Hi Reed,<br><br>It sounds like there are actually two mini-proposals in what you're talking about, and I want to separate them out slightly. The first point you made was about taking over the nomination process. As you mentioned, many at camp are opposed to being involved in electoral politics or supporting individual candidates because of concerns that it would weaken our message rather than strengthening it. I see both sides of that issue, and I am not going to weigh in on it here.<br>
<br>But then you brought up a second idea: mic checking politicians. It's a tactic that has already been used by other Occupy groups, and which I think many in Boston would support. That sort of direct action doesn't actually constitute direct involvement in the electoral process nor endorsement of a candidate. It's simply a way of saying that politicians haven't been doing their job, which is a message I think people can get behind.<br>
<br>If you're interested in organizing something like that, this may not be the right e-mail list. But I absolutely encourage you to talk to Direct Action, and try to get in touch with folks who have organized similar actions in other cities. They'll have lots of tactical advice.<br>
<br>Good luck!<br>-Eli<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 8:55 AM, Reed Underwood <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:fb@occupyboston.org">fb@occupyboston.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
>From Bill Moyers (a liberal of the LBJ era, which may rub some the wrong way):<br>
<br>
"I don't think Occupy Wall Street will have the influence they want unless they<br>
do what the tea party did and take over the nominating process. Unless they do,<br>
they will never have the satisfaction that they want and that the civil rights<br>
movement, say, had back in the 1950s and '60s. These people are not going to have<br>
long-ranging effect unless they have a party to act on their interests. They need<br>
to become a political movement instead of a grievance committee."<br>
<br>
Though there is a great deal of hand-wringing about being co-opted by a political<br>
party or special interest group, it remains a plain fact that people who win elections<br>
make the decisions. A failure of people in and sympathetic to the Occupy movement<br>
to engage politicians and voters isn't a sign of purity. It's self-limiting and<br>
defeatist. One thing Occupy has proven is that direct action can't be ignored.<br>
So, is this the place to talk about mic checking politicians/CEOs at town halls and other<br>
public appearances?<br>
<br>
Scott Walker<br>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oHRdiklTlU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oHRdiklTlU</a><br>
Eric Cantor<br>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i-nCqINfAI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i-nCqINfAI</a><br>
Blue Cross Chief<br>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ1_Pebu5Tc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ1_Pebu5Tc</a><br>
<br>
No more nice dinners or folksy glad-handing until the theft and fraud stop. I have<br>
a nice suit all pressed and ready to go. And it has several pockets in which I<br>
can stuff print-outs of prepared statements to recite with compatriots.<br>
<br>
Half-windsors for the 99%!<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
-R.<br>
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