The Occupy Wall Street Movement Needs a Clear Set of Demands

I have been awed and inspired by the raw energy, passion and commitment on the streets of lower Manhattan these past several weeks by the Occupy Wall Street movement. These are folks of all shapes, sizes, ages, races, religions, social classes, education levels, the employed and the unemployed, union workers and workers of all types, both blue and white collar.

These protesters are not a bunch of ragtag hippie freaks who have nothing better to do. These are people just like you and me. People who are fed up with the state of the economy, with high unemployment, slow growth and corporate greed. People who are either out of work or fear they may be soon if things don't change. And it's change that they want. Finally, people in this country are taking to the streets, and it's not just in New York but in cities all around the country. I suspect the movement will grow and tens of thousands will soon become hundreds of thousands, and maybe even millions. They should be a great source of pride to us all.

What concerns me is the messaging, or perhaps the lack thereof. What I hope to see come out of this movement, and soon, is a very clear set of goals. Demands which can be both easily heard and understood in Washington. It's not enough to simply march in the streets. You have to know what you want. And you need to let your opponents know that in precise terms. President Obama, John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have to clearly understand what it is that the movement is fighting for.

Imagine these politicians in a room together, watching the protests on TV and asking each other, "What do these people want? What do they want us to do?" Well, they wouldn't be asking those questions if every time they turned on their TV's they saw hundreds of thousands of marchers chanting "Jobs Bill! Jobs Bill! Jobs Bill!" If they heard "Jobs Bill NOW! Jobs Bill NOW!" Or, Bill to End Corporate Loopholes!" Or, "No Repeal of Dodd-Frank!" But I'm afraid this type of goal is not being demanded.

Instead, the messaging is currently a hodgepodge of fanciful pipe dreams akin to Miss America's "I'd like to create peace on Earth." Here's some quotes that MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan got from protesters:

"I am choosing to no longer participate in what I perceive to be an abusive relationship," said Occupier Lopi.

"Our goal to create a massive independent weapon of mass help! We are not intent on destruction. We are intent on confronting and fixing what we all know is a bought government." another occupier told him. "This is our shared moment to seize prosperity."

"Our nation is too busy growing debt, poverty, homelessness, wars, oil spills, global temperatures and inflation on everything we need ­-- like food, education and healthcare -- to slow down, stop and fix the problem," another named Goldi said.

"I'm here because I love my family, and want to protect them from the thief with the gun on the street to the thief with the pen behind the desk!" said Calvin Roy.

It's this sort of broad, idealistic and unrealistic mission that could soon turn Occupy Wall Street into a failure if it cannot get a clear, specific agenda out. It must tell Washington in no uncertain terms, clear terms, what it wants. Because it is action, and effecting real change, that is ultimately at the core of any successful protest movement. And that would be an incredible legacy for this amazing group of people.

 

 

Follow Andy Ostroy on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AndyOstroy

Comments

[sordf1sh]

09:28 AM on 10/11/2011

#OWS doesn't need a clear message. This is a new parardigm. The fact that govt leaders don't understand is part of the intrigue. #OWS doesn't need the help of the govt. They will find their legs. As problems are fixed, new ones will be found and fixed as well, on and on it goes. Thinking that one head needs to go against another is old school thinking. You write this as if #OWS is doing this for you to meet your needs. They'll do it for themselves as they see fit. They won't play the game they've been losing, they're starting a new one, by the people for the people.

[CoffeeOnIce]

10:28 AM on 10/10/2011

It has become increasingly clear over the past decade that my generation - the people in their twenties right now - have very little grasp of how to stage a successful protest movement. The Arab Spring, the Civil Rights Movement, the Suffrage Movement - they had certain common factors that made them successful: as the article above rightly states, a clear (and reasonable) set of demands is the biggest thing lacking and why many don't take it seriously. But the reason I don't think it will succeed in making any real impact is that the Occupiers fail to understand that a movement only succeeds when it becomes economically and/or politically damaging for those in power to maintain the status quo. Wall Street tycoons are not bothered if the Brooklyn Bridge is shut down, and K-Street lobbyists really don't care about three dozen hand-painted signs and a bunch of folks in sleeping bags hanging out at Farragut North (which, as of last Thursday, looked much more like a high school sleepover than anything political).

One of two things needs to happen in order for Occupy to have a real impact: either the protesters need to streamline and organize their campaign into something with a clear set of goals, a unified voice, and a game plan involving effective tools like boycotts and publicity, or they need to create an action plan with disruptive capabilities great enough to actually bring Wall Street trading to a halt.

[foxisms]

10:02 PM on 10/09/2011

It would be convenient if a clear set of demands could be obtained.
Let it suffice to say that more than ever the people of this country have been left behind and disappointed to the degree that we no longer feel that having a vote is any more clearly defined as a means to share in this "democratic republic" than the mountain of gross neglect that has been heaped upon them by a government that more resembles a corporate oligarchy than anything any of us were raised to believe...that we were part of and held ownership in this world's greatest participatory government.
How does one go about listing a clear set of demands when they encompass everything from health care, employment and the possibility of having a future look forward to?
There's no way to make clear demands when things have gotten so out of hand that all definitions and perimeters have been blurred by the very people who pretend to want to know about them
If anyone is looking for a new declaration of independence from the 99%...forget about it. How about both government and corporate America simply read the original, along with the Constitution and start treating the 99% accordingly.

[Andy Ostroy]

07:46 AM on 10/10/2011

So then this 'movement', as Andrew Young said over the weekend, will simply be just an emotional outcry. I think he knows a little something about protesting in America...

[foxisms]

09:41 PM on 10/10/2011

History 101.
Stage one: outcry.
Prelude to change.

[Gabe Brummett]

09:37 PM on 10/09/2011

Repeal Citizens United.
Reinstate Glass Steagall Act.
Tax Wall St. Transactions.
No more Tax breaks.
No More Jobs Shipped Overseas. Bring them back to America.
Universal Healthcare
Reinstate the Fairness Doctrine.
Gut Military Spending, Bring all troops home now!
Rebuild our public education system.
Forgive Student Loan Debt
No more farm subsidies.
Rebuild Public Transportation
No Keystone Pipeline.
No more offshore drilling
No more mountain top removal
No more fracking.
No more genetically modified organisms.
a living wage for all workers.
now lets combine all that into a clear and concise message for our friends in washington.

[Rob Streetman]

09:20 PM on 10/09/2011

If Wall St. is the problem and unity is the solution, the only way this movment can have a real impact is by making a quick and unmistakeable example of one company all across the country, and showing the othes what happens when the 99% take direct action together. Those companies have employees that may be affected but there will be more opportunity for everyone when we nail them where it hurts most: Corporate America's bottom line. From then on the only sign we need to carry will say "You're Next!!"

[Si1ver1ock]

10:01 PM on 10/09/2011

Tax Wall Street.

Simple Short and Sweet.

[Rob Streetman]

11:00 PM on 10/09/2011

That's the problem though, Wall Street can pay a billion for tax lawyers if it saves them 5 billion. Also it will take too long for them to get the message. The best course is to pick a company like say BP for what they did to the planet, or AIG for the way they partied after they were bailed out. But the surest impact would be if there was a coordinated run on the bank involved in the most foreclosures. If all across the country, everyone closes their accounts, refinances their mortgages elsewhere, shows them we can make a difference, the stock price tumbles. And if it all happened say the first of the month....

[EveScof]

10:18 PM on 10/09/2011

How about WalMart or a Koch Bros company?

[Rob Streetman]

12:07 AM on 10/10/2011

Walmart could work, I think the Koch Bros. probably don't have enough customers on the grass roots level but if someone could make the point that buying solar panels is a one-time investment, as opposed to filling up 3 times a week... talk about a no-brainer!

[Obsoletedude]

09:19 PM on 10/09/2011

You quoted Dylan Ratigan, but didn't even mention his proposal:

"No person, corporatio­n or business entity of any type, domestic or foreign, shall be allowed to contribute money, directly or indirectly­, to any candidate for Federal office or to contribute money on behalf of or opposed to any type of campaign for Federal office. Notwithsta­nding any other provision of law, campaign contributi­ons to candidates for Federal office shall not constitute speech of any kind as guaranteed by the U.S. Constituti­on or any amendment to the U. S. Constituti­on. Congress shall set forth a federal holiday for the purposes of voting for candidates for Federal office."

Let's get this in the constitution!

http://www.getmoneyout.com/?re​cruiter_id=155016

[EveScof]

10:16 PM on 10/09/2011

ya don't need a constitutional amendment - corporations are not in the Constitution. They are created by law. Just change corporation law. You can even ban them outright. Make them illegal in the US. Only non-profits, small sole proprietorships and employee-owned co-ops can exist (democratically run and in accordance with all applicable law), and none of these enterprises shall be permitted to contribute in any way, attempt to influence the outcome of, or participate in, federal, state or local elections. (That's the law for non-profits right now, so it's a no-brainer.)

[Obsoletedude]

10:19 AM on 10/10/2011

According to the Supreme Court, corporations are "people", therefore, you would create a loophole for corps to use. A constitutional amendment would disallow the use of donations altogether in federal elections.

Forgive me for not having any trust in our government and their want to work with corporations over people. I support this amendment because both the corporation and the candidate will be held responsible. Make this simply a "corporate law" and the lawyers will find a way through. You have too much faith that corps and government will just say "OK"

[gibsonbe9]

02:36 PM on 10/10/2011

I agre with you,, But from my perspective we the people need a reffarandome, we need to vote on the big issues we can no longer rely on polititions to make the right vote we need to be able to vote on any legislation that will affect the coming generation ,, we also need to be able to vote when it involves our national treasure

[Obsoletedude]

04:00 PM on 10/10/2011

wouldn't that be nice. We have to regain control of the government, first, and to do that, we need to eliminate "corporate sponsorship", and remove any politicians who vote against the interest of the American people. When 81% of the populations says they want something, then our government should have no other choice but to support what we tell them too.

[kenashby]

08:40 PM on 10/09/2011

"The Occupy Wall Street Movement Needs a Clear Set of Demands"

Because something is happening here, and you don't know what it is, do you, Mr. Jones.

[Siebenstein]

08:13 PM on 10/09/2011

The Occupy Wall Street Movement Needs a Clear Set of Demands

And the author demands when it has to be done?

[Candide33]

07:43 PM on 10/09/2011

I disagree, this country is screwed up from the top down, there is no one issue unless it is the 1% has completely corrupted our government.

[Si1ver1ock]

09:59 PM on 10/09/2011

Well, they are protesting Wall Street right now. The best way to make Wall Street pay for their crimes is to have a Wall Street Sales Tax.

"Tax Wall Street" makes a good bumper sticker. In fact, I'd like to see it stuck on a Fox News Van.

Whenever the mdeia come around start chanting "Wall Street Sales Tax." Then at least one demand will be out there.

[Candide33]

10:52 PM on 10/09/2011

It isn't about just taxes, it is the corrupting influence on our government, everything from union busting,

to voter suppression...

to corporations dumping pollution in our waterways....

is all a direct result of the moneyed elite buying corrupt politicians to do their bidding.

[Sanity Inspector]

07:34 PM on 10/09/2011

"I was not, of course, a partisan of the economic royalists who then ran the Republic--on the contrary. I believed that most of them were thieves and that all of them were frauds--but it seemed to me that, ­at their worst, they were appreciably better than the Chaldeans and soothsayers who proposed to drive them out of power, if only because they were at least more or less competent at their nefarious business."
-- H. L. Mencken, _My Life as Author and Editor_, ed. Jonathan Yardley, 1993

[norman60]

07:22 PM on 10/09/2011

I like the equivalent of tea party. But I don't like the way these protests are handled. It should not be allowed to bring down obama government if it is a voice of the underdogs. Obama fights on the side of the underdogs who need a piece of the American dream. The movement should be given a more discplined coordination. Now it's too choatic, a babel of voices and an organism that moves in conflicting directions.

[sixx]

07:11 PM on 10/09/2011

Disagree 100%. The protest should continue to be as broad as possible. Something as simple as 'fairness' will suffice, so that the 99-1 ratio remains paramount.

[GeneralTurgidson]

06:53 PM on 10/09/2011

The last thing the occupiers should do is allow themselves to be co-opted by the do-nothing DLC Democravens and their too late to the party concern for the working class. This is just more of what we have been hearing from the Obama camp for the past three years ("The president can’t work miracles." "One man can’t do it all." "Don’t expect change overnight".) now trying to pass the buck for his weakness onto the masses, trying to get us to do his job. I am hope that the occupiers are treating it with the scorn it deserves.

[OhShuShu]

06:05 PM on 10/09/2011

Nope. They don't need a clear set of demands. You're missing the point. Must be difficult in your media bubble to look out see a real movement taking place, and YOU can't figure it out ... hahhaa. We get it, out here in the real world. Things have gotta change.

[rdk70816]

05:36 PM on 10/09/2011

I think it is the Mayor and the Police Chief should be making the demands. Then the City Sanitation Department needs to take care of the rest.