Pro-tax Occupation Protests Held Across U.S. (O.W.S. Thread)

[anitram]

Land of the free, indeed...

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/reporters-say-police-denied-access-to-protest-site/

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

there's plenty of cameras and video of what happened.

compared to what's happened elsewhere, i think the nypd did a pretty damned good job clearing this one out.

 

[anitram]

there's plenty of cameras and video of what happened.

That has no bearing on the freedom of the press.

It is not as if I contemplated joining these protests by any means (and in fact I find the ones in Canada to be rather incomprehensible), but this type of media control is at the very least, troubling. And the police argument that it was for the safety of the media is actually ridiculous - by extension of that logic, the media should be held back from covering any event with a potential for violence.

 

[Tiger Edge]

I think the unspoken reason is that people tend to "act up" more when there are cameras around. In any case, it's not like what happened is a state secret.

I just found out the park isn't even a public park, in which case they really have no right to set up shop there anyway.

 

[Canadiens1131]

I think I am heading towards Headache "I hate hippies" territory with this at this point.

If they had any sense or organization beyond being a bunch of boobs with some leisure hours to flush down the toilet, they would be marching on D.C. and occupying the capital rotunda.

I just think they're going after the wrong target, if any target at all, in Wall Street.

 

[Tiger Edge]

That's been my point. What exactly are they going to accomplish by picketing stock brokers? It's not like all of a sudden they'll get an overwhelming guilt trip and start tossing $50s out of their high rises.
To assume that they'd agree (read: allow themselves) to getting taxed more is more or less hoping for flying money.

I will say that I'm enjoying the resourcefulness of some people. Such as the human microphone (as creepy as it sounds on video) and the bikers who are charging electronics.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think I am heading towards Headache "I hate hippies" territory with this at this point.

If they had any sense or organization beyond being a bunch of boobs with some leisure hours to flush down the toilet, they would be marching on D.C. and occupying the capital rotunda.

I just think they're going after the wrong target, if any target at all, in Wall Street.

#occupythemall

if you want to have real change, go after the people, from both parties, who allow the corporate greed to go on in the first place.

 

[deep]

there are many cases to be made for what went wrong with the financial melt down in 2008,

we have not gotten any real over-site reform, banks are even bigger than 'too big to fail' now, etc.

but from day one, this occupy concept has been nothing but a net loss for the cause

who the fuck likes or respects 'occupiers' ? they are nothing but scoff laws, thieves or worse

call for a protest, repeated protests on weekly or bi-weekly basis

legitimate, productive members of the populace could show-up and lend support

 

[anitram]

there are many cases to be made for what went wrong with the financial melt down in 2008,

we have not gotten any real over-site reform, banks are even bigger than 'to big too fail' now, etc.

This has been the biggest failing of the Obama administration, IMO.

In 2008 there was unprecedented public support for far-reaching reforms of the banking system which should have been essentially gutted and rebuilt with strong regulations (they can look to Canada, where we didn't let our banks run amok).

Instead he expended his political capital on a healthcare bill that was not a great bill in the end and which has contributed to political deadlock.

I don't factor in the Republicans at all since they have zero interest in regulating any industry.

 

[deep]

to be fair the health bill we got is not the one he (they) set out to get

also, it was reasonable to assume there would be some cooperation for reform after the 2008 melt down

then again with all the Goldman Sachs people in his administration, not surprised we ended up here


Romney is scarier, I think if he gets in, a real possibility, with the GOP in Congress he would deregulate even more, to stimulate the economy

this could lead to a true world-wide nuclear financial melt-down
or if we are luckier than we deserve to be, because Romney is a flip-flopper, and reasonably bright, he could govern from the center, and enact some decent legislation that will disappoint his base. much, like Clinton did in his second term,
if you have the people you don't need the base.

 

[Tiger Edge]

The majority of those problems would be solved if the presidential term limit was extended to at least 6 years with no possibility of running for the office again.
Piss off everyone you want and walk away.

 

[deep]

if I was a 'card carrying' liberal or progressive, I would be embarrassed by these occupiers.

Los Angeles

Portland

Portland - I like this one

workers showing up at a protest - legitimate

empty walls = empty minds? - lock this bastard up
it's chalk, a temporary lock up - just for the afternoon

Oakland - Burn! Baby! Burn!
your property could be next

vacant building
Break and Enter

1st amendment rights

still waiting for your new iPhone 4S to arrive?

 

[Tiger Edge]

still waiting for your new iPhone 4S?

yep, along with the other 99%

those 1% of people who have them should be charged extra.

 

[yolland]

Serious question--does anyone know why the (self-professed) 'anarchist' contingent seems so much larger in the Pacific Northwest than elsewhere? Is it an outgrowth of the radical arm of the environmental movement or something?

 

[deep]

yes, it is a pretty fucked up world
that everyone isn't given a free iPhone every two years

not having one should fit under the 'cruel and unusual punishment' clause of the constitution

 

[deep]

Serious question--does anyone know why the (self-professed) 'anarchist' contingent seems so much larger in the Pacific Northwest than elsewhere? Is it an outgrowth of the radical arm of the environmental movement or something?

L A has been pretty mellow,
most of the anarchy has been in Oakland, CA and some in Portland, OR

 

[Tiger Edge]

My guess is that in a liberal town, the most left are often the extremists. Left in NYC is different from left in Oakland is different from left in Miami.

they take cafe cubano breaks round here
(btw this is not graffiti. these are the wynwood art walls that run alongside I-95)

 

[yolland]

L A has been pretty mellow,
most of the anarchy has been in Oakland, CA and some in Portland, OR

Right...but that more or less confirms the observation, doesn't it? I mean I've always thought of the 'Pacific Northwest,' at least as a cultural zone, comprising WA, OR and northern CA...is that not the case?

It just seems like such a prominent and consistent feature of large demonstrations in that region in recent years that there's always a contingent of (often violent) "anarchists" along for the ride. I don't remember that being the case before, nor do we usually see that anywhere else in the US. In Europe too, they're much more notably present in some countries and cities (Barcelona, Athens...) than others. So I was wondering why that was.

 

[deep]

yeah, after a re-read the would be the Pac NW.

There are just more radicals there, major pot growers in the area, Black Panthers came out of Oakland, Oakland has radical roots back to the 20s and 30s.

It seems being close to the coast, one is more liberal. Go over a state to Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, not so liberal.
The Southern part of CA has been more conservative.

Analyzing it a bit more, it seems the same on the east coast.

NE coastal liberal. SE not so much, Go inland one state less liberal.

I blame the cold ocean air.

 

[kramwest1]

I think I am heading towards Headache "I hate hippies" territory with this at this point.

If they had any sense or organization beyond being a bunch of boobs with some leisure hours to flush down the toilet, they would be marching on D.C. and occupying the capital rotunda.

I just think they're going after the wrong target, if any target at all, in Wall Street.

Some are heading to D.C.

Occupy The Highway: The 99% March to Washington | OccupyWallSt.org

Occupy the Highway marches on - The Washington Post

 

[deep]

I hope these guys load up their Facebooks real good, with pictures and stories of all these wonderful sacrifices they are making for all of our benefits

one place they will never occupy?

is any of the several rental housing units I provide for decent members of the 99 %,
nice affordable units, within a block of the beach here is sunny California.

 

[Caleb8844]

Seems like public opinion here on OWS has changed quite a bit over the last few weeks.

 

[deep]

they earned it.

 

[Caleb8844]

Oh I'm not disagreeing that they earned the change in opinion. It's just interesting how fast and hard that change came

 

[BVS]

If the Tea Party decided to take on long term protests the same thing would have happened, the more extreme factors(which were already present) would have taken over. It's just the nature of the beast. There are less and less people that associate themselves with the tea party today and it all has to do with exposure.

 

[yolland]

Now if only some of the rest of us would take the incentive to get off our whiny asses and campaign for a constitutional amendment that would actually end the cozy relationship between Washington and Wall Street. Otherwise it's never going to happen...to wait for a political hero to fix it is to misunderstand the system.

 

[BVS]

Now if only some of the rest of us would take the incentive to get off our whiny asses and campaign for a constitutional amendment that would actually end the cozy relationship between Washington and Wall Street. Otherwise it's never going to happen...to wait for a political hero to fix it is to misunderstand the system.

Here's the problem as I see it. It would take a joint effort by both sides, so that would be a feat in and of itself to recognize they have something in common. And then it would take people with political power to willingly commit political suicide. Do these people exist?

 

[INDY500]

Thursday is a "day of action."

November 17th Day of Action | OccupyWallSt.org

 

[PhilsFan]

I still disagree that marching on Washington would do anything. Wall Street hires Washington. Campaign money is what elects people, not votes.

 

[yolland]

And then it would take people with political power to willingly commit political suicide. Do these people exist?

Oh no, we'd be talking state legislators. A national convention as per Article 5. Federal legislators are way too massively dependent on campaign contributions to do the job.