ALWAYS ANOTHER WAY

The above is one creative way the Occupy movement has solved the problem of being denied the right to camp on public space. They've been invited to set up on private property right next door to the home of the Mayor of Richmond, Virginia.

The three Occupy camps in Maine are now under attack by Portland, Augusta, and Bangor authorities. It appears that nationwide the elites have converged on the strategy of "health, safety, and cost" as they last week trotted out the $13 million figure that cities across the nation have collectively paid for policing these events. Of course the decision to go full-bore with massive numbers of militarized police was a local government decision and should hardly be blamed on Occupy, but that is what they are doing.

The cities are also claiming that the trouble from homeless and mentally ill folks who have joined Occupy in order to get a tent and some food has increased local crime. But the cities would never admit that even if these Occupies were not happening they'd still be dealing with the homeless and mentally ill. I would venture to guess the Occupy movement has on some level actually helped to lower the crime statistics by giving many homeless some positive direction which many of them have responded to with open arms.

In the end though things appear to be changing for the Occupy movement and no one knows if the recent level of activity and national focus can continue. Time will tell. But the seed of critical analysis of corporate capitalism has sprouted throughout the nation and there will be no putting that back into a bottle.