Is 'Occupy Wall Street' the Next Tea Party Movement? >
'Occupy' Movement Purposely Has No Single, Set Demand
Occupy Wall Street could become far more powerful than the Tea Party
October 19, 2011
The Occupy Wall Street movement is a more profound challenge to the current way of doing business than the Tea Party was or aspired to be.
Although Occupy Wall Street may have an impact on electoral politics, it does not share the partisan trajectory of the Tea Party. It is a more authentic and independent movement, giving voice to the outrage at how Wall Street has crashed our economy and how Wall Street and giant corporations have captured our political process and debased our democracy.
Occupy Wall Street has been criticized for not offering a clear set of demands. In fact, the protesters have been eloquent in rejecting the idea that they produce "one demand," and in articulating in broad terms what they want. More to the point, it's not for a lack of ideas that the country is in crisis. Put the unemployed to work retrofitting energy-inefficient buildings, teaching children, and meeting other unmet needs. Invest in a green energy revolution. Impose a financial speculation tax, and increase taxes on the wealthy and corporations (and make them pay). Put in place a single-payer, Medicare-for-All healthcare system. Undo NAFTA-style corporate trade agreements—and don't enter into any new ones. Force banks to renegotiate mortgage terms, and let foreclosed-upon families stay in their homes as renters. Overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission with a constitutional amendment and re-establish the principle that corporations exist to serve the people, not the other way around.
[Check out political cartoons about the Occupy Wall Street movement.]
The country's problem is not the lack of a policy agenda. It's not even winning strong public support for the policy agenda—the public does support these ideas. The problem is translating the popular anger about the nation's state of affairs into a political movement strong enough to overcome the corporate opposition.
If Occupy Wall Street continues to grow, and if it bridges to more and more sectors of society—huge ifs, to be sure—Occupy Wall Street may serve as a spark to that political movement, something far more powerful and transformative than the Tea Party.
- Browse: photos of the Occupy Wall Street protests.
- See: a collection of political cartoons on the economy.
- Read: a timeline of the Occupy Wall Street protests.
- Other Arguments
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#25439
No — Occupy Wall Street wants more government in business, Tea Party wants government to get out of business
KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, Pollster at Winston Group
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#34031
No — Despite similarities with the Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street has a broader vision
ELIZABETH SHULER, Secretary Treasurer of the AFL-CIO
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#44439
Yes — The Occupy Wall Street movement is the real Tea Party
DEAN BAKER, Co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research
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#52727
No — Anti-government stance of the Tea Party works against its base
GADI DECHTER, Associate Director at Center for American Progress
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#63033
No — 'Occupy Wall Street' looks forward while Tea Party regresses
LINCOLN MITCHELL, 'Huffington Post' Blogger
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#71923
No — To create real revolution, Occupy Wall Street needs more than just an idea
RENIQUA ALLEN, Schwartz Fellow at the New America Foundation
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#82532
No — Occupy Wall Street is unlikely to achieve Tea Party's level of influence
DOUGLAS SCHOEN, Democratic Campaign Consultant
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#93241
No — Unlike Occupy Wall Street, Tea Party knows what it's protesting
MARK MECKLER, National Coordinator of Tea Party Patriots
