OWS as "Post-political" Movement

Party on?

Occupy Wall Street's recently released survey data/overview of their supporters observes that over 70% of respondents self identified as politically independent.

Whatever your view of the movement - supportive, opposing, or apathetically cynical- the data reflects the fact that whatever the long range impact of the OWS movement will be, it is safe to claim that it is a major milestone in the breakdown of American two-party politics.

Though the movement trends both young and liberal, there are significant populations of older supporters (1 in 3 over 35) and at least measurable right wing presence (though 2.4% is an underwhelming number).

The overwhelming majority of responders were employed.

Paired with Mother Jones' recent piece on the significant NYPD sympathy for the protesters, this data should nuance the common public perception of the movement as merely a rag tag pool of unemployed potheads who have given up on yelling about the wars, and need something else to protest.

Rather, it is a movement that reflects a shockingly wide cross section of American society. Though the description "post-political" is likely a misnomer, it's my opinion that this will historically be seen as the beginning of the end of the current two party arrangement.

We are very dissatisfied politically, and in any real movement for change, the first thing to burn are the labels. Names matter.

Our system has been so broken for so long, that has been difficult for most voters to envision what politics would look like without the polarizing, see-saw dominance of the donkey and elephant. OWS is a glimpse of our political future: decentralized,  networked, vocal, and (though messy and disorganized) ready for the American government to speak for the people.

Will it be years before a major third/fourth party emerges to offer serious competition to the Republocrats? Probably.

Idealistic? Maybe.

Frightening? A little bit.

Inevitable? Absolutely.

(photo credit)