The Endgame Is Often The Most Important Part of a Game

In my last post, I argued that OWS is effectively screwed.  I wish to clarify that.  Protests may very well continue for some months or even until this time next year.  Those out protesting now are often professional protesters, rich enough not to have to worry about working, or college students.  So in the sense that there will still be "occupy" protests, no, I don't think they will end anytime soon. 

But the movement's chance to be an important part of the political process may very well be finished.  Recent polling has shown a growing disapproval of OWS and very little support.  At first, I can understand that Americans would like a group that is ticked off about bailouts and crony capitalism, but once it became obvious most of the protesters had no idea what to do about such things and those who did have a plan were on the Radical Left people very quickly lost interest in the movement.  Combined with the well documented lawlessness of the group, and pretty quickly OWS has lost the potential to represent the masses. 

So yes, the protests may continue, but nobody is going to listen to them because they have nothing of interest to say.  In the meantime, people will focus on the darker side of these occupations.  OWS has failed to impact the "1%" in any meaningful way, but they certainly have disrupted the lives of middle class citizens in cities throughout the United States.  Blocking streets, bridges, and subways (in particular the last) strikes at the daily life of average people, the supposed "99%" this group claims to be representing. 

The New Yorker has a nice piece up on the history of OWS.  In it, many of the leading members of OWS speak positively of "revolution" though never really define it.  I'm not sure what scares me more: the massive majority of OWS people who don't know what revolution entails but support it anyway, or those few who are all too well aware of what revolutions bring and want just that. 

Anyway, a semi-violent and completely lawless group without a coherent set of goals and philosophy but otherwise tacking onto hodgepodge leftists positions is a blessing for the supporters of capitalism and liberty.  Support is plummeting; Americans will not risk their livelihoods to support anarchy.  A very small group on the Left continues to be in the media with all of their nonsense.  OWS has lost the moment to shift America to the left, but what wonderful potential it has to make people question the validity of leftists ideas!