Civil Right Olmos
January 2, 2013
Armando Olmos
Comments Off on The Fiscal Financial Cliff Was Created To Protect Millionaires And Billionaires This Was A Win Win For The 1%
It’s been clear for a long time that lower tax rates don’t have much long term effect on economic growth. For example, can you determine which years have low or high tax rates from the following graph?
But recent analysis by Ethan Kaplan of the University of Maryland actually shows that lower tax rates lead to lower economic growth! Here is Kaplan’s scatter-plot of real growth rates versus top marginal tax rates. The correlation is clearly positive – meaning higher tax rates correspond to higher growth and lower tax rates correspond to lower growth.
December 2, 2012
Armando Olmos
Comments Off on How the plutocrats are handling Mitt Romney’s loss
US President Barack Obama urged Congress Saturday to immediately extend a tax cut for middle-class Americans, arguing the move will give 98 percent of families and 97 percent of small businesses the certainty that will lead to faster economic growth. "This is something we all agree on," the president…
November 10, 2012
Armando Olmos
Comments Off on Obama Urging An Immediate Tax Cut For The Middle Class
#F29 Shut Down the Corporations
January 7th, 2012 · Ella · Announcements
24 comments
National Call to Action Made by the Portland General Assembly – January 1st, 2012
Occupy Portland calls for a national day of non-violent direct action to reclaim our voices and challenge our society‘s obsession with profit and greed by shutting down the corporations. We are rejecting a society that does not allow us control of our future. We will reclaim our ability to shape our world in a democratic, cooperative, just and sustainable direction.
We call on the Occupy Movement and everyone seeking freedom and justice to join us in this day of action.
There has been a theft by the 1% of our democratic ability to shape and form the society in which we live and our society is steered toward the destructive pursuit of consumption, profit and greed at the expense of all else.
We call on people to target corporations that are part of the American Legislative Exchange Council which is a prime example of the way corporations buy off legislators and craft legislation that serves the interests of corporations and not people. They used it to create the anti-labor legislation in Wisconsin and the racist bill SB 1070 in Arizona among so many others. They use ALEC to spread these corporate laws around the country.
In doing this we begin to recreate our democracy. In doing this we begin to create a society that is organized to meet human needs and sustain life.
On February 29th, we will reclaim our future from the 1%. We will shut down the corporations and recreate our democracy.
Join us! Leap into action! Reclaim our future! Shut down the corporations!
*This call to action was issued by the Portland General Assembly on January 1st, 2012 with unanimous support.
National Website – www.shutdownthecorporations.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/F29-Shut-Down-the-Corporations/169049533194891?sk=wall
Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/261864810546909
Twitter: #f29 @f29action
Stand Up Against Attacks on Our Civil Liberties
December 15th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements
21 comments
The LA General Assembly became an early voice in the Occupy Movement against the indefinite military detention provisions in the The National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA). They passed and released a public statement against the NDAA and held actions in opposition of the provisions in the following days.
Civil rights groups, counterterrorism experts and former military leaders have expressed serious concerns with sections of the NDAA which would effectively allow for the indefinite military detention of United States citizens and lawful immigrants in America (see 1031 & 1032 of HR 1540). A group of Lawmakers submitted a letter to House and Senate leaders stating their concerns of the possibility of these provisions undermining the rights of US citizens.
While adjustments have been made in backdoor meetings after President Obama’s threat of veto, none of these primary concerns were directly addressed. The NDAA in its present form could still allow for an indefinite military detention of a US citizen on American soil without trial. Despite these egregious attacks on our civil liberties, the NDAA will likely be passed in the Senate and signed into law today.
Coincidentally, today also marks Bill of Rights Day.
So thousands are refusing to idly stand by and will take to the streets to defend the Bill of Rights for all of us. Occupy Wall Street is joining several national coalitions to voice opposition of the NDAA and other recent attacks on our civil liberties. Boston will march against indefinite detention and Bill of Rights Day Rallies Against the NDAA are planned in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Houston, Ithaca, Flagstaff, York and Hartford in addition to more actions around the country.
If this is something you feel strongly about, do something in your community to raise awareness. Explain why this is something that concerns you. Discuss this with your friends, your family and your neighbors. Express your concerns to those who are supposed to represent you.
Together, we will be heard.
For more information on national actions, go to: bordc.org
#10D International Day of Action for #GlobalChange
December 8th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements
14 comments
Global civil society is being threatened by a system based on power and not on human values. Day after day it represses basic freedoms and consistently favors the greed of the few over the needs of the many. This power finances wars, food and pharmaceutical monopolies, it sponsors dictatorial regimes across the globe, destroying environments, manipulating and censoring information flow and transparency.
This Saturday, December 10, people all around the world will stand up together to demand the rights we were promised in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed and approved by most of the world’s governments and the basis for many of our constitutions.
The struggle for our rights as human beings underlies everything we have demanded in every square and every demonstration in this historic year of global change. From East to West, North to South: on the 10th of December we will take to the streets and squares together to demand the fundamental principles that were promised and are inherent to Human Beings.
Visit 10december.net for more information on the global movement. Search for or submit a report for #10D actions in your area.
ACTIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Occupy Brazil is holding Rally & March of Candles. Details on this Facebook event.
Occupy Tuscaloosa is holding a march for human rights on the national Day of Action for the Occupy movement and the anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Occupy London‘s lunchtime GA will provide space for London lovers, neighbours and visitors to discuss plans for occupations, teach outs and other actions specific to the local areas of London. More info here.
Also, live streaming of protests and show of cross-culture solidarity at the St. Paul Cathedral with guest speaker Professor Charles Tripp. Info here.
Madrid TomaLaPlaza is holding a week of action that starts on the 10th of December (International Human Rights Day) and culminates on the 18th of December (the global action day against racism and for the rights of migrants, refugees and displaced people) including performances, a Forum of Human Rights at Puerta del Sol, music show with various choirs, etc. Find more details here.
Occupy Montreal
After their eviction and the disrespect of their rights, Occupy Montreal will march to and occupy the SPVM HQ (Montreal Police Head Quarters) on this day of human rights and liberty. Complete schedule of events found here.
Occupy Nanamio will be taking part in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign.
Occupy Nashville has planned a Global Human Rights Day March
Occupy Omaha will be holding a symbolic cross-town march uniting traditionally segregated areas of the city. Demonstrators will start from North Omaha and South Omaha and converge at the encampment.
Occupons La Defense (Paris)
As part of the global day of mobilization for the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the indignation of Paris are calling for a mobilization.
Occupy Sydney is holding a Global Human Rights Day Festival with info stalls, Free School, music, food and more!
National Day of Action to Occupy Our Homes
December 4th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements
31 comments – Tags: actions, foreclosures, mass action, occupy movement, occupy our homes, occupy wall st
Banks took such high risks that they placed our entire economy in serious jeopardy. In return, they received trillions of dollars from the Fed and billions of dollars from hard working tax payers to get back on their feet. Homeowners take risks when buying homes; however, when they lose their jobs or are unable to afford their medical attention they don’t get bailouts, they lose everything.
With our current environment of corporate irresponsibility and greed, political impotence and corruption, all it takes is for you to lose your job or get dropped from your health insurance to lose it all. Just because it hasn’t happened to you, your loved ones or your neighbors yet, doesn’t mean the threat isn’t real.
This Tuesday, thousands will be standing up for their neighbors in a struggle against a system that places financial gain above the human need of shelter. Banks would rather let houses deteriorate than renegotiate loans with those who make them homes and build our communities.
Occupy Minnesota had taken this issue head-on shortly after their formation when a fellow Occupier called out for help in keeping her home.
This Tuesday, Occupy Minnesota will organize in neighborhoods to defend families facing foreclosures in the communities most affected by the financial crisis. They’ll expand their occupation to a second foreclosed home in South Minneapolis.
NATIONAL HAPPENINGS
Occupy Our Homes is launching off with the National Day of Action to Occupy Our Homes
Embrace Community Not Consumption on #BuyNothingDay
November 23rd, 2011 · Ella · Announcements
31 comments
As retailers compete to see who can open their doors the earliest without offending the sensibilities of the public, Americans have been questioning the very tradition of over-consumption. Occupy Black Friday, OccupyXMass and Buy Nothing Day actions are being held throughout the country and world as a way to stand up against blatant corporate greed.
If you are opting-out this year, we’ve whipped up this little gift exemption card for you to print out give to your friends and family over Thanksgiving right before the chaos of corporate holiday spending ensues. Or, send this image as an eCard for those you won’t be spending the day with.
NATIONAL HAPPENINGS
#BuyNothingDay
Historically, Buy Nothing Day has been about fasting from hyper consumerism – a break from the cash register and reflecting on how dependent we really are on conspicuous consumption. This 20th anniversary of Buy Nothing Day will be married with the message of #Occupy. Occupy the minds of Xmas shoppers with these posters. Organize a whirly mart, santa sit-in or Jesus walk.
Call for an Alternative Day of Action on Human Rights Day Saturday, December 10th, 2011
November 19th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements
53 comments
The success of October 15th has triggered an unprecedented momentum for global action. Humanity has united across boundaries in a struggle for real democracy and individual rights. Essential to this struggle is the respect for human life and living conditions, including environments
Global civil society is being threatened by a system based on power and not on human values. Day after day it represses basic freedoms and consistently favors the greed of the few over the needs of the many. This power finances wars, food and pharmaceutical monopolies, it sponsors dictatorial regimes across the globe, destroying environments, manipulating and censoring information flow and transparency.
Despite our different cultural backgrounds and social contexts, we all suffer the same threats. Our freedom and dignity are under attack as a result of market dynamics and corrupt government institutions that are turning our local and global societies into increasingly unjust places. The governments of this planet must work for the people, not against them. The time has come to stand up for our rights together and to demand the rights we were promised in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed and approved by most of the world’s governments and the basis for many of our constitutions.
The struggle for our rights as human beings underlies everything we have demanded in every square and every demonstration in this historic year of global change. There is no better culmination to this year of protest than a global day of action to defend our inalienable human equity from those trying to take it away from us. From East to West, North to South: on the 10th of December we will take to the streets and squares together to demand the fundamental principles that were promised and are inherent to the Human Beings.
We would like to propose the week starting on the 10th of December (10/12 – 17/12) as a time for alternative forms of protest which will be found after a debate between all of us. The idea is to participate in proposing new forms of action with a creative spirit: we can organize public forums and workshops, flash-mobs, we can promote the movement in local schools and neighborhoods or get in contact with humanitarian organizations working with the same goals.
VISIT 10DECEMBER.NET FOR MORE INFO
ADD YOUR PROPOSALS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE ACTION OR VIEW AND COMMENT ON IDEAS HERE
#N17 Mass Day of Action
November 16th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements
168 comments
OWS is calling upon you to participate in a national day of direct action on November 17 in celebration of the the two month anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Occupy Wall St
7:00 Shut Down Wall Street
3:00 Occupy the Subways
5:00 Take the Square
This information and more at: occupywallst.org/action/november-17th
Occupy Colleges
Students across the country will gather together on November 17 to protest the rising costs of college education, and the diminishing quality in that education from universities. Students will strike by gathering in central locations throughout each school, or in solidarity at Occupy Wall Street.
More information at: occupycolleges.org
Portland
Occupying steelbridge in morning
Rally afterwards
Subsequently occupying banks
www.n17pdx.org
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=104127476368742
Los Angeles
1,000+ people to take over the street of Downtown, Los Angeles. Activists will meet at Bank of America Plaza at 333 S Hope St. and march to the corner of Figueroa and 4th St., where we will shut down the intersection.
www.occupylosangeles.org/?q=node%2F1970
Boston
Mass Uniting’s Jobs Not Cuts March & Rally at Dewey Square
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185521434866267
Prior to March @ FSU: Martin Luther King Jr, Stokely Carmichael, American Democracy, and the Search for Economic Justice: From the Civil Rights Movement to the Occupy Movement
Minneapolis
3:00pm Student Rally @ Northrop Plaza
4:00pm March onto the 10th Ave Bridge
5:30pm Rally on the Peoples’ Plaza (Government Plaza)
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189395914476438
Lexington
5:30 Solidarity March
Chicago
5:30 Mass Action at Jackson and LaSalle
occupychi.org/2011/11/15/thursday-occupy-chicago-participates-national-day-action-november-17
INTERNATIONAL
Spain
A general strike of university students will be taking place in the following cities: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, Palma, Sevilla, Santiago de Compostela, Murcia, Madrid, Valencia, Castello, Alicante, Zaragoza
17:00: Demonstration in Madrid
Place: From Nuevos Ministerios to Puerta del Sol Square
Call: Assembly UAM-CSIC / 15M
tomalafacultad.net
madrid.tomalaplaza.net/2011/11/08/17n-manifestacion-estatal-por-los-servicios-publicos
Belgium
Activists are mobilising for sit-ins at universities and schools to discuss the ongoing protests around the world, resist the increasing commercialisation of education and connect to the struggle on the global level.
ism-global.net/ghent_occupy_nov17
Germany
Massive student strikes, flash mobs, rallies, and other actions will be taking place in dozens of cities
ism-global.net/germany_education_strike_nov17
Letter from Movement Building
November 15th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements
29 comments – Tags: eviction, help, Occupy Wall Street
Friends,
Liberty Plaza (Zuccotti Park), home of Occupy Wall Street for the past two months and birthplace of the 99% movement that has spread across the country and around the world, was evicted by a large police force in full riot gear.
Three ways to get involved and help:
—————————————————-
Come out in person today at 9am EST
—————————————————-
We are re-gathering today at 9am EST at Canal and 6th Ave. This movement can’t be contained in one square block in lower Manhattan. It is bigger than that. You can’t evict an idea whose time had come. Show your support. Turn out en masse.
—————————————————-
Join a Call to discuss Direct Action at noon EST
—————————————————-
We also have a Direct Action call planned today at noon. This was already scheduled via InterOccupy.org, but we’d like to suggest that the call be used to directly discuss what can be done in response to today’s eviction. Please spread the word to Direct Action folks in your occupation that this call is happening!
To register for the call, go here:
—————————————————-
Call assistant Attorney General with the Civil Rights Division
—————————————————-
Attached to this email is a complaint submitted on behalf of the Occupy Movement to the Department of Justice in response to the increasing antagonism of police against peaceful protesters. It was formally submitted to the Department of Justice on 11/10/2011. It is addressed to a Mister Thomas Perez, the assistant Attorney General with the Civil Rights Division. Mr. Perez’s office number is (202) 514-4609. Let us call, tied up his lines, and demand that every citizen has a right to peaceably assemble without the threat of police violence. Forward widely.
PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL IMMEDIATELY AS FAR AND WIDE AS YOU CAN!!!!!!!
In Solidarity!
Movement Building Working Group
Liberty Plaza
NYC
Civil Rights complaint
November 14th, 2011 · Ella · The Occupations Report
12 comments
We’ve recently seen this report posted and shared through social media, but we thought it might be helpful to have another place on the web it can be published and accessed daily. This Occupation Report is compiled by Rebuild the Dream. Occupy Together has no ties to Rebuild the Dream or Move On outside of requesting permission to repost this report.
Are you interested in helping conduct Training Sessions on key organizing and activism skills? We’ve been receiving lots of feedback from readers requesting both trainers and materials on the ground. If you are a trainer or have an interest in training and are open to helping, please let us know at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFVIaFp1dEhqc1hScVBreE5McFhoWWc6MQ. The Daily Occupations Report is trying to match Trainers and resources to the sites that need them. If you have any materials, guides or links to training resources, please send them to monique@rebuildthedream.com or lizbutlerdc@gmail.com. We will be sharing those resources at the end of the reports all next week.
This report includes updates from Occupy sites and related efforts across the country and the globe. It includes big wins, local organizing efforts, protests/events, police activity reports and calls to action where additional support from allies/general public may be needed.
For more updates from occupations around the country, listen to the Occupation America podcast at http://soundcloud.com/occupation-america
Occupy Atlanta
[Atlanta CBS report] The home base for Occupy Atlanta has tested positive for tuberculosis.
The Fulton County Health Department confirmed Wednesday that residents at the homeless shelter where protesters have been occupying have contracted the drug-resistant disease. WGCL reports that a health department spokeswoman said there is a possibility that both Occupy Atlanta protesters and the homeless people in the shelter may still be at risk since tuberculosis is contracted through air contact.
Occupy Berkeley
Occupy Berkeley held educational outreach in front of Chase bank urging members of the community to divest from the big banks and join local credit unions Saturday.
Power Hungry Spam Filter (a request for advice)
November 13th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements
9 comments
Hey there wonderful citizens of the web. We need some help/insight from someone who has a better understanding of WordPress than us. We found it odd that we hadn’t had any recent comments coming through, so one of us got smart and tried submitting a test comment. Turns out ALL of our comments are being caught by the spam filter.
A week or so ago we started getting hundreds of comments that looked like this:
Submitted on 2011/11/03 at 8:05 am
glzidpddvqzuphfuifs, Porn, http://www.freesex-tgp.com/ , UzfZtIj.
Since these were clearly spam, and there spilling in by the hundreds, we started flagging them for the spam filter in order to prevent a complete invasion of these spammy comments.
Also recently, we’ve opened up user registration for users to be able to submit articles. Unfortunately, the function is competley pointless outside of the submission page becase we have a caching add-on that prevents Worpress from recognizing a signed-in user.
Somehow, one or a combination of these two things has made it so the spam filter is automatically spamming EVERY comment have recieved for the last several days.
Is there a way to reset our spam filter? Prevent the spammy messages we were getting? Any help/insight is very appreciated.
Also, our sincerest apologies to all who have recently commented. We’ll be going through the thousands of “spam” comments to be “unflagging” all comments throughout the day.
Occupy Together
Also, you can comment on this post. We’ll still receive the comments we just have to “un-spam” them. If easier, please email us at info@occupytogether.org.
Occupy Research Survey
The OccupyResearch network is pleased to launch this exciting survey, which aims to create a better understanding of who engages with the Occupy movement, and how — it includes questions about media, communication, political activities, and more. Read more about it here.
Mass Actions Calendar
Recent Twitter Activity
© 2012 Occupy Together – Please feel free to distribute any of the original content on this site across the internet.
#F29 Shut Down the Corporations
January 7th, 2012 · Ella · Announcements 24 comments
National Call to Action Made by the Portland General Assembly – January 1st, 2012
Occupy Portland calls for a national day of non-violent direct action to reclaim our voices and challenge our society’s obsession with profit and greed by shutting down the corporations. We are rejecting a society that does not allow us control of our future. We will reclaim our ability to shape our world in a democratic, cooperative, just and sustainable direction.
We call on the Occupy Movement and everyone seeking freedom and justice to join us in this day of action.
There has been a theft by the 1% of our democratic ability to shape and form the society in which we live and our society is steered toward the destructive pursuit of consumption, profit and greed at the expense of all else.
We call on people to target corporations that are part of the American Legislative Exchange Council which is a prime example of the way corporations buy off legislators and craft legislation that serves the interests of corporations and not people. They used it to create the anti-labor legislation in Wisconsin and the racist bill SB 1070 in Arizona among so many others. They use ALEC to spread these corporate laws around the country.
In doing this we begin to recreate our democracy. In doing this we begin to create a society that is organized to meet human needs and sustain life.
On February 29th, we will reclaim our future from the 1%. We will shut down the corporations and recreate our democracy.
Join us! Leap into action! Reclaim our future! Shut down the corporations!
*This call to action was issued by the Portland General Assembly on January 1st, 2012 with unanimous support.
National Website – http://www.shutdownthecorporations.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/F29-Shut-Down-the-Corporations/169049533194891?sk=wall
Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/261864810546909
Twitter: #f29 @f29action
Stand Up Against Attacks on Our Civil Liberties
December 15th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements 21 comments
The LA General Assembly became an early voice in the Occupy Movement against the indefinite military detention provisions in the The National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA). They passed and released a public statement against the NDAA and held actions in opposition of the provisions in the following days.
Civil rights groups, counterterrorism experts and former military leaders have expressed serious concerns with sections of the NDAA which would effectively allow for the indefinite military detention of United States citizens and lawful immigrants in America (see 1031 & 1032 of HR 1540). A group of Lawmakers submitted a letter to House and Senate leaders stating their concerns of the possibility of these provisions undermining the rights of US citizens.
While adjustments have been made in backdoor meetings after President Obama’s threat of veto, none of these primary concerns were directly addressed. The NDAA in its present form could still allow for an indefinite military detention of a US citizen on American soil without trial. Despite these egregious attacks on our civil liberties, the NDAA will likely be passed in the Senate and signed into law today.
Coincidentally, today also marks Bill of Rights Day.
So thousands are refusing to idly stand by and will take to the streets to defend the Bill of Rights for all of us. Occupy Wall Street is joining several national coalitions to voice opposition of the NDAA and other recent attacks on our civil liberties. Boston will march against indefinite detention and Bill of Rights Day Rallies Against the NDAA are planned in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Houston, Ithaca, Flagstaff, York and Hartford in addition to more actions around the country.
If this is something you feel strongly about, do something in your community to raise awareness. Explain why this is something that concerns you. Discuss this with your friends, your family and your neighbors. Express your concerns to those who are supposed to represent you.
Together, we will be heard.
For more information on national actions, go to: bordc.org
#10D International Day of Action for #GlobalChange
December 8th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements 14 comments
Global civil society is being threatened by a system based on power and not on human values. Day after day it represses basic freedoms and consistently favors the greed of the few over the needs of the many. This power finances wars, food and pharmaceutical monopolies, it sponsors dictatorial regimes across the globe, destroying environments, manipulating and censoring information flow and transparency.
This Saturday, December 10, people all around the world will stand up together to demand the rights we were promised in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed and approved by most of the world’s governments and the basis for many of our constitutions.
The struggle for our rights as human beings underlies everything we have demanded in every square and every demonstration in this historic year of global change. From East to West, North to South: on the 10th of December we will take to the streets and squares together to demand the fundamental principles that were promised and are inherent to Human Beings.
Visit 10december.net for more information on the global movement. Search for or submit a report for #10D actions in your area.
ACTIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Occupy Brazil is holding Rally & March of Candles. Details on this Facebook event.
Occupy Tuscaloosa is holding a march for human rights on the national Day of Action for the Occupy movement and the anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Occupy London’s lunchtime GA will provide space for London lovers, neighbours and visitors to discuss plans for occupations, teach outs and other actions specific to the local areas of London. More info here.
Also, live streaming of protests and show of cross-culture solidarity at the St. Paul Cathedral with guest speaker Professor Charles Tripp. Info here.
Madrid TomaLaPlaza is holding a week of action that starts on the 10th of December (International Human Rights Day) and culminates on the 18th of December (the global action day against racism and for the rights of migrants, refugees and displaced people) including performances, a Forum of Human Rights at Puerta del Sol, music show with various choirs, etc. Find more details here.
Occupy Montreal
After their eviction and the disrespect of their rights, Occupy Montreal will march to and occupy the SPVM HQ (Montreal Police Head Quarters) on this day of human rights and liberty. Complete schedule of events found here.
Occupy Nanamio will be taking part in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign.
Occupy Nashville has planned a Global Human Rights Day March
Occupy Omaha will be holding a symbolic cross-town march uniting traditionally segregated areas of the city. Demonstrators will start from North Omaha and South Omaha and converge at the encampment.
Occupons La Defense (Paris)
As part of the global day of mobilization for the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the indignation of Paris are calling for a mobilization.
Occupy Sydney is holding a Global Human Rights Day Festival with info stalls, Free School, music, food and more!
Find more actions here.
National Day of Action to Occupy Our Homes
December 4th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements 31 comments – Tags: actions, foreclosures, mass action, occupy movement, occupy our homes, occupy wall st
Banks took such high risks that they placed our entire economy in serious jeopardy. In return, they received trillions of dollars from the Fed and billions of dollars from hard working tax payers to get back on their feet. Homeowners take risks when buying homes; however, when they lose their jobs or are unable to afford their medical attention they don’t get bailouts, they lose everything.
With our current environment of corporate irresponsibility and greed, political impotence and corruption, all it takes is for you to lose your job or get dropped from your health insurance to lose it all. Just because it hasn’t happened to you, your loved ones or your neighbors yet, doesn’t mean the threat isn’t real.
This Tuesday, thousands will be standing up for their neighbors in a struggle against a system that places financial gain above the human need of shelter. Banks would rather let houses deteriorate than renegotiate loans with those who make them homes and build our communities.
Occupy Minnesota had taken this issue head-on shortly after their formation when a fellow Occupier called out for help in keeping her home.
This Tuesday, Occupy Minnesota will organize in neighborhoods to defend families facing foreclosures in the communities most affected by the financial crisis. They’ll expand their occupation to a second foreclosed home in South Minneapolis.
NATIONAL HAPPENINGS
Occupy Our Homes is launching off with the National Day of Action to Occupy Our Homes
Continue reading »
Embrace Community Not Consumption on #BuyNothingDay
November 23rd, 2011 · Ella · Announcements 31 comments
As retailers compete to see who can open their doors the earliest without offending the sensibilities of the public, Americans have been questioning the very tradition of over-consumption. Occupy Black Friday, OccupyXMass and Buy Nothing Day actions are being held throughout the country and world as a way to stand up against blatant corporate greed.
If you are opting-out this year, we’ve whipped up this little gift exemption card for you to print out give to your friends and family over Thanksgiving right before the chaos of corporate holiday spending ensues. Or, send this image as an eCard for those you won’t be spending the day with.
NATIONAL HAPPENINGS
#BuyNothingDay
Historically, Buy Nothing Day has been about fasting from hyper consumerism – a break from the cash register and reflecting on how dependent we really are on conspicuous consumption. This 20th anniversary of Buy Nothing Day will be married with the message of #Occupy. Occupy the minds of Xmas shoppers with these posters. Organize a whirly mart, santa sit-in or Jesus walk.
Continue reading »
Call for an Alternative Day of Action on Human Rights Day Saturday, December 10th, 2011
November 19th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements 53 comments
The success of October 15th has triggered an unprecedented momentum for global action. Humanity has united across boundaries in a struggle for real democracy and individual rights. Essential to this struggle is the respect for human life and living conditions, including environments
Global civil society is being threatened by a system based on power and not on human values. Day after day it represses basic freedoms and consistently favors the greed of the few over the needs of the many. This power finances wars, food and pharmaceutical monopolies, it sponsors dictatorial regimes across the globe, destroying environments, manipulating and censoring information flow and transparency.
Despite our different cultural backgrounds and social contexts, we all suffer the same threats. Our freedom and dignity are under attack as a result of market dynamics and corrupt government institutions that are turning our local and global societies into increasingly unjust places. The governments of this planet must work for the people, not against them. The time has come to stand up for our rights together and to demand the rights we were promised in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed and approved by most of the world’s governments and the basis for many of our constitutions.
The struggle for our rights as human beings underlies everything we have demanded in every square and every demonstration in this historic year of global change. There is no better culmination to this year of protest than a global day of action to defend our inalienable human equity from those trying to take it away from us. From East to West, North to South: on the 10th of December we will take to the streets and squares together to demand the fundamental principles that were promised and are inherent to the Human Beings.
We would like to propose the week starting on the 10th of December (10/12 – 17/12) as a time for alternative forms of protest which will be found after a debate between all of us. The idea is to participate in proposing new forms of action with a creative spirit: we can organize public forums and workshops, flash-mobs, we can promote the movement in local schools and neighborhoods or get in contact with humanitarian organizations working with the same goals.
VISIT 10DECEMBER.NET FOR MORE INFO
ADD YOUR PROPOSALS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE ACTION OR VIEW AND COMMENT ON IDEAS HERE
#N17 Mass Day of Action
November 16th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements 168 comments
OWS is calling upon you to participate in a national day of direct action on November 17 in celebration of the the two month anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Occupy Wall St
7:00 Shut Down Wall Street
3:00 Occupy the Subways
5:00 Take the Square
This information and more at: occupywallst.org/action/november-17th
Occupy Colleges
Students across the country will gather together on November 17 to protest the rising costs of college education, and the diminishing quality in that education from universities. Students will strike by gathering in central locations throughout each school, or in solidarity at Occupy Wall Street.
More information at: occupycolleges.org
Portland
Occupying steelbridge in morning
Rally afterwards
Subsequently occupying banks
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=104127476368742
Los Angeles
1,000+ people to take over the street of Downtown, Los Angeles. Activists will meet at Bank of America Plaza at 333 S Hope St. and march to the corner of Figueroa and 4th St., where we will shut down the intersection.
http://www.occupylosangeles.org/?q=node%2F1970
Boston
Mass Uniting’s Jobs Not Cuts March & Rally at Dewey Square
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185521434866267
Prior to March @ FSU: Martin Luther King Jr, Stokely Carmichael, American Democracy, and the Search for Economic Justice: From the Civil Rights Movement to the Occupy Movement
Minneapolis
3:00pm Student Rally @ Northrop Plaza
4:00pm March onto the 10th Ave Bridge
5:30pm Rally on the Peoples’ Plaza (Government Plaza)
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189395914476438
Lexington
5:30 Solidarity March
Chicago
5:30 Mass Action at Jackson and LaSalle
occupychi.org/2011/11/15/thursday-occupy-chicago-participates-national-day-action-november-17
INTERNATIONAL
Spain
A general strike of university students will be taking place in the following cities: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, Palma, Sevilla, Santiago de Compostela, Murcia, Madrid, Valencia, Castello, Alicante, Zaragoza
17:00: Demonstration in Madrid
Place: From Nuevos Ministerios to Puerta del Sol Square
Call: Assembly UAM-CSIC / 15M
tomalafacultad.net
madrid.tomalaplaza.net/2011/11/08/17n-manifestacion-estatal-por-los-servicios-publicos
Belgium
Activists are mobilising for sit-ins at universities and schools to discuss the ongoing protests around the world, resist the increasing commercialisation of education and connect to the struggle on the global level.
ism-global.net/ghent_occupy_nov17
Germany
Massive student strikes, flash mobs, rallies, and other actions will be taking place in dozens of cities
ism-global.net/germany_education_strike_nov17
Letter from Movement Building
November 15th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements 29 comments – Tags: eviction, help, Occupy Wall Street
Friends,
Liberty Plaza (Zuccotti Park), home of Occupy Wall Street for the past two months and birthplace of the 99% movement that has spread across the country and around the world, was evicted by a large police force in full riot gear.
Three ways to get involved and help:
—————————————————-
Come out in person today at 9am EST
—————————————————-
We are re-gathering today at 9am EST at Canal and 6th Ave. This movement can’t be contained in one square block in lower Manhattan. It is bigger than that. You can’t evict an idea whose time had come. Show your support. Turn out en masse.
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Join a Call to discuss Direct Action at noon EST
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We also have a Direct Action call planned today at noon. This was already scheduled via InterOccupy.org, but we’d like to suggest that the call be used to directly discuss what can be done in response to today’s eviction. Please spread the word to Direct Action folks in your occupation that this call is happening!
To register for the call, go here:
—————————————————-
Call assistant Attorney General with the Civil Rights Division
—————————————————-
Attached to this email is a complaint submitted on behalf of the Occupy Movement to the Department of Justice in response to the increasing antagonism of police against peaceful protesters. It was formally submitted to the Department of Justice on 11/10/2011. It is addressed to a Mister Thomas Perez, the assistant Attorney General with the Civil Rights Division. Mr. Perez’s office number is (202) 514-4609. Let us call, tied up his lines, and demand that every citizen has a right to peaceably assemble without the threat of police violence. Forward widely.
PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL IMMEDIATELY AS FAR AND WIDE AS YOU CAN!!!!!!!
In Solidarity!
Movement Building Working Group
Liberty Plaza
NYC
Civil Rights complaint
The Occupations Report: 11/12
November 14th, 2011 · Ella · The Occupations Report 12 comments
We’ve recently seen this report posted and shared through social media, but we thought it might be helpful to have another place on the web it can be published and accessed daily. This Occupation Report is compiled by Rebuild the Dream. Occupy Together has no ties to Rebuild the Dream or Move On outside of requesting permission to repost this report.
Are you interested in helping conduct Training Sessions on key organizing and activism skills? We’ve been receiving lots of feedback from readers requesting both trainers and materials on the ground. If you are a trainer or have an interest in training and are open to helping, please let us know at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFVIaFp1dEhqc1hScVBreE5McFhoWWc6MQ. The Daily Occupations Report is trying to match Trainers and resources to the sites that need them. If you have any materials, guides or links to training resources, please send them to monique@rebuildthedream.com or lizbutlerdc@gmail.com. We will be sharing those resources at the end of the reports all next week.
This report includes updates from Occupy sites and related efforts across the country and the globe. It includes big wins, local organizing efforts, protests/events, police activity reports and calls to action where additional support from allies/general public may be needed.
For more updates from occupations around the country, listen to the Occupation America podcast at http://soundcloud.com/occupation-america
Occupy Atlanta
[Atlanta CBS report] The home base for Occupy Atlanta has tested positive for tuberculosis.
The Fulton County Health Department confirmed Wednesday that residents at the homeless shelter where protesters have been occupying have contracted the drug-resistant disease. WGCL reports that a health department spokeswoman said there is a possibility that both Occupy Atlanta protesters and the homeless people in the shelter may still be at risk since tuberculosis is contracted through air contact.
Occupy Berkeley
Occupy Berkeley held educational outreach in front of Chase bank urging members of the community to divest from the big banks and join local credit unions Saturday.
Continue reading »
Power Hungry Spam Filter (a request for advice)
November 13th, 2011 · Ella · Announcements 9 comments
Hey there wonderful citizens of the web. We need some help/insight from someone who has a better understanding of WordPress than us. We found it odd that we hadn’t had any recent comments coming through, so one of us got smart and tried submitting a test comment. Turns out ALL of our comments are being caught by the spam filter.
A week or so ago we started getting hundreds of comments that looked like this:
Submitted on 2011/11/03 at 8:05 am
glzidpddvqzuphfuifs, Porn, http://www.freesex-tgp.com/ , UzfZtIj.
Since these were clearly spam, and there spilling in by the hundreds, we started flagging them for the spam filter in order to prevent a complete invasion of these spammy comments.
Also recently, we’ve opened up user registration for users to be able to submit articles. Unfortunately, the function is competley pointless outside of the submission page becase we have a caching add-on that prevents Worpress from recognizing a signed-in user.
Somehow, one or a combination of these two things has made it so the spam filter is automatically spamming EVERY comment have recieved for the last several days.
Is there a way to reset our spam filter? Prevent the spammy messages we were getting? Any help/insight is very appreciated.
Also, our sincerest apologies to all who have recently commented. We’ll be going through the thousands of “spam” comments to be “unflagging” all comments throughout the day.
Occupy Together
Also, you can comment on this post. We’ll still receive the comments we just have to “un-spam” them. If easier, please email us at info@occupytogether.org.
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Occupy Research Survey
The OccupyResearch network is pleased to launch this exciting survey, which aims to create a better understanding of who engages with the Occupy movement, and how — it includes questions about media, communication, political activities, and more. Read more about it here.
Take the online survey now!
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February 9, 2012
Armando Olmos
Comments Off on Shut Down Corporations
WASHINGTON — Vilified by the Republicans who want his job, President Barack Obama will stand before the nation Tuesday night determined to frame the election-year debate on his terms, promising his State of the Union address will offer an economic blueprint that will “work for everyone, not just a wealthy few.”
In a video released Saturday to millions of campaign supporters, Obama said he will concentrate on four areas designed to restore economic security for the long term: manufacturing, energy, education, job training and a “return to American values.” The release came the same day as the South Carolina primary, where four candidates competed in the latest contest to determine Obama’s general election rival.
The prime-time speech will be not just a traditional pitch about the year ahead. It will be perhaps Obama’s biggest stage to make a sweeping case for a second term.
“We can go in two directions,” the president said in the video. “One is toward less opportunity and less fairness. Or we can fight for where I think we need to go: building an economy that works for everyone, not just a wealthy few.”
That line of argument about income equality is emerging as a defining theme of the presidential race, as Republicans are in their own fierce battle to pick a nominee to challenge Obama in the fall.
By notifying the millions of supporters on his email list, Obama gave advance notice to his Democratic base and trying to generate an even larger audience for Tuesday’s address.
Obama’s preview did not mention national security. He is not expected to announce new policy on that front in a speech dominated by the economy — the top concern of voters.
Obama is expected to offer new proposals to make college more affordable and to ease the housing crisis still slowing the economy, according to people familiar with the speech. He will also promote unfinished parts of his jobs plan, including the extension of a payroll tax cut soon to expire.
His policy proposals will be less important than what he hopes they all add up to: a narrative of renewed American security. Obama will try to politically position himself as the one leading that fight for the middle class, with an overt call for help from Congress, and an implicit request for a second term from the public.
The timing comes as the nation is split about Obama’s overall job performance. More people than not disapprove of his handling of the economy, he is showing real vulnerability among the independent voters who could swing the election, and most Americans think the country is on the wrong track.
So his mission will be to show leadership and ideas on topics that matter to people: jobs, housing, college, retirement security.
Vision for re-election
The foundation of Obama’s speech is the one he gave in Kansas last month, when he declared that the middle class was a make-or-break moment and railed against “you’re on your own” economics of the Republican Party. His theme then was about a government that ensures people get a fair shot to succeed.
That speech spelled out the values of Obama’s election-year agenda. The State of the Union will be the details.
The White House sees the speech as a clear chance to outline a vision for re-election, yet carefully, without turning a national tradition into an overt campaign event.
On national security, Obama will ask the nation to reflect with him on a momentous year of change, including the end of the war in Iraq, the killing of al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and the Arab Spring protests of peoples clamoring for freedom.
But it will all be secondary to jobs at home.
In a winter season of politics dominated by his Republican competition, Obama will have a grand stage to himself, in a window between Republican primaries. He will try to use the moment to refocus the debate as he sees it: where the country has come, and where he wants to take it.
In doing so, Obama will come before a divided Congress with a burst of hope because the economy — by far the most important issue to voters — is showing life.
The unemployment rate is still at a troubling 8.5 percent, but at its lowest rate in nearly three years. Consumer confidence is up. Obama will use that as a springboard.
The president will try to draw a contrast of economic visions with Republicans, both his antagonists in Congress and the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination.
Despite low expectations for legislation this year, Obama will offer short-term ideas that would require action from Congress.
His travel schedule following his speech, to politically important regions, offers clues to the policies he was expected to unveil.
Both Phoenix and Las Vegas have been hard hit by foreclosures. Denver is where Obama outlined ways of helping college students deal with mounting school loan debt. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Detroit are home to a number of manufacturers. And Michigan was a major beneficiary of the president’s decision to provide billions in federal loans to rescue General Motors and Chrysler in 2009.
For now, the main looming to-do item is an extension of a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, both due to expire by March. An Obama spokesman called that the “last must-do item of business” on Obama’s congressional agenda, but the White House insists the president will make the case for more this year.
If anything, Republicans say Obama has made the chances of cooperation even dimmer just over the last several days. He enraged Republicans by installing a consumer watchdog chief by going around the Senate, which had blocked him, and then rejected a major oil pipeline project the GOP has embraced.
Obama is likely, once again, to offer ways in which a broken Washington must work together. Yet that theme seems but a dream given the gridlock he has been unable to change.
The State of the Union atmosphere offered a bit of comity last year, following the assassination attempt against Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. And yet 2011 was a year of utter dysfunction in Washington, with the partisanship getting so bad that the government nearly defaulted as the world watched in embarrassment.
The address remains an old-fashioned moment of national attention; 43 million people watched it on TV last year. The White House website will offer a live stream of the speech, promising graphics and other bonuses for people who watch it there, plus a panel of administration officials afterward with questions coming in through Twitter and Facebook.
© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Explore related topics: obama, state-of-the-union, sotu
Obama to offer economic blueprint in State of the Union
Armando Olmos
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