Occupy Wall Street: Facts and fictions

Diversity. Beyond the usual parameters of diversity promoted by the media (i.e., race, gender, sexual orientation and other qualities of birth), OWS reflects a great deal of ideological diversity. Conservatism isn’t likely among those ideologies, but there is plenty of room for anarchism, Marxism, communism, socialism, liberalism, progressivism, relativism, feminism, environmentalism, anti-Semitism and a dozen other –ism’s which defy easy classification. These inconsistent, unpopular and impractical — though diverse — philosophies are the main impediment to the formulation of a common theme and rational list of demands by the protesters.

Independence. Although few conservative Republicans will be found among the OWS ranks, the group is not an astro-turf front for the Democratic Party. For the most part, the OWS core is too anarchist and progressive to label themselves as conforming to a political institution. This is precisely the reason that Democrats, from Obama downward, have expressed sympathies and tacit approval for OWS. They hope their entreaties will win over the OWS vote. That OWS’s endorsement is sought by Democrats is a pregnant commentary on both groups.

For any chance of success, OWS must eschew its political independence, scattered ideology and hostility toward political procedures in order to adopt principled policy foundations which may be implemented by the Democratic Party. That is, OWS needs to change everything that has been truly reported about it in order to legitimize everything that has been false reported about it.

Justin Paulette is an attorney and professor in international and constitutional law. He is a fellow of the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs and covers politics at No Left Turns.