It was destined to be a matter of time before a section of the American population took to the streets to protest the harsh imbalances in the nation's economy. It is not surprising that the "Occupy Wall Street" protest that started with a few hundred frustrated individuals in New York City has spread to several cities nationally, including cities in South Florida.

The protest is fast becoming an organized movement, and has expanded from a protest against financial institutions on Wall Street, to one against inequalities between the 'haves' and 'have-nots,' home foreclosures, high unemployment, high interest on student loans, lack of credit from commercial banks, the unusual economic pressure on the middle class, and for election campaign reform.

The protests are growing and spreading across the country because some Americans have grown frustrated with their inability to provide for themselves and their families.

Something is grievously wrong when the nation's unemployment affects 25 million individuals, including high school and college graduates who cannot land a job interview much less a job, while the private sector is still slow to hire. Something is wrong when American taxpayers spent billions to bail out major commercial banks, but these same banks withhold credit needed by small businesses. Something is radically wrong when thousands of people are losing their homes to foreclosure and lenders refuse to modify their mortgage loans knowing the borrowers cannot pay the amounts originally contracted. Something is awfully wrong when U.S. senators and congressional representatives turn their backs on voters, refusing to pass legislation that could alleviate general financial pressures.

It is puzzling how out of touch some of the country's political leaders are with the suffering experienced by so many Americans, and how they misunderstand the mood of these people. Instead of paying heed to the growing protest, U.S. House Majority Leader, Republican Eric Cantor referred to the protestors as "growing mobs."

Not surprisingly, the protests have turned bi-partisan, with Republicans criticizing the protestors and Democrats supporting them. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, referring to the protestors, said, "God bless them for their spontaneity."

The protestors have also gained the support of organized labor across the country.

Unfortunately, the "Occupy Wall Street" protests are dividing the country along lines similar to the same reasons for the protests. The wealthy, and some of the fortunate employed, see the protestors as a nuisance. Critics of the protestors have taunted them to get jobs and leave the streets, and suggest that nothing stops protestors from being the "fat cats" they criticize the rich of being.

However, lost on these critics is that neither the nation's private sector nor the U.S. Congress has taken any meaningful measure to create the jobs that would satisfy the protestors.

Some of the protestors compare their movement to the 'Arab Spring,' the massive people protests that sparked regime changes in nations like Egypt and Tunisia. It is unlikely the "Occupy Wall Street" protests will cause a regime change in America, but will it change anything? Will it make the banks more open to lending to small businesses, and modify mortgages that a growing number of Americans cannot repay? Will the movement cause employers to be more agreeable to offer jobs, especially to college graduates? Will this protest die, as the media grow weary and switch to more newsworthy issues?

For the movement to realistically serve the cause of millions of economically repressed Americans, it has to create an organized structure, have distinctive leaders, and a unified message, mission, and demands. What the movement cannot be is a mere outlet for people to vent their frustrations by shouting and bearing slogans. If the movement isn't efficiently organized with specific demands, it will fizzle and millions of Americans will continue to be economically repressed.

No well-thinking American wants the growing protests to justify the critics by dissolving into an unruly mob. Rather, the protests should give voice to the many Americans enduring unusual hardships.

For the past four years the voices of rich bankers, big corporations, the wealthy (who aggressively resists paying higher taxes), the tea partiers, and generally the controllers and manipulators of the nation's wealth, have been heard over the voice of lower- and middle class Americans who have lost jobs, homes, hope and in some cases, self-esteem.

If the "Occupy Wall Street movement" prompts the nation's private and public sector leaders to listen and changes polices to relieve the economic nightmare for many, it would have been a successful movement.