Embracing OccupyWallStreet a risky strategy for Dems
[Posted by Karl]
The Occupy Wall Street protester photographed relieving himself on a police car may be symbolic of the mob’s immature rage against the machine, not to mention the group’s hypocrisy regarding green politics (the ongoing anti-corporate demonstrations are filled with corporate products as well). But the incident also illustrates the way OWS agitators against Big Corporations have alienated the small businesses in the neighborhood, frequently by wrecking their restrooms. Even Nanny Bloomberg feels compelled to speak out against the way OWS is making life difficult for those still working hard and playing by the rules.
Nevertheless, prominent Democrats, Big Labor and the establishment media (including the NYT editorial board) are hoping to coopt the movement to further their own political agenda. White House CoS Bill Daley isn’t so sure it helps. Granted, it makes sense that Team Obama, run and funded by the banksters OWS detests, would be wary of exposing its own hypocrisy in this area. However, Daley is also correct to see risk for the establishment beyond the possibility that OWS will reject being absorbed into the establishment lefty Borg.
Team Obama wants to borrow the Bush 2004 campaign playbook of using wedge issues to split independents from the GOP (the reality was more complex than that, and the economy was better, but whatevs). The latest polling from Democratic groups like Democracy Corps and Third Way also point to a strategy of trying to convince swing voters in purple states that the GOP candidate is too tied to the Tea Party. Embracing OWS has the distinct possibility of backfiring, particularly when likely voters already see the Democrats’ agenda as a bit more extreme than the GOP agenda.
–Karl
Ding!
Karl (37b303) — 10/9/2011 @ 9:26 amKarl – I don’t think this picture is in any of your links, but it’s a pretty nice graphic representing the Occupy Wall Street and other demonstrations going on around the country.
Slacktivize We Much!!!!!
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 10/9/2011 @ 10:02 amThink of the OWS protest and its satellites as dress rehearsals for the 2012 elections. The Left knows they can’t win, so they intend to disrupt the vote and prevent an Obama loss by shutting down the election itself.
ropelight (0e206c) — 10/9/2011 @ 10:18 am“Relieving himself”, Karl?
He was defecating (taking a dump) on that police-car.
You were much too kind in your description.
Also, swing voters will compare what they are seeing at the various “OWS” demonstrations, with what they know about the documented “TEA” events such as the “9/12” gathering on the DC Mall, where venues are left cleaner after the event than they were before.
Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (41579f) — 10/9/2011 @ 10:27 amThey will see which group is more “concerned” about the environment by their actions, and which is not.
Rope:
I certainly think you are on to something. Although I think these protests will be limited in scope to things like the Repbulican National Convention with a noticable lack of protest action at the Democrat version giving the MSN a further chance to bash Republicans and put Obama in the best light possible which is afterall their goal for 2012.
We (conservatives) are in for a tough run, regardless of the poll numbers, next year. The MSM right now does not have an R candidate to focus on, and as we have seen, they will stop at nothing to smear R candidates as was the case recently with Perry and “Niggerhead.”
There will be no “gotcha” stories on Obama in 2012 as you can bet there will be with Ronmney or Perry. You can count on that. The stories on Obama will be how tough he had it, how bad things were due to Bush, etc., appealing to give him another chance and of course, he is just so smart and athletic!!!!
Christ, I wish he was gone.
Ipso Fatso (74cbec) — 10/9/2011 @ 10:30 amIF, I don’t think the Dem Nat’l Conv will be as drama-free as you predict.
Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (41579f) — 10/9/2011 @ 10:35 amWho could have predicted the events in Chicago-’68?
The Left today is just as angry with Obama as they were with Johnson/Humphrey at that time, and they seem to be composed of even more nihilist actors.
Unfortunately I don’t think either the Dems or Repubs are handling their communications and optics re: the “Occupiers” very well. And because of that, there’s considerable electoral risk involved for both. Not to mention the threat of civil disobedience and riots.
Anyone who’s paid attention for the last couple decades or has read Reckless Endangerment knows there is plenty of reason to hate the highest echelons of Wall Street, the GSEs, the financial industry lobbyists, the myriad feckless Fed Reserve regulators, and corrupt politicians in both parties who, since the 90’s have scratched each others’ backs, traded “donations”, served on common boards, and benefited mightily (financially) by trading jobs from power center to power center, administration to administration.
There must be a way to acknowledge and tap into the genuine frustration and anger and impotence which average Americans feel (including a whole bunch of pretty normal people who in spirit join the nonviolent protesters), without legitimizing the union thugs, socialists, anarchists, commies and professional protesters and organizers, which have bullied their way into the “occupation” and forever sully it by their presence.
elissa (7388fb) — 10/9/2011 @ 10:40 amThe anarchists will never follow a script so anyone who thinks they can be controlled is a fool. It’s best to stay far away from them.
Mike K (8f3f19) — 10/9/2011 @ 10:56 amThey ain’t far right anarchists they only want ot do away with the system becausew it harms their ego.
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 11:19 amThe OWS will repel even a lot of Democrats. Maybe the SEIU folks can prevent them from going hooligan, but I sure wouldn’t want to be a politician who embraced folks who went on to burning banks or dropping bricks off overpasses.
Kevin M (563f77) — 10/9/2011 @ 11:32 amRacists!
Kevin M (563f77) — 10/9/2011 @ 11:33 amto*
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 11:37 amAnother Drew:
The question I have is how much is Obama (and his acolytes such as Axelrod) behind these protests? I would bet that there is some coordination going on just as there was with lefty bloggers and new media types during the run up to the election in 2008–making it look all so spontaneous and innocent and all done behind the scenes. I don’t buy the 1968 comparison, the left knows that BO is their last chance to get what they want despite being disappointed by him.
I have made a prediction in the past and will repeat it here. Watch what the MSM does in relation to their treatment of BO–starting in January j2012. Yes, there have been random acts of journalism done in the last couple of months concerning stories that are not favorable to BO. For instance the AP reporting on BO’s fabrications regarding his jobs bill and the bridge in Ohio, etc. But they will circle the wagons after the new year in order to pave the way for his re-election. Watch MoDo (Maureen Dowd) change her tune just as she did with Clinton. She is a good leading indicator.
Lefties know what side their bread is buttered on and when the time comes they will be in lock step with BO and the MSM. And we can’t predict what these so called spontaneous groups of lefties will do in relation to Perry or anyone else the R’s nominate. I hope I am wrong but I don’t think so.
Ipso Fatso (74cbec) — 10/9/2011 @ 11:37 am________________________________________________
But the incident also illustrates the way OWS agitators against Big Corporations have alienated the small businesses in the neighborhood
I think “OWS” should be renamed “Obamaville.”
Of course, the typical liberal/Democrat (certainly in the media) will proclaim: “Oh, but that would be unfair! That would be inappropriate! I mean how can a wonderful compassionate progressive in the White House be burdened with the symbolism of that name!”
Well, Herbert Hoover in 1932 raised taxes on upper-income Americans from around 25% up to 63%. And isn’t that what most liberals today, Obama in particular, want to do, would love to do? Isn’t that what the esprit de corps of the OWS crowd all about?
The name fits: “Obamaville.”
Mark (411533) — 10/9/2011 @ 11:43 amNever has the term “useful idiot” been more appropriate.
Icy Texan (685390) — 10/9/2011 @ 11:43 am“…There must be a way to acknowledge and tap into the genuine frustration and anger and impotence which average Americans feel…”
There is, elissa, elect Representatives, Senators, and a President, who will reduce the scope, size, and influence upon the daily lives of Americans, of the Federal Government; thereby reducing spending and the requirement to raise taxes (BTW, isn’t there a candidate for President who has already made that “influence” pledge?)!
IF, there seems to be a “six-degrees of separation” connection between the OWS events and groups that have been funded by George Soros (isn’t that cute, Soros funding protesters of the actions of Wall Street?).
Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (41579f) — 10/9/2011 @ 11:46 amI would imagine that there is some degree of informal coordination between various elements in this little drama, and a lot of those dots trend towards the Chicago HQ of Re-Elect the Kreep!
Who wants to get together with nishi and her friends and go crap on some cop cars?
Show of hands.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 10/9/2011 @ 12:11 pmWashed hands, please, Daley.
Simon Jester (08fd26) — 10/9/2011 @ 12:18 pmMaybe Nishi will crap on a copy of the Constitution . . .
You know, to show solidarity with her president, and his attorney general.
And the wise Latina.
And Mizz “no military recruiting on the Harvard campus”.
And Breyer and Ginsburg
Icy Texan (685390) — 10/9/2011 @ 12:34 pmSay, did that “insouciant” nishi ever (i) apologize to DRJ for being a jackhole, or (ii) admit to getting something factually wrong (theology) yet again? What an unpleasant mental case.
Simon Jester (08fd26) — 10/9/2011 @ 12:43 pmHey maybe someone can crap on a picture of the wise latina with her head photoshopped on a horses head.
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 1:05 pmThe video of the OWS protestor in an East German border guards uniform would make the best GOP commercial, IMO.
SPQR (26be8b) — 10/9/2011 @ 1:28 pmon a picture of a horse*
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 1:31 pmI have taken craps smarter than the wise latina turd.
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 1:31 pmAD @15–Certainly no quarrel with your observations about what must be done and why electing good, fiscally responsible people is the goal for 2012. Unfortunately, I don’t think that in itself can fix the poisoned swamp in which big money influence operates (incestuously) within our financial/monetary systems. That is a much bigger problem that will not disappear with the election of some top quality conservatives. Where, for instance does a new president find a knowledgeable, yet non-tainted Treasury Secretary? Who can be trusted to run the Fed and the Federal Reserve branches?
People inside and outside of government should have been prosecuted for crimes related to the 2008 financial meltdown. None have. Neither party wants to touch that one for a reason. Gramm-Leach-Bliley, just for one example, was a fully bi- partisan give away to Wall Street (google the vote counts). The repeal of Glass Steagall paved the way for the AIG and Citigroup catastrophes –just one of the catastrophes among many others. Don’t even get me started on another one– Fannie Mae.
Again, if you have not read the book, Reckless Endangerment, you really should. No, I am not getting a commission for every book sold. But I guarantee, no matter how much you thought you knew about what led up to the financial and housing meltdown–there’s plenty you did not know, or at least did not know how to piece together.
elissa (7388fb) — 10/9/2011 @ 1:49 pmaging hippies and
ColonelHaiku (a4b693) — 10/9/2011 @ 2:17 pmentitled college students
the stench make me clench
When will the not is wise latina embrace these anarchist c*nts?
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 2:24 pmI think “OWS” should be renamed “Obamaville.”
Excellent idea! credit @Mark
DaMav (6ab8ce) — 10/9/2011 @ 2:41 pmit’s contrived and it reeks of white people
happyfeet (3c92a1) — 10/9/2011 @ 3:11 pmunwashed white people
ColonelHaiku (a4b693) — 10/9/2011 @ 3:15 pmpatchouli and the ganja
masks sweet smell of death
Comment by elissa — 10/9/2011 @ 1:49 pm
Don’t put too much credibility into the repeal of Glass-Steagel meme.
Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (41579f) — 10/9/2011 @ 3:17 pmAs an example, Canada never had G-S, and they had no serious problems during the meltdown.
What they did not have (also) was CRA, and their banks’ lending officers still operated with the due diligence that we had seen here before the CRA was used as a cudgel to force bankers to lend to the obviously unqualified.
G-S is just a convenient hook that many use so that they don’t have to discuss the ramifications of the real culprit: CRA, and the involvement of the Dem Pols in leading positions at Fannie, Freddie, and the other GSE’s (Johnson, Raines, Gorelick, Emanuel, and a legion of others; plus their Congressional benefactors such as Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, Barack Obama).
the guaranteed jobs
ColonelHaiku (a4b693) — 10/9/2011 @ 3:21 pmfor peeps with no work ethic
the risky bidness
_______________________________________________
White House CoS Bill Daley isn’t so sure it helps.
Speaking of which, I wonder how much of the following is accurate, if not all of it.
If Obama didn’t have such an extremist background — and if he himself weren’t so intrinsically ultra-liberal, with a personal history replete with wacky, radical friends and family (eg, his mother, father, friends of his grandfather, former minister, Bill Ayers, Cornel West, etc—or those similar to many of the folks at OWS rallies) — I’d be more unsure about such information…
Mark (411533) — 10/9/2011 @ 3:22 pmIs Bill Daley “Bob Alexander“?
Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (41579f) — 10/9/2011 @ 3:29 pm“The Occupy Wall Street protester photographed relieving himself on a police car may be symbolic of the mob’s immature rage against the machine…”
Also symbolic of what the protestors are full of.
Dave Surls (28f866) — 10/9/2011 @ 3:34 pmMaybe the SEIU folks can prevent them from going hooligan,
Now there’s some irony.
Dana (4eca6e) — 10/9/2011 @ 3:46 pmDohBiden continuously lowers this site’s bar for civility, articulacy, and class. Why is it still around?
Leviticus (7acba2) — 10/9/2011 @ 3:47 pmthe doh must go on
happyfeet (3c92a1) — 10/9/2011 @ 4:03 pmMark, I’m no Obama fan, but that’s a pretty nutty piece.
SPQR (26be8b) — 10/9/2011 @ 4:10 pm==G-S is just a convenient hook that many use so that they don’t have to discuss the ramifications of the real culprit: CRA, and the involvement of the Dem Pols in leading positions at Fannie, Freddie, and the other GSE’s (Johnson, Raines, Gorelick, Emanuel, and a legion of others; plus their Congressional benefactors such as Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, Barack Obama)==
There are many real culprits, Another Drew. Many interconnecting parts. Many villains including all the ones you named, and more. And they all need to be discussed honestly, in my opinion. Any one or two horribly bad policy decisions or bad actors would not have caused Armageddon. It took a Clinton era village, and about 15 consecutive years. The only “benefit” of the repeal of Glass Steagall was to allow the creation of unregulated conflicts of interest inside certain American financial institutions, which made them too big to fail when the SHTF– and you know what happened next.
As for Jim Johnson– that he is not sitting in a Federal pen is total failure of justice. But it could have been “uncomfortable” for a lot of people had he ever gone to trial, I suppose.
elissa (7388fb) — 10/9/2011 @ 4:16 pmWhat many forget, it that absent G-S repeal, many of the investment banks could not have been bailed out by the customer banks that acquired them. That would have worsened the crash IMO, and the opinions of others much more knowledgable.
Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (41579f) — 10/9/2011 @ 4:34 pmmore…
Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (41579f) — 10/9/2011 @ 4:42 pmWhat many forget is that the Rules of the Game were established in the corridors of power on Capitol Hill, not in the high-rises of Wall Street.
“Wall Street” was but a player in the game established by the rules-maker.
Congresses are infamous for creating situations where unintended consequences rule the day.
They create a situation, and then scream to high-heaven when it turns in a manner that they did not anticipate – The Durbin Rule re Debit Cards easily comes to mind.
This fact-of-life just reinforces the desire of many to minimize Congress’, and the Federal Government’s in general, influence upon the day to day activities of the American People.
If Congress wasn’t trying to do so much, and spending so much money trying to do it, there would not be the demand for K-Street lobbyists that there is.
Madsen is nuttier than Rocky Road Ice Cream, a Chavista former NSA man, the Lou Costello to the Bud Abbott (Ray McGovern) on Russian TV, he spread
ian cormac (0fc95f) — 10/9/2011 @ 4:56 pma similar meme about Bush in the mid 00s
DohBiden’s occasionally on-topic rants & raves are one of the main reasons why I stop by this little burg each & every night.
Icy Texan (685390) — 10/9/2011 @ 6:12 pmOWS = Overly Wet Snuggies. They need their diapers changed.
As they rant and rail against those wicked ol’ corporations, perhaps someone ought to tell them that eight out of every ten Americans with jobs work for private companies, businesses and — gasp! — corporations.
The Dana who sees things as they are (f68855) — 10/9/2011 @ 6:28 pmBravissimo, hf!
Chuck Bartowski (e84e27) — 10/9/2011 @ 7:14 pm“DohBiden’s occasionally on-topic rants & raves are one of the main reasons why I stop by this little burg each & every night.”
– Icy Texan
They’re one of the main reasons I don’t.
You must be easily amused.
Leviticus (7acba2) — 10/9/2011 @ 8:16 pmWhat did I do wrong?
Btw the dems who worship these people will be doomed but do they do care.
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 8:26 pmGo ahead ban me because I wasn’t civil to the obot.
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 8:29 pmWow now the churchea are eondorsing these pigs?
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 8:37 pmYou know what I hate? Hippies.
They were stupid in the ’60s and now their children and grandchildren continue to contaminate the biosphere.
They never had an original thought and we now have to suffer the consequences of their stupid movement which was never any more than staying out of the army, taking drugs and getting laid.
However, there is a bright spot. They are still stupid and the original dumb hippies who now constitute the Democrat Party are hitching their star to neo-hippie ignorance.
I don’t think things will turn out the way they expect.
Ag80 (bae7ed) — 10/9/2011 @ 9:15 pmI hate hippies and cop car pooing cretins.
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/9/2011 @ 9:29 pm“You know what I hate? Hippies>”
I dunno. I’m a hippie, and I ain’t all that bad.
I like me.
Dave Surls (28f866) — 10/10/2011 @ 12:32 amembarrassing yahoo douche is embarrassing
happyfeet (3c92a1) — 10/10/2011 @ 3:36 amI thught this was interesting, and is most likely completely unknown to the majority of “occupiers”:
“Despite his rhetorical attacks on Wall Street, a study by the Sunlight Foundation’s Influence Project shows that President Barack Obama has received more money from Wall Street than any other politician over the past 20 years, including former President George W. Bush.
In 2008, Wall Street’s largesse accounted for 20 percent of Obama’s total take, according to Reuters.
When asked by The Daily Caller to comment about President Obama’s credibility when it comes to criticizing Wall Street, the White House declined to reply…”Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/10/obama-attacks-banks-while-raking-in-wall-street-dough/#ixzz1aOGN0dF6
“…declined to reply…”
Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (d40a96) — 10/10/2011 @ 7:47 amNow, why would they do that?
But the TeaPartiers were astroturfers.
JD (318f81) — 10/10/2011 @ 7:55 amIf the RNC doesn’t hang these turds around the Democrats then I give up. They should be making campaign commercials right now showing Obummer and Pelosi supporting these derelicts.
kansas (7b4374) — 10/10/2011 @ 10:04 am_______________________________________________
Mark, I’m no Obama fan, but that’s a pretty nutty piece.
SPQR, perhaps the “clinical depression” part is pushing things, but the guy now in the Oval Office overall may not be in as sound of mind as one might assume—then again, for 20 years he listened to the rantings of a kook like Jeremiah Wright and not only didn’t wince at such lunacy, he embraced it and made its espouser sort of a spiritual guru.
Mark (411533) — 10/10/2011 @ 4:25 pmWow the unions support these commies?
I thought commies ban unions?
DohBiden (d54602) — 10/10/2011 @ 4:55 pm