Occupy Imitates Tea Party, Founding Fathers With 'The 99% Declaration'

Liberals may like to make fun of the Tea Party for wearing period dress, but their mass movement has apparently realized that playing as the Founders can bring results. NPR reports that a group affiliated with Occupy Wall Street is planning a "national convention" in Philadelphia this summer, and the setup may sound more than a little familiar:

According to the group, which is dubbed "The 99% Declaration," an online election will decide on the 876 delegates — a man and woman from each Congressional district — who will gather in Philadelphia on July 4th. [...]

On the group's website, they explain that the delegates will draft and ratify a "petition for a redress of grievances," which will then be sent to all members of Congress, the president and Supreme Court justices.

And if that doesn't give you Deja Vu, one of the group's spokespeople has even said, "We feel that following the footsteps of our founding fathers is the right way to go." They have made at least one step forward in that regard, in that this time the group has actually paid for a venue, rather than simply occupying it.

For those wondering what the group's final petition for a redress of grievances might look like, they have helpfully listed a full 21 demands already on their website. The extended explanations of these demands are too long to reprint here, but the list of demands follows:

1. Elimination of the Corporate State/Ban on all "private political contributions"

2. Overturn the Citizens United case

3. Elimination of all private benefits to public servants

4. Term limits

5. A Fair Tax Code

6. Health Care for All/Medicare for all and/or adoption of a single-payer system

7. Protection of the Planet

8. Debt Reduction

9. Jobs for All Americans

10. Student Loan Debt Refinancing

11. Ending Perpetual War for Profit

12. Emergency Reform of Public Education

13. End Outsourcing and Currency Manipulation

14. Banking and Securities Reform

15. Foreclosure Moratorium, Mortgage Refinancing and Principle Write Downs

16. Review and Reform of the Federal Reserve Banking System

17. Ending the Electoral College and Enactment of Uniform Federal Election Rules in All of the States

18. Ending the War in Afghanistan and Care of Veterans

19. No Censorship of the Internet

20. Reinstitution of Civil Rights Including the Repeal of the NDAA

21. Curtailing the Private Prison Industrial Complex

This is only a preliminary list of demands, which may grow or shrink, depending on the convention. Are these protesters "following in the footsteps of the Founding Fathers?" Weigh in below.