Occupy Wall Street

Steve Chapman writes for the Chicago Tribune.  His column is syndicated and carried in many 'local' papers.  The Wisconsin State Journal carries his column on Sundays.  He tends toward the conservative point of view but he isn't bound by ideology and his pieces are always worthy of my time.  ;  )

This week, however, I felt the need to rebut.  You can likely find his piece on the interwebs.  Occupy Wall Street Has Got It Wrong is the title that I see.  here's what I had to say:

I like reading Steve Chapman's column on Sundays and I hope the WSJ continues to carry it.  He misses the mark a bit, though, this time around.  It IS difficult to say exactly what the Occupy movement is all about; many different issues are mentioned via signs and interviews.  But there IS a common thread, and he mentions it in his conclusion.  "When the economy crashes, it's those with the least ... who suffer the most."   What he ignores is that "the economy" didn't just mysteriously "crash."  The reckless, greedy actions of a few, aided and abetted by a money-corrupted Congress, CAUSED it.  And to date not only has no one been punished but the worst offenders have been rewarded with taxpayer-funded bailouts used primarily for "bonuses" and gobbling up smaller banks.  The issue, then, is not that the rich have so much wealth but that they have excessive political influence.  A government that represents the interests of the few at the expense of the many is NOT a  democracy.  THAT'S worth protesting and I'm glad somebody is.

They usually print my letters, now that I've ceased sending them almost daily.  We'll see.  Probably about Wednesday is my prediction.