Democrats see minefield in Occupy protests

Occupy Columbia protesters sing together minutes before being arrested by Bureau of Protective Services officers on the South Carolina Statehouse grounds in Columbia, S.C., Nov. 16, 2011. / AP

NEW YORK - The Republican Party and the tea party seemed to be a natural political pairing. But what may have seemed like another politically beneficial alliance — Democrats and Occupy Wall Street — hasn't happened.

Although both Democrats and the Occupy protesters have similar views on economic inequality and corporate responsibility, each holds the other at arm's length. There's little benefit to Democrats in opening their arms wide to a scruffy group that has erupted in violence, defied police and shown evidence of drug use while camping in public parks across the country — much as the prospect of such a pairing delights Republicans.

Many protesters, in turn, are contemptuous of Democrats, arguing that both political parties are equally beholden to corporate interests and responsible for enacting policies that have hurt the middle class.

Complete coverage: Occupy Wall Street protests

Both sides may be missing an opportunity. Polling shows the public supports the message of the Occupy Wall Street movement even if people have reservations about the encampments themselves. And political observers say Democrats may be missing a chance to reinvigorate their base.

"It's injecting energy and life into progressive ideas and values, and it's showing some weak-kneed Democrats they should be more aggressive on those issues," Steve Rosenthal, a Democratic strategist and longtime labor leader, said. "I don't think it will translate into boots on the ground or a clear organization for the 2012 election, but it will definitely help shape the debate."

Complete coverage: Election 2012

Occupy Wall Street hasn't been easy for risk-averse elected officials to endorse.

The movement has lacked leadership and a clear focus, and illegal behavior has turned off some politicians. Mayors, citing concerns over sanitation and public safety, have begun to crack down on the encampments, and police in riot gear have cleared protesters from several cities, including New York, Portland, Ore., and Oakland, Calif.

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Occupy Zuccotti arrests

Republicans have largely dismissed the Occupy Wall Street as a band of anti-capitalist ruffians, while trying to goad Democrats into embracing the movement or answering for its excesses.

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has called the movement dangerous class warfare, while Michele Bachmann called the protesters "ignorant" and "disrespectful."

So far, Democrats have tried to have it both ways — embracing the movement's economic concerns while steering clear of its rougher edges.

"I think people feel separated from their government," President Barack Obama told ABC News. "They feel that their institutions are not looking out for them." The president has said his jobs plan, which would boost taxes on high earners, is a way to address some of the protesters' concerns.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has gone a step further, posting a petition, "100,000 Strong Standing With Occupy Wall Street," that blames Republican policies for the nation's economic discontent.

But many Occupy Wall Street activists say they are disillusioned with Obama and have no interest in helping him or other Democratic candidates.

"The Occupy movement is rooted in the idea that the political system is broken to such a degree that we can no longer work through the Republican or Democratic parties," Tim Franzen, a spokesman for Occupy Atlanta, said.

"This is not about politics. This is about people," said Marsha Spencer, an Occupy volunteer in New York. "We've lost our government. It's not by the people, for the people anymore. We need to get it back, and we don't need a political party to do that."

Such talk has frustrated some Democratic leaders, who say engaging electoral politics would make the Occupy Wall Street movement more effective.

"I want them to get up and start registering voters, start playing towards the 2012 election," former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said at a seminar at Harvard University last week. "Not just the presidential, but congressional and Senate elections and state legislative elections. That's where they can make real change."

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[aliciasilverstone]

Scruffy? I. Don't. Think. So.

My husband and I are very neat and tidy 65 year olds who probably qualify as part of the 1%. But we fully support the Occupy Movement with our time, our talent and or our treasury. We were there on Day 1, and we will stand in solidarity with the 99% until we get all corporate money out of politics and our politicians pockets.

[kevinola]

No surprise that the Democrats are "afraid" to embrace the movement. They have been afraid to stand up to Republican's oppressive economic policy so long that when the people they are supposed to represent speak out they maintain their "stand for nothing" posture.

[cormany]

Just like during the original revolution, most of the people writing here are like the Torys, 'wassa matter with Good King George?', the reporter is even more clueless -- OWS wants nothing to do with either party. Or Ron Paul. Both parties are owned by Wall Street and Paul has some good points but the Ayn Rand selfish to the core philosophy should not be a part of America. Yeah, the Republicana are acting a little more un-American now because of Obama, but when you get down to the nitty gritty, they're both for war, the rich, for empire, globalization and hypocrisy. And both are against dissent,a change for anyone to advance, transparency in government, the rule of law and the constitution. Nothing can be fixed through the system. How can it be when capitalism is dead and everybody is told what to do by their owners -- who aren't the people? OWS is not the Democratic Partys Teabaggers.
But all of you who think OWS is dead or dying, are really the clueless ones. When things are as bad as they are now, why in the world would OWS stop because the police state swung into action? That's one of the things that is hated. They serve and protect the rich and the elite. Just like the political parties.
Get rid of both, along with the crooks on Wall Street and the Torys that support them.
.

[Martha12345]

Not to worry. Nancy Pelosi gives them cookies and milk every night before tucking them in bed. She says that they're wonderful children.

[dantom39]

Only the media and the democrats love these protesters but then they are one in the same.

[Dreadnut]

Soft articles like this is much like performing cpr on a stone cold corpse. The OWS movement is long dead, it's turned into idiots fighting with cops. And to what lofty social/political goals do they aspire? To be pretend homeless people with their tents?

[RobAla]

When the "occupy" stuff began, several Democrats gave them support (including President Obama). Nobody twisted their arms to link up with these people, and the President saw it as a continuation of his class warfare strategy. Now that these people have proved to be an embarrassment, you can't find a Democrat giving public support.

Some of the "occupy people" are all about someone else being on the hook to pay their student loans, and others are all about someone else being on the hook to pay their medical bills. The "occupy people" have the gall to talk about GREED. These people are some of the most self centered and greedy people I have heard of.

Many of them are socialists, a philosophically flawed and silly system that is doomed to fail because it ignores human nature. Socialism has failed all over the world, because it is unrealistic. They want a heavy handed federal government to confiscate wealth from one group of working Americans, and give the money to them - for doing nothing. They seem to think that a heavy handed government would never come after them one day for something. These are not smart people. They are childishly self centered and greedy, and they are childishly naive.

The Tea Party people sought legal permits to protest, and they paid the fees for the permits. After protesting, they cleaned up after themselves and went home (allowing the citizens of the community to have access to their parks - which their taxes paid for).

The "Occupy People" are squatters, who obtained no permits, they have trashed parks and streets, and they have not allowed the citizens of the communities access to their own parks and streets.

Now, which group should be the model for our children? Which group honors their fellow citizen?

As Americans go to the polls this year, we need to remember those who gave support to a group of self centered squatters who have disrupted the lives of ordinary American citizens. We need to remember who gave support to the promotion and continuance of class warfare and support of people who want to "remake" our democratic republic into a socialist nation.

[thx1138_fun]

"Many of them are socialists, a philosophically flawed and silly system that is doomed to fail because it ignores human nature. Socialism has failed all over the world, because it is unrealistic"

Though those are some of the attributes of socialism. It is not the reason for it's failure. At the heart of socialism is theft. Without theft in cannot be implemented. When there is nothing left to steal, then it fails.

Consider you and a group of people move to a new country with no resources. Just try to implement a socialist system. Where does it start. How can a government create an economy out of nothing? The answer is it can't. It takes individuals seeking reward for their risk. No one will take that risk because the government has told them to. Not even a socialist.

[thx1138_fun]

It would be nice if this story was somewhat based in reality. Arms-length huh? I seem to remember quite a few democrats already embracing OWS. Jan Schakowsky seems to think they're great. And President Obama has voiced his support as well.

I'm sure they would like to walk back that support now. But what's done is done. Don't think for a second that the democrats won't be wearing that support all the way to the election.

[LoadedAndDangerous]

A minefield in occupy protesters? We couldn't get so lucky. We're there any explosions?????