Occupy Together

LD, give people some media to look into.....

This is stuff from Portland....




This a teach in from a lawyer for the Civil Liberties Defense Center. I highly recommend watching it. It's peoples media. Nothing flashy but it's very very interesting.

[Lowerdeck]

I wrote that on my phone from the OBoston GA, so wasn't gonna go looking for details.

I doubted anyone besides you or Jury would read it anyway.

[Lowerdeck]

If anyone's seriously bored on Wednesday morning...

www.ustream.tv/channel/connecticutbrian

I'll be up on that around 8 am or so. Right now it's just old footage of the march in DC six weeks ago.

[kdögg]

I love that increasing numbers of people seem to be catching on to ALEC these past few months.


A progressive group put on a daylong All About ALEC session outside of Madison in the fall, but I was unable to attend. I was at Camp Wellstone campaign training weekend in anticipation of the recall at the time. They did, however, make that session available on DVD and I acquired a copy.

I am looking into putting on similar ALEC informational sessions around my senate district, where our senator was once ALEC's state chair. I want to spread the word about it in advance of his upcoming recall election.


Bonus link, in case you missed it:
Oops: Florida Republican Forgets To Remove ALEC Mission Statement From Boilerplate Anti-Tax Bill


Wish I could watch, but I will be eyeballs-deep in reviewing Walker recall petitions tomorrow.
(Bonus fact: Scott Walker was in ALEC during his days as a state legislator.)

[Lowerdeck]

So the Koch Bros. are having an Occupy Jobs meeting in Nashua NH on Thurs afternoon, coinciding with President Obama's visit to the area.

Occupy New Hampshire is rightfully pissed off. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile I'm at the staging area for this morning's protest. Cops are already here watching... joy?

[Jury]

A good organization to check out is Common Cause. They have been informing people about ALEC for awhile now. They are a national progressive NGO who are also looking to overturn Citizens United. They might have a chapter in your state.

[kdögg]

Feb 29, 2012 7:44:02 GMT -5 Lowerdeck said:

Cops are already here watching... joy?

Read this, thought about you.
How'd it go today?
I'm assuming that's your group leading off this article?

[Lowerdeck]

Yeah, that was us.

Here's some local media coverage: www.theday.com/article/20120301/NWS01/303019537/1018 ... they got good pictures in there too. The last one in the slideshow, of Erin (Occupy New Haven) on her knees in front of the police van... that takes a lot of courage to just cross the line and surrender yourself like that.

I got a story, will get around to typing it later.

[kdögg]

Sometimes I'm jealous of Occupy.

I don't think we quite have the same thing going on here in Wisconsin.

Madison does have an Occupy. It is wintering in the parking lot of a vacant car dealership along East Washington Avenue. There is a ten-foot tall rocketship they constructed, and one of those drive-in arrow signs which reads "Occupy Madison: Not For Sale."
I've driven by enough, but never visited. It's on its third or fourth location now, and I haven't since the second one. I'm sure I'd see familiar faces, because I know I know some people involved with it, but I haven't been since its brief second location in the fall.

I just don't know. As I mentioned earlier, around here it got channeled into something consequential in seemingly the blink of an eye. There were people collecting signatures for the summer recalls just weeks after we had a hundred thousand people in the streets. Careers were ended over votes on that bill, and we've made some progress in stalling other parts of Walker's agenda as the results of those efforts. The only reason we're recalling Walker this far removed from the onset is because we statutorily had to wait. Some observers have called it "the most consequential nonpresidential election this decade." I know Wisconsin has a six-month head start on Occupy, but I can't help but compare. I guess I observe Occupy and I don't see momentum translating into results at the rate it has out here.

Don't get me wrong. I embrace a great deal of what Occupy works for. As was said in the Walker thread, Wisconsin started something here. I'm just not sure whether that lead has been followed as much as I'd have hoped. We took what we had going and we turned it into something. And we still are. It just sometimes seems to me like we led Occupy to a fork in the road and you wanted to diverge. Or even just decided to hang around at the fork for a while. We all petitioned for the redress of our grievances, this is true. I just think Occupy's been a bit lost beyond that.

We are the 99%!
Yeah?
And?
So?
What?

When we're in Wisconsin and our grievances go unheard, we flex the muscles behind that strength in numbers. I see other states proceeding with recalls and ballot initiatives (shout-out to Ohio, Montana, Arizona & Michigan.) It's something concrete which can be discussed, decided upon, implemented.
It seems to me as if Occupy has the "grievances" part down, but isn't really as adept at the "redress" part.

We would have a hundred thousand people outside our occupied capitol in Madison, and the worst things that would happen would be someone being spat upon, someone's sign being torn, only injuries being from slipping on ice - and we turned it into something in the end. I look back to that fork in the road where I don't feel Occupy proceeded beyond stating grievances.

I think that explains part of the divergence. We have specific referenda or recalls in states that have pushed back through institutional means. There were specific issues and public officials involved as opposed to general grievances. Something to be the focus of not only debate but a prescription for action, like laws to be enacted/repealed or special elections. I think that makes our situations differ. It definitely made our respective movements' relations with police a study in contrasts.

I'm not trying to be a dick, Occupy. This is kind of reminding me of talks with my irresponsible, whimsical slacker brother out in California. He's the Little Pete to my Big Pete, the Flavor Flav to my Chuck D, the Randal to my Dante. I love him, but we've got different styles.
You're pretty great yourself, Occupy. I just want to see you reach some of that unrealized potential I see in you. I agree with what you're talking about, but there's lots of work to be done. We've got common enemies, but it almost seems like it's action here (and select other places) and mostly talk elsewhere. Where's the Occupy bills, referenda, recalls? Something new or different actually implemented? I just don't see it.

I've had some thought about what I think are approaches by our related but differing movements. You don't Occupy your turf or on the outside of theirs, you take the fight to them. Get in their systems. Challenge their laws. Make them fight for their careers. Take up their time, resources, energy.
Occupy means to take up space, and that has been accomplished.
Occupy also means to take up someone's time & effort, which has been done to some extent.
Occupy further means to hold an office. That's another thing we need to start taking our government back.

Those Tea Party bastards - with the funding and direction of the same malefactors of great wealth which we mutually vilify - already gave us a blueprint on how you do it. They got in their representatives' facing and they hijacked their closest major political party at the local level.
I would say Occupy their town hall meetings, but they've been on the decline since the Tea Party takeover. That's still doable, though. Occupy your Democratic Party at your local level - probably county. If you can get 30-50 of you together to become voting members, and Occupy that meeting once a month, your Occupy bloc would probably wind up running the show.
That's what seems to be going on with the Wisconsin movement taking place alongside the recall. I personally know at least a handful of people who've gotten their name on a ballot since all this began here, for example. Just because Citizens United dealt a big blow to the Democrats doesn't mean that the silver lining isn't that they are ripe for the taking. That's how the teabaggers took over the GOP after the Obama wave, and I think it can be replicated. Hell, if we're The 99% all we need to do is get 50.6% of us united at the polls behind something new.

It's that fork in the road again.
I think one is more likely to lead to evolution and the other to revolution. I don't think we have necessarily exhausted peaceful means yet, coming from my perspective as being with the Wisconsin Uprising rather than Occupy, and I think a lot of time and energy could be more productive if refocused into activism resulting in legislation and votes which actually redress those grievances.

Just my two cents there.

[Jury]

I agree that we haven't gone beyond grievances. Figuring out what grievances to go after and focus on was a task in itself. Now we are looking at how to get political traction and how to restructure our economy so all the power doesn't go to Wall Street. Democracy is tough work, made even more difficult when you got to work a full-time job on the side. There is no salaries or internships at Occupy so its purely based on passion. And having the same passion day in and day out is difficult. But there has been some national discussion in my Occupy teleconferences that could help lead us on the right direction.

We have talked about supporting state banks or co-ops that invest more in local communities as opposed to nationalized banks. Some of us are working on a guerrilla consumer awareness project. We have been placing stickers on certain items in grocery stores, Walmarts and such that tells consumers what these companies support with their money. Such as putting labels on Miller-Coors about their support of Scott Walker and informing them. Occupy nationwide should also think of making a Super PAC. I know its not what you guys were doing in the office during Walker. But most of Occupy are amateurs when it comes to politics. Give it some time and it will mature.

You are right about public office. Occupy really hasn't done anything on that unlike the Tea Partiers. I admit, I haven't inquired. But can you really just go up to your state office and ask to be put on a ballot? Heck ill give it a shot.

[Lowerdeck]

I went to New Haven after work. They were given an eviction notice today and need to leave by Wed afternoon. What will happen in the next few days?

[kdögg]

Mar 11, 2012 1:39:29 GMT -5 Jury said:

I agree that we haven't gone beyond grievances. Figuring out what grievances to go after and focus on was a task in itself.

Same here. Walker supporters like to paint this as entirely a union matter. It's not. Don't get me wrong, it's good knowing they've got grievances with the same government and are doing something about it. I'm still their ally in this, yes, but in the respect that I believe collective bargaining is a human right - outlined by the Article 23 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and signed onto by the U.S. Senate and as such is law. I subscribe to the belief that a government which can take away one right can take away other rights, and that does not sit well with me.
I took to the streets in Madison and it had nothing to do with unions. It had to do with the attempt to sever my alma mater UW-Madison from the rest of the UW System. It had to do with offering up state assets & facilities up for sale via no-bid contracts; there's no way that isn't just the usual pay-for-play instead of being fiscally responsible. It had to do with the power grab of making thirty-some agency heads political appointees of the governor rather than civil servants as they had been.

Mar 11, 2012 1:39:29 GMT -5 Jury said:

Democracy is tough work, made even more difficult when you got to work a full-time job on the side. There is no salaries or internships at Occupy so its purely based on passion. And having the same passion day in and day out is difficult.

It's for the love of the game here, too. There aren't many salaried positions to be had in the movement. I gave up a job the first week of the protests, and I've sank what money I did have from my current job into doing things. I suppose I might have had an internship with the Democratic Party in the sense that I showed up and did something, in that it probably looks better on a résumé. It's just a sad truth of politics that there's no money in it for us grunts. Not directly, at least, and I think they like it that way. It can wear on a person, which I think is another thing they're counting on, but it seems it gets to a point where you feel guilty for taking a day off from the movement.

Mar 11, 2012 1:39:29 GMT -5 Jury said:

Such as putting labels on Miller-Coors about their support of Scott Walker and informing them.

Gotta thank you for this. As I said, I think we're after the same devil(s) here.

Mar 11, 2012 1:39:29 GMT -5 Jury said:

Occupy nationwide should also think of making a Super PAC. I know its not what you guys were doing in the office during Walker.

We Are Wisconsin, United Wisconsin, and One Wisconsin Now - among others - are organizations which have sprung up just in the past year here. I think only WeAreWI may be a Super PAC, but if it's not it and the others are definitely PACs. I think this might be a bit of a mischaracterization.
With recalls turning into campaigns, I actually have had conversations with one dissenter who is contemplating taking the Super PAC approach for my particular state senate race. It's not something that's been ruled out.

Mar 11, 2012 1:39:29 GMT -5 Jury said:

But most of Occupy are amateurs when it comes to politics. Give it some time and it will mature.

When I sat down with my fellow team leaders for our first meeting, we had a United WI pledge list of people who had earlier promised to sign the eventual recall petition. I was the only one of us who had seen something like that in the past, even though it was presented in pretty standard format for a campaign call sheet/walk list. Though Wisconsin may measure well in certain measures of civic involvement, it certainly was not the case that this was all done by seasoned political actors. It was an awakening on this end, too.

Mar 11, 2012 1:39:29 GMT -5 Jury said:

You are right about public office. Occupy really hasn't done anything on that unlike the Tea Partiers. I admit, I haven't inquired. But can you really just go up to your state office and ask to be put on a ballot? Heck ill give it a shot.

I was talking more along the lines of your local parties. Get in there enough and you can get on the committees that decide which candidates get on ballots.
I had mentioned attending party meetings and think I should go into some numbers on this. In my county, the Democratic Party only has about 150 actual members. Since I wrote that rant, I attended my most recent county meeting. We had about a tenth of that show up. Granted, it was on the first night of nice weather in months and opposite Super Tuesday, but I think it goes to show that there's an opportunity here.
Look at how badly the Republicans got what W called a "thumpin' at the rodeo" in 2006 and 2008. Compare that to where they are today. A weakened political party can be ripe for the takeover. If Occupy could do the same to the Democratic Party as the Tea Party did to the Republican Party, they could be onto something. Maybe that'd be something to tie in with an Occupy SuperPAC?
I have to tell you, though, it's not as guaranteed. We all know there's no billionaires leading, coordinating & funding the way to such an approach and it would probably happen in more of a patchwork fashion.
Oh, and a word of warning from what I observed taking the OFA training about a month ago... the Obama campaign people were definitely dismissive of Occupy. You'd be lucky to get more than two words out of them on the subject before they move onto the next question/comment.
Which, I suppose, is another reason why I think Occupy needs to Occupy the Democratic Party. Gotta make them listen to you somehow...

[Lowerdeck]

Went to Portland yesterday, Occupy Maine had a protest outside an Obama fundraiser up there.

[Lowerdeck]

So today is Boston's "Wisconsin" protest, against public transportation cuts and fare hikes. It's dubbed Wisconsin because... the goal is to swarm the state house and raise hell until the MBTA and the Patrick administration changes its mind. No fare hikes, no service cuts, no layoffs.

Ever since I read Kdogg's Wisconsin stories and all the stuff going on in Madison last year... I was inspired to do something. Then Occupy came. And now in Boston, we were gonna pull a state house protest off.

But, I'm at work in Connecticut right now instead of Boston. And it freaking sucks. I really wish I was on Beacon Hill fighting the machine, instead I'm just a small cog in another part of the machine.

I told my supervisor I wanted to leave at 1130 (half day) cause I had stuff to do, personal reasons. I got guilt tripped into staying. I also had fellow coworkers tell me the company retaliates against those who complain about work stuff, and worse cause I'd be skipping out on work. I freaked out, stayed here. Turns out half the info I got was from real disguntled jerkstores that were full of BS.

But since I got a few extra vacation days starting August, and stuck around here today rather than take half a point, maybe I"ll go to Wisconsin this fall... or just do something here to support the people of Wisconsin. And Boston.

[Lowerdeck]

I'm betting the news is full of BS right now

[kdögg]

Of course it is.

Media ownership is too clearly at odds with Occupy aims.
Not to mention that sensationalist tendencies don't necessarily dovetail with a proper discussion & analysis of issues.

[Lowerdeck]

Didn't see much on what happened yesterday. I've heard nothing, or that it was a flop, or about Cleveland's "plot"... lol.

I met up with a woman in OHartford, two of her kids, and the youngest son's friend. Got to NYC around 10:30. Within a few minutes of stepping off the train, saw armed National Guard soldiers complete with machine guns and NYPD with dogs in Grand Central Terminal.

Wandered over to Bryant Park, where it was the morning staging area in Midtown. About 500 to 1000 are there, many others scattered around. We're hearing about a shutdown of the Hipsterburg Bridge, blockades are at a couple dozen targets around Manhattan. Black bloc is setting up on the Lower East. A Vietnam vet was the first person arrested, Greg from New Haven was the second.

Around 11:30, there's an Immigration Rights group which starts a march around Bryant Park. The march briefly blocked Madison Ave and picketed a couple spots before finally reaching a Wells Fargo branch at 40th and Park. NYPD wound up catching up with the group here. Riot police shown up, and some were warning of kettling. Ended up rushing down 40th towards 3 Ave. Ended up having another blockade and picket outside a restaurant on 42nd known for abusing immigrant workers, which expanded to cover the nearby Citibank next door. Me and the OH folk fled after a while once the police held the south and west, finding wagons and a transport bus on 3 Av between 43rd and 44th.

Got back to Bryant and rested up before the Guitarmy march. Ended up catching up with the march again on 42nd in front of Grand Central, which was being heavily guarded by NYPD. A guy playing sax was playing "Whose Side Are You On" to one officer, everyone's laughing.

Chipotle on 42nd across from Bryant, another picket target.

2 pm, Guitar march. Starts on 5 Av, crosses to Broadway at Madison Square Park. Tom Morello and Ben Harper are among those playing. Catch both of them next to each other on 40th St., and early on 5 Av. By 37th St, the march takes the street. NYPD sets up a block line on 33rd, but many push their way thru or go around. Looked like another one was being attempted at 31st, but was busy rushing down the east sidewalk. It rebanded again in two parts by Madison Square, but broke up again as NYPD was rushing down Broadway. Ended up catching more OH people and Morello in the scramble down Broadway.

Union Square's concerts started at 4. Nobody played longer than 10-15 minutes. Morello went first. Missed Immortal Technique. Das Racist only played two songs. Dan Deacon was on around 5. Drum circle was around Union West and 16th. By this point, most in the city are converging here. Met up with a ton of ONH people.

March down Broadway from Union Square starts at 5:30. It takes a half hour to clear Union Square. The march stretched for 10-12 blocks at its peak. It's been estimated around 30k (maybe 35k) were in this. It lasted over three hours, with numerous delays and stops. Wall St. itself was heavily blocked by hundreds of cops, and the Charging Bull statue and Liberty/Zuccotti Park were heavily watched as well.

By 830, I'm near the front of the line with some OH people and anarchists holding a giant blue tarp sign. Some are pushing the line to go towards Battery Park. NYPD ends up pushing people down Pearl St. By 9, NYPD blocks off nearly all of Lower Manhattan south of Beaver and west of Hanover. I get a message from someone in ODanbury to get back to Grand Central and head home with my crew. Had to wander all the way around to Bowling Green since NYPD closed every street north.

From what I've gathered after, the cops kettled everyone in Battery Park with little chase to escape. Some white shirts did their thing and pummeled on Occupiers. Dozens of arrests. They usually seem to wait at night to go crazy. About a dozen ONH people were stuck in the city until morning.

[Dan'ROO]

Thanks fer the update, LD.

[kdögg]

Remember when I suggested you guys try to Occupy the Democratic Party?
It's possible.

<--- Democratic national convention delegate.

Am I going to see you guys getting pepper sprayed and smacked around in Charlotte this fall?

[Lowerdeck]

Maybe not me, but people will be there most likely

[kdögg]

I hope they're not in a pen a mile away from where I can see them.

[Lowerdeck]

Want to get into the scrum eh?

When I was in a pen, the Sat night Rep debate in NH, it was in some back parking lot far from the building the debate was held.

At a Romney rally, the protest area was at the far corner away from the entrance and across the street.

It is obnoxiously far. Now just picture how much worse it will be because of Obama. And BoA paying off the Charlotte government.

[Lowerdeck]

So today in Worcester there is the Occupy New England regional gathering, and day of action. I'm not sure how exactly today is going to play out, but there's been a lot of hard work put into this effort.

It was my idea a while ago to get as many Occupiers together from around the region in one centralized location. Today is the fruition of this plan. There may be over 100 people taking part in the events, and many of which are coming from outside central Massachusetts. Some are coming from a couple hours away such as New Haven and Portland ME. Some from New Hampshire, Hartford, Boston, Providence. A couple are coming all the way from Philadelphia.

I'm pretty excited about this. Hopefully nobody gets arrested though.

Follow along: #m12one on Twitter

[Lowerdeck]

The Occupy National Gathering goes from Saturday to Wednesday in Philly. Guest speakers include Matt Taibbi from Rolling Stone, Capt Ray Lewis of Philly PD, and economist Mark Provost (friend of mine who grilled Romney in New Hampshire right after the Iowa win).

I'll be home, spent the cash on Forecastle and Moog stuff.

There are caravans going across the country to Philly. The Northeast leg went through Worcester last night - but for me it was awkward after that huge blowup I had with the rest of OW.

I ended up leaving Worcester for Hartford. For the Caravan, I went from helping Worcester to reaching out to national organizers to get Little Rock, Memphis, and Nashville involved. Tennessee got skipped, but Little Rock had a good action. Happy to have lobbied to get them in the schedule.

As I was waiting for the bus this morning in Philly, I heard a few homeless people discussing "occupy something." They were particularly excited because people are "bringing food from all over." They seemed genuinely enthused and happy to be alive

[Lowerdeck]

The NatGat was acting in defiance of Philly's ban of feeding the homeless. I was getting a bunch of e-mails asking to bring food down and help prove a point the ban was ridiculous.

What is Philadelphia going to do about homeless? Just hope they drop dead? That they move to Camden? People who probably need the most help are getting the least, while those who need the least get the most. Twisted society we live in.

[Lowerdeck]

I happened to catch this link: beforeitsnews.com/economy/2012/09/first-audit-in-the-federal-reserves-nearly-100-year-history-were-posted-today-the-results-are-startling-2449770.html ... in summary:

The first details came out into the audit on the Federal Reserve system. (For those who don't know, they issue and control the American monetary supply - and have since 1913.) It's just pretty outrageous what they have been up to.

That 800 billion dollar TARP bailout back in 2008 - it turned out to be 20 times larger than that. 16 TRILLION in total. And some of it didn't even go to American owned banks.


Citigroup: $2.5 trillion ($2,500,000,000,000)
Morgan Stanley: $2.04 trillion ($2,040,000,000,000)
Merrill Lynch: $1.949 trillion ($1,949,000,000,000)
Bank of America: $1.344 trillion ($1,344,000,000,000)
Barclays PLC (United Kingdom): $868 billion ($868,000,000,000)
Bear Sterns: $853 billion ($853,000,000,000)
Goldman Sachs: $814 billion ($814,000,000,000)
Royal Bank of Scotland (UK): $541 billion ($541,000,000,000)
JP Morgan Chase: $391 billion ($391,000,000,000)
Deutsche Bank (Germany): $354 billion ($354,000,000,000)
UBS (Switzerland): $287 billion ($287,000,000,000)
Credit Suisse (Switzerland): $262 billion ($262,000,000,000)
Lehman Brothers: $183 billion ($183,000,000,000)
Bank of Scotland (United Kingdom): $181 billion ($181,000,000,000)
BNP Paribas (France): $175 billion ($175,000,000,000)

More serious source: www.sanders.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/GAO%20Fed%20Investigation.pdf (page 144)

And well: $16T is larger than the entire American GDP. The national debt since 1789 is below $16T. The annual government budget is about $3.5T, ignoring the budget deficits every year (think Bush tax cuts and unpaid wars).


Do I need to explain anymore? Megabanks and megacorporations are all too important to our government and this nation's resources. The top get all the benefits, and if you're outside the 1% you're pretty much Quacked and all on your own.

[Lowerdeck]

So this weekend is the one year anniversary of OWS. And already, the NYPD is going crazy. Once darkness falls, the brutality spikes up.

They just arrested Barry from Occupy Worcester. Good guy, pretty smart, not one who usually volunteers for civil disobedience missions though. From another OW guy watching the live stream, NYPD just ran up and picked him out - then tackled him and cuffed him. Their infamous snatch and grab move. Hopefully he's ok. His wife was kettled in the Brooklyn Bridge incident last October, so it's not like this is a first.

[Lowerdeck]

OK, so I've looked at two live stream archives of the incident. A white shirt runs into the march on the sidewalk, picks out a kid or two on the far side with a bandana on. A second white shirt does the same on the near side, dragging the kid out into the street and cuffs him there. Then NYPD starts building a circle around the far side and splits the line up. Barry was part of the front that got split, right on the edge of the circle. He ends up getting grabbed while being pushed back and arrested himself along with a half dozen others.

[LoveLuckLaughter]

occupy-monsanto.com/

Occupy Monsanto tomorrow in North Canton, Oh at 2pm. Come Occupy with me!

Monsanto's Monsters:
Saccharine
Styrofoam
Agent Orange
Bovine Growth Hormone
and now GMOs that are producing "SuperWeeds", contaminating food and terrorizing farmers.