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Post by graybeard on Oct 5, 2011 21:35:41 GMT -6
www.OccupyWallStreet.orgwww.OccupyTogether.orgwww.commondreams.org/occupy405 cities are now on the list, so there must be one near you. I am between the ones in Long Beach and Irvine, with no meetings scheduled yet. Historically, the police have been more tolerant in Irvine than other cities. As for a location to occupy, PIMCO is quartered in Newport Beach, but I haven't seen Bill Gross as one of the Wall Street banksters.
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Post by graybeard on Oct 6, 2011 5:58:47 GMT -6
It grew to 462 cities overnight, and now there's a meetup planned in Irvine on Sat.
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Oct 8, 2011 12:59:25 GMT -6
It grew to 462 cities overnight, and now there's a meetup planned in Irvine on Sat. Excellent. I'd go if I was still in California.
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Oct 8, 2011 13:04:12 GMT -6
The New York Times has section that's keeping somewhat of running commentary on OccupyWallStreet with dozens of articles: Occupy Wall StreetThe DailyKos has a section listing links to many of the Occupy(YourCity) movements. Occupy____
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Post by jeffolie on Oct 8, 2011 14:18:12 GMT -6
Comparing Occupy Wall Street with the Tea Party seems obvious and may be useful.
Both seem to have started with a grassroots disorganized and unfunded outrage that touched anti Establishment voters.
Both seem to have started without wanting to have a leadership tier and not claiming direct affliation with Republicans' or Democrats' leadership.
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My observation ... it most likely is too late in the political timeline, process for Occupy Wall Street to result in the same impact on Democratic Party nominations in 2012 as the Tea Party's impact on the Republican Party's nominations in 2010 & 2012 ... however, Occupy Wall Street may impact the Democratic Party's nominations in 2014 & 2016.
I have another observation ... grassroots disorganized and unfunded Occupy Wall Street may become dominated by the more liberal, progressive political memes as the Tea Party became dominated by the more conservative, financial elite political memes.
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Post by graybeard on Oct 8, 2011 18:28:04 GMT -6
The Tea Party was taken over by the Koch Krime Family money. They'll try to do the same with OWS.
GB
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Post by danreller on Oct 8, 2011 19:12:24 GMT -6
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Oct 8, 2011 22:54:23 GMT -6
Thanks, Danreller. That's a very interesting site.
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Post by judes on Oct 9, 2011 11:51:48 GMT -6
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Post by jeffolie on Oct 9, 2011 13:31:15 GMT -6
Conservative, living icon for conservatives George Will wants the Occupy Wall Street to serve as an ENEMY to motivate Independents to vote against Democrats and for Republicans. ================================== George Will: ‘I wish the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators long life and ample publicity’ 10/09/2011 Conservative commentator George Will wished the Occupy Wall Street movement “long life and ample publicity” Sunday while explaining how the movement could hurt Democrats’ electoral prospects. “[T]he tea party was the bourgeoisie in revolt and they immediately went into the business of winning elections and running candidates,” Will said on ABC’s “This Week with Christiane Amanpour.” (RELATED: George Will: Cain’s Florida straw poll ’caused liberals’ heads to explode’) “I disagree with some of the Republicans. I wish the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators long life and ample publicity for two reasons: I think they do represent the intellectual spirit of the American left, but also I remember 1960s. We had four years of demonstrations like this led up to 1968 when the Nixon/Wallace vote was 57 percent — the country reacting against demonstrators, and Republicans went on to win five of the next six presidential elections.” dailycaller.com/2011/10/09/george-will-i-wish-the-occupy-wall-street-demonstrators-long-life-and-ample-publicity/
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Post by jeffolie on Oct 9, 2011 13:49:54 GMT -6
terrorism The ENEMY meme turned to projecting domestic terrorism onto Occupy Wall Street ... character assassination ... in the below piece that searched back in history to violence in America against bankers .... "... out of a similar sense of frustration and rage at the banking system. The movement culminated in what was known as the greatest act of terrorism on American soil ..." ====================================== Remember When People Got Pissed At Wall Street And Bombed Morgan Bank? Oct. 7, 2011 With Occupy Wall Street gaining traction and the country at large seeing greater inequality than ever, it's time to look back on what happened in the Roaring 20s. During this period anarchists and socialists held protests on Wall Street out of a similar sense of frustration and rage at the banking system. The movement culminated in what was known as the greatest act of terrorism on American soil: the 1920 bombing outside J.P. Morgan and Company. Thirty eight people were killed when the horse and wagon bomb went off at noon on Sept 16, 1920. The perpetrators, thought to be anarchists, were never caught, but their exploits and the aftermath were captured by photographers. www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-bombing-anarchist-1920-2011-10?op=1
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Post by jeffolie on Oct 10, 2011 8:19:30 GMT -6
Excellent, well spoken short explanation video and piece www.politicususa.com/en/alan-grayson-occupy-wall-street========================================================= In Less than a Minute Alan Grayson Explains Occupy Wall Street to the 1% The latest edition of Real Time featured one of Bill Maher’s patented balance things out with three Republicans and a Democrat panels, but the Democrat was Alan Grayson. While P.J. fellow panelist P.J. O’Rourke broke out his bathing and hippie jokes, former Rep. Grayson schooled him on Occupy Wall Street. O’Rourke claimed that the Occupy Wall Street people flunked econ, and Grayson said, “No, listen Bill, I have no trouble understanding what they are talking about.” O’Rourke asked Grayson, “You passed econ?” Grayson answered, “I was an economist for more than three years, so I think so…Now let me tell you about what they’re talking about. They’re complaining that Wall Street wrecked the economy three years ago and nobody’s held responsible for that. Not a single person’s been indicted or convicted for destroying twenty percent of our national net worth accumulated over two centuries. They’re upset about the fact that Wall Street has iron control over the economic policies of this country, and that one party is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wall Street, and the other party caters to them as well.” O’Rourke joked that Occupy Wall Street has found their spokesman, then Grayson continued, “Listen, if I am spokesman for all the people who think that we should not have 24 million people in this country who can’t find a full time job, that we should not have 50 million people in this country who can’t see a doctor when they’re sick, that we shouldn’t have 47 million people in this country who need government help to feed themselves, and we shouldn’t have 15 million families who owe more on their mortgage than the value of their home, okay, I’ll be that spokesman.” Alan Grayson demonstrated why all the media complaint’s about the unclear message behind Occupy Wall Street is nonsense. It took former Rep. Grayson 37 seconds to explain what Occupy Wall Street is about. He almost delivered the perfect 30 second sound bite, but he ran a tiny bit over. It isn’t that the one percent and the Republicans who support them can’t understand Occupy Wall Street. It’s that they don’t want to. The message isn’t complicated. The right has been trying to play on the fears of some who support Occupy Wall Street by claiming that the left is hijacking the movement, but the support and media sophistication of people like Alan Grayson and Bernie Sanders can only help these protests grow. Grayson demonstrated the value of having someone speak on the movement’s behalf that understands and is comfortable with television. The right and many in the media will continue to make jokes and play dumb, but while they are laughing it up, a movement is growing. They may intentionally not understand the message of Occupy Wall Street, but millions of Americans do, and these people want their democracy back. see the less than 2 minute youtube video and piece here: www.politicususa.com/en/alan-grayson-occupy-wall-street
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Oct 10, 2011 8:58:52 GMT -6
Grayson is excellent. The 1½ minute video clip is well worth watching:
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Post by graybeard on Oct 10, 2011 10:36:11 GMT -6
Yeh, he's the one who said on the floor of the House, "Republican health plan: stay healthy or die."
Boy, would I love to have him run against Obama in the primary.
GB
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Post by jeffolie on Oct 10, 2011 10:45:22 GMT -6
Occupy Wall Street "... provides handy targets for PTBs and spin groups ... " Conservative, living icon for conservatives George Will wants the Occupy Wall Street to serve as an ENEMY to motivate Independents to vote against Democrats and for Republicans [taken from an above piece] . terrorism The ENEMY meme turned to projecting domestic terrorism onto Occupy Wall Street ... character assassination ... in an piece that searched back in history to violence in America against bankers .... "... out of a similar sense of frustration and rage at the banking system. The movement culminated in what was known as the greatest act of terrorism on American soil ..." [taken from an above piece] Hermain Cain's ENEMY meme includes " ... anti-capitalist ... anti-capitalist ... blame yourself ... " [taken from the piece below] ====================================================== Hermain Cain's ENEMY meme includes " ... anti-capitalist ... anti-capitalist ... blame yourself ... " "... Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain continued his criticism of the Occupy Wall Street movement on Wednesday, suggesting to reporters in Florida that the progressive protesters are un-American. ... Cain also used the anti-capitalist refrain earlier this week ... 'Don't blame Wall Street, don't blame the big banks, if you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself' ... " www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/06/herman-cain-occupy-wall-street_n_998092.html
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Post by danreller on Oct 11, 2011 19:42:59 GMT -6
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Oct 11, 2011 23:38:51 GMT -6
She's a "junior in college." She knows absolutely nothing about the real world and, at this time in US history, her almost guaranteed inability to pay off her educational loans. She's a dupe of Wall Street and the Corporatist media. The utterances of an ignorant 19-20 year-old college junior aren't even worth listening to. She has no idea whatsoever about her future job prospects. All she "knows" is what politicians and the media tell her, and what her profit-motivated guidance mis-guidance counselors have told her. There's a saying she's never heard, that she definitely needs to hear. It goes like this: [/i][/ul]
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Post by danreller on Oct 12, 2011 4:41:53 GMT -6
There are many older views too.
I see good points both in the 99'ers and the 53'ers.
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Post by jeffolie on Oct 12, 2011 11:45:15 GMT -6
"Show me the Money" from 'Jerry Maguire' movie applies here. I agree absolutely with Occupy Wall Street freedom of assembly, speech and sense of outrage.
The Occupy Wall Street events remain leaderless, disorganized and small. Hundred of cities have groups that mostly are small. This would not be a problem if they got funding to impact the elections with actions to organize voters, but so far money has almost no where to land or be recieved by a recognized Occupy Wall Street organization. Money might be raised by 'the usual suspects' to galvanize voters if an organization to effectively apply the money to campaigning exists ... right now Occupy Wall Street prides itself on having no leaders, no spokes person, no central nor a significant organization.
I agree absolutely with Occupy Wall Street freedom of assembly, speech and sense of outrage.
I expect some organizations to take hold in many states, over time that will affiliate with Occupy Wall Street eventually. These might effectively use 'super PACs' to apply unlimited amounts of money. Timing is important.
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Post by jacquelope on Oct 12, 2011 13:15:13 GMT -6
There are many older views too. I see good points both in the 99'ers and the 53'ers. These so-called 53%ers don't even realize they pay taxes to support failed banks - a big beef shared by the OWS protesters. I am now hijacking #iamthe53. Any of you other guys want to join in and hijack #iamthe53? "I am one of the 53%, and I stand with the OWS 99%." "I am a 53%er and I don't want to pay taxes to bail out the banks." "I am a 53%er and I like clean air and drinkable water." "I am a 53%er and I do not support the Plutocracy." "I am a 53%er and I don't support cuts to military pensions." "I am a 53%er and I don't support sending American jobs overseas." "I pay sales taxes and self-employment taxes. I am a 53er and I stand with OWS." Come on guys, let's pound them!
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Oct 15, 2011 23:06:42 GMT -6
from Yahoo/AP Thousands of protesters fill NYC's Times SquareSat, Oct 15, 2011 by Chris Hawley " NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of demonstrators protesting corporate greed filled Times Square on Saturday night, mixing with gawkers, Broadway showgoers, tourists and police to create a chaotic scene in the midst of Manhattan.
"Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!" protesters chanted from within police barricades. Police, some in riot gear and mounted on horses, tried to push them out of the square and onto the sidewalks in an attempt to funnel the crowds away.
Sandy Peterson, of Utah, who was in Times Square after seeing "The Book of Mormon" musical on Broadway, got caught up in the disorder.
"We're getting out of here before this gets ugly," she said.
The Occupy Wall Street demonstrators had marched north through Manhattan from Washington Square Park earlier in the afternoon. Once in Times Square, they held a rally for several hours before dispersing. Over the course of the day, more than 70 people were arrested.
Earlier in the day, demonstrators from the Occupy Wall Street encampment in New York City paraded to a Chase bank branch, banging drums, blowing horns and carrying signs decrying corporate greed. Marchers throughout the country emulated them in protests that ranged from about 50 people in Jackson, Mississippi, to about 2,000 in the larger city of Pittsburgh.
"Banks got bailed out. We got sold out," the crowd of as many as 1,000 in Manhattan chanted. A few protesters went inside the bank to close their accounts, but the group didn't stop other customers from getting inside or seek to blockade the business.
Police told the marchers to stay on the sidewalk, and the demonstration appeared to be fairly orderly as it wound through downtown streets.
Later, police arrested 24 people at a Citibank branch near Manhattan's Washington Square Park. Most were detained for trespassing after they ignored a request by the bank to leave, police said.
Overseas, violence broke out in Rome, where police fired tear gas and water cannons at some protesters who broke away from the main demonstration, smashing shop and bank windows, torching cars and hurling bottles. Dozens were injured.
A dozen demonstrators were arrested, the Italian news agency reported. Those arrested came from several Italian cities, especially in the south. Police said they seized clubs and incendiary devices from the protesters.
Tens of thousands nicknamed "the indignant" marched in cities across Europe, as the protests that began in New York linked up with long-running demonstrations against government cost-cutting and failed financial policies in Europe. Protesters also turned out in Australia and Asia.
In Canada, hundreds protested in the heart of Toronto's financial district. Some of the protesters announced plans to camp out indefinitely in St. James Park and protests were also held in other cities across Canada from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Vancouver, British Columbia.
In Mexico City, a few hundred protesters gathered under the towering, stone Revolution Monument to protest "exploitation" by wealthy elites. In the border city of Tijuana, about 100 protesters gathered in the banking district, including many university students protesting against the lack of jobs for graduates.
In the U.S., among the demonstrators in New York withdrawing their money from Chase was Lily Paulina, 29, an organizer with the United Auto Workers union who lives in Brooklyn. She said she was taking her money out because she was upset that JPMorgan Chase was making billions, while its customers struggled with bank fees and home foreclosures.
"Chase bank is making tons of money off of everyone ... while people in the working class are fighting just to keep a living wage in their neighborhood," she said.
"We aren't going to be a part of this system that doesn't work for us," said another demonstrator withdrawing her money, 20-year-old Brooklyn College student Biola Jeje.
Other demonstrations in the city Saturday included an anti-war march to mark the 10th anniversary of the Afghanistan War.
Among the people participating in that march was Sergio Jimenez, 25, who said he quit his job in Texas to come to New York to protest.
"These wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were all based on lies," Jimenez said. "And if we're such an intelligent country, we should figure out other ways to respond to terror, instead of with terror."
Elsewhere in the country, nearly 1,500 gathered Saturday for a march past banks in downtown Orlando. About 50 people met in a park in downtown Jackson, Miss., carrying signs calling for "Health Care Not Warfare."
Some made more considerable commitments to try to get their voices heard. Nearly 200 spent a cold night in tents in Grand Circus Park in Detroit, donning gloves, scarves and heavy coats to keep warm, said Helen Stockton, a 34-year-old certified midwife from Ypsilanti, and plan to remain there "as long as it takes to effect change."
"It's easy to ignore us," Stockton said. Then she referred to the financial institutions, saying, "But we are not going to ignore them. Every shiver in our bones reminds us of why we are here."
Hundreds more converged near the Michigan's Capitol in Lansing with the same message, the Lansing State Journal reported.
Rallies drew young and old, laborers and retirees. In Pittsburgh, marchers also included parents with children in strollers and even a doctor. The peaceful crowd of 1,500 to 2,000 stretched for two or three blocks.
"I see our members losing jobs. People are angry," said Janet Hill, 49, who works for the United Steelworkers, which she said hosted a sign-making event before the march.
Retired teacher Albert Siemsen of Milwaukee said at a demonstration there that he'd grown angry watching school funding get cut at the same time that banks and corporations gained more influence in government. The 81-year-old wants to see tighter Wall Street regulation.
Around him, protesters held signs reading, "Keep your corporate hands off my government," and "Mr. Obama, Tear Down That Wall Street."
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick visited protesters in Boston's Dewey Square for the first time. He said that after walking through the camp, he better understands the range of views and was sympathetic to concerns about unemployment, health care and the influence of money in politics.
And in Denver, about 1,000 people came to a rally in downtown Denver to support the movement"
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Nov 13, 2011 13:20:50 GMT -6
It's still spreading. Portland, Oregon is the latest place where Occupy protestors have defied eviction orders. from Yahoo News/ AP Occupy protesters defy eviction order in OregonBy JONATHAN J. COOPER and TERRENCE PETTY Nov. 13, 2011 " PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Anti-Wall Street protesters and their supporters flooded a city park area in Portland early Sunday in defiance of an eviction order while authorities elsewhere stepped up pressure against demonstrators, arresting dozens of people.
Crowds converged on 2 adjacent downtown Portland parks where protesters are camped after city officials set a midnight Saturday deadline to disperse. Hours later protesters remained, though the crowd had thinned and obeyed police orders to clear the street and take down two makeshift barricades.
At one point overnight, the crowd swelled to thousands.
As dawn arrived, riot police had retreated and most of the crowds had gone home, but protesters who have been at the 2 parks since Oct. 6 were still there.
One of the organizers, Jim Oliver, said the night had been a victory for Occupy Portland.
"We stood up to state power," Oliver told The Associated Press, standing on a corner opposite the camp.
Still, the camp is a shadow of what it was before Saturday. A large segment of the campers consisted of homeless people who had been drawn to the free food and shelter offered by Occupy Portland. They are gone, after outreach workers went through the camp to help them find shelter elsewhere.
And as the Saturday midnight eviction deadline neared, protesters themselves began dismantling tents.
There were once 300 or so tents at the camp, and early Sunday morning a fraction of them remained.
As the Saturday night deadline neared, about 200 protesters were at the camp. Organizers said they hoped enough people would join them to make it difficult if not impossible for police to carry out on the eviction.
Supporters streamed in, filling first the camp and ultimately occupying a street between the camp and the federal courthouse.
"Occupy the street," one organizer said through a bull horn. "Remain peaceful and aware. We have strength in holding the streets."
Around 4 a.m., dozens of police formed a line across from demonstrators who had poured into the street. Protesters facing them appeared to be in festive spirits with some banging on drums and plastic pails, another clanging a cowbell while others danced in the streets as a man juggled nearby.
Other demonstrators used pallets and old furniture, wood debris and even a bicycle to set up two makeshift barricades on a street that runs through the encampment, apparently in an attempt to block traffic.
Protesters ultimately got off the street after the police asked them to and also cleared away the barricades.
Mayor Sam Adams had ordered the camp shut down, citing unhealthy conditions and the encampment's attraction of drug users and thieves.
On Sunday at an impromptu news conference, he defended his order, saying it is his job to enforce the law and keep the peace. "This is not a game," he said.
He also noted that implementing the eviction order may require more patience.
"Giving the order that the parks will be closed to the public is putting my foot down. Enforcing will take time," he said.
Officials said that one officer suffered minor injuries when he was hit by some kind of projectile in the leg. Police had prepared for a possible clash, warning that dozens of anarchists may be planning a confrontation with authorities. Officers seized pieces of cement blocks Friday, saying they were told some demonstrators had plans to use them as weapons against police. They said they believe some demonstrators were building shields and trying to collect gas masks.
In the hours leading up to midnight, protesters held general assembly meetings where they talked about what to do when the deadline came. They also repeated the main message of Occupy Wall Street movement of peaceful resistance to income inequality and what they see as corporate greed.
As those speeches were going on, some snacked on coffee and burritos as others sang protest songs.
About 60 bicycle riders circled the camp repeatedly to show support.
"We are a peaceful resistance," said rider Chico Tallman, a 63-year-old accountant. "But we're fed up with the direction the country is going. It's all about profit."
For the 2nd time in as many days, Oakland city officials warned protesters Saturday that they do not have the right to camp in the plaza in front of City Hall and face immediate arrest.
The eviction notices come as officials across the country urged an end to similar gatherings in the wake of 3 deaths in different cities, including 2 by gunfire.
Demands for Oakland protesters to pack up increased after a man was shot and killed Thursday near the encampment site.
"Your activities are injurious to health, obstruct the free use of property, interfering with the comfortable enjoyment of (Frank Ogawa Plaza), and unlawfully obstruct the free passage or use of a public park or square," the notice read.
Oakland officials first issued the eviction notice Friday after first pleading with protesters to leave the encampment.
Police officials have said a preliminary investigation suggested the shooting resulted from a fight between 2 groups of men at or near the encampment. Investigators do not know if the men in the fight were associated with Occupy Oakland, but protesters said there was no connection between the shooting and the camp.
The shooting occurred the same day a 35-year-old military veteran apparently committed suicide in a tent at a Burlington, Vt., Occupy encampment. Police said a preliminary investigation showed the veteran fatally shot himself in the head. They said the death raised questions about whether the protest would be allowed to continue.
In other cities:
— In Salt Lake City, police arrested 19 people Saturday when protesters refused to leave a park a day after a man was found dead inside his tent at the encampment. The arrests came after police moved into the park early in the evening where protesters had been ordered to leave by the end of the day. About 150 people had been living in the camp there for weeks.
— In Albany, N.Y., police arrested 24 Occupy Albany protesters after they defied an 11 p.m. curfew in a state-owned park. State police officials hauled away the protesters after warning them with megaphones that they were breaking the law in Lafayette Park. They were charged with trespassing.
— In Denver, authorities forced protesters to leave a downtown encampment and arrested 4 people for interfering with officers who removed illegally pitched tents, said police spokesman Sonny Jackson.
— In San Francisco, violence marked the protest Saturday where police said 2 demonstrators attacked 2 police officers in separate incidents during a march. Police spokesman Carlos Manfredi said a protester slashed an officer's hand with a pen knife while another protester shoved an officer, causing facial cuts. He said neither officer was seriously hurt, and the assailants couldn't be located."
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Nov 20, 2011 0:39:25 GMT -6
Lobbyists for rich financiers dump 3/4 million $$ into research and attempts on how to discredit Occupy Wall Street. Video link from Chris Hayes on MSNBC Lobbying firm's memo spells out plan to undermine Occupy Wall StreetBy Jonathan Larsen and Ken Olshansky, MSNBC TV " A well-known Washington lobbying firm with links to the financial industry has proposed an $850,000 plan to take on Occupy Wall Street and politicians who might express sympathy for the protests, according to a memo obtained by the MSNBC program “Up w/ Chris Hayes.”
The proposal was written on the letterhead of the lobbying firm Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford and addressed to one of CLGC’s clients, the American Bankers Association.
CLGC’s memo proposes that the ABA pay CLGC $850,000 to conduct “opposition research” on Occupy Wall Street in order to construct “negative narratives” about the protests and allied politicians. The memo also asserts that Democratic victories in 2012 would be detrimental for Wall Street and targets specific races in which it says Wall Street would benefit by electing Republicans instead.
According to the memo, if Democrats embrace OWS, “This would mean more than just short-term political discomfort for Wall Street. … It has the potential to have very long-lasting political, policy and financial impacts on the companies in the center of the bullseye.”
The memo also suggests that Democratic victories in 2012 should not be the ABA’s biggest concern. “… (T)he bigger concern,” the memo says, “should be that Republicans will no longer defend Wall Street companies.”
Two of the memo’s authors, partners Sam Geduldig and Jay Cranford, previously worked for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Geduldig joined CLGC before Boehner became speaker; Cranford joined CLGC this year after serving as the speaker’s assistant for policy. A third partner, Steve Clark, is reportedly “tight” with Boehner, according to a story by Roll Call that CLGC features on its website.
Jeff Sigmund, an ABA spokesperson, confirmed that the association got the memo. “Our Government Relations staff did receive the proposal – it was unsolicited and we chose not to act on it in any way,” he said in a statement to "Up."
CLGC did not return calls seeking comment.
Boehner spokesman Michael Steel declined to comment on the memo. But he responded to its characterization of Republicans as defenders of Wall Street by saying, “My understanding is that President Obama is the single largest recipient of donations from Wall Street.”
On “Up” Saturday, Obama campaign adviser Anita Dunn responded by saying that the majority of the president’s re-election campaign is fueled by small donors. She rejected the suggestion that the president himself is too close to Wall Street, saying “If that’s the case, why were tough financial reforms passed over party line Republican opposition?” advertisement
The CLGC memo raises another issue that it says should be of concern to the financial industry -- that OWS might find common cause with the Tea Party. “Well-known Wall Street companies stand at the nexus of where OWS protestors and the Tea Party overlap on angered populism,” the memo says. “…This combination has the potential to be explosive later in the year when media reports cover the next round of bonuses and contrast it with stories of millions of Americans making do with less this holiday season.”
The memo outlines a 60-day plan to conduct surveys and research on OWS and its supporters so that Wall Street companies will be prepared to conduct a media campaign in response to OWS. Wall Street companies “likely will not be the best spokespeople for their own cause,” according to the memo. “A big challenge is to demonstrate that these companies still have political strength and that making them a political target will carry a severe political cost.”
Part of the plan CLGC proposes is to do “statewide surveys in at least eight states that are shaping up to be the most important of the 2012 cycle.”
Specific races listed in the memo are U.S. Senate races in Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, Ohio, New Mexico and Nevada as well as the gubernatorial race in North Carolina.
The memo indicates that CLGC would research who has contributed financial backing to OWS, noting that, “Media reports have speculated about associations with George Soros and others.”
"It will be vital,” the memo says, “to understand who is funding it and what their backgrounds and motives are. If we can show that they have the same cynical motivation as a political opponent it will undermine their credibility in a profound way.”
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Nov 20, 2011 1:56:52 GMT -6
from Reuter via Yahoo: U.S. banks should "undermine" Occupy protesters: memoBy David Ingram Nov-19-2011 " WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Occupy Wall Street movement is a big enough problem for U.S. banks that they should pay for opposition research into the political motives of protesters, said a firm that lobbies for the industry.
Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford, a Washington-based firm, proposed the idea in a memo to the American Banking Association, an industry group which said on Saturday that it did not act on the idea.
The four-page memo outlined how the firm could analyze the source of protesters' money, as well as their rhetoric and the backgrounds of protest leaders.
"If we can show they have the same cynical motivation as a political opponent, it will undermine their credibility in a profound way," said the memo, according to a copy of it on the website of TV news channel MSNBC, which first reported on it. (See MSNBC's report upwithchrishayes.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/19/8896362-exclusive-lobbying-firms-memo-spells-out-plan-to-undermine-occupy-wall-street-video)
Clark Lytle Geduldig counts the banking association among its regular lobbying clients, U.S. Senate records showed.
Other clients include MasterCard Worldwide and a banking coalition concerned about interchange fees.
The firm did not respond to requests for comment.
Its memo said it could deliver research, survey data and plans to use the information in 60 days at a cost of $850,000.
Banking association spokesman Jeff Sigmund told Reuters the memo is authentic, but his group was not interested.
"Our government relations staff received the proposal - it was unsolicited and we chose not to act on it in any way," Sigmund said.
The memo is dated November 24, five days after it became public. Sigmund did not respond to a follow-up question about the date. November 24 is also the Thanksgiving holiday.
The memo said U.S. financial firms should be concerned about comments that Democratic campaign consultants have made in the news media about trying to harness the energy of the Occupy Wall Street protesters.
"This would mean more than just short-term political discomfort for Wall Street firms," it said.
"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 bull's-eye."
The memo is from Clark Lytle Geduldig's 4 name partners. 2 of them, Sam Geduldig and Jay Cranford, are former aides to House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, a Republican.
Using shorthand for Occupy Wall Street, the memo said:
"It may be easy to dismiss OWS as a ragtag group of protesters but they have demonstrated that they should be treated more like an organized competitor who is very nimble and capable of working the media, coordinating third party support and engaging office holders to do their bidding. To counter that, we have to do the same.""
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