Opinionline: Occupy Wall Street fails to create change

Joe Nocera, in The New York Times: "For all intents and purposes, the Occupy movement is dead. … But why? One reason … is that the Occupy protesters were purposely, even proudly, rudderless, eschewing leadership in favor of broad, and thus vague, consensus. … A second is that while they had plenty of grievances, aimed mainly at the 'oppressive' power of corporations, the Occupy protesters never got beyond their own slogans. But the main reason is that, ultimately, Occupy Wall Street simply would not engage with the larger world. Believing that both politicians and corporations were corrupt, it declined to dirty its hands by talking to anyone in power."

Stephanie Keith, AP

An Occupy Wall Street protester is arrested in New York on Saturday.

Stephanie Keith, AP

An Occupy Wall Street protester is arrested in New York on Saturday.

Rebecca Solnit, at The Nation: "Don't get bogged down in the tangible achievements. … The less tangible spirit of Occupy and the new associations it sparked are what matters. … Occupy was … a great meeting ground. People who live too much in the virtual world with its talent for segregation and isolation suddenly met each other face-to-face in public space. There, they found common ground in a passion for economic justice and real democracy, and a recognition of the widespread suffering capitalism has created."

John Hayward, at Human Events: "In 21st century America, liberal politics is all about stitching together a working coalition from rent-seekers and aggrieved interest groups, while keeping the middle class comfortably sedated. … The biggest flaw in Occupy Wall Street was always that it had nothing new to offer. The mainstream Democratic Party is already peddling its ideas, with much more attractive packaging."

New York Post, in an editorial: "(Occupy) certainly caused a ruckus … with their endless, meaningless drum-banging. It shut traffic, depressed commerce, killed jobs and clogged up the courts. … But when City Hall finally summoned the courage to delouse the park, the movement … swiftly fizzled. No doubt, it'll try to reconstitute itself as the presidential election comes to a close. But it'll just be theater. That's all Occupy Wall Street ever was."

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Occupy Movement Prepares for Democratic Convention

But as the grass begins to take root, so does a resilient Occupy Charlotte. A small group still meets regularly in the city, participating in targeted protests and planning for some critical dates already circled on the calendar: May 9, when the annual Bank of America shareholders meeting is held in Charlotte, and, more important, Sept. 3, when the Democratic National Convention comes to town.

Every four years, the political conventions become magnets for mass protests, but this year the Occupy movement has added an unpredictable element to the mix. In Charlotte, the movement has already shown its clout through hundreds of protesters in October who gathered to demonstrate against Bank of America and a resulting encampment on the lawn in front of old City Hall.

But the Occupy movement here has been beset by troubles.

There was infighting over leadership within the group at the start, and there were repeated public relations gaffes. A flag burning in December split the group, and undermined acceptance and support within a skeptical Charlotte community as well.

Occupy Charlotte’s encampment may have had the unintended effect of getting the authorities prepared for convention protests; officials began planning a series of ordinances to manage such demonstrations after Occupy began.

“To be honest with you,” said Robert E. Hagemann, the city attorney, “I’m not sure we would have thought to prohibit camping as part of our ordinances had Occupy not happened.”

On Jan. 23, the Democratic-controlled Charlotte City Council passed the ordinances, including a camping ban, on a 10-to-1 vote. A week later, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers crossed the street from their headquarters and arrested seven people on the way to dismantling the camp.

“We’re the second-largest financial services center in the country, so it didn’t take a rocket scientist to think that we would see the activity here as well,” Mayor Anthony Foxx said of the Occupy Charlotte movement. “But we’ve handled it, I think, as well or better than any community across the country.”

Not everyone would agree. Occupy Charlotte members said city officials tried to discredit the group, saying the protest movement had cost the police $447,000 to monitor during the encampment. Ken Davies, a Charlotte lawyer, sought a temporary restraining order to allow Occupy Charlotte to return to camp, but it was not granted. He is now seeking an injunction.

Occupy Charlotte members have continued to meet regularly and arrange smaller protests, including a recent daylong event outside a Bank of America branch in town. But without the camp, the number of active members has dwindled just as planning for the convention kicks into high gear.

“We’re definitely at our low point,” said Scottie Wingfield, 36, of Charlotte, an Occupy member. “I would say about 25, and when we started out, our first marches were 600, 700.”

“We have the spring shareholders meeting at Bank of America coming here in May, so I imagine we’ll have a lot of people wanting to participate in that,” she said. “And then of course the D.N.C. So I think participation will go back up.”

Bill Dobbs, a member of Occupy Wall Street’s press team, said there is continuing communication with Occupy Charlotte members as they plan bank and convention protests. And as many as 60 groups have signed on to join the Coalition to Protest at the D.N.C. In Florida, Occupy Tampa is involved in planning similar efforts for the Republican National Convention, which will be held there in August, but the group has had smaller protests than those in Charlotte and the city has proposed a “clean zone” limiting where demonstrations can be held.

In planning protests this time around, for the conventions, social media is likely to play a bigger role.

“I think there’s been a lot more inter-occupation communication as people got away from the encampments and starting getting online and establishing lines of communication across the country,” said Domenic Battistella, 34, of nearby Mooresville, an original member of Occupy Charlotte. “We’re going to be much more coordinated on a regional basis.”

Occupy Charlotte members recently met with Occupy protesters from throughout North Carolina to prepare for the convention and are planning to provide housing, food and other support for those who come from out of state. An Occupy Durham member is now helping the legal team in a potential challenge as Charlotte officials continue to hold off allowing groups to apply for permits to protest at the convention.

Michael Zytkow, 25, an Occupy Charlotte member, said the May 9 protest at the Bank of America meeting could draw Occupy members from as far as Michigan and Washington State, as well as labor groups, others protesting the bank’s foreclosures and environmental groups focused on the bank’s financing of the coal industry. Mr. Zytkow hopes the protest draws as many as 1,000 people, providing a test run for the convention and the city’s ability to control the demonstrations.

And how many will come for the convention?

“I’m guessing in the thousands upon thousands,” Mr. Zytkow said.

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Occupy protesters arrested at Paul, Democratic HQ (AP)

By MICHAEL J. CRUMB, Associated Press Michael J. Crumb, Associated Press – Thu Dec 29, 8:37 pm ET

DES MOINES, Iowa – Police arrested more than a dozen Occupy protesters Thursday in Iowa who are targeting Democrats and Republicans just days before the state's closely watched lead-off presidential caucuses.

Five protesters were arrested outside the Iowa campaign headquarters of presidential contender Ron Paul in Ankeny before the group moved on to the Iowa Democratic Party headquarters in Des Moines, where 12 more were taken into custody. All were ticketed for trespassing and released.

The protests are part of an Occupy the Caucuses effort launched this week in Des Moines that has attracted activists from around the country. Many of them have promised to interrupt campaign activities, and organizers promised more confrontations on Friday with campaign offices of Republican presidential hopefuls.

Occupy the Caucuses spokeswoman Danielle Ryun, who was among those arrested at the state Democratic Party headquarters, said the goal is not to be arrested. But since campaign officials won't listen to them, protesters are willing to be arrested to get their message across, she said.

"It would be great if we could show up, issue our concerns and have the candidates acknowledge us and change their platform," she said.

Those arrested in Des Moines included a 14-year-old girl who was released to her father at the scene. On Thursday, seven protesters were arrested outside Republican Mitt Romney's Des Moines headquarters.

Iowa Democratic Party Executive Director Norm Sterzenbach said the protesters were given the opportunity to express their opinions and party officials listened to their concerns, but he said occupying the party offices was unacceptable.

"Not only does it interfere with the important work that our volunteers and staff do to engage Iowans in the political process, by physically blocking our staff from entering or exiting the building sets a very dangerous precedent," Sterzenbach said in a statement.

Protesters at Paul's campaign headquarters were protesting his proposal to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency if elected.

Ryun said the Paul campaign headquarters were locked when protesters arrived. By locking their doors, campaigns "are signaling to us that they have become disengaged," Ryun said.

A telephone message left for a Paul campaign spokesman was not returned.

At the Iowa Democratic Party's offices, protesters targeted President Barack Obama, demanding that he put a stop to home foreclosures, turn down campaign donations from Wall Street, and end indefinite detentions of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

"They're all going to get equal play on this," Ryun said. "We are very disillusioned with every candidate."

Eight protesters were arrested at the party's offices on Dec. 19.

Police in Des Moines and Ankeny said the protesters were given the option of leaving and told if they refused they would be arrested. Police said the arrests were peaceful and no force was used.

The Occupy movement began in New York and has spread across the country. Activists generally protest the growing gap between rich and poor and corporate influence over government.

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Occupy Wall Street May Help or Hinder Democrats (ContributorNetwork)

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.

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