By Wayne Allyn Root, Former Libertarian Vice Presidential Nominee
“Occupy Wall Street” is becoming the big news story. But the irony is that nobody understands what is truly going on. The media, both political parties, the experts, even the protestors themselves- they’ve all got it wrong.
Nancy Pelosi thinks these protests are like the Tea Party protests. She couldn’t be more wrong. The Tea Parties are filled with people who have jobs and pay taxes. They want government to stop wasting taxpayer dollars and be fiscally responsible. They are against all bailouts. The “Occupy Wall Street” protests are filled with leftist malcontents and rabble rousers. Since the government is bailing out banks and big corporations, they say it’s only fair they be bailed out too. They want more money to be stolen from those that earn it, to be redistributed to themselves. They are screaming for their own personal bailout. Big difference, wouldn’t you say?
Former Minnesota Governor Jesse “The Body” Ventura compares the “Occupy Wall Street” crowd with the so-called Arab Spring. He thinks great things came from the protests sweeping the Arab world, and therefore great things will come from the protests here. Unfortunately, the Arab Spring is becoming a disaster for fair-minded, moderate, and decent citizens of these Arab countries…and for humanity. The Arab Spring’s mass protests are leading to radical Islamic and terrorist groups taking control of the region. These groups are dedicated to the destruction of Israel, enslaving women, religious intolerance, murder of Christians, and hatred of America.
Then there’s Herman Cain and other conservative Republican Presidential candidates. They see only the leftist influence of the “Occupy Wall Street” crowd. They see jobless bums who want to live on the dole. They see Obama, George Soros, unions, and communist organizers egging on the protestors. This is all true. But what conservatives are missing is that the protestors have a few good points. The U.S. political system is corrupt. Big corporations, lobbyists, and lawyers are taking advantage of the taxpayers. The bailout of banks and Wall Street was a massive mistake. Billions handed out by government to Obama contributors under the guise of “green energy” is a looting of the taxpayers.
I’ve spent my life defending capitalism. But the system we have now isn’t capitalism. It’s “Crony Capitalism.” The banks, Wall Street, and big corporations have joined forces with politicians of both sides to fleece the American taxpayer. The billion dollar public companies in America aren’t conservative or liberal. They are just out for themselves. And the rest of us be damned.
These big companies took capitalist risks, lost big, then went to the government with hat in hand like welfare queens. The same banks that took billions in bailouts from the American taxpayers, then refused to lend to those same taxpayers. Many (but not all) bank and Wall Street CEO’s joined with politicians in criminal conspiracies to loot our country and defraud taxpayers. Conservatives need to face the truth. Just because we dislike the messengers, doesn’t mean there isn’t some truth to the message.
Unfortunately, while part of the protestors’ message is right, their solution is all wrong. By demanding more government regulations, they are playing into the hands of the big corporations, banks, and politicians they despise. These big companies and banks want more rules and regulations. That is to their advantage. They can afford to comply. The more onerous the regulations, the worse it is for their smaller competitors who can’t afford armies of lawyers, lobbyists and accountants. Big business and government have in fact formed an unholy alliance to destroy the competition- just like a criminal gang, or a mafia family. Their goal is to control a monopoly and force all of us to work for them, and buy from them. Ironically, these leftist protestors are doing the bidding of big government, big unions, and big corporations.
But as much as I hate to admit this, part of the protestors’ message is striking deep in the gut of middle class Americans. It’s resonating with small business owners like me. We all feel it- our country is slipping away; special interests are looting the taxpayers; big corporations are gaming the system; the little guy is getting hit from all sides. Small business creates all the jobs, yet big business is making all the rules and stealing all the money.
The protestors are mostly jobless bongo-playing fools…for the moment. But, they are merely the canary in the coal mine for the serious unrest on the streets of America soon to come. Soon I fear the mobs will include rioting taxpayers, respected small business owners, grandmothers from Ohio, and veterans from Iowa. Add to the mix millions of formerly gainfully-employed, middle class Americans, now jobless for months, or years on end.
The D.C. politicians had better be afraid…very afraid. If the Tea Party…who also hates the Fed…and despises the bailouts…and wants to stop the looting of America by special interests…joins forces with the “Occupy Wall Street” crowd, all bets are off.
If that happens, both Nancy Pelosi and Herman Cain will be surprised at the depth of anger and despair. None of the fat cats or government bureaucrats in D.C. feel it, or understand it. They haven’t skipped a beat. Their checks are still big…and getting bigger. Their pensions are gold-plated. Their healthcare is paid for life.
Their friends in the big corporations, banks and Wall Street are still drowning in caviar and bathing in Perrier, because our government looted average taxpayers to bail out the CEO’s and bankers. But Main Street has gotten none of this stimulus or bailout money. The peasants with the pitchforks are starving. Soon I predict the storm clouds will grow darker, as middle class Americans on Main Street scream to the political class, “Can you hear us now?” By then it may be too late.
Wayne Allyn Root is a former Libertarian vice presidential nominee. He now serves as Chairman of the Libertarian National Congressional Committee. He is the best-selling author of “The Conscience of a Libertarian: Empowering the Citizen Revolution with God, Guns, Gold & Tax Cuts.” His web site:www.ROOTforAmerica.com
