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Cry havoc and let slip the primaries!
The Democratic Party is going to be taken out for a walk (and not a moment too soon). One of the first candidates from the Occupy Movement has announced their campaign, from Politico:
Nathan Kleinman, a 29-year-old member of the Occupy Philadelphia movement, intends to run for congress in Pennsylvania’s 13th district against Democratic incumbent Allyson Schwartz.
“The petition gathering period starts today and lasts for three weeks, so I plan to file by then,” Kleinman told me over the phone today. “I’ll be running in the Democratic primary.”
Kleinman, who refers to himself as a human rights activist and organizer, served as an aide to Joe Sestak’s unsuccessful 2010 Senate campaign before becoming a legislative assistant to Pennsylvania State Representative Josh Shapiro.
More recently, he has been a member of the Occupy Philadelphia movement, participating in a number of associated working groups, including “Free University,” “Outreach Working Group,” “Process Working Group,” “Camp Liberty,” and “The Committee of Correspondence,” through which he became involved with InterOccupy.org, which he describes as “a central hub for communications” in the national Occupy movement.
Now, he plans to campaign for the House of Representatives, which would make him the first member of the Occupy movement to seek a seat in Congress.
More to come, watch your back Blue Dogs.
29 Comments
Calling him a “candidate from the Occupy movement” is a little misleading. From the article you linked to: Kleinman told me that he intends to run on his own, autonomous platform, but will “stay involved in the Occupy movement” during the campaign.
Leave it to Politico to not understand or elaborate on that important caveat.
Kleinman is running in the Democratic primary, not even as a third party candidate. Do you know if Occupy Philadelphia has any positions re endorsing candidates of any party? I think most Occupies are choosing not to endorse and it will be interesting to see how they react to these “Occupy Candidate” headlines. Personally I think it will be the death knell for Occupy if we allow ourselves to be conflated with Democratic party candidates – or frankly, those of any party.
This guy is running in the Democratic primary. He is a Democrat who happens to participate in OCCUPY. Democrats are part of the 99%. I don’t see a problem.
The problem is that the MSM would love to be able to turn Occupy in to a political party or an organization that endorses candidates and it’s not. The “Occupy candidate” phrase is a major problem.
Many of us occupiers reject party politics entirely, although autonomous actions like voting are not discouraged. But running candidates – or being perceived to be running candidates – is not what we’re about. I would be out in a heartbeat if the movement turns into that, without massive reform or revolution first.
Here’s what Occupy Philadelphia thinks about it, at least those posting on their Facebook page (I don’t know how to link to the specific thread, but it was the second one on the page a minute ago). https://www.facebook.com/OccupyPhiladelphia
This guy is a Democratic candidate, not an Occupy candidate.
Your headline is misleading.
“Democrats are part of the 99%”
Does that include the multimillionaires in Congress and the Senate?
In Minnesota I have been active in Occupy Minnesota from Day One. In fact I helped organize the Street Medics before the Occupy Minnesota started. I was present at Occupy Minnesota from the very start. I have been a regular Street Medic.
I have been a declared candidate for US Senate in Minnesota for months before that.
I would never call myself an Occupy Candidate. In fact I can’t. The reason is that the Occupy Movement has never had a General Assembly to ask if they would endorse my/or campaign. I have strong support with people active in the Occupy Movement but the facts remain. Has this person been endorsed by a GA there? I strongly suspect that he has not.
The Democratic Party are trying as best they can to co-opt Occupy. This is one more example of that.
They will fail. People are waking up.
No kidding, Alternate ID. If you google “occupy candidate” or “OWS candidate” right now, you’ll see that several news organizations have picked up what I assume was Politico’s choice of headline and are running with it.
Michael, thank you for that concise explanation; I hope you’re right that people are waking up. Although it sounds as if Kleinman – like you – actually has been very active within Occupy, practically anyone who has participated in any way could claim to be an “Occupy candidate” by this measure.
I don’t think Occupiers should ‘endorse’ him . . . but if they agree with what he stands for, they should vote for him and perhaps work to get out the vote.
BINGO!
I can’t see a GA supporting anything even remotely close to this.
There are also Republicans who are occupiers; I doubt the GOP would try to co-opt that like Dims are trying to now.
He’s primarying the chair of Third Way, which is admirable in and of itself.
But yes, any candidate of any party should be able to sign on to the goals of Occupy Wall Street and label themselves an “Occupy Candidate”
I respect the GA process and think it is valuable and a great example for everyone on how democracy works. But I don’t see it’s role as certifying or decertifying candidates as Occupiers or not.
If Mr. Kleinman starts moving away from Occupy principles I and others will unhesitatingly note that fact.
It’s pretty odious that he’s the first (known) Occupy Whore candidate.
Boooooooooo.
I get it. The problem is with the diary headline, not with Politico. Well yeah. That is a problem.
Sorry. I should not have implied that all Democrats are part of the 99%
You may have misunderstood my comment – I am saying that NO candidate should be able to call themselves an Occupy Candidate – certainly not without that endorsement passing GA – and even in that unlikely event, it should be limited strictly to the city in question.
I’m not sure that you can identify “Occupy principles” or “the goals of Occupy Wall Street” that easily either. OWS is not the same as Occupy Philly is not the same as Occupy Oakland, etc. While we all share some very core beliefs in economic justice, each city has its own individual identity. Suggesting that some candidate running in the Democratic party primary in Philadelphia is going to the the first representative of the Occupy movement is kind of ridiculous. I suspect Kleinman would probably agree.
“is going to be the first representative” – where is that edit button!
I’m looking forward to his prompt disavowal of the “Occupy Candidate” title. Should I hold my breath? I really can’t tell whether this is him being a whore or the known whore Politico being themselves.
Point taken; thank you. I read DSWright as saying Kleinman has owned the mantle purposely.
Asking for an endorsement by a GA could easily lead to bogus power plays by a few that our friend in Tucson has spoken to here and there, totally antithetical to the spirit of the movement nationwide. IMHO, of course. ;o)
I was just reading a rather silly piece from Alternet at Naked Capitalism (can’t think why Yves stuck it up, actually) asking if Occupy would benefit from the Mitt-Newt slug-fest (WOT??), and in the comment stream someone stuck in this link at least tangential to this subject:
http://newsjunkiepost.com/2012/01/22/has-ex-goldmann-sachs-staff-turned-democrat-campaigner-infiltrated-occupy/
If he was running as an independent and was endorsed by Occupy, perhaps you could call him an “Occupy Candidate”.
If there was an Occupy Party and he was running under its auspices, you could surely call him an “Occupy Candidate”.
But he is not and they have not and he is running under the auspices of the Democratic Party so that makes him a Democratic candidate.
Your headline is wrong.
Perhaps you mean something along the lines of “Democratic Candidate Endorses Occupy Principles”.
It did sound a little out-of-character
;^)
“Occupy needs to work with others, but they can’t allow themselves to be worked over in the process. The most powerful political machines on the planet are doing more than just observing you and nipping at your heals. They are in the process of chewing you up so that they can spit you out on November 7.”
Indeed. This is going to be happening nonstop between now and then.
And I can’t think how Occupy would benefit from Mitt v. Newt. Newt winning that slugfest is likely to be a detriment because, IMHO, he is such an odious slimeball that the LOTE folks will have an easier argument – stop Occupyin’ and start GOTVing for Obama. Some people will be doing both but not me; I can’t hold those two opposing thoughts in my mind at the same time.
Yes. Many Occupies have already done a preemptive strike by passing resolution against endorsement of any party or candidate. I think it would be hard to undo those resolutions. Or at least I hope it would.
Names? Websites?
@metamars: Occupy Oakland’s resolution re Political Parties and Politicians: http://occupyoakland.org/2011/11/general-assembly-resolutions/
OWS Statement of Autonomy which includes the following: We wish to clarify that Occupy Wall Street is not and never has been affiliated with any established political party, candidate or organization. http://www.nycga.net/2011/11/09/draft-proposal-for-thursday-1110-general-assembly-call-to-action/
Occupy Pittsburgh: http://www.occupypittsburgh.org/content/statement-representation
I don’t have time to look for additional examples right now, but any occupy websites have a list of proposals that have passed their GAs if you are interested in seeing for yourself.
Thanks very much. I’ll check these out, later.
I don’t believe OccupyNewark has a ” list of proposals that have passed their GAs “.
Just found http://www.nycga.net/category/assemblies/proposals-past/, by way of occupywallst.org, via occupywallstreet.org.
I checked on DD’s live blog of the SOTU just to see how many masochists were actually watching. Whoosh. Plenty.
But someone mentioned an ‘Occupy Portland candidate’. I googled, and actually found *two* running for mayor of Portland (WTH?):
Cameron Whitten
http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2012/01/19/occupy-portland-activist-formally-launches-mayoral-bid
Jefferson Smith
http://blog.oregonlive.com/portlandcityhall/2011/11/portland_mayoral_candidate_jef.html
Further searching found what OP GA’s position is:
“All candidates for Portland’s Mayor and City Council are being invited. It’s been endorsed by the GA, and it’s being hosted by the Oregon Working Families Party and Occupy Portland. Please note: Occupy Portland does not and will not endorse any political parties or candidates. We continue to encourage people to take nonviolent direct action beyond voting and the electoral system.’
http://www.portlandwiki.org/Occupy_Portland_Events
My comment was supposed to say “MANY occupy websites have a list . . .” and as you may have discovered, they are all really different and it’s sometimes hard to find info about their proposals/resolutions. I’m guessing a lot of other cities took their cue from OWS, especially at the beginning.
Very interesting. I bet this trend continues and the media will continue to use the “Occupy candidate” label whether the candidates themselves or the occupies claim it. The only candidate that I am aware of who has the endorsement of Occupy is Mike Check.
LOL! Glad you saw this info. ;o)