Draft Gore to lead the occupation!

[Cronus Protagonist]

Who's with me?

[Amonester]

1. I heard that the occupiers do not want any leader.

Let them decide. :shrug:

[MadHound]

2. No, for any number of reasons. n/t

[pa28]

3. Why?

The 99% movement seems to be doing just fine without the formal leadership of an establishment, multimillionaire politician.

[flamingdem]

6. They'll hit a wall unless they develop

Change is a constant.

[pa28]

10. OWS is just being born. They'll develop and mature but how that happens is up to them.

I often see media pundits and opposition party figures slamming OWS over their lack of message or leadership as if it were a bad thing. Right now they have a very simple and powerful message which is "we are the 99%".

IMO the best way to make a difference is just recognize the message is gaining traction and roll with it instead of forcing professional spin doctors and millionaire "leaders" onto this movement. I can't think of a better way to kill OWS off before it gets a chance to make a real difference.

Maybe it takes a year maybe two but real leaders will emerge along with concrete policy points.

[flamingdem]

12. I'm in between thinking that they had better grab this moment

and that they can hold out and develop.

The media is fickle and another issue could loom unless they keep up the action.

What is amazing is the support they've gotten.

[marions ghost]

16. Let it evolve and new leaders will emerge

it may never be a single all-powerful leader, but a leadership group will evolve, given time.

[Cronus Protagonist]

27. Yeh. Gore is the leading candidate in my mind

Fuck the past, let's move on, and he's the leader in the political world for climate crisis already. He's true blue, an alpha male, he's got the chops and he's learned from the past. He could start a new party even.

[fishwax]

4. why?

[flamingdem]

5. They'd have to be nuts not to respond to Gore

The problem is that Gore won't throw in as one of them, he just cheers from the sidelines.

They need leadership, or will to have an impact on the political system.

[silverweb]

7. No.

He's got himself pretty busy with important things that he's already committed to. Let him do the jobs he's chosen.

[marions ghost]

8. The People are Leading

...and the leaders must follow.

Big names are welcome to show their support, but not lead. That's what makes this different.

[flamingdem]

13. That's good for now but the inevitable looms

in that they don't have arms, they're not boycotting, there is no force.

So where will the change occur? That's where a leader plays a role in a system.

We have a system that will no disassemble for this movement.

[marions ghost]

15. There is no one leader who could take up this banner

--it's too diverse--and there is no high profile leader who is not already busy. Several prominent liberal leaders have endorsed it and shown support. That's good enough.

A leadership group has emerged, organizers have emerged around the country. They seem to be doing a good job. Many groups working together CAN exert pressure.

Change will not happen by brute force--but only by continuous, relentless, non-violent protest. It is a movement that can effect change, if it continues to snowball. There will be much opposition but together it can be overcome.

[MFrohike]

9. No

Al would have made a fine president, but his time is over. It's time for new blood.

[doc03]

11. Isn't he part of the problem, I seem to remember him

pushing the biggest job killer in the history of the US (NAFTA). Didn't he even make the deciding vote to pass NAFTA when he was VP?

[Uncle Joe]

31. No, you remembered wrong.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=103&session=1&vote=00395

NAFTA passed 61-38 with 1 non-voting.

[doc03]

34. I do know for a fact he pushed NAFTA

because he debated Ross Perot on NAFTA. Gore's debate with Ross Perot is probably what more than anything contributed to NAFTA passing. Some people thought that the "giant sucking sound" was a joke at the time.

[Uncle Joe]

35. No one is disputing that issue,

Gore kicked free trade monopolist Perot's ass on Larry King.

Ross Perot had his own private free trade Zone, he thought it was good enough for himself, just not the rest of the nation, and Al Gore exposed Perot's hypocrisy on national television.

Perot was never the same political force after that debate.

Here is another ironic piece of trivia, Perot was running for the Presidency against Clinton and Bush the lesser in 92, within a week after Clinton chose Gore as his running mate, Perot dropped out of the race saying something to the effect of the Democratic Party had rejuvenated or refreshed it self.

Edit to add, Perot did later reenter the race after much urging from his followers.

[Douglas Carpenter]

14. Al Gore was one of the founders of the DLC as well as the leading defender of NAFTA and GATT

Perhaps he has rethought some of his earlier ideas. Perhaps he is more of a liberal and progressive now that he is no longer holding public office. But he does have a bit of a past to live down. Certainly his support should be welcomed. Converts should always be welcomed. But that doesn't mean they should immediately be elected Pope.

[Amonester]

19. He had bo$$e$ when he was there.

Like (almost) all of them did (and do).

We all know these bo$$e$ were today's 1%.

[LeftyMom]

17. Lead? I don't think you really get how this works. nt

[dana_b]

18. absolutely not

they are doing fine just on their own.

[cherokeeprogressive]

20. Aside from all the other reasons this is dumb, you're expecting Al Gore to give up his warm bed...

his McMansion, his hired help, his private planes, and his SUV parades in order to sleep in a park and lead a group of people who don't want a leader, or to be led.

Or maybe you're expecting him to "lead" from the Waldorf? Get up each morning and after being fed and dressed by hired help, what... WALK to Zucotti park?

Yeah, no.

[Change has come]

21. No leader necessary.

Nobody to assassinate.

[SixthSense]

22. you win the irony contest

Maybe he can do it by remote telecast from his $20 million mansion!

[Fire Walk With Me]

23. No leaders, everyone equal.

[Citizen Worker]

24. The surest way for the nascent movement to die is to ally itself with the democratic party

establishment. There are able and capable leaders within the ranks of OWS. The Rank and File of OWS will decide IF they need leaders.

[Desertrose]

25. This movement is not about "leaders"...it's about the people.

Gore is NOT in any way a 99%er.

[EdMaven]

26. no way. gore is not a good figurehead for what's going on at all.

[ThomWV]

28. I'd bet you he'd rather join with them that lead them

He owes us no more.

[boston bean]

29. hell no he was mr nafta

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

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

[Rex]

32. No. This is The Peoples movement! It can stand all on its own.

And it evidently is scaring the Usual Suspects (which has me laughing my ass off).

[sabrina 1]

33. No, sorry the stregth of this movement is it has not leaders.

Gore would instantly divide the country again, or any politician and that is exactly what needs to change. It's good he supports it, but that is enough.

Leaders will emerge over time, and they do not need to come from the old system, even the good ones. It's time for a whole new structure. Gore is doing good work on his own and I am sure he, because he is intelligent enough to understand the movement, would not want such a role.

[Gamow]

36. No. nt