Issues Under FIre: Clinton, Sanders and the Occupy Wall Street Message

Issues Under FIre: Clinton, Sanders and the Occupy Wall Street Message 

If you asked the average American what's the most important issue negatively impacting their lives, what do you think the average response would be? If perplexed, take a moment and ask yourself. Is your most important issue job security or social security? Is your issue the high cost of education, healthcare, housing or finding a job paying a living wage? Or could it all boil down to the income inequality issue? If you agree with the latter, you're part of America's 99 percent. 

The reason Bernie Sanders' message is resonating with larger than expected numbers of American voters is because Sanders was paying attention to the Occupy Wall Street Movement. Sensing a misunderstood and leaderless constituency yearning for support, Sanders embraced that constituency, while the Clintons and the rest of the Democratic establishment fell silent during the movement's struggle. After decades of fighting for an even economic playing field, Sanders was the perfect pitchman for such a revolutionary concept. 

At the very heart of the Occupy Wall Street movement was addressing the issue of income inequality. Young and old alike understood what was happening and what their lives would look like if the 1% continued to absorb the lion's share of the nation's wealth. Somebody had to push back. And on September 17th 2011, Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan was ground zero for that push back. Unfortunately, with the Clintons being pals of the Wall Street crews and wanting no part of biting the hand that fed them, they took a pass on what followed. 

When young people came from all parts of the country to show support for the Wall Street occupiers, Bill and Hillary took cover behind the headlines. While Michael Bloomberg's Bully Boyz , aka the NYPD, intimidated, pepper sprayed, beat up and arrested movement leaders until the movement was silenced in the city, Bill and Hillary Clinton remained tight lipped. When the Occupy movement tested the boundaries of free speech from the Brooklyn Bridge to the campus of U.C. Berkeley and got the same treatment, the Clintons dodged the issue completely. 

Although many have yet to realize what younger voters have instinctively grasped - Sanders is talking to the 99%. Bernie Sanders is tapping into the pool of voters who have the most in common. The disaffected and disrespected. And the disaffected and disrespected can be just about anybody. From Black Lives Matter, to middle class Whites, they're all feeling disaffected and disrespected in one way or another. They're all feeling equally screwed and equally fed up being screwed. 

Bottom line: Hillary Clinton simply misread the depths of despair and disillusionment the Occupy Wall Street message was impressing upon this country and beyond. Hillary Clinton simply miscalculated how strongly the Occupy Wall Street message would resonate five years after she'd hoped it was long dead and buried. Or perhaps, Hillary Clinton simply underestimated the power of a single message, specifically tailored to meet the needs and desires of the American people. Sanders may be a one trick pony, but this pony looks like it could win this race. Podcast below!