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Occupy Wall Street movement brings back optimism

These spreading demonstrations prove that my American cousins have not all gone brain dead

Editor, The Times:

It's happening! I'd long despaired of anything coming out of this present economic crisis but more crisis and stupidity - especially in the U.S. of A.

Look at the midterm elections south of the border. Whenever the citizens of the land of 'the brave and the free' could stagger to the polls they voted for the very characters that brought the financial rack and ruin down upon their heads. This included Scott Walker of Minnesota and that 'clown' in Ohio.

Had the constant barrage of Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Hannity and O'Reilly poisoned the American mind beyond repair?

Not so. These spreading demonstrations across the U.S. centered on Wall St. and other financial centers prove that my American cousins have not all gone brain dead. The fact that these actions started on Sept. 17, the date of my 70th birthday, though of no monetary value was one heck of a birthday present (I'll skip the media's failure to pick up on this before now).

I'm currently reading Joseph Stiglitz's book "The Roaring Nineties". Mr. Stiglitz, personally a calm and self-effacing man, is a former World Bank official. He also played a major role in the Bill Clinton government and helped with the 'Clinton boom'.

Stiglitz is very honest about the mistakes that were made (though nowhere near as bad as the Bushes or Ronald Regan for that matter) by the Clinton regime.

I quote Mr. Stiglitz, "Of all the mistakes we made in the Roaring Nineties, the worst were caused by lack of standing by our principle and a lack of vision." Couldn't be more honest than that! The secret is out - the free market Easter Bunny is not coming with a sack of goodies to fix the economy.

Joseph Stiglitz makes this very plain and I do believe that the demonstrators on Wall St. also have grasped this and are acting on it.

Dennis Peacock

Clearwater, B.C.