Joe Lieberman: Occupy Wall Street doesn't reflect American sentiment

[Enrique]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/190707-occupy-wall-street-doesnt-reflect-american-sentiment-sen-lieberman-says

The Occupy Wall Street protests are not reflective of the opinions of most Americans, Sen. Joe Lieberman said Monday.

"The way this Occupy Wall Street is expressing itself is not reflective of the majority of people in our country," Lieberman (I-Conn.) said on the Laura Ingraham show.

Lieberman also said that the anti-corporate protesters should mimic what the Tea Party did: form a clear platform and start participating in elections.

"This group ought to do what the Tea Party did," Lieberman added. "It formed a platform and it got into the election."

(...)

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Harmony Blue]

2. Just do the opposite of what Lieberman says

that is all.

[ixion]

3. LIEberman is an ass.

'nuff said.

[Ship of Fools]

4. Ehhh, what a maroon.

[The Wielding Truth]

YES IT DOES,JOE!

[Kingofalldems]

5. Republicans don't like it, that's for sure.

Mock and undermine.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. 1. Joe's suggesting OWS is UN-American?

2. Meaning the Tea Party DOES reflect the will of the majority? They represent the 99%?
3. Don't worry Joe. OWS probably already voted by absentee ballot. They are participating and you won't like the numbers or the results.

[dmosh42]

7. The complete "dumb fuck"!

[Segami]

8. As if OWS needs ANY advice from a RAT FACE like you Joe.

[gratuitous]

9. "He's with us on everything but the war"

Uh huh. Apparently Holy Joe doesn't know how to read a poll anymore, so he spouts gibberish like this. By the way, Senator, there hasn't been an election since the Occupy movement began. So your dumbass comment about forming a platform and getting into the election is very premature. Also, at the risk of explaining a card trick to a labradoodle, the Occupy movement isn't a wholly-owned arm of either of the major parties, unlike the Tea Baggers.

[Enrique]

18. he took a poll of the corporations that donate to him

it turns out, they don't share OWS's concerns.

[yurbud]

30. the only pole Joe reads is the one he uses as a dipstick in his pile of corporate cash.

[Liberal Veteran]

10. LIEberman = Al Gore's Palin.

A very poor choice made for all the wrong reasons.

[brooklynite]

11. I have to say I agree...

I'm aware that people are saying "we worked with the Democrats and nothing happened", but the reality is that any of the demands OWS ever develops will require a response through the political process:

Restore Glass-Steagal? Requires an Act of Congress and Presidential approval.

Indict the Bankers? Requires action by the Attorney General's office, reporting to the President.

Overturn Citizen's United? Requires a Constitutional Amendment or a change in the makeup of the Supreme Court.

These in turn require political support for AND PRESSURE ON the appropriate Federal candidates. To simply say you'll protest until the politicians act on their own seems to be a fairly unproductive strategy.

The Tea Party crowd yelled and protested at meetings and rallies, but at the end of the day, they went home, organized politically, and scared the hell out of any Republican who might otherwise have worked cooperatively with the Democrats.

[Liberal Veteran]

14. Trying to play the game by the rules the elites made isn't working.

Those rules are weighed in such a manner that we don't get a place at the table to redress our grievances.

They want us to play the game their way because they set up a win-win set of rules for themselves.

[dotymed]

17. Yes, I think it is time for "them" to "play" by our rules. N/T

[brooklynite]

19. which are?

Seriously, by what process do you believe any of OWS's demands will be implemented?

[dotymed]

35. I think it is evolving. These are not politicians with parliamentary

procedure in the streets. They are the 99%. They (we) are tired of the gracious, get-nothing-done procedural politics as usual. IMO, OWS is a movement that is evolving while demonstrating against the obvious inequities in America. That is why I fear OWS being co-opted by any party or established movement. It is unique and and I think we will have to wait and see exactly what "form" it takes.

As for the "implementation" of our demands, that too has yet to be seen. Will these demands be implemented as the demands by past movements have? By politicians seeing the opportunity to become proponents of the people, or will OWS produce a different structure completely?

I am not qualified to say. I know that the few demands are perfectly sensible and can (and should) be implemented.

[closeupready]

16. Well, you're entitled to your opinion.

but polls say it DOES reflect popular American opinion.

[Douglas Carpenter]

25. Electoral politics will not make ANY difference if the politicians aren't even interested

The New Deal only became possible after decades of agitation in the streets created a political climate in which politicians paid attention to the demands of labor and it became possible to vote into office politicians who would carry through those demands - something respectable politicians would not do at an earlier time before the political culture had changed. The civil rights movement did not begin with voter registration drives. Voter registrations drives only became relevant after long periods of mass action created a political culture where it became possible to elect politicians who would carry forward the demands of the civil rights movement - something respectable politicians would not do at an earlier time before the political culture had changed. And most certainly the gay rights movement did not begin with voter registration drives - Voting only became relevant after long periods of agitation and resistance created a political climate in which politicians paid attention to the demands of the gay rights movement and it became possible to vote into office politicians who would would carry through those demands - something respectable politicians would not do at an earlier time before the political culture had changed.

Both political parties are now utterly dependent on the financial support of Wall Street interest. If one is actually serious about wanting to break this stranglehold the financial industrial holds over both political parties - it is most certainly not going to happen and respectable politicians are not going to willingly cut-off their own supply of dependable financial support that they really do need in order to get elected - until the political culture changes and public demand forces a situation where respectable politicians have no choice but to break from the stranglehold the financial industry holds over both political parties.

Already only a few weeks into this great new movement something is happening - The issues of Wall Street's stranglehold over government as well as the issue of vast income disparity has moved from the fringes only voiced by the ravings of leftist and malcontents into the mainstream of political discussion. This is truly incredible. But to break the stranglehold that Wall Street holds - and to make it even possible to vote for politicians who will address income disparity, economic injustice and corporate control - will require more than voting for politicians with their latest slick sound bites, platitudes and talking points. What is happening now may very well be the beginning of something that can change the political culture and make it actually possible to vote for politicians who will actually address the issues of income disparity, corporate control and the stranglehold of the financial industry.

[jwirr]

29. Exactly. I think people are arguing about two different things here.

First Joe is wrong about the support that is present for OWS. I think that both poles and interest are clearly showing that most Americans support their movement.

But he is right that it has to somehow translate into political action on the issues. If it does not then how will they have accomplished any more than President Obama has? We need to vote or we are just giving anything we have accomplished since FDR away to the party of NO. Look what we have lost since 2010. We need to get to our own congress persons and put pressure on them to address the issues. Many of our congresspersons are progressive and I for one do not want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. We need to identify and support congress persons who will work with us. For instance Elizabeth Warren and Alan Grayson and my own congressman Al Franken.

What I am saying is that we need to do both. I am so thankful for OWS that they have been brave enough to stand up and take the lead. Now let us who support them or are them begin to work both sides of the action - let us take our government back from the corporations anyway we can.

[Raksha]

33. Thanks - very well stated. n/t

[Marr]

31. A month ago I would've agreed with you.

I've been humbled quite a bit by this OWS movement, I have to say. A month or two ago I would've snidely dismissed it as another stupid parade that can be ignored. But we've seen the movement slowly changing the national dialogue. I can see how these grass roots movements work now, and given time, I think this one may very well get there.

[Shagbark Hickory]

12. Completely out of touch. Dementia has set in. So sad.

[Liberal Veteran]

15. I disagree. Where LIEberman is concerned, dementia would be a marked improvement.

He's a tool.

[City Lights]

13. Stop lying, LIEberman. eom

[Zorra]

20. Joe is absolutely going to hate it if Democrats do well in 2012. nt

[Kingofalldems]

21. Didn't Lieberman endorse McCain?

[KamaAina]

22. "This group ought to do what the Tea Party did,"

You mean take millions of dollars from the Koch Bros.? :eyes:

[zbdent]

23. Whenever Joe Lieberman goes out and makes a public statement ...

the "liberally-biased media" SHOULD (not will) play all those clips of Republicans saying nasty things about their bestest buddy Joe L ...

[SOS]

24. Lieberman's "majority" consists of insurance CEOs

He blocked Medicare at 55, so the Hartford gangsters will be making those Swiss deposits soon.

[HuckleB]

26. Wrong, Joe, VERY WRONG!

[FarCenter]

27. Joe Lieberman: doesn't reflect American sentiment

There, the headline is fixed.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

32. And mirrors don't reflect Joseph Lieberman

And he always has to be invited in when visiting a new building.

[Fumesucker]

28. And people blame Nader for the Democrats losing FL in 2000..

:rofl:

Holy Joe hasn't changed a bit since he was Al Gore's running mate, he was a schmuck, a prig and a prick then and he's a schmuck, a prig and a prick now, only with added sanctimony.

[Sugarcoated]

34. Such a petty man

[newportdadde]

36. We tried that against you in your primary Joe, so you just took your Wall Street $ and DLC friends

and ran as an independant. So apparently working through the existing political structures for change doesn't seem to have much payoff.

[LynneSin]

37. Ironically Joe Lieberamn doesn't reflect American sentiment either

probably reflects way less of American sentiment than any OWS movement