Category Archives: Uncategorized

New Hampshire, the Tea Party, and movement capture

Posted on January 10, 2012 by David S. Meyer

As New Hampshire voters and others try to sift through the mess of small differences among the Republican hopefuls (and as everyone in the rest of the country overinterprets the results) it’s good to take a step back to think … Continue reading →

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The Tea Party’s Iowa

Posted on January 5, 2012 by David S. Meyer

Protest movements sometimes have perverse effects, hastening outcomes they don’t want.  Tuesday’s Republican Iowa caucus has to be scored as a disappointment for the Tea Party, perhaps a sign of its dissolution. The Tea Party, an alliance between populist and … Continue reading →

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Occupy the Constitution

Posted on January 2, 2012 by David S. Meyer

At least several hundred protesters marched after the Tournament of Roses Parade, drawing some cheers, some boos, and extensive media coverage.  (Occupy the Rose Parade and the Hollywood Alist estimated 5,000 Occupy marchers.) Parades are occasions for spectacle and theater, … Continue reading →

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Occupy at the Rose Bowl

Posted on December 31, 2011 by David S. Meyer

A march looks a lot like a parade with demands. Occupy the Rose Parade will present a presence–with floats–at the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade on Monday morning in Pasadena. The parade, patriotic and explicitly non-political, allows cause groups to … Continue reading →

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Who pays for free speech?

Posted on December 30, 2011 by David S. Meyer

One night some years ago, while rushing out to the store to get milk for my kid (my excuse), I rolled slowly through a stop sign.  A police officer stopped and cited me, apologizing as he did so.  To prevent … Continue reading →

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Is protest contagious?

Posted on December 29, 2011 by David S. Meyer

As the year comes to an end, unexpected and potentially powerful protest movements are appearing in unexpected places, including China, Russia, and Syria, threatening to topple regimes and change the world. Protest movements seem to appear in a spate.  Arab … Continue reading →

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Occupy the Iowa Caucus

Posted on December 28, 2011 by David S. Meyer

Occupy activists are flocking to Des Moines for the new year, in an effort to Occupy Iowa’s Republican caucuses?  Why?  Certainly the Occupy approach has little appeal for the Republican caucus-goers, who veer more toward religious conservatism. But Occupiers know … Continue reading →

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Can the Tea Party reelect Barack Obama?

Posted on December 11, 2011 by David S. Meyer

If Barack Obama is somehow able to win reelection, the Tea Party should be on his list for a thank you note. President Obama’s prospects for reelection are decidedly mixed, but better than we’d expect given all else in the … Continue reading →

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Occupy to office

Posted on December 10, 2011 by David S. Meyer

Tracy Postert’s protests with Occupy Wall Street led rather directly to a job inside nearby.  Ms. Postert, a biochemist with a Ph.D., had suffered bouts of unemployment over the years, and had a hard time finding another job in science.  … Continue reading →

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Pandering to Occupy

Posted on December 7, 2011 by David S. Meyer

Successful social movements spark the imagination and stiffen the spine of mainstream politicians, especially ambitious or desperate politicians. Occupy has taken a lot of flak for failing to generate concrete policy proposals, but I’ve always thought that others will do … Continue reading →

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