Dan Ellender

This analysis of the Arab Spring, to which some are comparing the Occupy Wall Street Movement, gives insight to political realities: When the ruling parties (in our case I think it's both Republicans and Democrats) tries to get on your bandwagon, it can give your movement a burst of momentum and then leave you flat.

This is more or less what happened to the so called Tea Party, which began as a platform from which to endorse or disapprove political candidates in support of smaller government. They were successful in getting seats in our legislature. They've been less successful at sustaining their momentum as they're now seen as a tool of the Republican Party.

The Democratic Party is trying to do the same with the Occupy Wall Street movement. My instinct tells me that the key for success is for the groups of citizens, Tea Partiers and Occupy Wall Streeters alike, to combine forces, find common ground, and get people into office that would really try to reform things. Granted the Tea Party congress faction has tried this, but they've misread their mandate. I'm sure many would disagree, but the key to a grass roots effort is to listen to your roots, find common ground with the general populace, and grow.

The ball is now in the court for Occupy Wall Street to do this. Otherwise, they will fall to the attempt by establishment Democrats to adopt them. The platform seems obvious: smaller more efficient government, achieved cutting out the get-rich-paid-by-special-interest group congressmen. The method of achieving this change will come through exposure of the rascals in Congress for the money-grubbing that they're on record for. Are there some "well-behaved" members of congress? The New Party needs to agree on who these are, who they arent, and institute real change. For example, why aren't we voting on-line? Why is government located in one central place in the twenty first century?

Come on, Wall Streeters! Your basic non-oligarchy stance is good! Let's write the middleman out of our government and use the web for some 2.0 Democracy!