OCCUPY MISSOULA held their first GA and about 300 people attended (although only about 100 were at the 5:00 PM GA and only about 30 people slept at the Missoula County) - through the consensus process, Occupy Missoula decided as follows:
1) Occupy Missoula would be a nonviolent movement.
2) Occupy Missoula would immediately establish an indefinite occupation at the Missoula County Courthouse. I am proud to say that I brought the proposal to immediately establish occupation to the GA. My first ever proposal at a GA.
3) Occupy Missoula would establish study working groups to provide information to the GA regarding issues of concern to the group.
4) Another GA would convene at 5:00 PM at the Missoula County Courthouse.
Other issues were raised, but tabled for a later time.
The group then agreed to march from its location to the courthouse to establish occupation. The process was a bit chaotic (in the best possible way). The facilitators did great for their first time though it's clear we have a lot to learn.
3:34 PM:
The Outer Limits radio show will be providing weekly coverage of Occupy Missoula. The weekly show is from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM on KBGA. Anyone who wants to be interviewed can show up at 8:45 at the KBGA studios at the University of Montana.
All further Occupy Missoula coverage will be on OccupyMissoula.wordpress.com.
11:35 PM: Occupy Missoula's second GA created 3 working groups - communications, logistics and development.
Currently, working groups will meet daily at 4:00 PM and GA will be daily at 5:00.
Twitter: occupymissoula (agreed upon hashtag @occupymissoula).
1:52 AM (10/9/11): By the way, it appears that thus far, Missoula authorities are being cool. It turns out that we needed a permit to camp on the Courthouse lawn. However, the police informed us that for the time being, they would not disturb us so long as there was no alcohol or drugs. Also, one of our members - who is also a member of the IEW - contacted the person in charge of the Courthouse facilities. He agreed to turn off the automatic sprinklers and requested the we not use stakes for our tents. Well done Missoula! We believe that the police and the very cool gentleman in charge of maintenance are part of the 99%. And we appreciate their service to the entire community.
Taryn, Is this going to interfere with the anti-war protest they've had going in Missoula for the last couple of decades?
ReplyDeleteshouldn't - they should express solidarity and march with us
ReplyDeleteThe question was actually kind of a joking compliment to the anti-war protesters. The one thing you know about Missoula is they know how to keep a protest going.
ReplyDeleteA commenter at Balloon Juice says she's read you at DKOS at really likes your work.
Oh - that's awesome - I'll check it
ReplyDeleteIts too bad you don't put all this effort into studying engineering or starting a business. You could have made a difference in the world.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous - not that it matters, but I'm a lawyer.
ReplyDeleteStart-up businesses require a function micro-economy, aka "The Real Economy," to be successful.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have one.
Put (very) simply...
A functioning micro-economy requires a balance between the average wage rate and the average Cost of Living. Starting around 1965 the US the wage rate has been under pressure by increasing exposure to the average, much lower, global wage rate. Simultaneously, the average Cost of Living in the US has increased at, more-or-less, 2% per year.
A Real Economy is a positive dynamic Feedback Loop where A purchases goods or services from B who purchases goods or services from C who purchases from D who purchases from A. The purchase price of a good, say, is naturally dependent on a Complex relationship between the local wage rate and the local Cost of Living. When C, say, purchases labor outside the local labor market, e.g., India, they are buying that wage rate in a Complex relationship with that Cost of Living.
Fact: there are billions of people who would be ecstatic to make $15,000 a year.
Fact: $15,000 a year is a poverty wage in the US.
The advantage B gains is they can purchase in a low wage labor market (India) and sell in a high wage labor market (US,) undersell those businesses purchasing in the high wage rate labor market, and pocket the (large) difference.
A now has a choice and can either go bankrupt or move to the lower wage rate area in order to compete. Either way, the local economy is impoverished due to a "leakage" of consumer disposable income: 'free and clear' money, personal money above the Cost of Living.
The primary source of capital for Start-Ups - and I've Been There - is what is known as "Fools, Families, and Friends." The majority of Start-Up capital comes from the last two.
Now, since the local wage is lowering the disposable income from Families and Friends must also decrease. Further, since the wage rate of the local economy is decreasing the amount of money available for the purchase of the product(s) the Start-Up offers must also decrease. Starting and new business with limited capital in an area with limited purchasing power is a recipe for bankruptcy.
The Real World result of this can be easily seen by walking down Main Street: empty storefronts.
Thus, the "solution" previously offered is no solution.
The solution to the situation is inherent in the analysis:
1. Increase the wage rate
2. Decrease the Cost of Living
3. Both (Preferably)
A necessary step towards applying one of the above is a popular, mass, movement aware of, and demanding, they be applied.