What does Pres. Obama think of OWS?

[cilla4progress]

The $64,000 question?

Can we envision a time in the not to distant future (days, weeks) where he will stand in front of crowds with a bullhorn? What will he way?

I have maintained that a peaceful grassroots movement for change is what he has been CALLING for! We've got his back with this. Turning point for us, and for him, I believe.

[Tippy]

1. Agree

[Arctic Dave]

2. Obama will never mention them except in passing.

He doesn't have the balls to actually stand for changing the status quo.

[Davis_X_Machina]

4. If you elect a President to change the status quo...

...you might as well order a Wendy's triple to lose weight. Even if the cheeseburger isn't from Wendy's, is made from free-range cattle raised organically, and read to from the works of Beat poets right up till their slaughter, and the cheese is artesianal. It's still a triple cheeseburger.

It's not what they're about.

[Arctic Dave]

5. Doesn't make sense. I ordered a salad.

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. What difference does it make? And why are we asking?

Do people want a collapse into left-Boulangism — a lot of people with a lot of slogans milling around waiting for a man on horseback to seize the Elyseé for them?

[cilla4progress]

7. This will become a very important issue in days and weeks to come

With the magnitude of these protests, the global connection and impact, President Obama's response, as well as that of all 2012 candidates, will be high on the radar...don't you think? Also, Pres. Obama is in the position to respond, make policy around, advocate for (or against). I mean, is the occupation just about demonstrating positions, or is it about effecting worldwide policy change? Who is better positioned than Pres. Obama (and Congress and Supreme Court: think Citizens United, campaign financing -- see Van Jones' site) to respond on the side of the people with new governmental direction?

Surprised you had to ask..

[Davis_X_Machina]

10. As I thought -- left Boulangism.

And the wait for a man on horseback.

A legislative victory on the order of, say for the purposes of argument, the 1936 US election, or the 1945 UK general election, doesn't happen overnight. That takes a generation of politicking and very special circumstances.

And things that do happen overnight -- 1789, 1848, 1917, 1919 -- don't have legislative agendas.

This thing has to figure out which it wants to be, and be it. So far, it's neither fish nor fowl nor good red meat.

[cilla4progress]

12. #1 Notice: change happens a whole hell of a lot faster than ever before

#2 This is just too obtuse for me? Left Boulangism...

I think it's more straightforward than that.

[SlimJimmy]

19. You can't be serious? This is barely getting any coverage. I just don't see this as

some sort of watershed moment. Important? Yes. Huge and nation changing? I don't think so.

With the magnitude of these protests

[Tarheel_Dem]

6. Why don't you write and ask him, or do you think he posts here?

Afterall, it looks like a Ron Paul fest to me. :shrug:

[cilla4progress]

8. Ron Paul?

Libertarians at the gates? I don't believe that is what OWS is about. It's about getting our leaders to respond to us, the people. To get them to hear us - to acknowledge we are here and respond to our demands. Main St. over Wall St. No more complicated that that.

[Tarheel_Dem]

13. Too many messages, and no serious leader. It's good in theory, but the execution

has been less than stellar. I applaud people for lobbying their leaders for change, but I think the quickest way for this movement to lose whatever steam it has, is for Pres. Obama to insinuate himself in this process. You guys should be more concerned with building public support than what the president has to say.

This was talked about on Randi's show on Friday, and the concensus seems to be that there's no one focus. Focus on getting the money out of our politics, and then you can address the inequities in wealth, education, foreclosures, etc. etc. etc. Like I said, too many messages, and no focus on a simple goal. The message seems to be "We Hate Wall St"? Well, hell, we all do. :shrug:

[Owlet]

18. New recruits

http://www.flickr.com/photos/expd/6204328806/

[Tarheel_Dem]

14. See here! Doesn't really matter what you "believe".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2041671

[cilla4progress]

24. MY EMAIL FROM VAN JONES AND THE MOVEMENT:

"Dear friend,

Wall Street has long been the home of the biggest threat to American democracy. Now it has become home to what may be our best hope for rescuing it.

For everyone who loves this country, for everyone whose heart is breaking for the growing ranks of the poor, for everyone who is seething at the unopposed demolition of America's working and middle class: the time has come to get off the fence.

A new generation has gone to the scene of the crimes committed against our future. The time has come for all people of good will to give our full-throated backing to the young people of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

So this Wednesday, we're joining with MoveOn, and labor and community groups in New York for a massive march down to the Occupy Wall Street encampment. And for those who can't make it to New York, we're also holding a huge online "Virtual March on Wall Street" in solidarity with the brave protesters in New York."

http://www.occupytogether.org/


So Say I!

[Tarheel_Dem]

25. That's great, but still didn't address my post.

:shrug:

[stevenleser]

9. How should he know what to think at this point? OWS has not developed a coherent message.

At this point, all people know is that some folks are angry and to show their anger, they are gathering in Wall Street.

And that might be immensely satisfying. I'm tempted to spend time there protesting myself as I do not live far away (Astoria, Queens, 25 minutes by subway).

When you are a large gathering of angry people and you have a message, you are a movement. When you do not have one, you are a riotous mob.

Getting back to Obama, if OWS said "We are for ..." pick something. Then you can go to a President or Senator, etc. and say, what do you think about this, and you will get an answer. I sent an email that contained the below (in addition to other stuff) to the main OWS website general inquiries email address:

I've taken the liberty of trying to condense what the group might want into some simple short sentences. Let me know what you guys think:

Why we are protesting:
Wealthy dont pay fair share of taxes and Government coddles Wall Street

What we want:
End Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and enact strong oversight of Wall Street.

-----------------------------
Again, that just is the beginning, but it is something people can easily put their fingers on and rally around.

[cilla4progress]

11. Look at who is supporting them.

Give them a little time. It's coming together. I think it's going to be big, and I can't wait to do more than send money.

[stevenleser]

17. I just found the below

This is not bad as a full charter but it needs something shorter and snappier to go along with it. An initial goal that is short and everyone can remember and articulate.




As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known.

They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.

They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.

They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.

They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.

They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.

They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.

They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right.

They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay.

They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility.

They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.

They have sold our privacy as a commodity.

They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.

They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.

They have donated large sums of money to politicians, who are responsible for regulating them.

They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.

They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives or provide relief in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantial profit.

They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.

They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.

They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.

They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.

They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts. *

To the people of the world,

We, the New York City General Assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.

Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy public space; create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.

To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal.

Join us and make your voices heard!

*These grievances are not all-inclusive.

[boxman15]

15. Give Occupy Wall Street some more time, some more organization, and more awareness,

and President Obama, I believe, will come out in strong support of OWS. I'm not going to say he's going to lead a rally or something, after all, he is the president of the United States. It's a pretty big job. I do think, though, he will support it and do what he can to bolster the movement.

This is just speculation at this point, though.

[cilla4progress]

23. My view EXACTLY!

and the point I am making.

Thank you for re-articulating it so well.

[vroomvroom]

16. Obama openly admits he has a man-crush on Timothy Geitner -- a total Wall Street sell-out.

What does Pres. Obama think of OWS? He think: "STFU and learn your place"

[Magoo48]

20. Maybe later

If this movement is to evolve into a force with power and momentum, the pols, supporters and non, will be be of little relevance while it gets it's legs. IMO

[treestar]

21. Why should he have to do that?

We elected him to do a complex and difficult job, one with no vacations and which puts him in danger. Yet every little thing that pops up in the news, he's suppose to deal with. Everything is of the utmost importance to somebody.

[cilla4progress]

26. Yup.

He will WANT to do it. At some point.

[LWolf]

22. He lost his walking shoes a long time ago. nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

27. That's a good question ...

I wonder what the 500+ members of congress think about OWS?

Can we envision a time in the not to distant future (days, weeks) where any of them will stand in front of crowds with a bullhorn? Or, maybe draft significant legislation that will address wallstreet's failings?