Occupy Wall Street

Over the past few weeks, we've seen the rise of a new populist movement, in some ways the liberal answer to the Tea Party: Occupy Wall Street. On September 17, a group of activists began protesting in Liberty Plaza in NYC. They claimed to be taking a stand against corporate greed, social inequity and the power of money in politics. Some say that the group are aiming to take up the mantle of the Arab Spring and Green Revolution protests in the Middle East. The protests, perpetuated via Twitter and Facebook, have spread to over 70 U.S. cities.

The protests gained national focus during their second week, when protesters attempted to block traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. Allegations of police brutality have arisen in New York and Boston more recently, garnering further media attention. GOP Presidential Candidates and FOX News have been quick to dismiss the protests as unfocused, un-American, borderline criminal and representing a small minority of Americans -- which liberal pundits were quick to point out that such allegations could be equally applied to the Tea Party.

The main flaw in the movement seems to be a lack of a coherent platform, though many argue that this actually provides strength to the movement. Given that the movement is only a few weeks old, it remains to be seen if it will have a lasting populist impact like the Tea Party, or will putter out after a few weeks. Either way, keep an eye on #OccupyWallStreet these next few weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWoWZO3nqOY