Where Does “Occupy Wall Street” Go From Here?

Where Does “Occupy Wall Street” Go From Here?

One of the most striking aspects of the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon is its failure to get any traction among the elite political strata, especially among elected officials with an eye on the upcoming elections. Sure, there have been numerous Democrats and even some Republicans who have, with an earnest, but patronizing tone, suggested that OWS is an understandable response to the pain inflicted by a sinking economy. But there has been no real attempt to harness the visible anger and outrage to the forthcoming political campaigns of 2012. This is especially noteworthy in light of the Republican stance regarding the so-called Tea Party movement. They, unlike the Democrats and the OWS movement, early and often endorsed, embraced, and amplified the views of the nascent Tea Party formation. They funded it and encouraged the already friendly media to exaggerate its size and importance. They rode the movement’s anger into the 2010 elections and welcomed its “heroes” into the Republican fold. No such embrace of OWS seems imminent on the part of the Democratic Party.

Recent poll results add to this observation: an AP/GfK poll conducted between October 13 and 17 shows that 37% of the public supports the OWS protests.

Compare this to the overblown Tea Partiers. At its peak at the time of the 2010 interim elections, the Tea Party drew 31% of the public’s support, according to a CBS/New York Times poll. That same polling source places Tea Party support at only 18% in August of this year. As I have argued and continue to argue, the Tea Party movement represents nothing more than the same 15-25% of the population that have always plagued US politics: the “Know Nothings,” the Klan, the Liberty Leaguers, the Black Legions, the Coughlinites, the Segregationists, the McCarthyites, the Goldwaterites, and now the Tea Partiers. They crawl out from under the rocks in times of crisis and, thanks to powerful funding and media hype, they enjoy undue prominence.

So with substantial and hopefully growing public support, why hasn’t the Democratic Party hitched its wagon to this popular movement? With the President’s popularity sinking, would not this be an unexpected boost to Democratic Party fortunes?

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It also stands against corruption and it's pretty plain to see that the government is rife with corruption. Not every individual is corrupt, but the system with it's overwhelming lobbying power and influence is corrupt.

It's not that hard to figure out.

Even if it were on the up and up they'd still be taking us to the cleaners, that's what capitalism does. Big campaign donors and more direct bribery have always been with us, it's just all out in the open nowadays. As long as one class has all the money they will use it and they will have all the money as long as they own the means of production.

The fact that they are occupying Wall Street means something.

They are joined at the hip and the economic calls the tune for the political. If this is to become anything more than an emotional outburst it will necessarily become political and those politics will be not be those of the two capitalist parties.

No political efforts whatsoever as far as I can tell.

Neither party represents the interests of the '99%', who should they vote for, the lesser of two evils? That has worked out so well......

When the people have their own representatives, then it will be time to vote.

meeting continually - relentlessly -- but unpredictably all over creation via social-media networked Flash Occupy happenings...

I'd bet a pumpkin doughnut.

Flash Occupy.

I'd say Facebook too but it'd be overrun with belligerents and oppressed by Facebook in zero-time. Zuck's a big-money corrupt sort of fellow...he's not going to allow his platform to be effectively used to destroy a crony system he's on the inside of and loving.

...along with a few corrupt Supreme Court justices.

It will take a while but it will be done...

You got more money than Wall St?

Electoral politics will have to take a back seat organization of the masses. Once the people are organized nothing can stop them.

I think we will now pay much closer attention to who is running for public office. Candidates will be scrutinized more thoroughly. And they will be measured with the expectations that have come out of OWS.

It will take time, but I believe Americans are just fed up with the corruption that has permeated the government--corruption spawned by bankers and brokers, and corporate special interests.

We are now just beginning to see behind the puppets of this Kabuki play...

Reformism has succumbed every time, it is inevitable as long as they have all of the money/power.

Best to get rid of the bankers, brokers, corporate special interests. Nationalize. But that will never happen within a process which they own.

that this movement is organic and fluid. He's trying to make the old rules apply to new strategies and seems confused when OWS doesn't conform to them. This is a defining moment in the history of the world and one has to be exceedingly blind or stupid not to see it.

Organization is really necessary.

But we do on this. Without leadership, efforts cannot be focused. Without a plan, meaningful results will not happen. Only a very naïve person would see it otherwise.

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but I am not giving 'free advice' as so many who dismissed OWS or denigrated it, or find fault are want to do. I will continue to support them, even if they wear the V masks (horror!).

The Occupy Wall Street name is not a good one, although I think the idea is essentially right.

They are probably not supporting of Occupy trashing their properties and harrassing their tenants.

Although your example is extremely lame that you would make it goes to show where the party's priorities lie.

Those people have rights too

and they exercise their 'rights' from their wallets.

Some animals are more equal than others.

Isn't that just the sort of thing that we need to put an end to?