Wall St protest gaining strengh?

[seanm123]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

It's a party now.

Washington, DC —The Communications Workers of America Executive Board has endorsed the Occupy Wall Street Movement. Occupy Wall Street activists joined CWA members demonstrating for quality jobs at Verizon and Verizon Wireless, and CWA members will join the demonstrations to focus public attention on the impact of Wall Street’s greed on ordinary Americans.

Following is the CWA Executive Board’s statement:

The 700,000 members of the Communications Workers of America strongly support the Occupy Wall Street Movement. It is an appropriate expression of anger for all Americans, but especially for those who have been left behind by Wall Street. We support the activists’ non-violent efforts to seek a more equitable and democratic society based on citizenship, not corporate greed.

The Occupy Wall Street demonstrations are spreading throughout the country. We will support them and encourage all CWA Locals to participate in the growth of this protest movement.

http://www.cwa-union.org/news/entry/...treet_movement

[Thailandnotes]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhO3dTdp6ek

[charliebrown]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

Reggie Middleton on his blog points out the irony of police engaging the protesters contrasted with the fact the it was Wall street alchemy that blew up the police deparment's pensions.

[lektrode]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

....the irony of police engaging the protesters contrasted with the fact the it was Wall street alchemy that blew up the police deparment's pensions.

and then they try to bribe their way into some sort of absolution?
and if this (below) isnt, then i must say the timing of the 'donation' is certainly suspect, wot?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/02/1022031/-JP-Morgan-buys-NYPD-for-$46-million

NEW YORK CITY POLICE FOUNDATION — NEW YORK

JPMorgan Chase recently donated an unprecedented $4.6 million to the New York City Police Foundation. The gift was the largest in the history of the foundation and will enable the New York City Police Department to strengthen security ...

[charliebrown]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

Hmm, I gues someone at JPM has just figured out they might need the police for something

[BK]

Re: Wall St protest - Kobi Skolnick - Is he the leader or Marc Goban

This man, Kobi Skolnick claims to be the leader of OccupyWallstreet.

Kobi told an Al Jerrera reporter that he quick his New York Job to join/start the protest. Why is Kobi listed as Director of Leadership Development for Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University (CRDC)

http://crdcgmu.wordpress.com/staff/kobi-skolnick/

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/a...251972368.html

Here is the Al Jezerra Video where he claims he quit his New York job......he works in WashingtonDC.

Kobi must have forgotten about his day job. Its amazing that a guy who has spent much of is life in Israel is so concerned with our Banking system.

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/a...251972368.html

The head of CRDC is a man by the name of Marc Goban and he doesn't like Bankers - and he loves social change. Its kind of interesting that Kobi Skolnick works for Marc Goban at CRDC - and is working to take down Wall Street.
Mr Goban isn't a fan or Bankers: http://www.marcgopin.com/2009/09/30/...ge-in-america/

The best part Marc Goban knows Michael Moore (remember, Michael just happened to be able to stop in at OccupyWallStreet at the Start) and here is a Video of Mr Moore and Mr Goban::
http://www.marcgopin.com/2009/10/16/marcs-sideline/

Here is a Video of Mr Skolnick talking about the Demands of the OccupyWallStreet and notice the twin towers in the picture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaj3IH3L3Sc

[mmr]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

Well, that and the pension fund's 8% return assumption. That sort of mystical thinking allowed cities and states to underinvest in pensions for decades, assuming that financial alchemy would bail them out in the end. Now the only thing likely to bail them out (so that they can pay pensioners what they're owed, at least in nominal terms) is inflation.

Sadly, those kind of pensions were never realistic in the first place, at least not without a much higher cost.

[oddlots]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

Thanks for that - I mean the link above - DC. Good find. They had me by demand # 2.

Incidentally, any Canadians feel like joining in the plan to occupy Bay Street etc...

Honestly I kinda think it would be a mockery of the real grievances people have in Ireland, US, Iceland etc...

We've had no bait and switch bail-outs save the asset backed commercial paper market as far as I'm aware. From somewhat sheer luck we paid down public debt in the 90s while the rest of the world was levering up. And we've somehow steered clear of the depravities of ascendant corporate media that seems to have completely addled the brains of many Americans, though I suspect this is because our tiny market has not yet proved worth the effort. (Given our relative economic health I swear I can almost feel that turret swinging around to put us in its sights.)

In this context I would feel like a total idiot shouting the slogans appropriate in US / Ireland / Iceland etc. in downtown Toronto.

Anyone else?



Compared to much of the world we really have nothing substantial to complain about

[lektrode]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhO3dTdp6ek

Jesse LaGreca Confronts fox news live on tv - occupy wall street

Nice Job!
if that was unrehearsed? i would offer that mr la greca's performance IS the definition of 'luck'
as where preparation meets opportunity... well said, sir!
jesse = da man... more from him, s'il vous plait.

[dcarrigg]

Re: Wall St protest - Kobi Skolnick - Is he the leader or Marc Goban

Several of you may be thinking too linearly about this whole thing.

Babbittd was thinking of it not being grassroots because a protester in NYC was from Oregon (where Portland just had a rally estimated as high as 10,000 people).

But have you talked to 20-somethings today? Their friends don't get together with them at the local Lions Club. They are connected with them online. Their best friends may live in several different states/countries. The network is no longer tied to geography.

And now I'm seeing a lot of material along the lines of what BK posted. I'm also seeing lots of conspiracy theories going around. The bullhorn on both sides of the American political isles speculating as to whether it will be a "tea-party movement on the left."

This is foolish. Here's why:

If this really were an ACORN manifested Obama reelection campaign funded by Bill Ayers or something, then why are there protests scheduled in Toronto, Tokyo, Frankfurt, London etc. etc.? There was no Tea-Party in Toronto. This is something different.

The simple fact is this:

The nucleus of these people come from the internet.


This is not to say that other groups will not glom onto it or try to co-opt it. It is simply to say that if you think this was a conspiracy started by formal political groups, you are wrong.

Adbusters may have put the initial call out, but then it went viral.

I myself got an e-mail about it from a friend when I posted this thread.

And when I posted that thread I think we all were skeptical, but the level of activity I saw in the tubes told me something was happening. And something has been.

Now they have October 15th. That's when it's meant to go international. It's again two movements that have glommed together. But they are using the same general assembly model. And now it looks like more will take to this occupation style.

Once it goes international, the main narrative in the press won't make too much sense anymore. Conspiracy theories about Democrats will seem foolishly America-centric.

Frankly, monetary and fiscal policy internationally has been turning the screws on the majority of people for a few years now to bail out banks who, along with governments and individuals, created an unsustainable debt balloon.

Youth unemployment is at record levels everywhere. International policy makers have offered no prescription or solution other than funneling money to big finance to socialize losses followed by imposing austerity on the population. Everyone is lying about inflation rates brought on by commodity speculation/scarcity that drive up food and energy prices. Rents have not come down.

While most may not understand the root causes, they do understand that they are broke all of the sudden. Other groups that have the same understanding have actively decided to hook-up with the movement for publicity.

Again, I'm not saying that anything will necessarily change, or that everyone and every group who links-up with these people is of good character. But politics world-wide offers few/no solutions. People in general have every right to be angry at this point.

I am saying is that this thing is rooted in internet culture. Understanding it any other way is a mistake.

[dcarrigg]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

Well, that and the pension fund's 8% return assumption. That sort of mystical thinking allowed cities and states to underinvest in pensions for decades, assuming that financial alchemy would bail them out in the end. Now the only thing likely to bail them out (so that they can pay pensioners what they're owed, at least in nominal terms) is inflation.

Sadly, those kind of pensions were never realistic in the first place, at least not without a much higher cost.

The 8% mark made plenty of sense when interest rates were high. ZIRP killed pensions.

[dcarrigg]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

Thanks for that - I mean the link above - DC. Good find. They had me by demand # 2.

Incidentally, any Canadians feel like joining in the plan to occupy Bay Street etc...

Honestly I kinda think it would be a mockery of the real grievances people have in Ireland, US, Iceland etc...

We've had no bait and switch bail-outs save the asset backed commercial paper market as far as I'm aware. From somewhat sheer luck we paid down public debt in the 90s while the rest of the world was levering up. And we've somehow steered clear of the depravities of ascendant corporate media that seems to have completely addled the brains of many Americans, though I suspect this is because our tiny market has not yet proved worth the effort. (Given our relative economic health I swear I can almost feel that turret swinging around to put us in its sights.)

In this context I would feel like a total idiot shouting the slogans appropriate in US / Ireland / Iceland etc. in downtown Toronto.

Anyone else?



Compared to much of the world we really have nothing substantial to complain about

Thank you oddlots for clearly pointing out with the post above that people who try to put this thing in an America-centric story arc are missing a big part of the picture.

[aaron]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

There is a certain confidence that permeates Canada: It can't happen here. But, Canada has one of the biggest property bubbles in the world up in Vancouver. What happens when that pops? Which banks invested there? Only dumb American banks? And, as far as I know, Canada also has a large boomer population that is retiring (probably taking all of their wealth to Florida as well) and will need to be supported far more generously than here.

I am sure Starving Steve can point out some of the other problems up there as well.

Anyway, Canadians may be better informed than Americans. But "informed" seems to be an anti-American, anti-imperialistic, "truther" way of thinking. Trust me, though. We have ALL been influenced by "depravities of ascendant corporate media". Canada is no exception. Propaganda works, even if you think you are immune from it.

Anyway, you can be sure that anything that happens in the U.S. will affect Canada just as much, if not more. Give it time.

[touchring]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

There is a certain confidence that permeates Canada: It can't happen here. But, Canada has one of the biggest property bubbles in the world up in Vancouver. What happens when that pops? Which banks invested there? Only dumb American banks? And, as far as I know, Canada also has a large boomer population that is retiring (probably taking all of their wealth to Florida as well) and will need to be supported far more generously than here.

I am sure Starving Steve can point out some of the other problems up there as well.

Anyway, Canadians may be better informed than Americans. But "informed" seems to be an anti-American, anti-imperialistic, "truther" way of thinking. Trust me, though. We have ALL been influenced by "depravities of ascendant corporate media". Canada is no exception. Propaganda works, even if you think you are immune from it.

Anyway, you can be sure that anything that happens in the U.S. will affect Canada just as much, if not more. Give it time.

Sure, my impression is that Vancouver is more China than America.

[bpr]

Re: Wall St protest gaining strengh?

As lawmakers in Washington look for answers to ongoing economic woes, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin said he and his colleagues would be “foolish to ignore the voices” of people throughout the nation who have begun to protest and demonstrate against the current inequitable system that is “rigged against their interests.”

“For more than a decade we’ve been told that endless tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy would result in millions jobs and a booming economy. That’s the same old trickle-down economics that has never worked before and it is not working now. For most Americans the only thing that has trickled down are wage cuts, upside-down mortgages, mass unemployment, personal bankruptcies and disappearing pensions,” Harkin said on a conference call with the media Thursday morning.

http://www.americanindependent.com/1...ccupy-movement