Democrats Still Waiting for Occupiers to Ask Them to the Dance

January 5, 2011

Occupiers Continue to Attack Democrats Who So Desperately Want Their Love

Despite the best efforts of Democrats to win over Occupiers, the radical movement continues to use its protests to target its Democrat suitors as emblematic of the “overwhelming influence of corporate greed in politics.”
This rejection must be especially disappointing to Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Occupy) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel (D-Occupy), both of whom have actively courted the movement’s protestors for political support.
The Occupy movement has been effective, however, in pointing out the hypocrisy of congressional Democrats who criticize Wall Street even as they use Wall Street cash to fund their campaigns.

Despite the best efforts of Democrats to win over Occupiers, the radical movement continues to use its protests to target its Democrat suitors as emblematic of the “overwhelming influence of corporate greed in politics”:

“DEMOCRATS BECOME TARGET OF OCCUPY PROTESTS”: “In what Occupy the Caucus members called a symbolic ‘die-in,’ 12 protesters lay motionless on the lobby floor of the Renaissance Des Moines Savory Hotel Monday afternoon before getting arrested.

“The gesture was directed at the Democratic National Committee, which set up an office on the hotel’s second floor for Tuesday’s caucuses, after occupiers sent a letter to the D.N.C. chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, over the weekend. The missive criticized the Democratic Party’s leadership and requested a meeting to discuss what they say is overwhelming influence of corporate greed in politics.” (Steven Yaccino, “Democrats Become Target of Occupy Protests,” The New York Times, 1/4/2012)

IOWA OCCUPIERS TRIED TO “OCCUPY OBAMA”: “Over the weekend in Des Moines, Iowa, at least a dozen members of Occupy Des Moines moved their camp to the campaign office of President Obama. They held demonstrations there with more members of the local Occupy groups, as well as some progressive activists, against the current military and national immigration policies. The protesters hung a banner off [sic] Obama’s office reading ‘Occupy Obama.’ ” (Tyler Kingkade, “Occupy Obama,” The Huffington Post, 12/19/2011)

This rejection must be especially disappointing to Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Occupy) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel (D-Occupy), both of whom have actively courted the movement’s protestors for political support:

DEMS COURT OCCUPIERS:

DEMOCRAT LEADER NANCY PELOSI: OCCUPY “POLITICALLY HELPFUL TO DEMOCRATS”: “Despite some unfavorable polling, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi still thinks the Occupy movement has been politically helpful to Democrats.” (Brian Beutler, “Pelosi: Occupy Movement Enhances Dems’ National Message,”Talking Points Memo, 12/5/2011)

DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE HAS PETITION FOR “STANDING WITH OCCUPY WALL STREET”: (“Goal: 100,000 Strong Standing With Occupy Wall Street,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Accessed 11/23/2011)

WHILE 51% OF AMERICANS THINK OCCUPIERS ARE A “PUBLIC NUISANCE”:(“51% See Occupy Wall Street Protestors as a Public Nuisance,” Rasmussen Reports, 1/5/2012)

OCCUPIERS SPURN DEMS:

“AS OCCUPIERS PROTEST DEMOCRATS, DEMOCRATS COURT OCCUPIERS”:(Jessica Brady, “As Occupiers Protest Democrats, Democrats Court Occupiers,” Roll Call, 12/3/2011)

“OCCUPY, LIBERALS CAN’T GET TOGETHER”: “A planned meeting today between the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Occupy Wall Street activists was scuttled late Tuesday after Roll Call inquired about it, highlighting increasing tensions between Democrats and the movement.” (Janie Lorber, “Occupy, Liberals Can’t Get Together,” Roll Call, 12/14/2011)

BUT DEMS ARE STANDING BY THEIR OCCUPIER BASE:

HOUSE DEMS BRAINSTORMING WAYS “TO MAINTAIN TIES WITH THE LEFTIST PROTESTORS”: “Congressional Democrats still haven’t quite figured out how to harness the energy behind the Occupy Wall Street movement for political gain, but they nevertheless are incorporating the group into their messaging as a way to maintain ties with the leftist protesters.” (Jessica Brady, “As Occupiers Protest Democrats, Democrats Court Occupiers,” Roll Call, 12/3/2011)

“DESPITE ATTACKS, DEMS STANDING BY OCCUPY WALL STREET”: “For weeks now, Republicans have attacked Democrats for voicing support for the Occupy Wall Street protesters, in particular faulting the DCCC for standing up for them. And the incidents of violence and excess have led some neutral commentators to predict that Dems will pay a political price if they align themselves with the movement.” (Greg Sargent, “Despite Attacks, Dems Standing by Occupy Wall Street,” The Washington Post’s Plumline Blog, 11/22/2011)

“NANCY PELOSI STANDS BY OCCUPY WALL STREET IN FUNDRAISING E-MAIL FROM DCCC”: (Aliyah Shahid, “Nancy Pelosi Stands by Occupy Wall Street in Fundraising E-mail from DCCC,” NY Daily News, 11/22/2011)

OBAMA TO “OCCUPIERS”: “YOU ARE THE REASON I RAN FOR OFFICE”: “A few minutes later, Obama acknowledged the Occupy protest movement again, saying: ‘You are the reason I ran for office.’” (Bernie Becker and Alicia Cohn, “Obama Heckled by Protestors at New Hampshire Speech,” The Hill, 11/22/2011)

EARLIER PELOSI COMMENTS ON OCCUPY WALL STREET: “GOD BLESS THEM”: “‘God bless them,’ Pelosi said, ‘for their spontaneity. It’s independent … it’s young, it’s spontaneous, and it’s focused. And it’s going to be effective.’” (John McCormack, “Pelosi on Occupy Wall Street Protestors: ‘God Bless Them,’” The Weekly Standard, 10/6/2011)

The Occupy movement has been effective, however, in pointing out the hypocrisy of congressional Democrats who criticize Wall Street even as they use Wall Street cash to fund their campaigns:

DEMS RECEIVED $203.3 MILLION FROM SECURITIES AND INVESTMENT INDUSTRY SINCE 2006: (“Securities and Investment: Long-Term Trends,” OpenSecrets.org, Accessed 1/4/2012)

DEMS RECEIVED $39.9 MILLION FROM COMMERCIAL BANKS SINCE 2006:(“Commercial Banks: Long-Term Contribution Trends,” OpenSecrets.org, Accessed 1/4/2012)

DEMS RECEIVED $12.4 MILLION FROM FINANCE AND CREDIT COMPANIES SINCE 2006: (“Finance/Credit Companies: Long-Term Contribution Trends,” OpenSecrets.org, Accessed 1/4/2012)

DEMS RECEIVED $159.3 MILLION FROM REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY SINCE 2006:(“Real Estate: Long-Term Contribution Trends,” OpenSecrets.org, Accessed 1/4/2012)

“OBAMA AT WAR WITH SELF OVER WALL ST.”: “First, the White House signaled it would make anger toward Wall Street central to President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign. But then, Obama warned against demonizing all of Wall Street — only a few days before he sympathized with the Occupy Wall Street protesters who do exactly that.” (Carrie Budoff Brown, “Obama at War with Self Over Wall St.,” Politico, 11/4/2011)

“ZIGZAGS BETWEEN EMBRACING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND VILIFYING IT HAVE SHADOWED [OBAMA’S] PRESIDENCY: “The White House’s Wall Street whiplash stretches to the earliest days of the administration, with Obama conciliatory one minute and confrontational the next.

“His zigzags between embracing the business community and vilifying it have shadowed his presidency, exposing him to charges from Wall Street that he’s out to get them and from liberals that he coddles Big Business. Based on his own statements, Obama himself can appear undecided about which way to go — an incoherence that has left both sides dissatisfied as he seeks reelection.” (Carrie Budoff Brown, “Obama at War with Self Over Wall St.,” Politico, 11/4/2011)