Michael Moore: 75 Years Ago Today, the First Occupy

Michael Moore: 75 Years Ago Today, the First Occupy: "On this day, December 30th, in 1936 -- 75 years ago today -- hundreds of workers at the General Motors factories in Flint, Michigan, took over the facilities and occupied them for 44 days. My uncle was one of them.

The workers couldn't take the abuse from the corporation any longer. Their working conditions, the slave wages, no vacation, no health care, no overtime -- it was do as you're told or get tossed onto the curb.

So on the day before New Year's Eve, emboldened by the recent re-election of Franklin Roosevelt, they sat down on the job and refused to leave. "

'via Blog this'

The Housing Bubble and the Big Lie | Mother Jones

The Housing Bubble and the Big Lie | Mother Jones: "So this is how the Big Lie works.

You begin with a hypothesis that has a certain surface plausibility. You find an ally whose background suggests that he’s an “expert”; out of thin air, he devises “data.” You write articles in sympathetic publications, repeating the data endlessly; in time, some of these publications make your cause their own. Like-minded congressmen pick up your mantra and invite you to testify at hearings."

'via Blog this'

Nullification Makes a Comeback | Mother Jones

Nullification Makes a Comeback | Mother Jones: "Republicans are refusing to allow votes on President Obama's nominee to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and on his nominees to fill vacancies on the National Labor Relations Board. In both cases, the Republican refusal is explicity aimed at shutting down these agencies. In the case of the CFPB, it's because the law that created it gives certain powers to its director, and without a director those powers can't be exercised."

'via Blog this'

For Georgia to have a fair tax structure, income tax on the wealthiest should increase | SaportaReport

For Georgia to have a fair tax structure, income tax on the wealthiest should increase | SaportaReport: "The income tax “is the biggest detractor to bringing jobs to Georgia,” according to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Bill Heath (R-Bremen). This narrative is as common as it is incorrect.

Economic evidence simply doesn’t support such a claim. For one thing, Georgia is a low tax state to begin with – 49th in per person tax share nationwide – yet Georgia has lost more jobs than almost any other state. Two states that have no personal income tax – Florida and Nevada – were among the hardest hit by the Great Recession, while supposedly“high tax” states such as Minnesota and Vermont fared much better."

'via Blog this'

SOPA is the end of us, say bloggers - Tim Mak - POLITICO.com

SOPA is the end of us, say bloggers - Tim Mak - POLITICO.com: "“The dynamic is clear. Once SOPA — and its Senate counterpart, Protecting IP Act, or PIPA — became high-profile among the Internet community, the lazy endorsements from companies and various hangers-on became toxic. And now, those supporters are scrambling, hollowing out the actual support for the bill. Suddenly, a bill with ‘widespread’ corporate support doesn’t have much support at all,”"

'via Blog this'

Archbishop queries bankers' bonuses - UK, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Archbishop queries bankers' bonuses - UK, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk: ""Can it be right that public sector workers, and those who work in British industry, face losing their jobs when those high earners in the banking sector who helped cause the economic crisis not only keep their jobs but rake in massive bonuses?

"We have created a situation where many people live in relative poverty while others have far more than they can ever hope to spend.

"In fact, the divide between the wages of the rich and the poor is growing in nearly all of the world's leading economies."

'via Blog this'

Andy Ostroy: What Our Young Folks Need to Know About Ron Paul

Andy Ostroy: What Our Young Folks Need to Know About Ron Paul: "folks need to go back and read the Ron Paul Political Report and the Ron Paul Survival Report from about 1989-1994 to gain further insight into the radical extremist mind of the candidate who's winning their hearts. Here are some examples of his incendiary remarks:

-"Given the inefficiencies of what D.C. laughingly calls the `criminal justice system,' I think we can safely assume that 95 percent of the black males in that city are semi-criminal or entirely criminal."

-"If you have ever been robbed by a black teen-aged male, you know how unbelievably fleet-footed they can be."

-"Order was only restored in L.A. (after the riots) when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks."

-"We don't think a child of 13 should be held responsible as a man of 23. That's true for most people, but black males age 13 who have been raised on the streets and who have joined criminal gangs are as big, strong, tough, scary and culpable as any adult and should be treated as such.""

'via Blog this'

Robert Reich: The Defining Issue: Not Government's Size, But Who It's For

Robert Reich: The Defining Issue: Not Government's Size, But Who It's For: "The defining political issue of 2012 won't be the government's size. It will be who government is for.

Americans have never much liked government. After all, the nation was conceived in a revolution against government.

But the surge of cynicism now engulfing America isn't about government's size. It's the growing perception that government isn't working for average people. It's for big business, Wall Street, and the very rich instead.

In a recent Pew Foundation poll, 77 percent of respondents said too much power is in the hands of a few rich people and corporations."

'via Blog this'

Financial Transaction Tax Sparks Hopes That Obama Will Play Robin Hood In 2012

Financial Transaction Tax Sparks Hopes That Obama Will Play Robin Hood In 2012: "WASHINGTON -- Advocates of a tiny but lucrative tax on financial transactions are increasingly hopeful that President Barack Obama's need to more firmly establish himself as the Main Street candidate in 2012 will lead him to back the measure.

The tax -- though nearly inconsequential on a per-trade basis -- would reap billions in revenue from Wall Street's most rapacious institutions while also cutting down on their incentive to engage in the high-stakes, lightning-fast gambling that has proven particularly lucrative for them, at the expense of others.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) introduced legislation last month that would impose a 0.03 percent fee on financial transactions, an amount so small that its sting would only be felt by speculators who rapidly move vast sums in and out of trading positions.

But because of the enormous volume of transactions, the new tax would still raise $350 billion in next 10 years, according to nonpartisan congressional scorekeepers."

'via Blog this'

The 10 Most Memorable Moments Of The 'Occupy' Protests [PHOTOS]

The 10 Most Memorable Moments Of The 'Occupy' Protests [PHOTOS]: "It's perhaps the protesters' tenacity that's given them the most recognition. They continued to spread their message -- and ramp up occupations across the country and around the world -- in the face of initial skepticism, ultimately netting endorsements from a variety of politicians and unions.

The occupiers have also faced injuries and arrests along the way. When a video surfaced in September of New York Police officers pepper-spraying a group of young women during a protest in Union Square it launched the movement into the spotlight. The arrest of more than 700 protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge a few days later only heightened the focus on the movement."

'via Blog this'

Walmart Edit Of Union Story On Internal News Wire Reveals Tactic That Could Spell Trouble

Walmart Edit Of Union Story On Internal News Wire Reveals Tactic That Could Spell Trouble: "Although the headline and the first sentence remained the same, the 3,861-word story was edited down to two paragraphs, in part by combining phrases from different sections in the article to strengthen Walmart's anti-union message.

Selectively edited news summaries are not unusual. And some public relations experts describe the practice as widespread.

"While this type of selective editing isn't exactly straight-shooting, it's done by corporations, institutions and journalists all the time," said Eric Dezenhall, a communications strategist in Washington, D.C., who worked in the White House for President Ronald Reagan."

'via Blog this'

Classified documents reveal US military mindset at time of Haditha massacre - The Irish Times - Sat, Dec 17, 2011

Classified documents reveal US military mindset at time of Haditha massacre - The Irish Times - Sat, Dec 17, 2011: "The 400 pages of interrogations, once closely guarded as secrets of war, were supposed to have been destroyed as the last US troops prepare to leave Iraq. Instead, they were discovered by a reporter at a junkyard outside Baghdad.

The documents – many marked secret – form part of a military investigation and confirm much of what happened at Haditha, a Euphrates river town where Marines killed 24 Iraqis, including a 76-year-old man in a wheelchair, women and children, some just toddlers. Haditha became a defining moment of the war, helping cement an enduring resentment that not a single marine has been convicted. That is one of the main reasons that all US combat troops are leaving."

'via Blog this'

Christopher Hitchens Dies at the Age of 62 | NewsFeed | TIME.com

Christopher Hitchens Dies at the Age of 62 | NewsFeed | TIME.com: "“Violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism and tribalism and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children: organized religion ought to have a great deal on its conscience.”"

'via Blog this'

U.S. CEO Pay Jumps Minimum Of 27 Percent Last Year, Survey Finds

U.S. CEO Pay Jumps Minimum Of 27 Percent Last Year, Survey Finds: "The survey's findings may resonate with Occupy movement activists, who have been railing against income inequality since the protests first started. Indeed, CEO pay by itself exceeded the amount that his or her corporation paid in income taxes in at least 25 cases last year. And in the year before America's highest-highest-paid corporate chief netted more than $145 million, U.S. median income fell to below $27,000, meaning half of all earners made less than that."

'via Blog this'

Robert Reich: An Offer to the President

Robert Reich: An Offer to the President: "Mr. President, we heard what you said last week in Kansas -- about the dangers to our economy and democracy of the increasing concentration of income and wealth at the top.

We agree. And many of us are prepared to work our hearts out to get you reelected -- as long as you commit to doing what needs to be done in your second term:

-- Raise the tax rate on the rich to what it was before 1981. The top 1 percent has an almost unprecedented share of the nation's wealth and income yet the lowest tax rate in 30 years. Meanwhile, America faces colossal budget deficits that have already meant devastating cuts in education, infrastructure, and the safety nets we depend on. The rich must pay their fair share. Income in excess of $1 million should be taxed at 70 percent -- the same rate as before 1981."

'via Blog this'

Capitalism Is the Enemy of Democracy

Capitalism Is the Enemy of Democracy: "Excluding people from having a say over what happens to the wealth we create is the first and the most fundamental way that any capitalist system undermines democracy. We are fundamentally disenfranchised in the places we work. Wealth owners control the levers of investment and, thus, the "needs" of capital trump those of workers when it comes to making decisions about what gets produced, how and for whom.

Beyond this, neoliberal capitalism goes further - it uses the value you and I create to enforce a virtual dictatorship by wealth in the political sphere. The most obvious manifestation of this dictatorship by wealth is the unlimited corporate financing of our elected representatives.
"

'via Blog this'

Dan Froomkin: 'Wealth Defense Industry' Protects 1% From the Rabble and Its Taxes

Dan Froomkin: 'Wealth Defense Industry' Protects 1% From the Rabble and Its Taxes: "Occupy protesters are putting their bodies on the line day and night -- leaving their homes, living in tents, braving the elements, and being treated as criminals by the police.

But the super-rich whose influence they are protesting have others to do their fighting for them.

"Oligarchs can go about their business as literally thousands of fulltime professionals work for their interests," says Northwestern University political economist Jeffrey Winters, author of the 2011 book Oligarchy."

'via Blog this'

Carne Ross: The Leaderless Revolution: A New Paradigm of Political Change

Carne Ross: The Leaderless Revolution: A New Paradigm of Political Change: "At home, democracy has been subverted. Corporations donate copiously to both parties to insure their influence. Politicians initiate legislation in order to extract rents from big business. Private prison owners lobby for longer sentences. There are now lobbying organizations representing the interests of lobbyists.

This legal corruption is deeply entrenched in our supposedly democratic political system, resisting all attempts at reform. It is naïve to expect decisions from this system to reflect the interests of ordinary people. And this is what we see: tax regimes that tax incomes of the poor more than the accumulating wealth of the rich; healthcare legislation whose primary beneficiary is the healthcare industry; a comprehensive failure to regulate the banking industry to prevent further violent crises such as the '08 credit crunch."

'via Blog this'

Newt Gingrich’s Alternative History : The New Yorker

Newt Gingrich’s Alternative History : The New Yorker: "Gingrich’s sudden rise and special appeal to the emotions of “the base,” one suspects, stem less from his vaunted “big ideas” than from his long-cultivated, unparalleled talent for contempt. In 1990, when he was not yet Speaker, he pressed a memo on Republican candidates for office, instructing them to use certain words when talking about the Democratic enemy: “betray,” “bizarre,” “decay,” “anti-flag,” “anti-family,” “pathetic,” “lie,” “cheat,” “radical,” “sick,” “traitors,” and more."

'via Blog this'

An Open Letter from America’s Port Truck Drivers on Occupy the Ports | Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports

An Open Letter from America’s Port Truck Drivers on Occupy the Ports | Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports: "We are the front-line workers who haul container rigs full of imported and exported goods to and from the docks and warehouses every day.

We have been elected by committees of our co-workers at the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, New York and New Jersey to tell our collective story. We have accepted the honor to speak up for our brothers and sisters about our working conditions despite the risk of retaliation we face. One of us is a mother, the rest of us fathers. Between the five of us we have 11children and one more baby on the way. We have a combined 46 years of experience driving cargo from our shores for America’s stores.

We are inspired that a non-violent democratic movement that insists on basic economic fairness is capturing the hearts and minds of so many working people. Thank you “99 Percenters” for hearing our call for justice. We are humbled and overwhelmed by recent attention. Normally we are invisible."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Our Homes Gains Support Near A Foreclosed House In Brooklyn

Occupy Our Homes Gains Support Near A Foreclosed House In Brooklyn: "BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- Until three days ago, Teresa Bolton didn't consider herself part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Bolton is 55 and lives in East New York, Brooklyn, an hour's train ride from the skyscrapers of Manhattan's financial district, where the movement was born. But when occupiers appeared on her block this week, as part of a new national campaign to help homeless families move into vacant houses and resist foreclosure-related evictions, she opened her door.

"Occupy Wall Street came to me. I didn't go seek it out," she said, standing on her porch, wearing a navy turban and a pink sweatshirt, large silver hoops dangling from her ears. "I always wanted to be involved in something positive that was beneficial to everyone.""

'via Blog this'

Bob Burnett: Occupy Wall Street: The Enthusiasm Gap

Bob Burnett: Occupy Wall Street: The Enthusiasm Gap: "The latest polls indicate that approximately 75 percent of Americans agree with the goals of Occupy Wall Street. Nonetheless, only 29 percent consider themselves supporters of OWS. What accounts for this enthusiasm gap?

The October Time magazine poll asked respondents if they agreed with the positions advocated by Occupy Wall Street and discovered extraordinary concurrence. 86 percent agreed that, "Wall Street and its lobbyists have too much influence in Washington." 79 percent agreed that, "The gap between rich and poor in the United States has grown too large." 71 percent agreed with ""Executives of financial institutions responsible for the financial meltdown in 2008 should be prosecuted." And 68 percent agreed that, "The rich should pay more taxes." Nonetheless, there remains a 45-50 percent enthusiasm gap, because the same voters who express these strong positive sentiments say they don't support OWS."

'via Blog this'

Robert Reich: The Rebirth of Social Darwinism

Robert Reich: The Rebirth of Social Darwinism: "What kind of society, exactly, do modern Republicans want? I've been listening to Republican candidates in an effort to discern an overall philosophy, a broadly-shared vision, an ideal picture of America.

They say they want a smaller government but that can't be it. Most seek a larger national defense and more muscular homeland security. Almost all want to widen the government's powers of search and surveillance inside the United States -- eradicating possible terrorists, expunging undocumented immigrants, "securing" the nation's borders. They want stiffer criminal sentences, including broader application of the death penalty. Many also want government to intrude on the most intimate aspects of private life."

'via Blog this'

Occupy LA Raid: Police Arrest Protesters Who Defied Eviction Notice (LIVE BLOG)

Occupy LA Raid: Police Arrest Protesters Who Defied Eviction Notice (LIVE BLOG): "Police Chief Charlie Beck praised the officers and the protesters for their restraint and the peaceful way the eviction was carried out.

Officers flooded down the steps of City Hall just after midnight and started dismantling the two-month-old camp two days after a deadline passed for campers to leave the park. Officers in helmets and wielding batons and guns with rubber bullets converged on the park from all directions with military precision and began making arrests after several orders were given to leave.

There were no injuries and no drugs or weapons were found during a search of the emptied camp, which was strewn with trash after the raid. City workers put up concrete barriers to wall off the park while it is restored. As of 5:10 a.m. PST, the park was clear of protesters, said LAPD officer Cleon Joseph."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Wall Street And Homelessness: Millions Spent To Evict Camps, While Cutting Shelter Funds

Occupy Wall Street And Homelessness: Millions Spent To Evict Camps, While Cutting Shelter Funds: "After Atlanta's Mayor Kasim Reed forcibly evacuated Occupy Atlanta from a public park, protesters moved into a homeless shelter. As it turned out, the shelter had been tied up in court battles with the city for a few years, and the city had planned to close it. The shelter was scheduled to be shut down a few days after the protesters moved in, but that date has since been postponed indefinitely and protesters have taken up the shelter's cause.


Local stakeholders -- including city officials, the local business development group Central Atlanta Progress, Emory University and other business interests -- have been trying to boot the Task Force homeless shelter from its home as it sits on a valuable piece of real estate.
"

'via Blog this'

Robert Reich: Restore the Basic Bargain

Robert Reich: Restore the Basic Bargain: "New data from the Commerce Department shows employee pay is now down to the smallest share of the economy since the government began collecting wage and salary data in 1929.

Meanwhile, corporate profits now constitute the largest share of the economy since 1929.

1929, by the way, was the year of the Great Crash that ushered in the Great Depression.

In the years leading up to the Great Crash, most employers forgot Henry Ford's example. The wages of most American workers remained stagnant. The gains of economic growth went mainly into corporate profits and into the pockets of the very rich. American families maintained their standard of living by going deeper into debt. In 1929 the debt bubble popped.

Sound familiar? It should. The same thing happened in the years leading up to the crash of 2008."

'via Blog this'

THE BANKERS’ MANIFESTO OF 1892

THE BANKERS’ MANIFESTO OF 1892: "THE BANKERS’ MANIFESTO OF 1892

"We [the bankers] must proceed with caution and guard every move made, for the lower order of people are already showing signs of restless commotion. Prudence will therefore show a policy of apparently yielding to the popular will until our plans are so far consummated that we can declare our designs without fear of any organized resistance. The Farmers Alliance and Knights of Labor organizations in the United States should be carefully watched by our trusted men, and we must take immediate steps to control these organizations in our interest or disrupt them."

'via Blog this'

Quotes on Banking and the Federal Reserve

Quotes on Banking and the Federal Reserve: "James Madison
"History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and it's issuance." — James Madison"

'via Blog this'

Secret Fed Loans Undisclosed to Congress Gave Banks $13 Billion in Income - Bloomberg

Secret Fed Loans Undisclosed to Congress Gave Banks $13 Billion in Income - Bloomberg: "The Federal Reserve and the big banks fought for more than two years to keep details of the largest bailout in U.S. history a secret. Now, the rest of the world can see what it was missing.
The Fed didn’t tell anyone which banks were in trouble so deep they required a combined $1.2 trillion on Dec. 5, 2008, their single neediest day. Bankers didn’t mention that they took tens of billions of dollars in emergency loans at the same time they were assuring investors their firms were healthy. And no one calculated until now that banks reaped an estimated $13 billion of income by taking advantage of the Fed’s below-market rates, Bloomberg Markets magazine reports in its January issue.
Saved by the bailout, bankers lobbied against government regulations, a job made easier by the Fed, which never disclosed the details of the rescue to lawmakers even as Congress doled out more money and debated new rules aimed at preventing the next collapse."

'via Blog this'

The shocking truth about the crackdown on Occupy | Naomi Wolf | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

The shocking truth about the crackdown on Occupy | Naomi Wolf | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk: "In New York, a state supreme court justice and a New York City council member were beaten up; in Berkeley, California, one of our greatest national poets, Robert Hass, was beaten with batons. The picture darkened still further when Wonkette and Washingtonsblog.com reported that the Mayor of Oakland acknowledged that the Department of Homeland Security had participated in an 18-city mayor conference call advising mayors on "how to suppress" Occupy protests.

To Europeans, the enormity of this breach may not be obvious at first. Our system of government prohibits the creation of a federalised police force, and forbids federal or militarised involvement in municipal peacekeeping."

'via Blog this'

Industrial Workers of the World | One Big Union!

Industrial Workers of the World | One Big Union!: "As the attacks on public and private sector unions escalate, the racist scapegoating, exploitation, and deportation of immigrant workers continues apace. Right-wing legislators in states across the country are pursuing the Arizona show-me-your-papers racial profiling model which undermines the liberty and offends the dignity of every working person. Employers enrich themselves for years on the hard work of immigrant employees only to cynically raise status issues when confronted with demands for stolen wages or for decent working conditions. Yet still, immigrant workers of color are routinely demonstrating the courage to lead some of the most profound and hard-fought labor campaigns in the United States."

'via Blog this'

POLITICO Forums:Politics: Is Newt as smart as he thinks? - POLITICO.com

POLITICO Forums:Politics: Is Newt as smart as he thinks? - POLITICO.com: " Newt is at best a pseudo intellectual. Just because he has a Phd. doesn't make him 'automatically' intellectual. I've known and heard of many Phd's who, though they managed to slog their way up the academic ladder, were, basically, dumb. If African Grey Parrots were just a little brighter, we would have thousands of feathered Phd's. I also wonder about the real reason he was not tenured. I cannot see him being a good History teacher, as a History teacher must be able to put themselves into another place and time, and see it through that society's eyes, in order to make it understandable in the present. Newt cannot even see the present through eyes other than his own, so how could he have an understanding of people long dead? "

'via Blog this'

Debtors' Prison Legal In More Than One-Third Of U.S. States

Debtors' Prison Legal In More Than One-Third Of U.S. States: "As well as a return of 18th century debtors prisons we have the return of "special treatment" jail (for a price. I believe it's $185 per day in Pasadena, CA) where you get a private room, better food, internet, etc. if you can pay. They even have an add campaign; "Bad things can happen to Good people too". By "good" they obviously mean rich. Maybe we can buy naming rights to one of these Gaols. We could call it "The Charles Dickens Memorial Prison". "

'via Blog this'

Fox News Viewers Know Less Than People Who Don't Watch Any News: Study

Fox News Viewers Know Less Than People Who Don't Watch Any News: Study: "Dan Cassino, a political science professor at Fairleigh Dickinson, explained in a statement, "Because of the controls for partisanship, we know these results are not just driven by Republicans or other groups being more likely to watch Fox News. Rather, the results show us that there is something about watching Fox News that leads people to do worse on these questions than those who don’t watch any news at all."

This isn't the first study that has found that Fox News viewers more misinformed in comparison to others. Last year, a study from the University of Maryland found that Fox News viewers were more likely to believe false information about politics."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Belfast protesters carry on camping at St Anne's Cathedral - Northern Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Occupy Belfast protesters carry on camping at St Anne's Cathedral - Northern Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk: "Galway woman Stiofinin Furlong (20), an Occupy Belfast organiser, said: “I just couldn't do nothing, our accident and emergency departments are shutting, university fees are going up, we are paying for the mistakes of the banks.”

At the side of Writers’ Square 17 tents, two gazebos and a few log burners make up the camp.

In contrast to claims of heavy-handedness in New York, and legal threats in London, the Belfast contingent seem to be having an untroubled time.

Ms Furlong said: “All of the food, heaters, firewood, everything, has been donated by the people of Belfast and without them we wouldn't be here.”"

'via Blog this'

UC Davis Police Pepper-Spray Seated Students In Occupy Dispute (VIDEO) (UPDATES)

UC Davis Police Pepper-Spray Seated Students In Occupy Dispute (VIDEO) (UPDATES): "At Occupy Davis, relations with the democratically elected city council and local police forces have been genial and productive. The authorities have worked continuously to harmonize the occupation's presence with the park and surrounding businesses and ensure that all aspects of the encampment remain non-violent. Those in charge of using force are aware that they are democratically elected officials that are directly accountable to the people.
Occupy UC Davis, a mere three blocks away, is under the jurisdiction of an undemocratic, appointed regime of force over which its subjects have no meaningful democratic control. The authorities there attacked non-violent protesters with indifference, and, in some cases, a clear display of sadistic pleasure.
There could be no better illustration of the differences between a democratic, accountable public safety effort and a fascist, totalitarian, unaccountable police state. The students of UC Davis have no meaningful voice, and that is reflected at the very top of the administration down to the officer on the ground who can spice up his day with a confident sense of utter, unassailable impunity."

'via Blog this'

Lobbying Firm Memo To Advise Wall Street Clients On Occupy Movement

Lobbying Firm Memo To Advise Wall Street Clients On Occupy Movement: "Leading Democratic party strategists have begun to openly discuss the benefits of embracing the growing and increasingly organized Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement to prevent Republican gains in Congress and the White House next year. We have seen this process of adopting extreme positions and movements to increase base voter turnout, including in the 2005-2006 immigration debate. This would mean more than just short-term discomfort for Wall Street firms. If vilifying the leading companies of this sector is allowed to become an unchallenged centerpiece of a coordinated Democratic campaign, it has the potential to have very long-lasting political, policy and financial impacts on the companies in the center of the bullseye.
It shouldn't be surprising that the Democratic party or even President Obama's re-election team would campaign against Wall Street in this cycle. However the bigger concern should be that Republicans will no longer defend Wall Street companies -- and might start running against them too."

'via Blog this'

Paul Martin: Former PM Comes Out In Favour Of Occupy Wall Street And 'Redistribution Programs'

Paul Martin: Former PM Comes Out In Favour Of Occupy Wall Street And 'Redistribution Programs': "An unexpected voice is joining the chorus of support for the Occupy movement — former prime minister Paul Martin.

Martin says protesters have sparked a global debate that may help save the free market system.

“This idea that [the Occupy protestors] don’t have clear goals, I don’t think anybody buys it,” Martin told The Huffington Post, even as city governments across Canada step up their efforts to end the occupation.

“These young people have touched a chord that is being discussed in every family across North America and in Europe, as well. I think it’s a very important thing they’ve done.”"

'via Blog this'

Sen. Bernie Sanders: Democrats, Stop Caving In

Sen. Bernie Sanders: Democrats, Stop Caving In: "Here is something we all can agree on: Federal deficits are a serious problem.

Here is something no one seriously disputes: Today's big deficits were caused mainly by big tax cuts for the wealthy, two unpaid-for wars, a horrible recession caused by Wall Street greed, and an expensive prescription drug program rigged to favor pharmaceutical companies.

Here is something we should not agree to do: Cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits."

'via Blog this'

Chris Hedges: This Is What Revolution Looks Like - Chris Hedges' Columns - Truthdig

Chris Hedges: This Is What Revolution Looks Like - Chris Hedges' Columns - Truthdig: "Welcome to the revolution. Our elites have exposed their hand. They have nothing to offer. They can destroy but they cannot build. They can repress but they cannot lead. They can steal but they cannot share. They can talk but they cannot speak. They are as dead and useless to us as the water-soaked books, tents, sleeping bags, suitcases, food boxes and clothes that were tossed by sanitation workers Tuesday morning into garbage trucks in New York City. They have no ideas, no plans and no vision for the future. "

'via Blog this'

Robert Scheer: The Villain Occupy Wall Street Has Been Waiting For

Robert Scheer: The Villain Occupy Wall Street Has Been Waiting For: "But only in America is the arrogance of the super-rich so perfectly concealed by the pretense of democracy that the 12th richest man in the nation can suppress dissent against corporate rapacity and expect his brutal actions to be viewed not as a means of preserving his own class privilege but as bureaucratically necessary to providing sanitary streets."

'via Blog this'

Millionaires On Capitol Hill: Tax Us More

Millionaires On Capitol Hill: Tax Us More: "What a bunch of crap the Repubs are handing out. These people, as members of a group (millionai­res), are saying that the group as a whole are not paying their fair share in taxes. It doesn't have anything to do with their personal situations but their group as a whole. What the Repubs are saying is much like telling people who have denounced the majority of their group as criminals, that then they, themselves­, should voluntaril­y go to jail and leave the other group members alone. Crap! Pure, unadultera­ted Crap!"

'via Blog this'

Robert Creamer: Mayors Who Attempt to End Occupy Protests Are on the Wrong Side of History

Robert Creamer: Mayors Who Attempt to End Occupy Protests Are on the Wrong Side of History: "The pundits who charge that the Occupy Movement doesn't have demands must be on another planet. They may not like their demand -- but the Occupy Movement has a very clear demand: end that inequality of wealth and power -- and end it now.

Protest movements that change history are always "disruptive" of the status quo. The mayors who are so concerned that Occupy is "disruptive" should instead turn their attention to the level of disruption caused by Wall Street, when its greed and reckless speculation collapsed the world economy cost eight million Americans their jobs and caused a recession that has lasted over three years. Now that's "disruption." And that's exactly what the Occupy Wall Street Movement is demanding be changed."

'via Blog this'

As Zuccotti Park Is Cleared, Congress Moves to Gut Financial Reform | Truthout

As Zuccotti Park Is Cleared, Congress Moves to Gut Financial Reform | Truthout: "In the dead of night last night, the movement to hold big banks accountable for their crimes took two major hits. Occupy Wall Street activists were swept from Zuccotti Park as radical members of Congress moved to gut funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and advance a series of shocking proposals to roll back financial reform."

'via Blog this'

Paula Gordon: Who is "We"?

Paula Gordon: Who is "We"?: "There are two major conditions affecting America today, conditions from which flow much else which troubles the nation.

First, large, multi-national corporations are in effective control of the government.
Second, large, multinational corporations are in effective control of the economy.

On January 21, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Just as occurred in the other judicial coup d'état of the decade (Bush v. Gore being the other), in a split 5-4 decision that Court ratified and further enabled the corporatization of American politics.

To qualify as a coup d'état, it is not necessary for the actions of the Supreme Court to result in immediate and radical change in our day to day lives. All that is required is that political power be emphatically shifted from one entity (the people) to another (the corporation)."

'via Blog this'

FDR's 1944 State of the Union Address, better known as the Second or Economic Bill of Rights | OccupyWallSt.org

FDR's 1944 State of the Union Address, better known as the Second or Economic Bill of Rights | OccupyWallSt.org: "In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.

Among these are:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

The right of every family to a decent home;

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

The right to a good education."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Wall Street 'Media Blackout': Journalists Arrested, Roughed Up, Blocked From Covering Clearing

Occupy Wall Street 'Media Blackout': Journalists Arrested, Roughed Up, Blocked From Covering Clearing: "The surprise raid on the Occupy Wall Street encampment included an aggressive, sometimes violent approach to the journalists covering the event.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the NYPD moved into Zucotti Park and forcibly cleared it of the encampment that had been there for nearly two months. Naturally, journalists flocked to Lower Manhattan to witness what was going on. When they got there, though, most of them were barred from getting too close.

Reporter after reporter — many using the hashtag "#mediablackout" — tweeted through the night, saying that police had either blocked them from seeing what was happening or had acted violently towards them. Some correspondents were also among the scores of people arrested by police.

At his press conference about the raid on Tuesday morning, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said journalists were barred from covering the raid "to protect members of the press," and "to prevent a situation from getting worse.""

'via Blog this'

Why inequality in America is even worse than you thought - Salon.com

Why inequality in America is even worse than you thought - Salon.com: "There has been no shortage of headlines this week about the growing income and wealth inequality in the United States. A new study from the Congressional Budget Office, for example, found that income of the top 1 percent of households increased by 275 percent in the 30-year period ending in 2007. American households at the bottom and in the middle, meanwhile, saw income growth of just 18 to 40 percent over the same period

But less attention has been paid to the fact that not only are the numbers bad in America, they’re particularly bad when compared to other developed nations.

A new report (.pdf) by the Bertelsmann Foundation drives this point home. The German think tank used a set of policy analyses to create a Social Justice Index of 31 developed nations in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The United States came in a dismal 27th in the rankings. Here, for example, is a graph of one of the metrics, child poverty, in which the U.S. ranked fourth-to-last "

'via Blog this'

Looting Social Security » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names

Looting Social Security » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names: "Hank Paulson, the Gold Sacks bankster/US Treasury Secretary, who deregulated the financial system, caused a world crisis that wrecked the prospects of foreign banks and governments, caused millions of Americans to lose retirement savings, homes, and jobs, and left taxpayers burdened with multi-trillions of dollars of new US debt, is still not in jail. He is writing in the New York Times urging that the mess he caused be fixed by taking away from working Americans the Social Security and Medicare for which they have paid in earmarked taxes all their working lives.

Wall Street’s approach to the poor has always been to drive them deeper into the ground."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Wall Street: New York Police Department Evicts Protesters, Clears Zuccotti Park [LATEST UPDATES]

Occupy Wall Street: New York Police Department Evicts Protesters, Clears Zuccotti Park [LATEST UPDATES]: "Not only did the police, at the orders of billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg, abruptly move on the protesters, they are alleged to have deliberately kept the press away, which is clearly unconstitutional if true.

The U.S. Constitution prohibits Congress from restricting the right of citizens to assemble peacefully and to petition for redress of grievances. For a history of the relevant U.S. Supreme Court cases, see this link.

The government is also forbidden to interfere with the workings of the free press, so that the NYPD’s attempt to keep reporters away from the scene of their unprovoked attack on the demonstrators compounds the unconstitutionality of it all.

One of the ways that the First Amendment has been constrained is that fewer and fewer public spaces are still considered “public” (Zucotti Park is privately owned even though it is a park in a city)."

'via Blog this'

Tom Coburn: $30 Billion In Millionaires Aid Is 'Sheer Washington Stupidity'

Tom Coburn: $30 Billion In Millionaires Aid Is 'Sheer Washington Stupidity': "WASHINGTON -- Millionaires are receiving billions in taxpayer-funded support every year that helps them pay for everything from child care to bad debts to boats and vacation homes, according to a report released Monday by Sen. Tom Coburn.

People who individually earned more than a million dollars in 2009 even managed to collect a total of nearly $21 million in unemployment insurance.

"From tax write-offs for gambling losses, vacation homes, and luxury yachts to subsidies for their ranches and estates, the government is subsidizing the lifestyles of the rich and famous," wrote Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, in an accompanying letter. "Multimillionaires are even receiving government checks for not working. This welfare for the well-off -- costing billions of dollars a year -- is being paid for with the taxes of the less fortunate."

Calling the giveaways "sheer Washington stupidity," Coburn detailed in the study more than $30 billion a year that comes out of the U.S. Treasury to aid people who make more than a million a year."

'via Blog this'

Ten Ways the Occupy Movement Changes Everything | Truthout

Ten Ways the Occupy Movement Changes Everything | Truthout: "Before the Occupy Wall Street movement, there was little discussion of the outsized power of Wall Street and the diminishing fortunes of the middle class.

The media blackout was especially remarkable given that issues like jobs and corporate influence on elections topped the list of concerns for most Americans.

Occupy Wall Street changed that. In fact, it may represent the best hope in years that “we the people” will step up to take on the critical challenges of our time. Here’s how the Occupy movement is already changing everything:"

'via Blog this'

Robert Kuttner: The Superfluous Super Committee

Robert Kuttner: The Superfluous Super Committee: "If the election is fought over Democratic austerity versus Republican austerity, President Obama might limp to victory over a weak and fragmented GOP field, but the economy he inherits will be no prize. But if Democrats run as the party of the 99 percent versus the 1 percent, and the party of possibility versus penury, then they just might win a mandate worth having.

I would not have written such a piece even two months ago, but the Occupy movements have opened up some new, heartening political space. The victories last Tuesday confirm that most people do not buy the union-bashing, belt-tightening vision for America. Ordinary people are leading, and change is in the air. As someone said, politicians need to get out of the way if they can't lend a hand."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Portland Protesters Face Showdown With Police Over Eviction Order

Occupy Portland Protesters Face Showdown With Police Over Eviction Order: "We were talking about what we were going to do and then they just started hitting people. Seems like a waste of resources to me," protester Mike Swain, 27, told the AP.

One man was taken away on a stretcher; he was alert and talking to paramedics, and raised a peace sign to fellow protesters, who responded with cheers.

Choya Adkison, 30, said police moved in after giving demonstrators a false sense of calm. They thought they had time to rest, relax and regroup, she said

"Camp was completely vulnerable, completely defenseless" when police moved in, she said. "I'm disappointed that they created a sense of trust by walking away and then completely trampled it.""

'via Blog this'

The GOP's 'Uncertainty' Talking Point, Debunked

The GOP's 'Uncertainty' Talking Point, Debunked: "The Federal Reserve, however, has options. The Fed has kept interest rates low for years, and resorted to exotic maneuvers to encourage consumers and companies to spend money and boost the economy. But since 2008, the Fed has actually paid banks to park their excess reserves at the central bank, rather than lend them out into the economy. If the Fed wanted that money to make its way to consumers and businesses and stimulate job growth, it could simply reverse its policy -- instead of paying banks interest on excess reserves, it could charge them fees. At present, banks can actually make money by doing nothing with their money. If there were a penalty for doing nothing, banks would work harder to find good loan candidates."

'via Blog this'

Robert Creamer: Progressive Victories in Ohio, Mississippi, Maine, Arizona Provide Seven Key Lessons for 2012

Robert Creamer: Progressive Victories in Ohio, Mississippi, Maine, Arizona Provide Seven Key Lessons for 2012: "Lesson #5: Progressives win when we stand up straight. We won last night where we stood proudly for progressive values -- planted the flag -- mobilized our forces and took the offensive.

People in America are not looking for leaders who apologize for their progressive beliefs or are willing to compromise those principles even before they enter the fight. They want leaders who will fight for the middle class, and fight for change; who stand up against the big Wall Street banks and the CEO class that they believe - correctly - have siphoned off the nation's wealth, and whose greed has caused the economy to collapse.

People are willing to compromise when it seems to advance the common good -- but only after their leaders have done everything in their power to defend their interests -- and have mobilized them to defend their own interests."

'via Blog this'

Arthur Bruzzone: Wall Street Cynicism Is What Has 'Trickled Down'

Arthur Bruzzone: Wall Street Cynicism Is What Has 'Trickled Down': "I read the first article about a poll in which over 50 percent of generally conservative financial planners supported the basic core protest of the Occupy WS movement.

But here's where it got interesting. Another article had this headline. "Best Short EVER! Ends up Costing Citicorp $285M."

It told how Citicorp, Inc. agreed to pay $285 million for betting that a $ 1 billion mortgage investment that they sold to investors, would fail. What's worse is that Citicorp helped pick half the mortgages they bet against and failed to tell the investors. This describes it graphically. On the day the transaction closed, an experienced trader wrote in an email that the portfolio was "dog sh*it" and "possibly the best short EVER!"

So, as I'm reading this I say to myself, the demonstrators outside got it right -- more than they could imagine. It wasn't just the foreclosures, bailouts and high executive salaries. Some financial institutions made huge profits bundling the bad mortgages and selling them to investors, then betting that the bundle would lose value."

'via Blog this'

Voters reject ideological agendas of both parties - Darrell Delamaide's Political Capital - MarketWatch

Voters reject ideological agendas of both parties - Darrell Delamaide's Political Capital - MarketWatch: "In Ohio, voters handed a stinging rebuke to Gov. John Kasich and repealed his law restricting the right of public-sector unions to collective bargaining. These rights were won at too high a cost to give them up so easily.

In Maine, voters whistled back an overenthusiastic Gov. Paul LePage and vetoed the Legislature’s repeal of the provision allowing voters to register on Election Day. There is no more fundamental right in a democracy than being able to vote, and the diverse efforts by Republicans to restrict voting rights are misguided.

In Mississippi, one of the most conservative states in the nation, voters rejected the so-called “personhood” amendment that attempted to impose a single, simplistic concept of life, ignoring the entire legal, philosophical and social debate on this vexed subject and infringing what has been established as a woman’s right to choose.

Voters have caught on that some of these ideologues are willfully misinterpreting supposed “mandates” and exploiting an electorate looking for some simple governance by imposing an extremist agenda."

'via Blog this'

Robert Reich: The Corporate Pledge of Allegiance

Robert Reich: The Corporate Pledge of Allegiance: "The Corporate Pledge of Allegiance to the United States

The [fill in blank] company pledges allegiance to the United States of America. To that end:
We pledge to create more jobs in the United States than we create outside the United States, either directly or in our foreign subsidiaries and subcontractors.
If we have to lay off American workers, we will give them severance payments equal to their weekly wage times the number of weeks they've work for us.
We further pledge that no more than 20 percent of our total labor costs will be outsourced abroad.
We pledge to keep a lid on executive pay so no executive is paid more than 50 times the median pay of American workers. We define "pay" to include salary, bonuses, health benefits, pension benefits, deferred salary, stock options, and every other form of compensation.
We pledge to pay at least 30 percent of money earned in the United States in taxes to the United States. We won't shift our money to offshore tax havens and won't use accounting gimmicks to fake how much we earn.
We pledge not to use our money to influence elections.
Companies that make the pledge are free to use it in their ads over the Christmas shopping season."

'via Blog this'

Most Americans Say Economic Structure Favors 'Very Small Portion Of The Rich': WSJ/NBC Poll

Most Americans Say Economic Structure Favors 'Very Small Portion Of The Rich': WSJ/NBC Poll: "Sixty percent of Americans said they think the country's economic structure is "out of balance" and that it favors a "very small portion of the rich" over everyone else, according to a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll. The majority of Americans also said they believe the government should not financially help corporations or cut taxes on the rich.

The findings mirror other surveys indicating that Americans are fed up with the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Fifty-five percent of Americans said they think income inequality is a big problem for the country, according to a recent poll by The Hill. In addition, the wealth gap is one of the major focuses of the Occupy protests taking place across the country."

'via Blog this'

Wall Street Transaction Tax Would Raise $350 Billion

Wall Street Transaction Tax Would Raise $350 Billion: "The Wall Street Trading and Speculators Tax Act would impose a tax of 0.03 percent on financial transactions, meaning that longterm investors would barely notice it, but traders who move rapidly in and out of positions would feel its sting and, the authors hope, reduce the volume of their speculation in response.

The European Union is pressing forward with a financial transaction tax, though it is encountering some resistance from the United Kingdom, the financial center of Europe.

In order to be effective, the tax would need to be implemented in most major industrial countries where trading is done."

'via Blog this'

Police arrest protesters in Atlanta, Honolulu – USATODAY.com

Police arrest protesters in Atlanta, Honolulu – USATODAY.com: "n Atlanta, a crowd of several hundred protesters had gathered at Woodruff Park, the scene of about 50 arrests of demonstrators last month, and set up tents. Organizers had said they planned to stay overnight despite warnings from the mayor and police that anyone there past the 11 p.m. EDT closing would be arrested."

'via Blog this'

More Small Businesses Are Pulling Their Accounts Out Of Big Banks

More Small Businesses Are Pulling Their Accounts Out Of Big Banks: "Tired of bad relationships with big banks, a growing number of small-business owners seem ready to make the switch to small local banks, community banks or credit unions. Lauri Kaye, owner of Create Cafe in Tucson, Ariz., thought it was ridiculous when she got charged a fee by Wells Fargo for depositing more than $2,500 into her business account. But she drew the line at fees affecting her employees. About three weeks ago, an employee told her that Wells Fargo was charging him $5 to cash his paycheck. When she contacted Wells Fargo, "They said there was nothing they could do about it," Kaye says. "It was non-negotiable. It's incredibly manipulative -- those who have no voice are getting pushed around.""

'via Blog this'

Occupy Wall Street's Message: Senate Democrats Say It Will Dominate 2012 Elections

Occupy Wall Street's Message: Senate Democrats Say It Will Dominate 2012 Elections: "WASHINGTON -- Democrats' strategy for keeping control of the Senate next year includes running on the message of Occupy Wall Street, minus the drums and hemp necklaces.

Even in conservative states like Nebraska and Montana, candidates will be talking about income inequality and corporate excess, said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee director Guy Cecil on Thursday.

"Whether they go to an Occupy Wall Street [protest], that'll be up to them," Cecil said at a breakfast hosted by the nonpartisan think tank Third Way. "But I think the message of income disparity, of how do we make sure that working-class families and middle-class families have a chance, how do we make sure their kids get to college, is going to resonate in almost every state.""

'via Blog this'

Jobless Protesters Occupy Mitch McConnell's Office As Congress Dithers On Jobs

Jobless Protesters Occupy Mitch McConnell's Office As Congress Dithers On Jobs: "WASHINGTON -- Roughly 30 jobless protesters from D.C. neighborhoods occupied Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's office in the Russell Senate Office Building Thursday, saying they wanted to talk to him about jobs.

But McConnell was busy at the Capitol Building, where he led Republicans in blocking a $60 billion infrastructure bill. The protesters said they supported the measure.

McConnell's legislative director offered to sit down with the group, but they declined, saying they'd rather wait for the senator himself. So they sat in his office, taking up every chair and lots of floor space while McConnell's staff went about its business. A Capitol Police officer scoped the situation and said her heart went out to them for losing their jobs."

'via Blog this'

Perspectives: What Occupy Oakland demonstrators are saying | KALW | an SFGate.com blog

Perspectives: What Occupy Oakland demonstrators are saying | KALW | an SFGate.com blog: "“Had a lot of friends out here last night. Some people got arrested. Some people got gassed. And I thought I probably better get off the couch and get down here.”

“Unfortunately I’m employed, or fortunately – I don’t know what to say about it. But I got a kid at home so I’m… the other part of the 99%.”

“I have to get up at 6:30 tomorrow for one of the most busy clinics – I’ll have 16 patients between 8 and 12, and I have to get up at 6:30. But I’m here right now at 11:15 because I’m just gonna be out here.”

“I work fulltime and didn’t really have the time or the extra energy to do it. But it’s kinda seeming important.”"

'via Blog this'

Thirty Of America's Most Profitable Companies Paid 'Less Than Zero' In Income Taxes In Last 3 Years: Report

Thirty Of America's Most Profitable Companies Paid 'Less Than Zero' In Income Taxes In Last 3 Years: Report: "Nearly 300 of the nation's most profitable companies paid an average tax rate of 18.5 percent from 2008 to 2010, less than half of the 35 percent corporate tax rate, according to a study by the Citizens for Tax Justice released Thursday. Of the 280 companies, 78 studied paid a tax rate of zero or less during at least one year of the three year period.

And thirty companies, the report says, had a negative income tax rate from 2008 to 2010, even though they took home a combined $160 billion in pre-tax profits."

'via Blog this'

Occupy protesters disavow Oakland violence - Nation - The Boston Globe

Occupy protesters disavow Oakland violence - Nation - The Boston Globe: "The protest outside the Port of Oakland, which reopened Thursday, represented an escalation in tactics as a movement that had largely been about marches, rallies and tent camps targeted a major symbol of the nation’s commerce.

The violence that followed, however, raised questions about the direction of the movement and whether the clashes, so far mostly isolated in a city with a history of tensions between residents and police, will galvanize protesters or hurt their cause.

Nicholson blamed the violence on a small group of young people just there for violence — ‘‘Some kids looking to blow off some steam.’’"

'via Blog this'

Dan Solin: The Citigroup Settlement: Legal Fiction Exposed

Dan Solin: The Citigroup Settlement: Legal Fiction Exposed: "Judge Rakoff is a Clinton appointee who joined the federal bench in 1996. He was previously a federal prosecutor and a defense attorney in white collar criminal cases. He has a long history of asking prickly questions about settlements with big Wall Street firms, and the Citigroup case was no exception.

He wants an explanation of how Citigroup can be accused of serious securities fraud, but not be required to admit or deny wrongdoing. The response will be interesting. To the average citizen, engaging in the kind of conduct alleged in the Citigroup complaint looks like fraud. If they are guilty, why shouldn't they admit their guilt?

He would like to know if the public interest would be better served by a trial, which would determine conclusively whether the charges are true. He is right. Either Citigroup should admit its guilt or there should be a trial where all the evidence will be made public and a jury can determine guilt or innocence.

He is concerned that the amount of the proposed $95 million penalty might not have deterrent effect. It won't. It is a drop in the bucket for Citigroup, which reported third quarter 2011 revenues of $20.8 billion."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Wall Street's Message Gains Momentum In Congress

Occupy Wall Street's Message Gains Momentum In Congress: "WASHINGTON -- Occupy Wall Street is finding a louder voice in Congress as lawmakers invoked its rhetoric repeatedly Wednesday in attempts to crack down on speculation, punish dangerous mine operators and pass a jobs bill.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) acknowledged that the Occupy movement could help advance legislation they rolled out designed to "squeeze ... volatility out of the market."

Joined by Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), the chairman of the Populist Caucus, Harkin and DeFazio introduced the Targeted Wall Street Trading Tax bill. It would levy a tax equivalent to three cents for every $100 on transactions like stock trades, credit swaps and derivatives that were largely blamed for the mortgage market meltdown and financial crisis of 2008 that plunged the economy into recession."

'via Blog this'

Former Marine's injury spurs vets to join Occupy movement – USATODAY.com

Former Marine's injury spurs vets to join Occupy movement – USATODAY.com: "Wednesday on Wall Street, the New York City chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War and dozens of other uniformed veterans known as "Veterans of the 99%" are expected to mass near Wall Street, where Occupy began Sept. 17.
Although they've been participating in Occupy protests throughout the country, vets say their ranks have been swelling since last week, when former Marine and Iraq War vet Scott Olsen sustained a skull fracture when he was hit by a police projectile at an Occupy Oakland protest . Although still hospitalized, Olsen, 24, is expected to make a full recovery."

'via Blog this'

Citizens United Going Down? Democrats Introduce Constitutional Amendment To Overturn Ruling

Citizens United Going Down? Democrats Introduce Constitutional Amendment To Overturn Ruling: "WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court may treat corporations like people who can spend whatever they want on elections, but the American people don't have to accept it, said Democratic senators who proposed a constitutional amendment Tuesday to retake control of campaign spending.

The amendment, introduced by Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), doesn't directly address the justices' legal finding that corporations have a right to free speech that was curtailed by election law. Instead, it would add to the Constitution language that says Congress and the states can regulate campaign contributions and expenditures.

The amendment would effectively reverse two landmark Supreme Court decisions -- the 1976 ruling in Buckley v. Valeo, which said spending money in elections is a form of speech, and the 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which ruled it unconstitutional to regulate the money spent to influence elections by corporations and unions."

'via Blog this'

At Occupy Oakland It's Police Who Are Breaking the Rules - Conor Friedersdorf - National - The Atlantic

At Occupy Oakland It's Police Who Are Breaking the Rules - Conor Friedersdorf - National - The Atlantic: "At minimum, that police officer should be fired. Two weeks ago, in response to another instance of police brutality, I wrote that "if anyone, whether police officer or civilian, needlessly and premeditatively disperses pepper spray to incapacitate people who present no threat to anyone, the arrest should be swift, the charge assault, and the perpetrator convicted and jailed." The act in the video above is much more serious. It could've killed the man laying on the ground, or seriously injured the folks trying to help him. And it clearly violates official police policy.

We know that because, after mistreating anti-war protesters in 2003, the Oakland Police Department was sued, and ultimately agreed to a legally binding settlement that included these crowd control policies (emphasis added):"

'via Blog this'

Oakland Police Association Attacks Mayor Over Occupy Protests

Oakland Police Association Attacks Mayor Over Occupy Protests: " The Oakland Police Officers' Association sent an open letter to city Mayor Jean Quan, criticizing the mayor's response to Occupy Oakland protests. Officers also expressed some degree of solidarity with the protesters, declaring, "We, too, are the 99 percent fighting for better working conditions, fair treatment and the ability to provide a living for our children and families.""

'via Blog this'

Union support bolsters Occupy Oakland strike

Union support bolsters Occupy Oakland strike: "The Wednesday strike being called by anti-Wall Street demonstrators in Oakland is getting a big boost from organized labor.

The unions that represent Oakland's public school teachers and city government workers have endorsed the protesters' call to march, picket outside banks and attempt to shut down the Port of Oakland in the evening.

Oakland Education Association Secretary Steve Neat says that as of Tuesday afternoon, the staffs at two elementary schools and a small high school had decided to close their campuses for the day.

At least 182 school district employees, the vast majority classroom teachers, had asked to be replaced with substitutes for the day.

A spokesman for the city workers union says the city is allowing non-emergency employees to use vacation or personal days so they can participate.

"

'via Blog this'

Two Santa Clauses or How The Republican Party Has Conned America for Thirty Years | Common Dreams

Two Santa Clauses or How The Republican Party Has Conned America for Thirty Years | Common Dreams: " virtually all the Republicans since reconstruction with the exception of Teddy Roosevelt), market fundamentalism was a virtual religion. Economists from Ludwig von Mises to Friedrich Hayek to Milton Friedman had preached that government could only make a mess of things economic, and the world of finance should be left to the Big Boys – the Masters of the Universe, as they sometimes called themselves – who ruled Wall Street and international finance.

Hoover enthusiastically followed the advice of his Treasury Secretary, multimillionaire Andrew Mellon, who said in 1931: "Liquidate labor, liquidate stocks, liquidate the farmers, liquidate real estate. Purge the rottenness out of the system. High costs of living and high living will come down... enterprising people will pick up the wrecks from less competent people.""

'via Blog this'

Robert Reich: The Occupiers' Responsive Chord

Robert Reich: The Occupiers' Responsive Chord: "As importantly, the movement has already changed the public debate in America.

Consider, for example, last week's Congressional Budget Office report on widening disparities of income in America. It was hardly news -- it's already well known that the top 1 percent now gets 20 percent of the nation's income, up from 9 percent in the late 1970s.

But it's the first time such news made the front page of the nation's major newspapers.

Why? Because for the first time in more than half a century, a broad cross-section of the American public is talking about the concentration of income, wealth, and political power at the top.

Score a big one for the Occupiers."

'via Blog this'

Jonathan Weiler: The Republican War on Reality

Jonathan Weiler: The Republican War on Reality: "Earlier this year, critics jumped on Senator John Kyl when he falsely asserted that over 90 percent of Planned Parenthood's services related to "terminating pregnancies." The actual figure is far lower, but as is typical of Republican elites these days, Kyl certainly wasn't going to admit that he actually made a mistake. Doing so has itself become anathema to the modern right. Instead, Kyl's office clarified that the Senator's remark was "not intended to be a factual statement." "Not intended to be a factual statement" drew howls of derision and became an instant classic among pop cultural references. "

'via Blog this'

Tech-Savvy Occupy Protesters Use Cellphone Video, Social Networking To Publicize Police Abuse

Tech-Savvy Occupy Protesters Use Cellphone Video, Social Networking To Publicize Police Abuse: "George Orwell once wrote that if you want a vision of the future, "imagine a boot stamping on a human face -- forever." Governments have suppressed citizen dissent for as long as there have been governments and citizens to dissent against them. But over the last decade, it has become increasingly likely that someone will be there to document Orwell's predicted face-stamping with a cellphone and then post it to YouTube for the world to see. It's getting increasingly difficult for governments to get away with suppressing dissent."

'via Blog this'

Customers Teach Bankers a Good Lesson - Forbes

Customers Teach Bankers a Good Lesson - Forbes: "Greed is an obsession. After being bailed out by taxpayers in 2009, America’s large banks came back in 2011 asking for more. This time, they imposed fees on their customer-depositors, in essence, the people that saved them in the first place. Two months ago, for instance, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) announced a $5 monthly fee for its debit cardholders–a way for the bank to offset the loss of revenues caused by the Durbin Amendment of Dodd-Frank Act (a reduction in the fee banks can charge merchants from 44 cents to 24 cents per transaction)."

'via Blog this'

#OccupyWallSt Roundup, Day 42 - NYTimes.com

#OccupyWallSt Roundup, Day 42 - NYTimes.com: "#OccupyWallSt Roundup, Day 42"

'via Blog this'

Occupy the Board Room

Occupy the Board Room: "Make your voice heard by the Wall Street elites who wrecked the economy and made the rest of us pay. Click on someone below and tell them a story that you think they should listen to. Just got a college degree and nothing to show for it? Just got evicted while your banker gets bonuses? Share your special story with someone who ought to know."

'via Blog this'

'Occupy The Boardroom' Website Allows People To Directly Email Wall Street Executives

'Occupy The Boardroom' Website Allows People To Directly Email Wall Street Executives: "Protesters affiliated with Occupy Wall Street launched a website called Occupy the Boardroom, which allows disgruntled consumers to directly message big bank executives, the Guardian reports. Demonstrators plan to print off nearly 7,000 executive emails -- which include foreclosure victims, students trying to pay off loan debts, and others -- and deliver them to the bank heads in a march on Friday."

'via Blog this'

Midwest Occupy Wall Street Protesters Seek To Highlight Foreclosure Mess

Midwest Occupy Wall Street Protesters Seek To Highlight Foreclosure Mess: "Occupy Minneapolis successfully pressured U.S. Bank this week to postpone a Twin Cities woman's eviction. Now they're planning "Operation F," a campaign pushing for a foreclosure moratorium by occupying foreclosed homes."

'via Blog this'

Occupy movement could be damaged by violent clashes - The Washington Post

Occupy movement could be damaged by violent clashes - The Washington Post: "A simple tactic. Get rid of protest by shooting the protesters. In the end though it doesn't work. Oakland is in Alameda Co. where protesters at 'Peoples Park' in Berkeley were shot at by the Co. Sheriff's (killing one bystander who was in front of his place of business). At Kent State in Ohio the Nat. Guard fired on students, killing at least one. Then there was the "Police Riot" in Chicago at the Democratic Convention and many more. The "Peace Movement" did not go away and, in the end, we pulled out of Indo-China. I am reminded of the old Union song "They can't shoot the Union out of me". It will get worse. We will grow stronger. We wont go away!"

'via Blog this'

Bob Cesca: Occupy Wall Street Isn't Anti-Corporation, It's Anti-Corporate Crime

Bob Cesca: Occupy Wall Street Isn't Anti-Corporation, It's Anti-Corporate Crime: "The movement is opposed to deregulated, free market capitalism. Short of Ron Paul disciples and Ayn Rand cultists, no reasonable American wants a system in which Enron, Goldman Sachs, AIG or BP can commit heinous crimes and not pay the price. According to Gallup, 68 percent of Americans want corporations to have less influence in America. That doesn't mean a supermajority of Americans are anti-corporation, it simply means that a supermajority of Americans agree that corporations have acquired too much power and therefore ought to be reined in. Not banished or banned, just watched more closely.

The OWS movement, like the American people, isn't anti-corporate, it's anti-corporate crime."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Oakland - police under scrutiny live updates | World news | guardian.co.uk

Occupy Oakland - police under scrutiny live updates | World news | guardian.co.uk: " A group of human rights and civil liberties experts, including the New York City chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, have released a statement to the Guardian condemning the police action in Oakland.

The group are calling for an "immediate, effective, and independent investigation into the violent police response to the Occupy demonstration in Oakland, and for OPD officers and commanders to be held responsible for their violent acts"."

'via Blog this'

Occupy movement in clashes with police - The Irish Times - Thu, Oct 27, 2011

Occupy movement in clashes with police - The Irish Times - Thu, Oct 27, 2011: "Local television station KTVU posted footage of a loud pop and flash, followed by a protester falling hard to the ground. The San Francisco Chronicle said protesters threw paint at the heads of riot policemen and chanted “This is why we call you pigs”. In Atlanta, which played a historic role in the civil rights movement, the African-American mayor Kassim Reed sent religious leaders to plead with protesters to leave a downtown park. When police arrived to make arrests after midnight, the protesters gathered in the centre of the park, linked arms and sang the civil rights-era hymn We Shall Overcome as they were led to buses."

'via Blog this'

Georgia may cut jobless benefits | timesfreepress.com

Georgia may cut jobless benefits | timesfreepress.com: ""Georgia has historically underfunded its unemployment trust fund and has cut taxes on employers when times were good," said George Wentworth, a senior staff attorney at the National Employment Law Project, which advocates for employee rights.

"The way to restore this under funded system should not be on the backs of unemployed people," he said."

'via Blog this'

Robert Reich: Wall Street Is Still Out of Control -- Obama Should Call for Glass-Steagall and a Breakup of Big Banks

Robert Reich: Wall Street Is Still Out of Control -- Obama Should Call for Glass-Steagall and a Breakup of Big Banks: "In the wake of the bailout, the biggest banks are bigger than ever. Twenty years ago the ten largest banks on the Street held 10 percent of America's total bank assets. Now they hold over 70 percent. And the biggest four have a larger market share than ever -- so large, in fact, they've almost surely been colluding. How else to explain their apparent coordination on charging debit card fees?"

'via Blog this'

Occupy Wall Street : Pictures, Videos, Breaking News

Occupy Wall Street : Pictures, Videos, Breaking News:

'via Blog this'

How Ed DeMarco finally cried fraud | The Great Debate

How Ed DeMarco finally cried fraud | The Great Debate: "It took three years, but Fannie/Freddie Conservator Ed DeMarco is starting to channel his inner Irving Picard by acknowledging that among root causes of the financial crisis is fraud, and lots of it.
Trying to parse the madness of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over the past few years has given me a new appreciation for Bernie Madoff. Bernie might not have left much for his victims, but at least they finally got a straight answer about what he’d been doing with their money all those years, and a sensible legal framework for recovering and winding down all that might be left."

'via Blog this'

Robert Creamer: Three Reasons Why It's Better for the Economy if the Super-Committee Fails to Get a Deal

Robert Creamer: Three Reasons Why It's Better for the Economy if the Super-Committee Fails to Get a Deal: "The problem with medical care costs isn't that "greedy" seniors and others are gobbling up too much care. The problem is that the costs of providing care are going up too fast. In fact, the per capita costs of providing health care in America is 50% higher than anywhere else on earth, and the World Health Organization only ranks health care outcomes as 37th, in the world."

'via Blog this'

Michele Bachmann on the Iraq withdrawal: Do Republicans think we own Iraq? - Slate Magazine

Michele Bachmann on the Iraq withdrawal: Do Republicans think we own Iraq? - Slate Magazine: "Stick with the devil you know. Don’t use force unless it’s in your interest. Demand gains from your investment. Make your hosts fear you. Dismiss their resistance as inauthentic. There’s nothing new in this way of thinking about the world, or in betraying the promises you made during your invasion. It’s the way dictators and emperors have always treated their conquests. What’s laughable is the right’s attempt to pass it off as moral."

'via Blog this'

Help for 'responsible' underwater homeowners – The 1600 Report - CNN.com Blogs

Help for 'responsible' underwater homeowners – The 1600 Report - CNN.com Blogs: "The Obama administration’s latest attempt to help the housing market targets homeowners whose credit is solid, who are up to date on their mortgage payments, but can’t refinance because they own homes in areas where the market has plummeted and their homes are underwater."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Wall Street demonstrators send message: Where are the jobs? | NJ.com

Occupy Wall Street demonstrators send message: Where are the jobs? | NJ.com: "Rather than calling for stricter controls on reckless Wall Street financiers, tea party members (and mainstream Republicans) have knelt at the altar of the super rich — calling them "job creators" and defeating every proposal to increase their tax rates, which are at historic lows.
Meanwhile, the gap between the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans and the rest is wider than it has been in 90 years — and it’s growing."

'via Blog this'

Occupy Wall Street protestors want fairness and a future | NJ.com

Occupy Wall Street protestors want fairness and a future | NJ.com: "Some of the criticism has been downright silly. New York Times columnist David Brooks attempted to discredit the protesters because they don’t have position papers on educational reform, Medicare and tax reform. That’s ridiculous. Occupy Wall Street is a protest, not a political party."

'via Blog this'

Assemblywoman: Occupy Wall Street gives voice to working class, poor | NJ.com

Assemblywoman: Occupy Wall Street gives voice to working class, poor | NJ.com: "I recently read the story of Nancy Pi-Sunyer, a 66-year-old retired teacher who joined the first protest of her life when she attended an Occupy Wall Street rally. She was too young for the civil rights movement, but now wanted to have her voice be heard."

'via Blog this'

Marc Lewis: Cain doesn't need to know a thing about the Constituti­on

Marc Lewis: Cain doesn't need to know a thing about the Constituti­on: "“Cain doesn't need to know a thing about the Constituti­on because he is running for "Mouth Piece of the Corporate States of the World" and "Dictator of the United Company of North America". Not the, soon to be defunct, USA.”"

'via Blog this'

Over A Third Of Americans Support Occupy Wall Street Protests: Poll [LIVE UPDATES]

Over A Third Of Americans Support Occupy Wall Street Protests: Poll [LIVE UPDATES]: "Some 37 percent of people back the protests that have spread from New York to cities across the country and abroad, one of the first snapshots of how the public views the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. A majority of those protest supporters are Democrats, but the anger about politics in general is much more widespread, the poll indicates."

'via Blog this'

Keith Boykin: Everything The Media Told You About Occupy Wall Street Is Wrong

Keith Boykin: Everything The Media Told You About Occupy Wall Street Is Wrong: "After 10 days out of town, I finally made it to Occupy Wall Street on Tuesday and had a chance to see for myself what's going on. My conclusion: almost everything the media told me about the protest is wrong."

'via Blog this'

Naomi Wolf: The First Amendment and the Obligation to Peacefully Disrupt in a Free Society

Naomi Wolf: The First Amendment and the Obligation to Peacefully Disrupt in a Free Society: "Please, citizens of America -- please, OWS -- do not buy into this rhetorical framework: an absolute "right to be free of disruption" from First Amendment activity does not exist in a free republic. But the right to engage in peaceable disruption does exist.

Citizens who live or work near protest sites or marches have every right to be free of violence from protesters and they should never be subjected to destruction of property. This is why I am always saying to OWS and to anyone who wants to assemble: be PEACEFUL PEACEFUL PEACEFUL. Be respectful to police, do not yell at them; sing, don't chant; be civil to pedestrians and shop owners; don't escalate tensions; try to sit when there is tension rather than confront physically; be dignified and be nonviolent.

But the First Amendment means that it actually is not up to the mayor or the police of any municipality, or to the Parks Department, or to any local municipality to prohibit public assembly if the assembly is peaceful but disruptive in many ways."

'via Blog this'

Crowd-pleasing study in capitalism conspiracy controversy • The Register

Crowd-pleasing study in capitalism conspiracy controversy • The Register: "Three complex systems theorists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich used the maths traditionally associated with modelling natural systems and applied it to comprehensive corporate data to map ownership among the world's transnational corporations (TNCs).

The study, which will be published in the journal PLoS One, found that 40 per cent of the global operating revenues of 43,060 TNCs were ultimately in the control of just 147 companies, many of which were financial institutions.

The researchers sourced their list of TNCs from Orbis 2007, a database listing 37 million companies and investors worldwide. Using this data, the theorists constructed a model of which companies controlled others through shareholding networks, coupled with company's operating revenues, to map economic power.

Barclays, UBS, AXA and JP Morgan Chase were in the top 10 of those 147, and most of the top 50 were banks, insurance firms or other financial firms, apart from number 50 – which was China Petrochemical Group."

'via Blog this'