An abhorrent ally for democrats

Michael A. Walsh
Posted: 9:56 PM, October 13, 2011

About the only thing the Tea Party and the unwashed rabble occupying Zuccotti Park have in common is their deep loathing for the financial and political nomenklatura who precipitated the economic collapse of 2008 and -- thanks to their generous campaign donations to politicians -- have emerged unscathed while the rest of us suffer.

Any other resemblance is purely coincidental.

But that hasn’t stopped the Democrats from desperately latching on to the protesters, hoping to catch some of the lightning in a bottle that propelled the Republicans to their lopsided electoral victories in 2010.

Without the Tea Party (“Tea,” by the way, stands for Taxed Enough Already), the often-clueless GOP leadership would never have wrested control of the House and would not be poised to snatch back the Senate in 13 months -- and very likely the White House, too.

So, in a fit of me-tooism, prominent Democrats seem to want to own the Occupy Wall Street crew.

President Obama, a millionaire himself, says he “understands” their frustration with a system that has served this country well from its founding. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, chaired by Rep. Steve Israel of New York, is urging party members to “stand with” the demonstrators. “God bless them for their spontaneity!” exclaimed former speaker Nancy Pelosi -- whose net worth is estimated at $35 million.

Yet Democrats should think twice before staking their electoral fortunes on the mobs “occupying” various public spaces in municipalities all over the country.

Party leaders plainly hope to get through the next election by appealing to the naked resentments and largely imaginary grievances of their far-left base. But, for all their claims of wanting a “better” America, the protesters loathe just about everything this country has ever stood for -- including the value of hard work, individual responsibility and the liberal use of soap and water.

Spoiled, entitled and ignorant, they demand a guaranteed “living wage” for simply breathing, free universal health care, “green” energy, open borders and total debt forgiveness -- a veritable wish list of far-left lunacy.

But even their sanctimonious outrage makes no sense.

When not pounding on bongo drums and destroying the bathrooms of nearby businesses, the demonstrators direct their greatest scorn at the “bankers” -- when the Obama administration is a revolving door of Goldman Sachs connections, including former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, economics adviser Gene Sperling and former budget director Peter Orszag.

Goldman employees and their families funneled nearly a million dollars to Obama in 2008, while Wall Street emptied its moneybags into the Obama campaign in record numbers.

If they want to protest somebody, they should be in front of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. or on Capitol Hill. Plenty of well-connected rich folks there.

For all Democrats’ desire to co-opt the anger ordinary Americans feel about the endless recession, to tap into seething class envy and to rely on the old “plutocrats = Republicans” meme, the fact is that the Democrats are now the party of the very rich and the very poor.

Further, it’s highly unlikely that the juvenile Occupy movement can ever deliver the electoral strength the Tea Party has.

The Tea Party is a grass-roots mass movement that grew up in spontaneous opposition to the tax-and-spend policies of this administration; Occupy is a whining collection of gullible, entitled, indolent youth and bitter, aging hippies looking to relive the glory days of the ’60s.

One peaceably assembles to sing “God Bless America.” The other vilifies success, screams anti-Semitic slurs and openly advocates violence.

One takes pride in its overt patriotism, works within the political system, asks for nothing but relief from oppressive taxation and regulation and cleans up after itself at every demonstration. The other denounces capitalism, harasses the cops, demands yet more handouts from a government drowning in debt -- and wallows in pigsties.

The only thing Occupy Wall Street will leave behind is a public-health hazard. Mayor Bloomberg announced that the city is going to start cleaning up the park today. After three weeks, it’s about time.