????"If you put every single left-wing cause into a blender, this is the sludge you'd get." -Fox News, October 1, 2011
????"Don't blame Wall Street, don't blame the big banks, if you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself!" -Herman Cain, October 2, 2011
????"I came down here to educate myself.... There's a huge void between the rich and the poor in this country." -Susan Sarandon, September 30, 2011
????"We're tired of the greedy sons of bitches taking our money. Does this movement have legs? Shit, Look around you!" -Leader of Service Employees International Union, October 5, 2011
????It's not yet apparent that these protests will have a major impact on the banking system, which is where their reforms are most focused, or the economy generally, but the movement is increasingly showing that it has potential. Further, as the quotes we've highlighted above suggest, the true catalyst coming out of this movement could be an acceleration of class warfare rhetoric heading into the 2012 election season.
????The Occupy Wall Street protest is headquartered in Zuccotti Park, more commonly known as "Liberty Park Plaza." This is a plaza located just north of Wall Street in downtown Manhattan. Many believe that the Occupy Wall Street movement has its inspirations in the Arab Spring and, in particular, the protests in Tahir Square in Cairo. The specific catalyst for the protest appears to have originated with a Canadian based anti-consumer magazine, Adbusters, which floated the idea of occupying Wall Street to its email list in late July.
????The Occupy Wall Street protest began on September 17 in New York. In a relatively short period of time, the protest has gained national and global media coverage. As well, the footprint of the protest had broadened dramatically. In just three weeks, the protest has done the following:
????? Acquired more than 63,000 followers on Twitter (@OccupyWallSt);
????? Acquired more than 175,000 followers on Facebook;
????? Held key demonstrations in the following cities : Manhattan, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, Portland (Maine and Oregon), Seattle, Denver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal;
????? Received celebrity support from Susan Sarandon, Cornel West, Russell Simmons, Margaret Atwood, Alec Baldwin, George Soros, and Joseph Stiglitz;
????? Demonstrated in 70 cities globally;
????? Received union support from 14 of the largest labor unions in the United States; and
????? Received political support from Congressman Ron Paul, Senator Bernie Sanders, and former Senator Russ Feingold.
