Van Jones told TPM the other day that if the progressive tea party comes, this will be the month that brings it. Looks like he was right: though where it all ends no one knows, it’s clear that Occupy Wall Street has hit the sweet spot and is now driving the political conversation the way the tea party once did.
There’s still a lot of weird and confusing stuff going on in the streets of cities where OWS and its offshoots are making their stands, but the general message that corporate wealth needs to be examined as solutions for fixing the economy are weighed is becoming the dominant topic in politics.
Some signs that OWS is going mainstream:
⢠Democrats Give Movement A Bear Hug
Last week, Democrats were conflicted about OWS. This week, they seem to have decided it’s a good thing — and they want a piece of the action.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi embraced the protests Sunday. The DCCC tried to channel some of the outrage in the streets into Democratic political momentum Monday with an online petition drive entitled “I stand with the Occupy Wall Street.”
⢠Americans Are Tuning In
Thanks to a flood of press coverage — not all of it good — Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the movement. A CNN poll out Monday showed about half of Americans surveyed are aware of the movement.
In good news for the Democrats, more of those surveyed were supportive of the movement than were against it. But most people don’t know what to think. The breakdown, from CNN:
27% say they agree with the movement’s overall position on the financial system and social change, with 19% saying disagree with Occupy Wall Street on those issues. Fifty-four percent of those questioned have no firm opinion about Occupy Wall Street – consistent with the 49% who say they have not heard of the movement at all.
The media had debated what to do about OWS, but seems clear now the press has decided to give the movement some attention. In that CNN poll at least, Americans seem interested in hearing more.
⢠Everyone’s Talking OWS
Reactions to the movement and its aims are now a central part of the political agenda. Republicans are using fear of the movement to fire up their base, while Democrats are talking up its aims and saying the protests are a sign Americans are ready to try something a little more progressive.
Partially due to the timing of the movement’s emergence as President Obama was kicking off his jobs push, and helped along by banks promising a raft of new fees and blaming them on new regulations, some of the more mainstreamy aims OWS seem to be arriving just as America and its politicians are ready to discuss them.
And so it seems OWS has gone mainstream — and is possibly set to be The Next Big Thing.
