Walking by Zuccotti Park, you might think that Occupy Wall Street had
vanished into thin air. But if you walk a few blocks further, to the
public atrium at 60 Wall St, you’ll find working groups deep in
conversation. The work of Occupy continues, in New York City and across
the country as well. Indeed, some Occupy groups have begun campaigns
with a specific goal: policy reform.
One of the most substantial examples of policy efforts within Occupy is a group called Occupy the SEC,
which for months has been meeting twice weekly to review the 298-page
Volcker Rule through a diligent, line-by-line reading and analysis. The
group’s goal is to submit a public comment to the Securities and
Exchange Commission examining potential loopholes in the rule. When
implemented, the Volcker Rule, part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform
and Consumer Protection Act, will restrict American banks from making
certain forms of speculative investments, such as proprietary trading.
