There are many reasons behind the 2012 election results, but more than anything, what provided the real catalyst for the eventual win of the Democratic party was the Occupy Wall Street movement--a revolution without which we would have fallen short.
I tip my hat to the patriots who braved inclement weather, hunger, sleepless nights, and the brutality of corporate goons in the form of police forces around the country, who not only put their own personal safety on the line, but came up with what was actually the brilliant strategy of a "leaderless" revolutionary movement that confounded the power structure, thus providing an opening for success.
It provided a big-enough tent for all kinds of victims of the tyrannical and brutal regime comprised of corrupt politicians (of both parties) and their corporate paymasters, who together, during the last couple of decades (especially during the Bush II years), colluded to oppress and exploit the good people of this country.
The movement (OWS) was instrumental in the awakening of a big-enough (if barely) segment of the population, which was able to overcome the propaganda effects of the corporate media conglomerate (all media in the U.S.).
By physically occupying thousands of public spaces around the country (peacefully) and refusing to leave, they nevertheless created the conditions for violent clashes with the corporate goons in the form of militarized police departments.
That situation in turn helped exposed the true nature of much of our governmental system: Corporate overlords controlling the levers of power by buying off politicians around the country.
The work has just begun. We have a rare opportunity to build on this electoral success in order to help bring about real democracy by cleaning up the cesspool of corruption that still permeates much of our governmental institutions.
The media is still in the hands of corporate conglomerates, and it's still being used to numb the mind. Wall Street criminals were never punished and are still colluding to commit more crimes, to keep most of our political class in their pockets. The Orwellian surveillance system is still in place.
With the election of people like Elizabeth Warren, many other true and brave public servants, we have a unique opportunity to revitalize our democracy.
Progressives need not take off their battle gear; to the contrary, we need to keep it on and march on to make sure we attain total victory by defeating the extraordinary forces that are currently aligned, acting in concert to undermine the remnants of democracy we still have.
Union power and representation needs to increase (about 80% of workers?); media corporate conglomerates need to be unraveled; dismantle the financial criminal cartels that now dominate the U.S. banking system; take on and defeat the lunatic Christian right (the American Taliban); clean up the incredible level of corruption that now permeates our government, including much of the Democratic politicians at national and local levels.
Don't let your guard down... The Oligarchs that still control much of our system of government are counting on it.
They are counting on the fact that you were scared with the thought of a Mitt Romney as president, and all the ugliness and craziness it represented, and that now you will let your guard down, happy with Obama and the Democratic leadership. But in fact, the Oligarchs still maintain much of the power. The corporate cartels and conglomerates are still calling the shots.
My hope is that Occupy Wall Street gets a second wind, reconstitutes, and comes back for the second round--a much needed round. Until we clean up the system, as we continue in our collective effort of making the United States of America a more perfect union.
There is a lot more to do...