Occupiers try to repeat history, urge convention in Philadelphia

From The Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-occupy-convention-20120223,0,1255598.story

By Michael Muskal
February 23, 2012

The Occupy movement is looking toward the future -- by taking a page out of the past -- with a group of Occupy protesters calling for a convention over the Fourth of July holiday in Philadelphia.

The convention would be the next step for a movement born out of demonstrations against income inequality and the failure of politics to curb corporate excess.

That movement began last fall when protesters in New York City occupied a park near Wall Street. That protest popularized the distinction between the 1% of the richest Americans as those who exert a disproportionate influence over the economy and politics, and the remaining 99% who are, in effect, ruled.

From those humble beginnings, the demonstration grew into a movement with occupations across the country.

At the peak, cities from Washington to Los Angeles had occupations of one sort or another, and thousands of people were arrested. Traditional institutions such as unions and social groups helped spread the anger.

But colder weather, increasingly unaccommodating municipal officials and complaints from businesspeople led to the occupations being closed down, leaving the slogans as a echo amid the national political campaigns.

Liberals have now adopted the sentiment, stressing unfairness as one of their memes in the ongoing presidential and congressional elections. Conservatives reply that the campaign is an example of class warfare.

But ever since the autumn of discontent morphed into the winter of political hibernation, many have wondered what would become of the movement and whether what began in a burst of anger would simply evaporate or be content to be co-opted by existing political parties.

Continue reading at: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-occupy-convention-20120223,0,1255598.story