"Occupy" movement... a 21st Century "Hooverville" ?

[$tevie]

The Tea Party was co-opted by the GOP, who is playing the ones who haven't figured that out yet as suckers.

[(vikm)]

I was flipping through the other day and saw "The Ed Show" was broadcasting live from one of the OWS locations in NY. I left it on for a bit and every time he'd try and spin it as a Democrat thing or praising Obama, there'd be more than one "booooo" from the crowd behind him.

Although it is probably weighted a good bit toward the left, let there be no question there is representation from both sides that are dissatisfied with the goings on on Wall Street. And rightly so.

A couple of days later I hear people on the right like Cantor.... actually almost all of them blasting the OWS movement. It seemed borderline idiocy for them to make this a Dem vs. Rep sort of thing when there are elements of both sides taking part. If they make this political, they will not win. Very shortsighted strategy.

[Mac1337]

If this occupy this or that is going to make any headway they have to translate their show into electoral results. Identify Democrats who are not left enough for you, primary them then elect your own. I see no evidence of that because labor is right there with establishment Democrats and ain't gonna let that happen.

[Rolando]

Dakota wrote:
If this occupy this or that is going to make any headway they have to translate their show into electoral results. Identify Democrats who are not left enough for you, primary them then elect your own. I see no evidence of that because labor is right there with establishment Democrats and ain't gonna let that happen.

The difference between ideology and reason is this, and I hate to say it: Dakota has a point!


Its possible that the Unions might be convinced to support someone who doesn't betray them. The Tea Party Koch billionaires do that all the time

[Ted King]

Rolando wrote:
[quote=Dakota]
If this occupy this or that is going to make any headway they have to translate their show into electoral results. Identify Democrats who are not left enough for you, primary them then elect your own. I see no evidence of that because labor is right there with establishment Democrats and ain't gonna let that happen.

The difference between ideology and reason is this, and I hate to say it: Dakota has a point!


Its possible that the Unions might be convinced to support someone who doesn't betray them. The Tea Party Koch billionaires do that all the time
He has a point if the point is to polarize the political process to the point that it can't function. On the other hand, if the point is for people who think there is something badly askew with the distribution of wealth to engage the broader society in a dialogue with confidence that a lot of people can be persuaded, then he doesn't have a point. It's fine that Dakota wants to view these kinds of things as being competition between ideologically pure political poles, that is certainly his prerogative. But it isn't objectively the case that that is the way things must be. I think that what it can be about is people with differing points of view deciding that it's better for everybody to hash out the differences with compromises. I think if the country chooses to go the political polarization route, it will be economically destructive and everyone will lose, with those who have the most, most likely losing the most.

[Mac1337]

What is the compromise? That the rich share half of their wealth with the occupiers? Get real. And how do "those who have the most, most likely losing the most"? By what mechanism and why haven't they already?

[RgrF]

If tradition follows the next thing we'll see is "agent provocateurs" infiltrating these sit-ins with the intent of provoking a violent response from authorities. It's worked since Pinkerton days and will still work today.

All it takes is a night or two of live video showing violent clashes involving police. Won't matter who starts the brouhaha, only that it happens.

[Lux Interior]

Seacrest wrote:
so it's kind of ironic that his son would say something so boneheaded.

Until you realize that it is Rand Paul. Then it seems inevitable.

[OWC Jamie]

I thought you mis-spelled hooterville and were going to make a Green Acres / Petticoat junction analogy.

[Ted King]

"All the Property that is necessary to a Man, for the Conservation of the Individual and the Propagation of the Species, is his natural Right, which none can justly deprive him of: But all Property superfluous to such purposes is the Property of the Publick, who, by their Laws, have created it, and who may therefore by other Laws dispose of it, whenever the Welfare of the Publick shall demand such Disposition."