When it's Time for Occupy to "Kiss the Girlfriend"

The Political Nobility of A Movement's Adolescence

One of the most exceptional, yet predictable, attributes of the 99%'ers who are currently investing their time and effort in the movement is their stringent abhorrence for politics as usual.  They have gained very little from the institution of government, far less than they could have reasonably expected.

Now, we find them absolutely determined to never be "co-opted" into a political campaign, hypnotically exploited by a political party or artificially infatuated by a political candidate.  All this is understandable.  All throughout history, the "waiting line" at a poisoned well is usually rather short.

In fact, it is nothing less than a monumental irony when cosmically detached candidates such as Mitt Romney, Herman Cain or Newt Gingrich attempt a descent from their class atmospherics in attempts to excite and attract voters such as the ones we find in the Occupied Areas.  It is too reminiscent of the old allegory: "...two mules standing in a mud hole, arguing the price of oranges..."

So, we can conclude that, at least for the moment, the Patriots of Occupy are fundamentally separated from American electoral politics.  If they were to see a connection, no matter how flimsy, between their complaints and the possibility of a responsive Congress, the protest's dynamic would change quickly and noticeably.

In the worst case, an explanation of this may lie in a matter of "political literacy."  Given a firmer footing in the rudiments of the US representational system, some might finally detect this remnant strand between the two, that is, between the complaints of the Occupy protests and the Congress which should be responding but isn't.  However, in their view, US representative democracy is a wreckage.  Further, they do not hold such a dark idea in spite of abundant evidence to the contrary, either.

The "facts" of recent history -- at least the visible ones -- support the logic of the Occupy's refreshingly heady nihilism.

A Quick Look at Occupy's Strategic Position

Yes, the brash political cynicism of the heavily soiled Congressional incumbents has managed to strangle any real prospect of a government which responds to the plight of its citizens.  Yes, the glaring evidence of this reinforces itself daily.  Yes, the gravest insults are perpetrated by elected officials who revel in "not being that bad."

So, who can really be surprised with the withering distaste for representational democracy expressed in the words of the protesters when they are interviewed?  The words may be jumbled, but the prevailing thoughts which drive those words are not.  Although perhaps not resolved in the literary sense, the understanding of the Occupy is crystal clear.

Perhaps the most troubling of these thoughts is the realization that decades of voters with a "low interest" in running the democracy have delivered the shambles of that democracy to this low point.

Well, MeanMesa predicts that the "low interest" epoch has ended.  The Occupy protests may be a little chaotic at the moment, but no one can characterize their participants as "low interest."  That's over.

The next question is "What's to be done now?"

These first two months of the Occupation have been a "muscle flexing" period not dissimilar to the bare chested puffing just before a fist fight in the parking lot of a tavern.  Occupy has shown both its energy and its durability.  Now it's time for the fists to begin their work.

 "Kissing the Girlfriend"

When the time comes, there's nothing left to do but kiss her. (photo source)

Occupy's "problem" exists at two tactical levels.  Because the root of the problems which have incited Occupy to its present state reside in the Congress, and because Occupy, although it has already revealed its growing "muscle," remains determined not to be involved with obvious hypocrisy of that Congress (including the irrelevant democratic mythology of how to elect them, how to influence them, etc.), the next step is now defined.

The first level amounts to the Occupy's psychological journey from denial to acceptance.  Occupy must move beyond its well founded distaste of the process and its results to a new place where dominion over that process and its results becomes the next destination.  Dominion?  We're talking votes.

The second level amounts to Occupy's problems with candidates.  There are almost no current candidates for either the US House or the Senate which sincerely represent the ideals of the Occupy.

We can anticipate efforts by "not really that bad" candidates to attempt to exploit the Occupy in campaigns for the next election.  However, "not really that bad" or "just a little better than the opposition" candidates won't cut the mustard.  Occupy will either have to provide its own candidates or accept more the mindless mush we have now -- even on its best days, it remains mindless mush.

Occupy is not interested in "just a little, tiny bit more" democracy fighting its way through the corporate suffocation in the Congress.  Occupy has in mind LOTS MORE democracy bubbling up to the surface in those decrepit halls.  Further, Occupy is not going to be satisfied or even mildly placated by a gradual, "orderly" transition to this new promising state, either.

"Gradual and Orderly" will mean that the same anti-democratic miscreants who control everything now will end up still controlling everything then.

So, Occupy, get past your vomitous dislike of the prospect of being political as soon as possible.  The answers to your complaints lie in exactly this arena.  This doesn't mean "play ball."  This means "take over."


And, "taking over" doesn't mean simply sifting through the old, worn out, gutless wonders who will automatically be appearing on the primary ballots.  "Taking over" means putting your candidates on those ballots.

Then electing them.

 
Where are Occupy's New Candidates?

They are standing among the crowd at your general assemblies.  Their names will emerge when someone asks your general assemblies if anyone has an idea for a candidate.  The Patriots you seek are not that far away from where you are right now!


The countering voices will be heard right away.


They will say that you need millions of dollars to run a candidate.  You don't.  You have people power.


They will say that candidates have to come from somewhere in the existing system.  They don't.  Your opinion of the existing system is essentially -- and profoundly -- accurate.


They will say that candidates have to be "connected."  Your candidates will be.  Your candidates will be connected to you.


They will say that your candidates don't have enough experience.  Experience at what?  Being sincere, patriotic Americans?  Or, experience at disguising skanky political money?

You get the idea.  

Start thinking big.  

Start looking for your candidates.  

Start planning to elect them.

The 2012 election where all this will be settled is 12 months away.