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Don’t Mistake Occupy Wall Street for Team Obama
Occupation Up, Obama Down
NEW YORK—The mushrooming Occupy Wall Street protests, now on the verge of spreading to more than 1,000 cities and towns across the U.S. and beyond, may have come of age this week.
Protesters fill Washington Square during an "Occupy Wall Street" rally in New York October 8, 2011. Billionaire New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg accused anti-Wall Street protesters on Friday of trying to destroy jobs in the city. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi But the second most interesting number (apart from the anger-tracking figures updated at OccupyTogether.org) is 38 per cent — President Barack Obama’s approval rating, according to the latest Gallup survey.
Occupation up, Obama down. It’s an equation the White House is desperate to change, as the Democratic machine grapples with how best to harness the progressive populist uprising to generate electoral energy for November 2012.
The rolling fury that took hold of lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park three weeks ago remains audaciously leaderless. But it is also changing quickly, as new blood arrives to bolster the cause, in ways that are dismaying to Occupy Wall Street’s earliest adopters.
On Wednesday, it was the arrival of Big Labor that seized the headlines, as unionists marched in the thousands through Manhattan’s financial district. But in the encampment that night — and truly, the hardcore actually sleeping on these paving stones comprise 140 characters or less — fear of co-optation was rampant.
The Occupy Wall Street hardcore sees itself as bigger than partisan politics. And the disappointment with Obama — after what they view as a series of business-friendly surrenders on financial regulation, the environment, budgets and even health-care reform — borders on contempt.
But they don’t own Occupy Wall Street anymore. That was evident Thursday morning, when the encampment began to fill with even more arrivals. And some of the new faces showing up in Zuccotti seem more representative of the working-class angst gripping the country.
Take Sean Finnerty, for example, a 26-year-old Alaskan who came down on a break from his job in the oilfields. He was a bundle of energy Thursday, taking stock — and then taking charge.
“What the hell is this doing here?” asked Finnerty, pointing to an anti-Wall Street leaflet that reeked of anti-Semitism, replete with a hand-drawn swastika.
“This is sick. I’m taking it down. Anybody who thinks they can defend this can talk to me,” said Finnerty as he tore the hate-filled paper to shreds.
Finnerty told the Star he arrived the night before. But he admitted he got “the cold shoulder” from many of the young radicals in the square.
“I guess I don’t have the right tattoos or haircut for some of them,” he said. “But I don’t care. I’ll sleep beside them because the cause is right.
“This thing is still in its infancy. And they need working people like me for it to really take off.”
Finnerty pointed to two construction workers eating lunch on the curb — two of the more than 3,000 men working on the massive site next door, building new towers from the ashes of 9/11. Then Finnerty pointed to some of the previous night’s Occupy Wall Street revelers, still asleep in their bags.
“These guys start their jobs at 7 a.m. Do you really expect them to relate to a bunch of kids who sleep till noon?
“If this thing is serious, they need way more working-class people like me. That’s why I came. This protest is not a fashion statement. And it’s definitely not about getting Obama re-elected. We have to focus it or we’ll be co-opted.”
The powerful online component of the Occupy movement has been withering in its criticism of Team Obama’s ties to Wall Street. One widely traveled post Friday seized upon a passage in journalist Ron Suskind’s Confidence Men, in which the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance called on imprisoned insider trader Dennis Levine for guidance on how to act upon alleged malfeasance in high finance.
Levine’s advice: “You need to send out a slew of indictments, all at once, and on 3 p.m. on a sunny day, have Federal Marshalls perp-walk 300 Wall Street executives out of their office in handcuffs and out on the street, with lots of cameras rolling. Everyone else would say, ‘If that happened to me, my mother would be ashamed.’ ”
Others, such as New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, suggest the rise of OWS in “numbers too big to ignore” presents “what amounts to a second chance” for Team Obama to harden its rhetoric with solid action.
“The Obama administration squandered a lot of potential goodwill early on by adopting banker-friendly policies that failed to deliver economic recovery even as bankers repaid the favour by turning on the president,” wrote Krugman.
“Now, however, Mr. Obama’s party has a chance for a do-over. . . . And if the protests goad some politicians into doing what they should have been doing all along, Occupy Wall Street will have been a smashing success.”
Yet it is far from clear if the still-amorphous movement — which plans a sister rally in Toronto next Saturday — will succumb to electoral machinations.
In a statement Friday, a new branch of the Occupy movement billing itself as the “Occupy Wall Street 99 Per Cent Working Group” released a statement saying: “We will not be co-opted by hierarchical organizations. No matter how wonderful their cause may be.”
In Washington, meanwhile, a splinter group took hold under the banner of Occupy State Department late Thursday, sleeping overnight to ensure that Friday’s final hearing on a controversial pipeline to double the flow of oilsands bitumen to the United States included an abundance of voices opposing Keystone XL.
The controversial $7 billion project would carry millions of barrels of oilsands crude a week through six U.S. states to refineries in Texas, The Canadian Press reports.
Team Obama, which is expected to decide on the pipeline in December, has repeatedly signaled in subtle and not-so-subtle ways it is ready to expand America’s consumption of Canadian oil.
If so, far from being Obama’s own personal Tea Party, the Occupy movement is likely to turn even harder against him when that call is made.
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119 Comments so far
Show AllWhere did this author claim that OWS is Obama's Tea Party? He pretty clearly says they are NOT, the only suggestion is that perhaps Obama hopes to co-opt it for political purposes.
Ignore this article. There is not one iota of anti-Semitism at the protests. I know because I have been in Zucotti park everyday. If there was a swastika it was a clumsy attempt to identify bankers and hedge fund managers with history's worst evil. This is not the first attempt I've seen to paint the protests as anti-semitic. Zionists loathe this movement because they can see the writing on the wall. Any end-game of peace and economic justice is going to leave them utterly alone in this world.
With due respect to your position and what you are attempting to do I think youe criticism is too sweeping. I've been to numerous demonstrations (mostly anti war) throughout my life and there are always some crazies showing up. The anecdote regarding the anti Semitic paper was probably true. Though, needless to say, it shouldn't be seen as at all representative of the whole. Nor do I think it was meant to. But we have to admit, crazies do show up at these protests.......
hamster, you are 100% correct that the goal of the 99% has nothing to do with the shill Obama team, BUT the fastest, easiest, and most compelling and honest way to PROVE that Occupy is not and cannot be co-opted by the Obama shills, the Democratic Party shills, or any other shills is to state that the inclusive goal/demand/revolt of the Occupy movement is "Against Empire"!
The compelling advantages of this underlying goal and demand of being against Empire are:
First, being against the causal cancerous disease of Empire is the totally effective way in laying low Obama, The Democrats, and any other authoritarian or astroturf group of shills that might try to co-opt the Occupy movement ---- because all of them, all counter-revolutionary and reactionary groups, are scared to death and will never say they support being "Against Empire" --- In fact, they can never even whisper the very term 'Empire', because this 1% IS the EMPIRE!!!!
Second, and very important for the 99% of the Occupy movement/revolution, is the fact that being "Against Empire" is totally inclusive of all the important, and valid problems, issues, and reasons that Occupy has organically formed to address problems in our world like; vast economic inequality, Wall Street looting, foreign imperialist wars, domestic spying, oppression, and violence, environmental destruction, killing debt, lack of good jobs in a fair economy, etc. etc.
What the Occupy movement/revolution can learn, borrow, expand from the October 2011 movement is that the inclusive but non-specific answer to the corporatist media and other entrapment claptrapers question of what the goal/demand of Occupy is.
Kevin Zeese and others in the October 2011 movement have leveraged the realistic, attractive, inclusive, and non-constraining message of being against Empire --- just as the first American Revolution was a broad and inclusive people's confrontation against the empire that was oppressing them in all aspects of their lives; economic oppression, political oppression, military oppression, legal oppression, cultural, media, and social oppression by the British Empire.
By suggesting a goal/demand which is nominally focused on one simple and underlying (but never mentioned) cause of all our economic, political, war, environmental, social, legal, and other restraints by the un-mentioned, taboo, but deadly oppression(s) of Empire, the Occupy Together movement/revolution can describe a single goal/cause/demand of being "Against Empire" --- and yet inclusively combine all the varied and valid symptom problems and indictments that we, the 99%, have against Empire and the deadly problems that the undiagnosed global Empire serving only the 1% is causing.
In the First American Revolution the visible and detested British Empire was causing all the political, economic, military, social, and legal oppressions to the freedom of the 99% of future Americans in forming their own democratic self-government.
Today the much more guileful, disguised, undiagnosed, and invisible global corporate/financial/militarist Empire --- that is never mentioned by the corporatist media --- hides like a cancerous tumor beneath the surface and is the proximate cause of the same political, economic, military, social and legal oppressions on we 99%, that the British Empire had caused before we broke free of Empire.
Alan MacDonald
Liberty & democracy
over
violent/'Vichy'
empire
That's just another thing that politicians do: whenever something seems to be arousing a lot of public sentiment, they will come in and and try to spin it to their advantage ("co-opt for their own gain" is a perfect description.
Since I do not believe that B.O. is in any way in charge of his presidency and is a paid front person, I think his handlers sent him out there to see what he could do to seem to be on this bandwagon "a corporate shill, as big a sock puppet for the plutocrats that brought him," also a perfect phrase. Unlike President Junior, who was seemingly tricked into believing that he really was in charge, B.O. I believe knows whereof he speaks and who for. That makes him worse, and I did foolishly vote for him because I thought it would be good for the country to elect a black man and hoped he would be at least closer to who he presented himself as than he has turned out to be. If as some say that means I have given permission for everything that has been done, I withdraw whatever permission they assume my vote means. I'm sorry. It was a mistake. I was suspicious but allowed myself to be fooled into buying into the presentation of what now is obviously false hope. Some who post on this site may never forgive me, but I'll keep replying anyway.
"I did foolishly vote for him because I thought it would be good for the country to elect a black man and hoped he would be at least closer to who he presented himself as than he has turned out to be."
The above quote epitomizes the way progressive thinking serves as a means to a particular end.
As part of the fake-left, the real argument being made by progressives is not found in the particular issues they embrace—healthcare, employment, public education, identity politics (As in the case of "electing a black man") etc.
Those issues merely act as a vehicle for a more fundamental argument.
And that argument is a particular orientation toward those in power.
Progressives prefer to think of it as being pragmatic, realistic, practical, mature etc.
Whatever you call it, when it comes to this type of mindset each and every convincing argument and insightful point progressives make can all be easily circumscribed or short-circuited by the all pervasive notion that people need to be "realistic," "negotiate" and "compromise" when it comes to the prerogatives of those in power.
And Obama's election and Obama himself present a perfect demonstration of that.
President-elect Obama clearly "represented himself" with regard to whose interests he would be serving. Progressives rationalized this as being pragmatic, realistic, practical, mature etc.
Just as those who elected him, Obama is the consummate progressive. He is what progressives should see when they look in the mirror--but instead these days, they blame the mirror.
As progressives (or some other part of the fake-left), they will blindly vote for many more "lesser evils" to come with similar results--never knowing who is actually betraying them.
As with all the dumb things I've done in my life, it seems like a good idea at the time. I admit I was wrong, but I guess you folks who aren't part of the "fake left" are never ever wrong, never make misjudgments like I and the people you call "progressives" do. Can't wait till you take over so I can experience this perfect world.
Naw, it's not like that.
I was a progressive/liberal up until fairly recently.
For me, the idea is to get it right the next time.
"If those who are protesting against Wall Street are to avoid a similar fate, they must begin by rejecting the “lesser evil” fraud and fight to develop an independent political movement of the working class in opposition to both parties of big business and the profit system they defend."
-Occupy Wall Street and the Democratic Party
.
gregsdiary (in reply to Paranoid Pessimist) wrote:
Naw, it's not like that.
I was a progressive/liberal up until fairly recently.
For me, the idea is to get it right the next time.
"If those who are protesting against Wall Street are to avoid a similar fate, they must begin by rejecting the “lesser evil” fraud and fight to develop an independent political movement of the working class in opposition to both parties of big business and the profit system they defend."
-Occupy Wall Street and the Democratic Party ..
- - - - -
My Reply:
gregsdiary,
Seems to me that most progressives do not also consider themselves liberals.
In any case many people who consider themselves progressives were not taken in by Barack Obama and have long been aware of the electoral "shake down" behind the "lesser of two evils" dilemma.
The "lesser of two evils" dilemma can easily be eliminated and the people empowered by replacing Plurality Voting with Category Scale Power Voting.
Anyone who wants to can, of course, attempt to "occupy" the Democratic Party, but I don't think the effort is worth it.
.
.
Denruter (in reply to and quoting PuffinThrush) wrote:
"Seems to me that most progressives do not also consider themselves liberals.
This is correct. However, most liberals DO consider themselves to be progressives. This is where they are grossly incorrect.
As for occupying the Democratic Party this would pollute the gene pool.
- - - -
gregsdiary (in reply to Paranoid Pessimist) wrote:
I was a progressive/liberal up until fairly recently.
* * * * *
My Reply:
Denruter,
I quite agree with you, most liberals DO consider themselves to be progressives. :>?
(dark absurdity sarcasm button turned on)
But I find your assertion that Liberalism is a genetic trait most disturbing. ;>{
That would seem to absolve all Liberals of moral responsibility for their complicity in oppression and genocide. :><
How can we hold people accountable who have no control over what they think or what they do? :>(
If Liberalism is genetically controlled behavior, is it possible that gregsdiary is actually now part of the real left as gregsdiary so often proclaims or is gregsdiary really still part of the fake left gregsdairy deplores? :>|
Hmm. :>|
Well, as I see it, idenitifying the cause (e.g. genetics) of reprehensible behavior (i.e. Liberalism) does not necessarily constitute an excuse for that behavior (although in the case of a genetic cause it probably does). :>|
And, identifying an excuse (e.g. a genetic cause) for reprehensible behavior (i.e. Liberalism) does not necessarily constitute licence to continue committing that behavior (and given how incredible reprehensible Liberalism truly is, a genetic cause probably doesn't constitute license); implying that some kind of restraint should be imposed. :>|
What would you recommend? Some kind of eugenics program that includes sterilization and lifetime commitment in a psychiatric ward for the criminally insane? :>)
Would it be ok in your opinion to save money by putting them in the same ward as the conservatives? :>)
Are genuine, pure bred progressives genetically immune from becoming like Nazis when they take such protective measures? :>o
(dark absurdity sarcasm button turned off)
Trojan horse style monkey wrenching in the Democratic Party primary elections, yes! :>)
Attempt to occupy and take over the Democratic Party; priceless, I mean pointless! :>)
PP,
Don't feel bad and no apology is needed.
It was the media that misled you.
He never spoke as a Peace president, only a more pragmatic manager of the fake wars on terror delivered with the southern baptist preacher cadence, ie, a fake MLK type. The media painted a picture of a messiah. His voting record as a senator was staunch right wing, but they hid it; Military Commissions Act, FISA, Patriot Act, war funding, etc.
If our goal is to tear down the walls, then I would suggest starting with those that broadcast the lies.
Media is the new god.
Religions are lies.
Knock down the cathedrals (signal towers) and unplug the alters (televisions).
Don't be ridiculous.
I believed enough to have hope and vote for O and wait to see what happened--
Despite his position on Afghanistan and wiretapping, I'm like, it's incremental improvement, we'll get there...
I've got a feeling I'm going to be literally forced to eat those words, stuffed into my mouth with a velvet glove and kicked down my throat with a jackboot.
The time to flee may have passed. But it is better to die on one's feet, eh?
Correctly said Denruter..and the guy doesn't get many facts to speak of either..."Team Obama, which is expected to decide on the pipeline in December, has repeatedly signaled in subtle and not-so-subtle ways it is ready to expand America’s consumption of Canadian oil"........Potter is so out of the loop he don't know that oil is only intended for refining here but to be exported elsewhere, not to America. like Japan...
Yes, the US taxpayers fund occupations, wars, pipelines, etc. to enable global corporations to exploit petroleum and other resources around the globe, and sell those resources to the highest bidder, which in most cases is in some other nation.
US taxpayers not only get no benefit from this arrangement, they are assured that they will be the targets of ever more terrorists retaliating for the global corporations' exploitations.
Agree -- this is "dribble" -- and why when there would be so many who
could comment with validity re what's going on in America?
QUOTE -- “Now, however, Mr. Obama’s party has a chance for a do-over. .
UNQUOTE
If we are wise, we will be looking for candidates who aren't pre-bribed and
pre-owned by corporations -- all of us moving our huge block of lbieral votes
together!
"Do over" is certainly a chilling reference re Obama -- who would give
Obama yet another crack at dismantling Social Security, Medicare,
Medicaid?
We'll have enough of a struggle overcoming the damage he has already done!
I'm one of those whom Obama's handpicked chief of staff called "f------- retard". I also live in Nebraska. If Obama gives the go-ahead to the Keystone Pipeline he won't have an approval rating of 38%, he'll be lucky if it's 18%.
Am I the only one who thinks Cain will get the Republican nomination? Something tells me that Our Masters have decided it's worth losing the white supremacists if in return they can tear apart the African American vote.
As one who is fond of designating the Republican and Democratic Parties as, respectively, the "Party of Cain" and the "Party of Judas", I might well succumb to a fatally intense orgasm of irony if Mr. Cain actually becomes the nominee.
'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. I don't think it's gonna happen, though.
Yikes! If McCain is the nominee, does that means Palin will be his running mate again?
If Republicans are the 'Party of Cain" (with the slogan "Yes we Cain"), surely the Democrats must be the "Party of UnAbel"
Good wordplay, but "unwilling" is still closer to the truth.
If "Finnerty" is not happy with his reception at Zucotti Park it's because he got on the bus too late and the park is filled beyond capacity. Nobody "needs" him, and if he understood how this movement works, he would've joined with some other newbies and started a new occupation, of union square, or Riverside Park, or anywhere else. Every movement has its self-absorbed morons, and we just found one.
You're wrong. We do need people like Finnerty. Maybe he was mistaken with the anti-Semitism poster, but you have to realize that the more folks you bring in, of more diverse backgrounds, the more chances there will be for discord. However, you need the volume. You also need to welcome everyone who's willing to come in, as an individual, and help. Understand this sounds preachy, and please don't take it for derision _ I've got nothing but respect for you, and gratitude. Those on the ground are heroes to me, my wife, and kids. Thank you.
“If this thing is serious, they need way more working-class people like me. That’s why I came. This protest is not a fashion statement. And it’s definitely not about getting Obama re-elected. We have to focus it or we’ll be co-opted,” says Finnerty, as he strives mightily to co-opt the action.
Michael,
I truly don't understand your post.
Do you think Occupy SHOULD be a non-working class movement focused on getting Obama re-elected?
As far as I can see, Finnerty is exactly right. Either the movement will obtain broad working class (as distinct from "labor union") support and become increasingly focused, or it will die on the vine.
Michael F (quoting Finnerty) wrote:
“If this thing is serious, they need way more working-class people like me. That’s why I came. This protest is not a fashion statement. And it’s definitely not about getting Obama re-elected. We have to focus it or we’ll be co-opted,” says Finnerty, as he strives mightily to co-opt the action.
* * * * *
My Reply:
Michael F,
While I think the "fashion statement" part of Finnerty's statement is a pointed criticism of others at OWS which is off the mark, there is no way Finnerty or even a bunch of Finnertys can co-opt this action. But a bunch of Finnertys can in my opinion contribute to the power of OWS.
Do you also object to Finnerty's statement that OWS is not about getting Obama re-elected?
Finnerty is basically saying OWS can and should be more representative of a broader range of working class people, and that OWS needs to be focused or it will be co-opted.
Presumably you do not disagree with everything Finnerty said, or do you?
Zell,
I'll believe Finnerty is honest about being an integral part of OWS when he addresses the issue of how fossil fuel use and wars for corporate swag has destroyed democracy in this country.
Finnerty needs to ask himself how THIS came about before asking dumb questions like how long people are staying in their sleeping bags in the morning:
The single largest user of peroleum in the US is the PENTAGON! Talk about a circular argument! Downsize the military and our "reason" for importing so much petroleum disappears. Allow the military cancer to keep growing, and we have to fight more wars for more empire and more energy resource protection.
[Nigeria, with a population of more than 140 million, consumes as much energy as the U.S. military.
In 2006 Air Force consumed around 2.6 billion gallons of jet-fuel which is the same amount of fuel U.S. airplanes consumed during WWII (between December 1941 and August 1945).
The U.S. Navy is the largest diesel fuel user in the world, at least in 2005.
DoD occupies over 620,000 buildings and structures worth $600 billion comprising more than 400 installations on 25 million acres in the United States (almost as big as the land area of Virginia or less than South Carolina and New Jersey combined).
According to 2007 CIA World Fact Book there are only 35 countries in the world consuming more oil than DoD. Guess how many countries consume more oil per capita than the DoD? Only three.]
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/29925
According to Milton R. Copulos, President of the National Defense Council Foundation, the fixed costs of defending Persian Gulf oil amounts to $137.8 billion annually.
We have NO BUSINESS being in the Middle East except to pad some war profiteering pig's bank account AND help the elite here destroy democracy in the USA.
Great comment. $400/gl for gas in Afghanistan because they have to haul it from so far away. Add to that cost bribing the Taliban to protect it. How stupid is that. We pay the people we are fighting to protect the war machine coming to kill them. Idiotic.
I live by an AFB and watch the jets practice all day long. Countless touch and goes. I read an hours worth of jet fuel is more than a family od 4 uses in a year.
We are wasting the very resource we are invading other countries so we can steal it.
That is one reason the MICC's budget is so high.
Stop the wars, close the bases, quit giving OUR taxes to orher countries. Especially the 3 billion we give to I$rael, and rebuild the US. Keep us working.
But no, our wars are for the corporations and they don't even pay taxes here. Make them fund the wars and the mercs.
Why don't WE get a say in where our taxes go?
Taxation w/o representation.
Taxation w/o representation.
or..............
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racket
{Definition of RACKET
3 a : a fraudulent scheme, enterprise, or activity
b : a usually illegitimate enterprise made workable by bribery or intimidation
c : an easy and lucrative means of livelihood d slang : occupation, business}
- - - - - - - - - -
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fascism
{Definition of FASCISM
1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition}
- - - - - - - - - -
...peace...
The New Deal became an overwhelming force because it cemented together a huge coalition of ordinary people that were suffering. They ranged from the Wobblies to the southern farmers. What we don't need is a new "elite" inside the OWS movement, but it's not clear he represented that. On the other hand, if the original participants start excluding people like him, they could become that destructive "elite".
As far as him arriving "too late", this movement is just beginning ...
You are wrong, 'over'. You are very wrong. You clearly need to expand the face of Occupy. I didn't say change, I said 'expand'. Fall in line and grow –instead of pissing and whining. Embrace.
Krugman and his fellow democraps are true idiots if they think Obama will harden his rhetoric with solid action. Obama is nothing more than a better looking Condoleezza Rice with a penis sewn on. He is Wall Street.
Krugman is a true idiot. Period. He ought to form his own group: Idiot Shills for Obama.
"Occupation up, Obama down. It’s an equation the White House is desperate to change, as the Democratic machine grapples with how best to harness the progressive populist uprising to generate electoral energy for November 2012."
This OCCUPY movement transcends politics and political entities. It cannot be taken over because it is DECENTRALIZED. Millions of people are participating both on and off the Internet. It cannot be described in political rhetoric. The DECENTRALIZED amorphous nature of the movement is in the process of discussions and developing a VISION. Once the majority of participants agree on an idea or concept, the VISION is established. It now rests in the minds and hearts of the people. VISIONS are FLUID by necessity to keep up with the pace of change, but the same principle applies. Any attempt to politicize it or to hijack it will fail because of the vast decentralization of the participants. If a goon squad takes over an OCCUPY site it changes nothing because of the vast decentralization of the participants. There simply are not enough goons to take over the OCCUPY movement. The OCCUPY movement is decentralized and self sustaining because of it's DECENTRALIZED architecture. No amount of propaganda, disinformation, or negative media reporting will derail it. The future is being imagined and invented each new day and there is no stopping it. It is best to get on board and add your voice to the mix.
Your quote of that sentence is suggestive of what the corpo whores in the DNC have to grapple with. How WILL they deny the OWS protesters and the increasing numbers of their supporters with what they want but still get them to vote for Demos next year? They will need the Demo version of the evil Karl Rove to figure that out.
No more lesser of two evils BS for me. I support an alternative party of socialist/green principles. As someone said the other day we have to turn End Times into Mend Times.
The "System" as it stands now is exhausted and cannot be reformed.
Will Obama have the audacity to step out in front of the parade? I hope not. Obama = Romney = Wall Street
I hope the demonstrations are still going on when they try to push austerity down our throats after the election. What is happening in Greece is sure to happen here.
Well, at least, CD and Potter got the headlines right.
Insider trading convict Dennis Levine has the only good advice for calling serious attention to the crime wave of corruption on Wall Street, but of course the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance will never heed it. Major perp walks are what's needed, as Levine says, but instead Obama's bagman Eric Holder will never allow it, just as he ran interference for Bush and Cheney a few years ago. None of the criminals will EVER be brought to justice under Obama, so expecting OWS to in ANY WAY help jumpstart his hypocritical campaign for reelection is to completely misunderstand this movement.
Krugman's head is way up his ass on this one. The Democrats will never turn away from their corporate sponsors just to hitch a ride on this bandwagon. Unless it gets coopted, OWS should serve as a steamroller to crush the legitimacy of both corrupt wings of the Imperialistic Business Party, grinding the sorry legacies of Bush-Obama into historical dust.
Why did my post on Amped Status get removed?
Message from the movement on the attempts to co-opt it:
http://ampedstatus.org/welcome-to-the-ows-99-movement-we-will-not-be-co-opted-working-group/
As far as I can tell ampedstatus.com (david degraw) were among the 1st to call for these protests! The ampedstatus site has some of the best news on the Financial Terrorists there is to be found. Why not reprint some of their articles here on CD?
http://ampedstatus.org/a-report-from-the-frontlines-the-long-road-to-occupywallstreet-and-the-origins-of-the-99-movement/
David Degraw names the names of the enemies:
http://ampedstatus.org/the-richest-0-1-have-launched-a-war-on-us-its-time-to-fight-back-and-hold-these-400-billionaires-personally-responsible-for-our-economic-crisis/
Once again WHO removed my post and WHY?
I hope I'm wrong but Perhaps CD has it's own agenda on these protests - www.ampedstatus is very much Against Both political parties - notice that none of the media outlets want to name ampedstatus and instead trot out Move-on and the unions etc. Thom Hartmann named 20 groups and websites aligned w the OWS movement and never once named ampedstatus.
People can also denegrate the Hippies all they want but 1. Joe Stiglitz has been active giving speeches etc at the OWSNY ralley - didn't know he was a hippie! 2. Most protesters show up during the day and then Go Home. The So-called Hippies are there day and night in the cold and damp - YOU try that w no services and see how well you hold up.
So to the Hippies and others staying there day and night - Thank You!
mtdon: This may not be the reason, but I wonder if your mention of Thom Hartmann may have had something to do with removal. After an initial eleven critical posts (including mine) to one of Dim-ocrat Thom's articles in recent history, the powers that be at CD saw fit to remove all eleven and to discontinue the comment box for that piece altogether. Just wonderin'...
You'd think that CD knows a sellout when they see it. I only used his name as an obvious example - i could have used many other names also - too bad cause it takes away from my attemped point on the fine work by David Degraw and Ampedstatus.com.
Anyone out there know the history of ampedstatus?
Oh my heavens, rama, are you suggesting that Thom Hartmann, mr. democratic party pr man is some kind of leftist?
Always amazes me how far left the country really is. The powers to be just don't understand that We want socialized medicine, free education for all who can handle it and to bring all the troops home from all the garrisons all over the globe. If we brought the troops home the jobs would follow. The world would not be FREE for Exxon, GE, Samsung and KIA to do business. The multinationals don't pay for the fleets that protect them - We get their bill and it's about to cost US our SS.
Society Needs Change!
http://arthurgraham.blogspot.com/2011/10/in-support-of-occupy-wall-street.html
Keep dreaming Krugman, Reich, et al. I knew the co-option attempts would begin as soon as the movement took off, but this is ridiculous. Katrina Vanden Heuvel even showed up the other day. We must remain vigilant.
Of course Katrina showed up. Its fashionable you know. Queen Weaselett needed a photo op.
"We must remain vigilant." So true, Sonmi451. Always keep in mind the famous quote by Lenin: "The best way to control the opposition is to lead it."
Yes, and now I went and worked myself into a rage by watching Bill Maher again, even though I promised myself I wouldn't. Literally three times he equated the Occupation with a "democrat" alternative to the tea party. It is patently obvious now that there is a blatant and conscious obfuscation going on. We heard NONE of this a mere three or four days ago.
Good article. There is hope. Real hope.
Would an Obama endorsement, (public embrace), be the kiss of death for the germinating OWS movement?
O. was asked about it the other day at a press conference of some sort. I caught a clip of it. He was understanding the peoples' frustration (or was it the 'folks')? On the other hand...........i forget what the other hand was. But there was one.