OPINION:
News reports suggest that cash-strapped cities across the country will spend something approaching $20 million on the extra costs associated with the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon.
The cities’ predicament was summarized recently by Karen Boyd, spokeswoman for the Oakland, Calif., city government: “Oakland… has been devastated by the economic downturn. We don’t have an extra $2.5 million to spend.” She added that the additional costs may lead to cuts in senior services and libraries.
Maybe these cities should try to collect their extra costs from Obama for America 2012, the president’s campaign organization. It was, after all, President Obama’s incessant, divisive railing against “millionaires and billionaires” who don’t “pay their fair share” and who resist paying even just “a little bit more” that inspired the occupiers in the first place. Moreover, Mr. Obama’s statement in early October that Occupy Wall Street “expresses the broad-based frustrations that the American people feel” encouraged and helped sustain the occupations.
Finally, because he has devoted so much of his time trying to amass a $1 billion campaign fund instead of governing, Obama for America 2012 is flush with cash. His campaign can afford to pay what would be just “a little bit” to offset the cities’ costs. That would only be “fair.”
BOB FOYS
Inverness, Ill.
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