Occupiers rally in front of Obama campaign headquarters
Source: The DePaulia
By Haley BeMiller
Published: Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Updated: Thursday, September 6, 2012 15:09
... During an introductory speech, one protester accidentally referred to Obama as Bush, provoking chants of same thing and Freudian slip from the rest of the group ...
One of the speakers listed off the Twelve Steps to Overcoming Addiction to Voting for the Lesser of Two Evils to illustrate the belief that Democrats arent necessarily an improvement upon Republicans. Some of the advice said to remove conflicting bumper stickers and get over your romantic feelings for Democrats.
We are not going to be voting for Barack Obama in this upcoming election, and personally, Im going to boycott the whole goddamn thing because theyve shown that both of these candidates are completely bought off, a protester said ...
I havent voted for either a Democrat or Republican for president or for Congress since McGovern, and he ran in 1972, she said ...
Read more: http://www.depauliaonline.com/news/occupiers-rally-in-front-of-obama-campaign-headquarters-1.2893079
Some of these people just hate Democrats
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)But before I even suggest common cause with this occupier group I would like to confirm whether these are actual occupiers or is this another repuke rat-F^@k trick.
That said, I would say that if these actually are occupiers they are idiots.
Apart from all that though I would still take issue with OWS being fringier than the teapsters as I don't think that is a useful or meaningful critique. The OWS was an actual grass roots movement that was fed up with Wallstreet scooping the largesse of our nations treasury.
By that measure the teapsters are only an astroturf group that was constructed to serve the repukes as some kind of 'Bush-washing' of 2000-2008 so that they could ressurect their Bullshit brand.
Really apple v. oranges. The majority of the population agrees with the occupy movement and disagrees with the teahaddists.
Again, if these are actual occupiers then they are idiots.
randome
(34,845 posts)kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)Merely a suggestion of 'no true scottsman' towards the term 'actual' and a complete disregard for everything else in my post.
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)Look, I understand the romantic ideals that they expose, but they really are all over the place when it comes to what they want or what they stand for. Being against everything is not a strategy.
And I agree with you about the Teabaggers because the an arm of the GOP.
i was involved with the Green Party back after the 88 election. They were all over the place when it comes to what they wanted and n one wanted to compromise their special bitch.
When you are against everything then you are not for anything.
That's my take on what I know of the occupy people.
Mosaic
(1,451 posts)Like overturning citizensunited, and taking dirty money out of politics, they also want direct electronic democracy, and all our liberal ideals, assuming you are a liberal. Where are you getting your news? If it is "mainstream" forget about it, they don't want you to know the truth about the Occupy Movement.
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)i've seen this game before.
How are they going to over turn citizens united, how are they going to get dirty money out of politics, how are they going to get to direct electronic democracy.
You tell me how they are approaching these goals with a plan other than banging on drums and sitting around n tents.
Again, I understand the romantic ideal that they are on a mission.
But every mission needs a plan and until i hear some kind of plan that doesn't involve drum circles and blaming everyone and trusting no one then we can talk about it.
BTW, I am a pragmatic progressive...
kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)That Vonnegut might be doing a half spin in his grave?
Seriously though how many major social and political movements started out within one of the major political parties of its time? I would say very few.
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)Look, I was the treasurer for the Green Party in Ohio from 1988 to 89. I walked away because they were more interested in performance art than being political. I then became the treasurer for the democratic party in 1993 and I got a whole different look.
kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)I found most of them rational and realistic. They even supported and took a few city council seats for awhile in Minneapolis. I think in a more sane world, were there two major parties, they would be the Democrats and the Greens. Sadly our current winner-take-all political system that runs on graft, corruption, and massive amounts of barely regulated (now unregulated) money, and where a corporate media decides on "viability" based on the war chest (see also-corruptability), does not suit a party like the greens.
I too switched to the Green party in 96 and 2k, and still vote for them in local elections when it is fairly safe or effective to do so. But after 2000 I gave up on them on a national basis and chose to work within the Democratic party instead.
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)progressive background than Cleveland...
I am someone.
AnOhioan
(2,894 posts)AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)I can't help but wonder how bad it's gotten. It certainly doesn't help that the media has repeatedly obfuscated the truth about Occupy's origins(like claiming that that faux-progressive nutter Kalle Lasn started it all), much of which, btw, I've long suspected is a badjacketing operation of some sort. Sadly, it's worked pretty well, too. =(.
4th law of robotics
(6,801 posts)or even concrete ideals how can you claim to be "infiltrated"?
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)While it may(key word here), just may, possibly, be true that one of its editors coined the word(that's even in doubt!), this MJ article blows the top right off the myth.
I looked into Kalle Lasn a while back and I almost immediately saw red flags all over the place....and then I began to realize that the MSM may have been engaging in a hardcore badjacketing operation.
I've done extensive research over the years, and this eerily reminds me of what happened to certain protest groups back in the 1960s & early '70s.
addltd
(2 posts)I don't believe I agree with your thought here. I think they are just from a different socio-economic makeup and therefore have to take different measures to get their point across.
Stuckinthebush
(10,847 posts)Can't think of a better way to get the Dems on board with their message.
wildeyed
(11,243 posts)DinahMoeHum
(21,838 posts)olddad56
(5,732 posts)Lot of people voted for Nader in 2000. How did that help them. If the Nader voters in Florida had voted for a democrat, as the lesser of two evils, our nation could have avoid a lot of evil over the following 8 years, and maybe given the environment some help.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)struggle4progress
(118,379 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)The Guardian. Really, the whole interview was superficial. I did better ones when I was in high school.
struggle4progress
(118,379 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)more thorough attempt to get more information, like who are these people and which organizations are behind them. I suspect real news organizations wrote them off for crack pots and not a real grass roots movement.
struggle4progress
(118,379 posts)... Demonstrators held a mock funeral procession through the loop beginning at LaSalle and Jackson, chanting Romney, Obama, same old drama ... Both of the presidential candidates have been bought and sold by the big banks and corporations that are destroying our democracy, said Matthew McLoughlin, an organizer with Occupy Chicago in a press release ...
Activists Leave Coffins In Front of Obama Campaign Headquarters
http://chicagoist.com/2012/09/05/activists_leave_coffins_in_front_of.php
... Some stood in front of headquarters demanding the release of Bradley Manning, a U.S. soldier famous for exposing war crimes via Wikileaks ... "This administration, which I voted for...which I made get out the vote calls for has let me down consistently but perpetrating acts of evil. Tonight I feel like this must end" ....
'Occupyers' burn voter cards in front of Obama headquarters
September 7th, 2012 by Theresa Campagna
http://www.demotix.com/news/1428956/occupyers-burn-voter-cards-front-obama-headquarters#slide-1
... Supporters of Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of releasing hundreds of thousands of documents to WikiLeaks, are about to do something that many progressives may find counterproductive, if not downright distasteful, in the midst of a close election. This week, beginning on Thursday, September 6, they plan to stage a wave of nonviolent direct actions across the nation as President Obama gives his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention ...
Organizing for Bradley Manning, in Anti-War Movements Wake
http://indypendent.org/2012/09/05/organizing-bradley-manning-anti-war-movement%E2%80%99s-wake
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014218845
On Thursday, September 6, supporters of Bradley Manning are planning to hold several nonviolent demonstrations around the country ... In August, Manning activists occupied the Obama campaign headquarters in Oakland and Los Angeles in California, as well as the office in Portland, Oregon ...
Wednesday, 05 September 2012 17:24
Bradley Manning Demonstrations Planned for September 6
Written by Joe Wolverton, II
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/item/12729-bradley-manning-demonstrations-planned-for-september-6
Cleita
(75,480 posts)synonymous with Occupy, something your article doesn't make clear because those student reporters didn't ask questions. On edit, even if they are, it's not unusual to protest against a Democratic President because you don't agree with certain harsh policies and even if you are a Democrat.
In my day we protested LBJ because of the VietNam war. In 1967 many of my friends got their asses kicked by the police protesting Johnson when he visited Los Angeles. Here is a newspaper clip of it.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2009/05/crowd-battles-lapd-as-war-protest-turns-violent-.html
The protesters were both Democrats, Republicans and many others. The only thing they had in common was being anti-war. Those protestors you posted about with a biased article that tried to make them look like they are Occupy protesting a Democratic President is a disingenuous hit piece. Those protesters are much like the anti-war protesters of the sixties cutting across a political spectrum but unified in their opposition to then VietNam war, but today to how Bradley Manning is being treated by our government.
tama
(9,137 posts)are the chosen allies of Chicago Teachers political strike and struggle, not the Corporate anti-union Dems they are fighting against.
Comfy there on your side, dear self-identified "progressive"?
struggle4progress
(118,379 posts)progressivebydesign
(19,458 posts)A dare them to volunteer with the hungry and disabled, to see how the policies of the REAL bad guys affect real people. These guys live in a theoretical world... they have no fucking clue.
warrprayer
(4,734 posts)including the one in my town, the kitchens have gone out of their way to help feed homeless people. They are often side by side with the worst off in society in the very places they occupy and have a close up view of the misery.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)The people that care about them are inside that convention hall, not outside. That's who I'm going to continue to be working with and voting for.
kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)If it was a repuke scam job then they did good dirt-work. They invalidated a legitimate movement in the eyes of a few people and tried to set it up like the Democratic party was against occupy!
Awesome job repukes! (Maximum sarchasm intended)
freshwest
(53,661 posts)I've followed and supported Occupy since it began last year but have learned sadly, that they aren't concerned about my issues now. Although they've been a breath of fresh air in changing the narrative, and I agree with all the Declaration of the Occupation of NYC and other principles, getting out in the street is not changing my life.
The people who are taking away my rights and harming people I care about aren't in the streets, they are in the legislatures and are seriously fucking things up.
Post the Occupy march where they protest the closing of family planning clinics for women in entire states. And their protests of the GOP's mandated transvaginal ultrasounds, or denying them after rape RX, or calling Sandra Fluke and other women sluts. This affects the freedom of half the population but Occupy doesn't talk about it.
Post their marches against GOP's libertarian leaders working to destroy the social safety net which saves many people's lives. I posted the statistics of the millions affected upthread. Are they disposable to some greater cause?
Resistance to repuke policies can't wait. Those who have the luxury of being unaffected can stand by. Those who can't and won't, are fighting these people in the political system.
I'm patient and I will wait for the information, but I no longer believe Occupy wants anything in the long run different than the libertarian party does, a devolution of society without a working government that will end up being feudalism.
They see government as the main problem, just as libertarians do, despite their beginning of getting corporate money out of politics or saving people's homes from being foreclosed. They find the system of government to be beneath contempt. The corporatists love that, just like they do in third world countries.
So I've pretty much written them off for now. I subscribed to the OU group, but they aren't talking about what is important to me at this time, maybe never will again. EOM.
Peace Out.
kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)Do you similarly demand that planned parenthood speak out for foreclosures and every single issue?
I'm sorry but I occupy was a movement with a very specific stance against Wallstreet and did not come about as a Democratic answer to the Teapsters.
Occupy was an authentic movement and has a specific agenda and goal.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)snooper2
(30,151 posts)You only get that title if you keep your ass in one place LOL..
Maybe it's time the title is changed to roamers
Tarheel_Dem
(31,257 posts)heaven05
(18,124 posts)their best chance is with the current administration cause Prez and Mrs.momma and chiefs hearts are in the right place. Let rethug get in the white house. they will roll over Occupy. Period
Cleita
(75,480 posts)raouldukelives
(5,178 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,257 posts)actually do sit this one out.
iamthebandfanman
(8,127 posts)but the grown ups work from within the system..
atleast until two other viable parties come on the scene
i feel that only have a third party slants the elections too much.. as that typically only drains votes from one side
im a big fan of 4+ parties and coalition governments
Bohemianwriter
(978 posts)Last time I was close to an election in my own country was 2001.
One of my two editors (from two different magazines) indicated I get membership in the Labor Party (Norway).
I was was bashing some poor volunteer at a stand when he came by.
"Why don't you join us, work within the system?"
"And become a partisan hack like you? You must be joking me!" I replied.
In Norway there are 11 parties. None of them appeal to me.
U.S. should have like you said, AT LEAST 2 more parties on the ticket.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)If you voluntarily remove yourself from the process, because you are so pure the stain of the corruption must not ever touch you, then you are irrelevant.
Bohemianwriter
(978 posts)Cha
(298,077 posts)a candidate they think can do what they want.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)But just throwing one's hands in the air solves exactly nothing, it accomplishes zero.
Bohemianwriter
(978 posts)I may be new to this site, but I have followed it for afar from a long time. I was born and raised in Norway. Have been travelling since I was 17. Lived in Kansas for a year more than 20 years ago. Discovering Sarah Palins "real America" with 12 churches in the none whore town.
Did my army service in Bosnia 93. Now, I live and work in Ireland working for an American IT corporation, and freelance writer & translator. I follow U.S politics. A fan of Hunter S. Thompson, Charles Bukowski, Bill Hicks, George Carlin, Bruce Springsteen and Jimi Hendrix. The first book I ever read was Last of the Mohicans.
Being disillusioned with both parties is NOT being a "hater of Democrats".
I understand him.
Obama has not gone away from many Bush policies. He still has secret prisons around the world. He's gone on a witch hunt against whistle blowers, held Bradley Manning in inhumane conditions for 2 years for whistle blowing on U.S war crimes committed during the Bush era. In Norway, we almost pander to the worst terrorist in our country`s history comparison. Bradley Manning is being treated like a terrorist, while Breivik is being treated like a mental patient.
Is the Patriot Act still in place? FISA? NDAA?
Has he stopped the war on Marijuana?
Has he given GOP 98% of what they have wanted?
Has he reopened any investigation on 9.11?
On the illegal Bush wars?
YOU keep your politicians feet to the fire no matter whom you vote for.
Occupy has kept focus on Wall Street under fire for a long time. Where were the Democrats?
In my eyes, Democrats and Republicans are too much a like. Beside the social issues, the Democratic Party is being dragged along as GOP has gone in the loonie bin.
If you had more people like Alan Grayson, Al Franken, Elisabeth Warren, Anthony Weiner, the GOP would never have gotten away with what they have done. Fact is that it's the strongest voices on the Democratic side they go after when there are raising their voices. And where were DNC?
In my eyes, the only true Democrat that has been on the presidential ticket 4 years ago was Mike Gravel. He got ovations 4 years ago, but was not treated right by DNC. He reminded me of FDR. Why didn`t you cast your votes on mr. Gravel?
While Obama is "excited" to "work with the Republicans" the next 4 years, FDR would have welcomed their hatred and fought back tooth and nails.
Best Regards
The Bohemianwriter
P.S. Both Theodore Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson would have been Occupiers
frylock
(34,825 posts)welcome to DU.
struggle4progress
(118,379 posts)Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)randome
(34,845 posts)Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)randome
(34,845 posts)Round-the-clock protests outside Fox studios might be more productive. But it would probably take a long time to have any effect.
Not sure what can be done about Fox. Except bring back the Fairness Doctrine.
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)frylock
(34,825 posts)keep up the good work.
struggle4progress
(118,379 posts)Last edited Tue Sep 11, 2012, 09:05 PM - Edit history (1)
the Progressives brought their friends to power through the ballot box, with the intent of advancing a definite agenda -- and then, having used their mass movement to win the election, they harnessed the power of the same mass movement to pass the laws they wanted
Let me say that again: Progressivism involved a mass movement, used in two steps: first to elect candidates, and then to turn the movement's legislative agenda into law
Notice that it is not enough to have a mass movement: we need an actual definite legislative agenda, and then we need to pursue it two stages -- at the ballot box and then in the halls of the legislature
So IMO you are sadly confused, to call some of these people progressives, because: they have no clear-cut legislative agenda; they have been using their mass movement to attack the law-makers who would be most likely to advance any of their ideas; and now in the electoral season, they are working against the election of the candidates who would be most likely to advance any of their ideas
tama
(9,137 posts)If you want the system to deliver the progressive changes you want, you need a strong grass roots movement outside the system to create enough of pressure and fear of not getting reelected if you don't do your job as public servant. Instead you and many others like you play the defeatist and denialist game of divide and conquer. For what purpose? More and worse RW policies by anti-union anti-people corporate Dems. Party first, fuck the people, instead of making the party serve the people. Loser.
So now you got Corporate Dems bashing Teacher unions at Party Convention to promote their neoliberal agenda of privitizing education, and Teacher Union striking and fighting together with Occupy! and parents against Democrats promoting neoliberal anti-government education program. Will you now change your smear campaign target from Assange etc. to union bashing, true to the form?
struggle4progress
(118,379 posts)the purpose of a strong grassroots movement is not to inspire fear in elected officials: it is to elect our friends and then (once they are elected) to work with them to put our legislative agenda into effect
tama
(9,137 posts)Occupyers don't beat, torture and murder people. Authoritarian politicians and their "just-following-orders-people" do.
struggle4progress
(118,379 posts)It's a moronic view IMO
tama
(9,137 posts)Zorra
(27,670 posts)"I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law."
"The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood."
Martin Luther King Jr
That sounds like Occupy to me. I spoke with Jesse Jackson at Occupy Phoenix, and had the honor of marching with him the following day. There were only 20 of us on the sidewalk that night, and it was about 9:30 at night when he and a few folks from COBTU walked up to us out of the blue, and talked to us about Occupy, and about the Civil Rights Movement.
I'm quite sure that he, as well as Dr. King, would be fully disgusted at the few anti-progressive, anti-Occupy, corporate establishment suck ups here at DU. I know most of the progressives here are.
Martin Luther King, Jr., was a real progressive. And his two quotes above are exactly the type of progressive thought and action that you rail against here on DU, day after day. The movement goes first. The Civil Rights Movement was the Movement that brought about change for blacks and other minorities as well. The Occupy Movement is the movement that will bring about the change that leads to democratic subjugation of Wall St.
Progressive, defined: A person advocating or implementing social reform or new, liberal ideas.
Progressivism, defined: The political orientation of those who favor progress toward better conditions in government and society.
Occupiers promote new, liberal ideas for implementing social reforms.
You, on the other hand, have been arguing incessantly for maintaining the system of the corporate establishment, for preserving the status quo, and for punishing those who challenge the corruption inherent within the status quo, which is a very conservative course of action...
con·serv·a·tive/kənˈsərvətiv/ - Holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in politics or religion.
I have a question: Your agenda, and the relentless of your anti-progressive propaganda, is very distinctive of Third Way propagandists. Do you work for, or are you affiliated with, the Third Way in any way? Other than just simply having the same ideology?
I'm an Occupier, and a lifetime progressive Democrat. And, sorry, you are not a progressive, no matter how you choose to define yourself. Your posts make this abundantly clear.
Occupy is partly responsible for the positive results for the Democratic party in the off year election in 2011, and by bringing attention to the problem of the 1%, Occupy will be partly responsible for getting Obama elected and other Dems elected. At least 50% of those who participated in Occupy will be voting Dem.
None will be voting republican. Why don't you reserve your vitriol for conservative organizations, like the Tea Party/GOP? It seems like all of your posts are anti-progressive, instead of anti-conservative. Go figure.
You are doing the Democratic Party a great disservice by constantly denigrating and pissing off progressives and liberals. Progressive Independents (and Democrats, for that matter) reading your conservative trash propaganda on this progressive website would definitely be turned off from voting for Democrats because of the sheer malice you obviously feel toward progressives/liberals.
Politicub
(12,165 posts)Very short-sighted, IMHO.
mwrguy
(3,245 posts)Politicub
(12,165 posts)Sounds a lot like the GOP rent-a-mob that "protested" in Florida as the ballots were being counted.
If they're for real, then I worry about their sanity. Anyone who thinks that Democrats and Republicans are similar must know very little about politics. The Supreme Court appointees alone are a good reason to vote Democratic.
olddad56
(5,732 posts)how about protesting the lesser of two evils. Why are they not protesting in front of the estates and corporations of the 1%.