General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Let's Not Forget OWS... [View all]Summer Hathaway
(2,770 posts)to the Teabaggers - but wasn't. And here's why (IMHO):
The Teabaggers presented themselves from day one as a voting block - and all politicians pander to blocks of voters, in hopes of capturing their support in elections.
Occupy presented itself as non-political, a disparate group that might (as individuals) vote Dem, might vote GOP, might vote Green or other third party, might not vote at all.
Whether perceived as fair or not, as justified or not, the reality is that groups (like the Teabaggers or the OWSies) that fail to represent themselves as a political movement to be wooed and won as a whole don't warrant much attention from politicians. That is the way of the world.
Had OWS made it clear from the beginning that they were likely to vote as a block - "Give us this, this and this", and we will support you en masse." - they would have garnered much more attention, and would have been catered to by politicians anxious for their support.
By claiming to be apolitical - as altruistic as doing so may be - Occupy took the position of being unattainable as a voting block to be counted upon, and presented themselves as voters whose support came down to individuals rather than a united force to be reckoned with.