A Time for Real Change

by: Progressive86

Thu Oct 27, 2011 at 13:54:55 PM EDT

It seemed like only a matter of time before the "Grand Ol' Party" began villainizing the peaceful "Occupy" protests across the U.S. and indeed, the process has begun. From a political standpoint, it makes sense that the Republican Party would attempt to debunk a protest movement that firmly challenges the "free market," "small government," set of beliefs shared by the Republicans and their elite corporatist cronies. But what started out as a peaceful movement of demonstrations aimed primarily at Wall Street greed has continued to be a peaceful movement, much to the chagrin of the GOP. The GOP has however attempted to capitalize on a small number of incidents such as the "kill pigs" graffiti in Oakland, CA.

Of course, the Occupy movements have never advocated any such beliefs and those among the Oakland Occupy constituency have denied that the "kill pigs" graffiti was done by anyone belonging to the movement. Unfortunately, perception is reality in the post-modern era of meaning and the Republican Party have proven themselves adept at turning the most unequivocal piece of logic or scientific certainty into just another discredited "opinion" (e.g. global climate change). Fortunately for those of us who support the Occupy movements, however, Republican members of Congress in particular have become so discredited in the eyes of the U.S. public that their distasteful political tactics will only serve to appeal to their voting base and those who oppose the Occupy movements outright.  

With our country's economic forecast as bleak as our chances of building bipartisan bridges to address global climate change, these protests may indeed be a new form of democratic vocalization that will continue into the foreseeable future. How will our country's political and business elites respond? Whether they like it or not, they still have to answer to "the people." It is a future that includes "the people" that the Occupy protesters want back, and soon.