, Oregon where the local protestors who began in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street group (OWSg) had been living. They were being ousted from their current location, and had taken up short term residence on one of the city streets. I milled around the group listening to the conversation and their decision making process. They wanted to move to the University Park blocks, but they wanted to ensure that the place they ended up was not next to the dorm where families lived. They were concerned that young children lived there. They were trying to use a democratic process. Most of the participants were either young or old, very few were in the middle, either in age or income.

I am in the middle, both in age and income. I, like many others who consider themselves to be of the silent majority, agreed in principle with what the OWSg was protesting against. Although their message is sometimes mixed and they are ostracized as the degenerate unemployed, they are standing against what is currently occurring in this country. Few would say there is nothing to complain about. And when I rubbed elbows with them, I discovered they had at least one attribute that few who are in power currently, or those responsible for our current economic state share – concern for their fellow man.

A recent Economist cover displayed the title “Rage Against Capitalism”, as their summary of what the OWSg stands for. My immediate reaction was that this publication, above the fray as so many who participate in driving public opinion around the country’s fate, didn’t quite understand. Although the OWSg has many signs that display the words “we are the 99%”, the gist of the issue isn’t about free enterprise. I would venture to guess that the majority who support the ideals of the OWSg believe in capitalism. The true crux of the issue is that the OWSg cares - that no one else does.

During the beginning of the economic crisis when it was discovered how Wall Street banks had participated in bringing down the nation’s economy, one of the things not seen were signs of regret. No tearful television interviews, no letter of apology, no suicide or final notes from those who couldn’t live with what they had done - to their company, their country, their fellow man. What we saw instead was arrogance, pride, and a steadfast determination to hold on to power and lifestyle, communicated quite accurately by the sign displayed on Wall Street when the OWSg began which stated “let them eat cake.” It appears that power has taken the place of character, greed the place of integrity, and self-absorption is now firmly in place over love of country or fellow countrymen.

Perhaps taking its cue from Wall Street, this dearth of patriotism and focus on an agenda other than what is best for this country, has extended itself to our nation’s politics. The continual “besting” of each political party in an effort to outdo their opponent is almost laughable from the outside; if that is, it didn’t have such tragic consequences. The inability of our government to put aside political differences to do what is best for the whole has caused a stalemate which is an embarrassment to this nation and an affront to our forefathers. We cannot assist others in the economic turnaround because we cannot make it happen for ourselves. This country, which has always led, must now depend on others to take the lead.

Perhaps it is the natural order of things. What goes up must come down. America has led for so long; we are now in our decline. But I maintain hope. We are known for our ability as a country to reinvent ourselves when it is required to succeed. However, success will have to be measured differently this time. It will have not so much to do with power, money, celebrity, or status. If we are to thrive, it must have much more to do with who you are as a person, what you will sacrifice in service of country, and how steadfast you can be in doing what’s right. Perhaps that is the true message of the OWSg – we are the 99%; why have we allowed the 1%, whose values differ so much from our own, to lead us for so long?

Yesterday(Thursday 11/17/2011), there were 32,000* people protesting in New York City(*source-local friends' daughter living there). Portland's protest is small potatos by comparison. The message is basically the same everywhere: young people (mostly, actually almost every one) can't find work and are in debt up to their elbows. Granted their message isn't well articulated, but the unemployment numbers don't lie; WE are all in deep do-do(sh*t. How to define the issues(questions) is a basic starting point, but what are the real answers...., anyone?

BoJack and Rob Kremer on the same page. Who's cribbing from whom?

"Tensions are growing as the 'creative class' that Sam Adams and Crew have worked so hard to bring to Portland are now angry because their lives have not turned out like they wanted."

http://www.kxl.com/11/18/11/The-Occupiers-have-morphed-into-feral-yo/landing_lars.html?blockID=567578&feedID=10628

My post went up at 5:43 a.m. It was written a few hours earlier than that. Trust me, based on personal experience, I would not read or listen to anything Rob Kremer has to say.

Excellent Alex. May I quote you?

Look's like Kremer's got a little man crush on ya, then. It's demagoguery either way.

Of the 25 people arrested yesterday morning on the Steel Bridge, only one was under 35. Seven were 60-something; five were 50-something (according to the LA Times -- if it matters to Oregonians). This is half the folks arrested in Portland's unrest yesterday, in an action led by trade unions, not unemployed "creative class" youth.

What's up with the Teen Wolf in the photo?

An impromptu a capella rendering was in progress, in response to query by the robocop concerning a dose of pepper spray:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQbpO_lPohI

Trying to figure out this blog. I know you hate Portland and it's dastardly city hall, especially that feckless Sam Adams. He is actual kinda feckless but at least A NICE GUY. Compared to our often Gestapo police. But I digress.
What is so hard to figure out here? End the wars and tax the rich. OR have the society we have today-no health care we can afford, no decent public schools, massive income equality-fast sliding into a third world country. No matter how "young" "dirty" "inarticulate" "leaderless" the protestors are that is a fact. And it's not changing. Be prepared to find more of it and more of "them" in the streets. (and I happen to be 49, and very well off thank you very much but unlike many hidden poor fascists that speak on these sites about the dirty filth that is the occupy movement I'm smart enough to realize I am a few millions behind ever being good enough to wipe the 1%'s behind) Occupy baby!

Jennifer--creepy is not a NICE GUY. He lied to win an election; as commmissioner he over saw Ellis McCoy who is now under federal indictment for bribery...think creepy knew nothing about this; he is vindictive to those who get in his way; arrogant; uses the "I" word so much that Narcissus should have his name changed to Samcissus. Sam should be who occupy goes after since action would be more effective locally as the movement is accomplishing little thus far.

Jennifer,

You are so out of touch it's no wonder you are Occupy baby.
You are living in one of the most corrupted cities and states in the county and haven't a clue.
Perhaps putting it this way willhelp you graps it.
We have many Karl Rove, Dick Cheney
Haliburton people perpetrating a massive scam in every direction.

The fact that you are oblivious to it must make them smile.

Your lack of seeing any of it enables them to pilfer millions from the taxpayers to allow their friends and families to enrich themselves and live lavish and large lifestyles while you
chant silly nonsense.
You should be embarrassed.
But that would take just a wee bit more awareness of what is going in your own city.

It's not going to be over until there are changes, no matter how defiantly FOX&TVcopycats go on stuffing the story under a smear job. The changes have to be new lawmaking by Congress and Executive, enacted and enforced.

And there is no need for it to hurry and be over, or suspend for hot-air promises of changes ... later. If it takes until next election crowding the streets, and changing Congress and Executive then, for changes to be made enacted and enforced, well, so be it. It's over in a year. Otherwise, longer. There's no hurry to squelch Occupy.

That's like the phony 'hurry' to count the 2000 votes in Florida, "because the nation can't go to January without a President-elect." 'The nation' sure as heck can go with a drawerful of open cases -- still investigating, still counting ballots, still camping in public parks -- because it sweats the culprits continuing to be scrutinized as 'persons of interest' in despotic greed. They can get away with it if they can get 'case Closed.'

The short list of culprit suspects is:
Federal Reserve banking (Wall Streeters),
MIC - military-industrial complex (bushwars, war crimes)
the TV massmedia (took cable payments = price of new car)

What does Occupy want? 99% of us want to know who robbed all the money, our money.

It ain't over until there are changes, in place.

I just watched a Portland police released video of the police ordering protesters onto the sidewalk at Pioneer Square.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY1I9dtygSo&feature=player_embedded

When the citizens comply and put their arms into the air in a show of non-threatening surrender the cops continue to aggressively and physically shove them (including 20-yr. old unarmed protester Liz Nichols in the black leather coat) first into a tree (on the sidewalk) and then against a utility enclosure (on the sidewalk).

At :20 look for a cop with an "SB" on his helmet in the right foreground show a red canister of pepper spray to "D14" and start pushing forward towards the tree with the canister raised above his head. To me he seems to be looking for a way to use it (at no one in particular)

You can hear a female voice (police?) telling them that they are being ordered to "vacate the street"

A male and a female protester clearly and repeatedly shout "we're ON the sidewalk" at :50 and the police stop physically harassing them (Liz Nichols in the black leather coat) for around 17 seconds.

Then the police begin shoving the people on the sidewalk again with their riot truncheons. At 1:27 you can see a 2 handed blow delivered to the throat of unarmed Liz Nichols. A second later (1:30) you can see she is hit again as her head is jerked. Then at 1:33 the cop in the foreground with SB" on his helmet raises his arm from the second line away from the protesters and shoots her in her full force in the face with pepper spray.

"SB" then turns to "D14" and takes for himself all credit for this act of sadistic cowardice in the face of a 5-foot tall unarmed girl.

Who are you officer "SB"? When the girls laughed at you in grade school did it make you want to show them all how 'tough' you are? Are you proud when you gaze at yourself in the mirror and see the craven eyes one of Portland's finest bullies?

I can hardly wait for Snowpocalypse + Occupy + Weekday commute = massive disruption of "normalcy" downtown. Will Mike Reese respond with more of the same?

There is the Top 1%, the middle 98%, and the Occupy folks make up the bottom 1% (not measuring simply by income or wealth).

They don't necessarily speak for everyone.

The argumentative complaint that Occupy crowds scare away downtown shoppers/customers is all a bunch o' hooey since there are NO shoppers/customers going downtown anymore.
Not since Bushwars, Homeland Security, and JTTF federal oppression happened.

Tensk -

The argumentative complaint that Occupy crowds scare away downtown shoppers/customers is all a bunch o' hooey since there are NO shoppers/customers going downtown anymore.
Not since Bushwars, Homeland Security, and JTTF federal oppression happened.

Bushwars? How many countries has Barry invaded? And how does that affect downtown Portland?

It doesn't.

The fact is that people aren't going downtown to shop because CoPo has made everything so sustainable and business-friendly.

It has nothing to do with your favorite bogeymen, and everything to do with the PDC, Adams, Leonard, and Tri-Met. It won't change until they're all gone.

And it'll take a long, long time to clean up the mess.

I live just a few minutes away from downtown Portland - and I can't recall the last time I visited the place. It became so annoying that it was just easier to avoid the area. It had nothing to do with Bush or Obama; more to do with Earl and Homer and the other thugs.

Max, Amen. Tensk, listen.