Let’s “OCCUPY” the Democratic Party! Tonight, Irvine – Truman Dinner.

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It SHOULD be a natural fit – and the fact that it totally isn’t is a testament to the corrosive power of the almighty dollar in our political system.

Oh, I’m talking about the natural fit that SHOULD exist between the Democratic Party – supposedly the party of the people, especially since it embraced Civil Rights and “lost the South for a generation” back in the 60s – and this new “Occupy” movement which began last month with Occupy Wall Street, has spread like wildfire, and advocates clearly for the rights of the lower 99% of us against the privileges of the top 1%.

Shall we count, here, the ways the Democratic Party has let the people down over the decades?  That would really take too long.  Let’s just say the Party has been schizophrenic, including as it does the most bold and progressive politicians the nation has, side by side with Wall Street hacks, corporate lackeys and warmongers.  And maybe it’s true in the current climate that if President Obama wasn’t getting Wall Street and Big Pharma cash we would have ended up with a McCain-Palin Presidency and two more Scalia clones on the Supreme Court.

Dylan Ratigan, in his “Get Money Out” campaign, tells us that “94% of the time the candidate that raises the most money wins.”  This just has to change, and right now the only way is for all us citizens to stay informed, focused, involved, and on the politicians like white on rice – only THAT can neutralize the power of big money at this point.  I like to tell the story of FDR when some progressive thinkers went and told him about their great ideas for a “New Deal.”  “I love it, gentlemen,” responded the President, “Now GET OUT THERE AND FORCE ME TO DO IT!”  That’s what WE need to do for Obama and the Democrats.

To be clear – This is Not An Official “Occupy Orange County” Event!

The folks who are running Occupy Orange County are not officially behind this; some of them may be involved, but they are adamant about keeping politics and Parties out of the movement, and I agree with them.  I do not want to see the Democratic Party co-opting this movement the way the Republicans took over the Tea Party.   Granted it would sure be great for a progressive grassroots movement to have the clout with the Dems that the Teabaggers wield, but not at the cost of taking orders and losing our focus.

No, this is not an Occupy Orange County idea, this is a Vern Nelson idea, and I hope at least a couple dozen of my friends from DFA, PDA, and any other like-minded frustrated Democrats will show up tonight (Tuesday, October 11, 5:30-7 pm) at the annual DPOC fundraiser known as the Truman Dinner, which will be featuring Governor Brown as keynote speaker.

Please bring signs CHALLENGING the Party to stand up for its professed ideals and us 99%.  E-mail me at ChezVern@aol.com to help co-ordinate.  We can discuss sign ideas here or by e-mail.  There will be media talking to us.  There will be Republican and Teabagger protesters yelling the usual nonsense at Dem attendees – communists, traitors, etc. – we need to make it clear we’re not with them.  Let’s roll…

Facebook link.

For your video enjoyment – Once and future Dem Congressman Alan Grayson
schools dried-up husk of his old funny conservative self PJ O’Rourke
on what the message of the protesters is:

– As he admits, “One Party is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wall Street, and the other Party caters to them as well.”  What I’m talking about.


About Vern Nelson

Greatest pianist/composer in Orange County, and official political troubadour of Anaheim and most other OC towns. Regularly makes solo performances, sometimes with his savage-jazz band The Vern Nelson Problem. Reach at vernpnelson@gmail.com, or 714-235-VERN.