There's a helluva lot of sniping and personal attack muddying the topic of this thread.

The "liberals" are a huge problem, their ideology of evolutionary socialism within the capitalist system is deep rooted, and they are prepared to grasp any straws in the wind to support them.

Ake, the problem in America is that people want all of the services and amenities of an advanced nation (health care, good food, safe drugs, safe roads and bridges, reliable planes, trains, and automobiles, good schools, good teachers, and much more) but they're not willing to pay for it. All of these various state tax revolts and federal GOP attempts to kill agencies and programs are revolting to liberals who understand that everyone has to pay their share, and the government has to lead the way in civil projects using tax dollars. And while mainstream middle class America does pay its taxes, they probably aren't paying as much as they should, and the rich and industry aren't paying any where near their share because of tax loopholes and exceptions, yet they use and impact all of those services and amenities also. The rich ARENT'T making jobs, they're just busy being idle as far as most of the rest of us can tell.

It should be illegal for local politicians to bargain away all tax supports in their communities, offering financial incentives to lure industries to their area. They push the tax burden (for what is now increased demand) onto everyone else to prop up that company, to cover the road and school and hospital taxes industry isn't paying, etc. But many communities do it, hoping that jobs alone and those new taxpayers will be enough to make things alright. It's an absurd way to do business.

The Occupy Wallstreet group may appear disorganized, but the voices we hear are clear, smart, and civil - something lacking in our politics for a long time. They are beginning to be heard as that spontaneous group identifies leaders. Those of you who are dismissing it, and in particular those of you who don't even live in the U.S., yet have such an apparently clear vision of how things should be here, should just sit on it for a while.

More power to them.

SRS