Reply #18: That's just silly. It's not "powers that be" that cause people to need groceries and medicine.

[MADem]

These strikes are just stupid in the context of this nation. You have to have "99 percent" of the people supporting it, and that degree of support for a "general strike" is not there, not even close.

Spend more time honing the MESSAGE--jobs, economic equality, an end to corporate greed, a tax system that is not regressive....these things are easy to communicate. The stupid strikes only hurt the small businesspeople and their wage slave employees, some of the very people who are part of that ninety nine percent everyone is yelling about. When you tell an overworked mother that she can't go to the store (or risk being a pariah) because of some misguided and ignored "general strike" you risk being regarded as fringe and unserious.

This has nothing to do with mysterious "Powers That Be" (already the most overused and lame phrase of the governmental fiscal year, even though the term has only gained overexposure in the last month) and the "control" you imagine they have. It has everything to do with relating the OWS philosophy to REAL people with REAL lives, who can't stop to participate in a meaningless bit of nonsense that will have NO effect.

Knock yourselves out if it makes you happy. It's an empty gesture, but I am sure you mean well. Just don't expect people who struggle every day in the real world to put this little project on their to-do list. It will be as ignored as that "Don't buy gas" day ( http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/nogas.asp ) was a while back.