The Occupy Wall Street is taking a dynamic new turn. About two dozen protesters left their encampment at Zuccotti Park to being a trek to Washington, D.C. The group's aim is to show up in the capital Nov. 23, the deadline for the congressional "super committee" to reveal its findings to Congress to cut $1.5 trillion in government spending. Occupy the Highway is determined to make its presence known in the nation's capital.
Politicians have gotten involved with the Occupy Wall Street movement. Depending upon how the protests are viewed by the American public, Democrats may either be helped or hindered by the movement.
Polls
Two recent polls seem to suggest the Americans are becoming more aware of a widening income gap. Sixty-one percent of people polled by the Washington Post and ABC News say they believe the income gap is widening in the United States. More importantly, 60 percent say the federal government should do something about it. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll states 76 percent of its respondents feel the government should reduce the power of major banks and corporations.
This income gap is precisely why some Occupy Wall Street protesters have taken their demands to some of the richest individuals in the United States. One person walking to Washington, D.C., stated the purpose of the march was to ensure Congress taxes billionaires.
Statements and Elections
Many politicians have made statements on their websites supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement. Democratic New York State Sen. Thomas K. Duane posted a message in solidarity with the protests Nov. 2 for a planned march five days later. Adirano Espaillat from the state's 31st Senate District posted an annoucement about an 11-mile march planned for Nov. 7. He helped lead the march between Yonkers and New York City.
One potential candidate is already getting backlash for her 2012 Senate run. Crossroads GPS released an attack ad against Elizabeth Warren who is seeking a Senate seat in Massachusetts. The commercial claims her support of the Occupy Wall Street Movement means she advocates drug use, violence and radical policies.
Help or Hinder Campaigns
Republicans and Democrats may start using the Occupy Wall Street movement for political leverage. Bloomberg reports public opinion favors doing something about the widening income gap. That income disparity is part of what fuels the Occupy movement.
Republicans have already started one attack ad using a Democrat's statement about Occupy Wall Street against her. How the group is received in Washington, D.C., Nov. 23 may also lead to more political bickering.
One thing is certain. Two major forces will collide in the nation's capital right before Thanksgiving. Protesters who are fed up with rich people who have destroyed the American dream and 12 members of Congress tasked with finding out how to fix the government's finances. If the two groups find common ground, political debates may heat up even more.
William Browning is a research librarian specializing in U.S. politics. Born in St. Louis, Browning is active in local politics and served as a campaign volunteer for President Barack Obama and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill.
