Amazingly enough, allowing the Occupiers some space to make their point, and not ordering up cop-inflicted violence against them, results in not only peaceful coexistence, but far less overtime for law enforcement personnel — which results in saving money!

One of the themes of people like Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Cuomo as well as many other mayors and governors around the country is how things are so bad economically that the states must cut back in so many services, laying off teachers, first responders, cutting Medicaid eligibility, rolling back unemployment benefits, and generally destroying both the social safety net and wages and benefits for state workers. Yet here it is, New York City can incur millions of dollars in overtime costs going after unarmed, mostly peaceful protestors (according to this from WNYC it was over $5M by late October), yet city agencies are scrambling for funds:

Maybe I should begin by explaining why I am the 99%. After all, my husband and I are both viably employed. We can afford extras. We live a comfortable, happy, middle-class existence. We are aware of our good fortune, which is why I spend a great many hours every week volunteering. Helping others is important to us — I don’t judge the man on the street for his decisions because I don’t know his circumstances. The man on the street might just as well be me.