To properly understand what’s happening with the Tea Parties and Occupiers, we need to read, or reread, George Orwell’s book, “Animal Farm,” in which the animals came to believe they were doing all the work (think labor unions and Democrats) but men had all the money and power (think Wall Street and Republicans).

So the animals, led by smart pigs and supported by the other animals – especially hard-working, faithful horses – commenced a revolution which ended with pigs sharing wealth and power with men.

In the end, a poor faithful horse, looking through a window at a lavish party for pigs and men, couldn’t distinguish men from pigs or pigs from men.

That is what has happened to Tea Partiers and Occupiers. Tea Partiers are the hard working horses and the Occupiers are the other animals who came along for the ride, now mewing and whining that they didn’t get rich in the process.

Barack and Michelle Obama, neither of whom ever did a lick of useful work in their lives, conduct their affairs like they won the lottery. Enjoying their lavish lifestyle, Barack flies around the country costing us thousands of dollars an hour campaigning in Air Force One while grunting that the rest of us animals should suck it up and work harder.

Michelle, who chomps up $100-a-pound Kobe beef, ribs, burgers and other rich food from our trough, squeals that the rest of us must eat less. She frequently flies in a separate 757 with her swilling friends even if going to the same destination as her husband in his 747.

While Obama’s Democrat-controlled Congress was snorting about the evils of Wall Street dealers and bankers, they were cutting deals to make themselves wealthy.

While insider trading would get a prison term for the rest of us, those in Congress passed laws that exempted themselves. So they grow wealthy acting like Wall Street traders while passing laws that wreck our economy, health care, lives and country.

Occupiers would be astonished to discover that most of the millionaires in Congress are Democrats, not Republicans. But looking into the capital, it’s hard for us people and workhorses to tell some of the men from pigs.

Come next election, if we people and workhouses don’t sort them out we’re going to lose the farm and never get it back.

Randy Ridgel lives in Kelseyville, Calif.