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Senate Democrats Cheer Wall Street Protests

Senate Democrats, in interviews today with National Review Online, roundly praised the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. Sen. John Kerry (D., Mass.), for example, identified himself as an ally of the cause. “I’m very, very understanding of where they’re coming from,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of frustration and a lot of anger, and I’d been sort of anticipating that before long, people were going to start demonstrating it in various ways.”

Sen. Ben Cardin (D., Md.) also mounted a defense. “Look, Americans have the right to express themselves,” he said. “It’s been very peaceful and that’s what America’s about — people who want to protest should have the right to protest, as long as it’s peaceful and doesn’t interfere with the lives of people in the community.”

Sen. Bob Casey (D., Penn.) went a step further, telling NRO that the message from the rowdy rallies echoes the concerns of Pennsylvanians. “They’re a substantial demonstration of real frustration and anxiety that people feel across the country, and I think it’s consistent with a lot of what I hear back in Pennsylvania, especially when we were more on the ground in August, when people said to me two things: Do something about jobs and work to get something done.”

Still, not everyone on the left seems completely convinced. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I., Conn.) did not claim to understand the movement. “I’m watching it with interest and trying to figure out what they’re saying,” he said. “Obviously there’s a generalized unhappiness in the country about the way the economy’s going and about the way the government’s not working. So I think it’s important to listen.”

New on The Corner. . .


COMMENTS   42

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Jim G
   10/06/11 17:47

Ha ha. Casey's comment is particularly absurd. This crowd isn't looking for jobs. Not real ones (where you know, you have to actually WORK). They want handouts, or to be given high-paying, no-show jobs as a reward for their existence.

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   10/06/11 17:50

Do something about jobs? And attacking Wall Street will do this? I've heard a lot of anti-capitalism from the protesters...that's a pro jobs viewpoint?

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   10/06/11 17:54

Um, it has nothing to do with current popular anything, since it was all planned about a year ago by diehard communists. Why is anyone giving these red idiots the time of day?

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   10/06/11 18:00

Democrats ... die hard communists

Need I spell out the connection?

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skeptiktb
   10/06/11 18:04

Yes, Mark, please spell out the connection.

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   10/06/11 18:20

When you can demonstrate that you have found a pathway back to reality, I'll spend time trying to explain the obvious to you.

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skeptiktb
   10/06/11 18:25

Ah yes, the Colonel Ripper logic. "It's incredibly obvious isn't it Mandrake?" You spend far too much time calling people names. Just once, explicate! How are Democrats just like commies. Give it a shot.

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J. D.
   10/06/11 19:51

Let me try to help you -

Democrats = Socialists

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   10/06/11 20:08

Liberalism and communism are both variants of socialism -- liberalism is just sentimental socialism, while communism is unsentimental socialism.

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   10/06/11 20:32

Some things are "obvious.". That's why the word exists.

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rlhunt
   10/06/11 23:15

Democrats now equal commies because they advocate no personal freedom or accountability, government (state) controlled everything from cradle to grave, elimination of individual rights as opposed to the mandates of the collective state, central planning versus a free market economy, destruction of the middle class and free market business institutions through onerous taxation and regulation and then looking for a scapegoat when the economy is in shambles (i.e. Wall Street is to blame, not Obama and the rest of his democrat sycophants), elimination of private property, total state control of the media and now the internet (the first thing commies like to do is silence anyone who speaks out against them), forcing people to join unions or be threatened with loss of job or bodily harm or whatever the unions do these days(card check?), etc, etc, etc. Is that explicative enough for you or do I need to go on ad infinitum?? Is it getting clearer.....You bet people are angry....but not at Wall Street....

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skeptiktb
   10/07/11 11:15

Accountability? I don't understand. The Bush administration took over a strong country, at peace, with a viable revenue base. He left it a total shambles. I have neither heard nor read of one single GOPer taking responsibility for the busted economy, quagmires in the middle east, or the biggest disaster to ever happen to the U.S. Not a single one. I have a hunch I'm not getting through to you, rlhunt, but you are really mad at the wrong people.

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   10/07/11 09:41

If you can't see it, it's because you don't want to.

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FearTheTree
   10/06/11 17:57

And I'm watching with interest as to an explanation why Senator Lieberman would consider himself a member of the center-left movement.

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skeptiktb
   10/06/11 18:00

Lieberman now un homme du gauche? Really? NRO's amusement at the Wall Street protesters is quite odd. Two years ago, a bunch of babies began a "protest" because their candidate lost a fairly contested election, and NRO cheered their every....single....inane statement. Now some, very disorganized, folks are pointing at the the group who truly caused the catastrophe and all NRO can do is make fun of them. What gives? True, the "tea partiers" had an entire network at their beck and call, and two billionaire right wingers cheering them on and paying for much of their chaos. Still, one wonders if NRO writers just aren't very honest. Here's a fact, folks: the tea partiers looked stupid. They just had far richer backers.

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   10/06/11 18:21

Nice to know that your connection with reality remains as imaginary as ever.

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J. D.
   10/06/11 19:55

Surely you jest skeptik - with Soros, the Unions, Van Jones and now Bill Ayres giving credence to your *movement* don't you think the cat is not only out of the bag but running like a scared 'haint into the crowd.

Your movement now has a head and a voice and it isn't a pretty picture.

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MarkJ
   10/06/11 18:01

I'm sure the Donks will be very supportive of the protests...until they discover their campaign contributions from Wall Street have suddenly dried up.

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Moe Coors
   10/06/11 18:02

Oh nos! If we attack Wall Street they'll lay off even more people! We need to sacrifice a goat, or send them another trillion or so before they get angry with us again!

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Eli32
   10/06/11 18:05

WHERE are all the interviews of protestors, asking them if they have something to say about the passing on of Steve Jobs, an incredibly successful CEO??? If the mainstream media isn't doing that today, shame on them.....

by the way, my captcha was "mexico all inclusive" ---- is that some subliminal pro-Perry message?

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