I’ve been an enthusiastic observer of the Occupy movement since its formation, and in general I agree with the (loosely) stated goals:  send a message that we’re tired of the influence financial institutions have on Washington D.C. and politics in general.  I can get behind the message of the “99%”.  And there have been some tangible outcomes to the movement, as BusinessWeek points out:

Bank fees: ”Every time you use your Bank of America debit card and don’t pay $5, thank Occupy Wall Street.”

Changing the national conversation: ”..the economic debate in Washington was dominated by talk of cutting the deficit — not jobs, not the wealth disparity in America, and certainly not the role of money in politics. Today that has shifted.”

Getting Wall Street’s attention: ”[Occupy Wall Street] has seeped into Wall Street’s own conversation. This is partly due to the early attention paid by a few influential financial bloggers…”

Despite this, the movement is starting to fold.  The message being sent by the occupiers that remain lacks cohesiveness, and is sometimes just strange to me. The tactics are getting more severe; “one man was taken into custody for throwing liquid, possibly vinegar, into the faces of several police officers.”

The general public is beginning to feel that the movement doesn’t represent their values, or is simply losing interest.  Without that massive initial support and momentum, local governments are beginning the process of eviction, and without something clear to rally behind, the public is going to let it happen.

It’s about to happen here in Duluth.  The Duluth Police Department is holding a press conference today (Thursday) at 4:30 p.m. to discuss the eviction of Occupy Duluth from all but one tent in the civic center grounds.  Then, the occupiers are meeting at 7 p.m. to discuss their rights.