Democrats see minefield in Occupy protests

(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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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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[Isiah1776]

Reuters Breakingviews: A Place to Occupy and Get Results

Politicians helped create the financial crisis. Fresh news of American lawmakers trading on inside information is further reason for mistrust. Beyond specific examples broadcast on Sunday by "60 Minutes," studies led by Alan J. Ziobrowski of Georgia State University have found that stock portfolios modeled on those of United States senators and representatives beat the market each year by more than 10 percentage points and six percentage points, respectively. Lawmakers get the scoop on bills or regulations that can send a company's or sector's shares soaring or plunging. But they've been allowed to slide under insider-trading law, partly because regulators have concluded that members of Congress don't owe anyone a legal duty to avoid trading on what they learn in their jobs. (WHAT!!)
Actions like selling stocks short the day after a closed-door Federal Reserve briefing on the 2008 financial collapse surely breach the public's trust.
Meanwhile, politicians refuse to make such snappy calls with the nation's finances. They have delayed even the smallest decisions they're supposed to make on behalf of their constituents.
One example was the bickering over raising the cap on the federal debt, which helped lead to the credit downgrade from Standard & Poor's. Another ongoing scandal is the failure, three years on, to even begin reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government mortgage finance giants that have cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.
Then there was the general acceptance of laxity in bank regulation in the run-up to the 2008 crisis. Protesters have been railing against the influence of money in politics, but the cash used to elect people doesn't go straight into their pockets. Profits from insider trading once in office bridge that gap in the logic. Bankers can't be voted out. For that reason, Occupying Congress would have a better shot of achieving change than Occupying Wall Street.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/business/a-place-to-occupy-and-get-results.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=a%20place%20to%20occupy%20and%20get%20results&st=cse

[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.

[legalbutnotjust]

Viva l'affaire Chapiteau!

[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.
.

[TellitTrue]

It's a little late for Democrats to be concerned about their relationship with the OWS thugs. They, including Obama, have already come out in support of them, providing encouragement from the start. Now that the country is getting tired of the mindless tantrums, they want to distance themselves.

[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.

[bmallen3]

Today the "protestors' are trying to stop people from going to work on Wall street but also 10 subway stations. If they interfere with people trying to earn a living, they need to go to jail. They have a right to protest, but we have a right to go to work. These Occupiers are making enemies fast.

[bmallen3]

Polls now show less than 30% have a favorable view of this occupy mob. It is all over for them as they commit crimes and the true nature of these anarchists surfaces.