Leverage...

[krazny]

Nationwide, right now, we've got mobs of angry (but comparatively peaceful) people who are being brutalized by the police. One of two results is possible. Either the Occupiers will be beaten, and fade into the dustbin of history, or riots and possibly an actual revolution could occur. What is to be done to ensure the latter outcome in the long term? How can we help? Somewhere, there is a tipping point where enough people get angry at the issues and the response of the police. I'm old enough to remember when LA burned, and the police very nearly failed to retake the city. I also remember Tottenham, and in both instances it pains me that the revolutionary fervor didn't spread. LA was largely spurred by the very bottom of society, which is who stands to benefit the most... I believe there is a way to leverage reform, if not all out revolution, from all this, but it requires more organization than what's currently available.

[The Idler]

Worsening conditions won't necessarily lead to socialism. We've seen this, time and time again.

[Renegade Saint]

Nationwide, right now, we've got mobs of angry (but comparatively peaceful) people who are being brutalized by the police. One of two results is possible. Either the Occupiers will be beaten, and fade into the dustbin of history, or riots and possibly an actual revolution could occur.
Are you sure those are the only possible outcomes?

[Lee Van Cleef]

The pessimist in me believes that the Occupy movement will eventually collapse under its internal divisions and its lack of ability to move forward with an agenda. We already see that now that the police have stepped in for real, the movement is losing some of its support with the general public.

However, it is possible that, if this goes on for long enough, some of the Occupy talking points can become part of the agenda for big liberal lobbying groups and "progressives" in Congress. We may end up with a renewed debate on healthcare, or even a push for the public works projects that have been proposed recently.

In the end, I think there is almost no chance for this to develop revolutionary potential. Even most of the people involved would tell you that to paint them as anti-capitalist is "ridiculous" to quote someone I know. There are many Ron Paul fans involved in the organization of the movement, and it was intended from the start to be a broad coalition that would appear as moderate as possible.

Their main idea seems to be that if they are able to show politicians that even "normal' (non-radical) Americans are fed up with the way things are, that things will move in a more progressive direction. This is, of course, laughable.

[Franz Fanonipants]

I'm old enough to remember when LA burned, and the police very nearly failed to retake the city.

you dumbass. the LA riots were not a revolutionary riot, they were mostly anti-immigrant on the part of black folks. the majority of people hurt were latino and asian immigrants.