US Politics Analysis: How Occupy Wall Street Tilted This Presidential Election Towards Obama

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Tim Pool describes Monday's protests by Occupy Wall Street on its one-year anniversary

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What has happened since 2010 that means voters are prepared to re-elect a President whose economic record is so unpopular?

Occupy Wall Street is what happened.

Occupy is not the only reason why Romney's economic narrative has faltered. Indeed, in the larger electoral picture, it is only a small contribution to the GOP's poor campaign, but Occupy did something that observers have failed to appreciate in their rush to dismiss the movement as a fad or failure. The protesters changed the background, even as they failed to build a mass of participation, against which the contending economic visions of Obama and Romney are now framed.

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US Politics Analysis: Santorum Drops Out, But Can Romney Win?

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On Tuesday afternoon, Rick Santorum suspended his campaign to become the Republican nominee for this November's US Presidential election. His effective withdrawal from the race --- while his run is suspended, Santorum can still raise money to pay off campaign debts --- leaves Mitt Romney as the GOP candidate to face President Obama.

That passive expression, "leaves Mitt Romney", sums up the work the former Massachusetts Governor has to do in the next 6 months to persuade wavering American voters he has the conviction to be elected President. The overriding impression from the last few months of Republican primaries is that Mitt is the last man standing, a victor because of his overwhelming superiority in finances and campaign organisation. He will not enjoy those advantages in a contest with President Obama and what is sure to be a withering assault from the Democratic Party.

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US Politics Feature: Ron Paul, the Youth Vote, and the Legalisation of Marijuana

Before and after the Iowa caucuses, one of the curious stories to emerge was the extraordinary support 76-year-old Paul was garnering among the youth of that state. Most of the commentary credited it to his followers in the anti-war brigade and associated it with the growing disillusionment with America's conflicts abroad.

A natural conclusion; and with some merit. But that alone does not explain why he appealed, according to CIRCLE (the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) to 48% of voters under the age of 30.

One possibility is that many young Paul supporters are not voting for him, first and foremost, because of his views on foreign policy. Instead, they are considering their personal lifestyles and deciding that Paul, with his calls for the legalisation of marijuana, is the candidate who best represents their interests.

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Egypt Special: Are Writing and Walking Really Such a Threat to the Regime? (Meth)

The Story of Maikel Nabil --- A short video about the blogger, sentenced to 2 years for writing a post critical of the military

See also Egypt Feature: "The One Citizen" --- Political Prisoner Maikel Nabil's Powerful Critique
Egypt Video: Alaa Abd-El Fattah Speaks Out After Release from Prison

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I was detained by the military at around 7 pm last Tuesday [20 December] for walking home. I must have been walking a menacing kind of walk. I often place one foot in front of the other and propel my body forward through space, which I now understand could be interpreted in the wrong way and constitute what George Orwell might call a “walkcrime".

“Where are you going?” asked a young military officer who caught up with me and slid his arm through mine. I explained that I had been trying to walk around a military checkpoint blocking my route home. “Come with me,” he said, smiling, as he guided me back toward the checkpoint.

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Meta-Occupation: What Happened When Occupy Wall Street Took Over...A Replica of Occupy Wall Street?

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A few hours after a replica of Occupy Wall Street was set up in New York's Foley Square for the filming of a new episode of Law and Order Special Victims Unit, the real Occupy Wall Street announced plans to take over the model one, sending the message via Twitter on Wednesday night with the hashtag #Mockupy.

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Iran Music Special: The Basij Militia Rap for Occupy Wall Street

We have repeatedly noted the Iranian regime's love of protest --- well, protest that is 1) in America or 2) by Basij militia "students", say, in front of a foreign embassy.

But what if the two could be combined? And what if it could be done through music? Not just music, but hard-core urban rap music?

Basij member Hashem Bafghi has made that protest dream come true. A snippet of the English lyrics:

Occupy Wall Street is a real war street
What Happened to the American Dream?
Don’t watch and have ice cream
Capitalism failed everyone
Killed the people one by one

Unfortunately, we cannot embed this iconic track, but you can have a listen and rap along here (hat tip to Golnaz Esfandiari of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty).

And, for a reminder that criticism of Wall Street is not just a 21st-century thing, you can enjoy a less aggressive foreign intervention through music:

Occupy Wall Street (and Beyond) LiveStream: Police Raid Occupy Los Angeles

More than 1000 police are reportedly moving this morning on the main site of Occupy Los Angeles, making arrests. Live footage from near the scene --- Greg Mitchell of The Nation is live-blogging developments:

Iran Triangle: Regime Loves Occupy Wall Street...But Occupy Wall Street Supports Political Prisoners

A demonstrator talks about prominent reformist Mostafa Tajzadeh, held since soon after the 2009 elections and sentenced to six years

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We have been reporting for weeks on the Iranian regime's support of Occupy Wall Street as the "American Awakening" --- following Tehran's "Islamic Awakening" --- to change the US system. There have been regime-backed demonstrations, a glossy website "Wall Street Fall", and a declaration that 250,000 Basij militia will mobilise for the movement.

But the regime's love might be unrequited --- it appears that the US protesters only have eyes for those who have been detained in their pursuit of rights and justice. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports:

An Iranian activist and a student of anthropology at Yale University has launched Campaign99 to generate international solidarity with political prisoners in Iran.

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Occupy Wall Street (and Beyond) Video: How Police in Oakland Said "Happy Thanksgiving"

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Police clashed with protesters in Oakland, California on Thursday, reportedly after an officer told a driver delivering portable toilets to Frank H. Ogawa Plaza to leave because he did not have the proper permit.

Occupy Oakland soon released, "Video of OPD tackling ppl today over a couple of Port-a-Potties. Seriously."

The footage shows a protester wrestled to the ground, as others were handcuffed. At least one arrest was reported.

US Video: Police Pepper-Spray Sitting Protesters at California University

UPDATE 1520 GMT: Last night the UC Davis Chancellor, Linda Katehi, walked three blocks to her SUV amidst several hundred students, all of whom maintained a silent protest.

UPDATE 1500 GMT: An open letter calling for Chancellor Linda Katehi's resignation, written by a UC Davis faculty member, is making its way around the Internet.

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