The Best: 2011 had only one encouraging sign, the Occupy Wall Street movement. On September 17 th , protesters convened in Zuccotti Park in the heart of New York City's financial district and similar protests blossomed throughout the country. Occupy Wall Street is an expression of grassroots discontent with the economy in general, particularly the historic level of inequality; the rallying cry is, "We are the 99 percent."
As a consequence of Occupy Wall Street and the ineptitude of Washington Republicans, the national dialogue changed. The majority of Americans, the 99 percent, shifted focus from the budget deficit to jobs and economic justice. Voters came to believe the real problem with US politics is that corporations and the richest 1 percent have too much power.
In 2012 the challenge for the leaders of Occupy Wall Stree t will be to build upon the positive momentum and take advantage of the fact that the 99 percent don't like the current economic and political situation. The majority of Americans understand what the problems are; now they have to mobilize to change the system.
The big question for 2012 is who will lead this transformation? So far the Occupy Wall Street leadership seems unfocused. Meanwhile Republicans have become the Party of the 1 percent and Democrats often seem to be "Republicans lite." Who will become the authentic leaders of the 99 percent?
This moment feels like 1955 when Rosa Parks launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders emerged to launch a national Civil Rights Movement that changed US history. That's what we need in 2012.
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