Occupy Wall Street: The Primary the President Never Had?

AlterNet / By Matt Stoller 248 COMMENTS
Occupy Wall Street: The Primary the President Never Had?
The growing movement will force political leaders to choose between Big Money and popular legitimacy.
October 24, 2011 |


It's been a little over a month since this bolt of political lightning known as Occupy Wall Street jolted through the political establishment. It's time to assess just what Occupy Wall Street has gotten done. That it has accomplished a great deal is beyond dispute. Franklin Foer in the New Republic and John Nichols in the Nation have both noted that Occupy Wall Street profoundly challenged President Obama and the Republicans. But what an odd challenge. A few thousand people camped out in parks around the country? Really?

Yet this challenge has completely changed the dominant theme in Washington. Less than a year ago, JP Morgan's Bill Daley was the glad-handling centrist du jour, praised by everyone from Howard Dean to Bob Reich. The "austerity class," as Ari Berman so nicely put it, was in control of the debate, with the Tea Party waiting in the wings ready to slash and burn.

Fast forward to October 2011. Obama is increasingly taking on a populist tone and using executive orders to attempt stimulating the economy, with Democrats smacking around Mitt Romney for encouraging foreclosures as a way to clear the market (a policy Obama administration officials like HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan agree with. The centrists are losing, perhaps not power, but certainly the debate. Third Way, the political brain behind this centrist White House and Senate, is one of the few groups warning Democrats away from Occupy Wall Street, but few are listening.

There's a reason; the themes put out by the protesters are overwhelmingly popular. The poll numbers are out. If Occupy Wall Street were a national candidate for president, it would be blowing away every other candidate on the stage, including Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Fifty-four percent of Americans agree with the protesters, versus 44 percent who think President Obama is doing a good job. Seventy-three percent of Americans want prosecutions for Wall Street executives for the crisis. Seventy-nine percent think the gap between rich and poor is too large. Eighty-six percent say Wall Street and its lobbyists have too much power in Washington. Sixty-eight percent think the rich should pay more in taxes. Twenty-five percent of the public considers itself upset, 45 percent is concerned about the country and 25 percent is downright angry.

http://www.alternet.org/story/152845/occupy_wall_street%3A_the_primary_the_president_never_had/

Maybe we can take back control of our government from the rich and the big corporations. We still have time to do it peacefully.

He will keep speaking truth to power till the power gets scared and runs away.

I love that guy.

He is a true American hero, both for his service and his action on the streets of New York City.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IDA2lq72hw

I find it revealing that I didn't see this video in the media.

This isn't about leaders.

express the views of those who are protesting. A spokesman or spokespeople for the movement. They do not have to run for office but someone has to be able to counter the propaganda the corporate controlled media is pushing.

The Tea Party was marginalized at first but was fortunate that Fox News publicized its cause. Perhaps MSNBC can do the same for the Wall Street Protesters.

The fact remains that the protesters do have a worthwhile message and I am not hearing it yet in the Main Stream Media. Still, the movement is still in its infancy. We live in a new world where the internet can be as powerful as the press if utilized effectively. This may not last forever as those in power fear freedom and will do their best to squash or control it.

The Occupied Wall Street Journal http://occupiedmedia.com/2011/10/this-rebellion-will-not-stop/ is a start but few know of its existence.

99%. They may kill me and they may kill you, but they can't kill us all, because we outnumber them 1,000,000 to 1.

but a few literate and effective spokespeople could cause change far more quickly and might avoid violence and bloodshed.

MLK, Jr. or RFK (post-1965), I'd agree. But look what happened to both of them. And there was still plenty of violence and bloodshed, their angelic voices notwithstanding.

So now it's purely a numbers game to me. We outnumber them and they cannot kill or wound us all. History is on our side and they are on the wrong side of history. It's really that simple.

and yes, their lives may be in danger.

You almost sound like it is time for a revolution. I don't think that we are anywhere near that point yet. I could be wrong but I believe that citizens are waking up in this nation. We can still make a difference at the ballot box. If your congress critter is bought and owned by the rich and the big corporations, replace him. Find and support a candidate who will represent you and all those who send him to office. Work for change in the election process that will curtail the influence of the rich contributors.

I really don't believe we have to totally destroy our system of government in order restore the middle class. Our nation has survived many tough economic periods in the past and emerged as a better nation for all citizens.

night, the General Assembly of Occupy Oakland voted overwhelmingly for a General Strike to commence next Wednesday, Nov. 2.

Such demonstrations often attract media attention and consequently support starts to dramatically grow across the nation.

A article on the strike is at:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/27/1030480/-Occupy-Oakland-Calling-for-General-Strike-on-Wednesday-Nov-2nd

the security forces can isolate out a single individual and behead him or her, they can decapitate the Movement with a single gesture. Without a discrete leader or leaders, the Movement can continue to flourish.

Thanks for the DKos link. I haven't spent much time on there yet today.

This is also where all the new laws passed because of our War on Terror may be used to squash the movement.

Interesting read

but just because someone raises one billion dollars for a campaign..does not mean they can buy votes..we each get one of those

The natives are restless. The 1% might find that they don't own the 99%.

first time in 20 yrs 'left' has had the bully pulpit to do some real messaging over the constant blasting from think tank coordinated RW talk radio.

it may the first time the 'left' has been able to consistently shout above the 1000 think tank coordinated megaphones long enough that the RW think tanks haven't been able to message back over it.

for the last 20 years while the left has ignored RW radio. protests weren't sustained enough they couldn't be yelled over by national or local blowhards with big microphones.

but the biggest obstruction is still talk radio- those local limbaugh hannity megastations are cheerlaeding and threatening local govts and police to evict OWS protesters.

the talk radio gods are the biggest reason the republican party has been overrun with sycophants and dolts who are now too afraid of those same gods to vote in any other way than they are told. and the reason blue dogs in the talk radio states vote republican.

and the reason obama and the dems can't get anything done.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.