Everyone Now Identifies With Protesters
By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com
What started out as a little insignificant protest that the mainstream media tried to ignore (or at least downplay) has turned into a global phenomenon in a little less than a month. One of the many headlines that featured the protesters of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement this past weekend said “From Tahrir Square to Times Square: Protests Erupt in Over 1,500 Cities Worldwide.” The report from the OWS website went on to say, “the Occupy Wall Street movement has spread worldwide today with demonstrations in over 1,500 cities globally and over 100 US cities from coast to coast. In New York, thousands marched in various protests by trade unions, students, environmentalists, and community groups. As occupiers flocked to Washington Square Park, two dozen participants were arrested at a nearby Citibank while attempting to withdraw their accounts from the global banking giant.” (Click here for the complete OWS website.)
In Chicago, protesters were chanting “Shame on you” as some of them were being arrested. The “shame” is for the Wall Street bankers who caused the financial meltdown in 2008. I believe the protesters think the police are jailing the wrong people. To date, none of the financial elite have been indicted, let alone investigated. In the aftermath of the Savings and Loan scandal in the late 80’s and early 90’s, 1,000 financial elites were successfully prosecuted. The 2008 meltdown is at least 50 times bigger. I have long thought the reason there are no prosecutions for what is surely massive crime in the mortgage, securities, and banking arena is fear by the government that mass prosecutions would implode the system. “Too Big To Fail” has turned into “Too Big To Jail”!!
Now, it seems everyone has jumped on the OWS bandwagon. The SEIU union, the U.S. Communist Party and Nazi Party have all given their support. Even top Republicans and Democrats are trying to identify with the OWS movement. The Financial Times reported yesterday, “Referring to protests that have spread from Wall Street to London, Rome and elsewhere, Mr. Obama said: “Dr King would want us to challenge the excesses of Wall Street without demonising those who work there.” Mr. Obama had previously said the protests “express the frustration” of ordinary Americans with the financial sector.
A top Republican in Washington dramatically altered his stance on protesters involved in Occupy Wall Street just one week after comparing the movement to “angry mobs”. Eric Cantor, the Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives, told Fox News on Sunday that Republicans agreed there was “too much” income disparity in the country. “More important than my use of the word [‘mobs’] is that there is a growing frustration out there across the country and it is warranted. Too many people are out of work,” he said.” (Click here to read the complete FT.com story.)
If Democrats and Republicans really want to curry favor with the OWS protesters, Congress should give back all Wall Street campaign donations!! President Obama should instruct his Attorney General to investigate and indict top Wall Street bankers for a multitude of crimes. There was securities fraud, mortgage fraud, foreclosure fraud and ratings fraud; and yet, instead of prosecutions, the bankers have gotten the biggest bailouts and bonuses of all time!!! Meanwhile, millions have lost their homes, and millions more have lost their jobs. A record 46 million Americans are on food stamps while the Federal Reserve continues to spend trillions of dollars bailing out foreign banks. People are supposed to get in line and take bug cuts in social programs while banker bailouts continue unabated. Should anyone be surprised that this is a very tough sell in every country on the planet? Should anyone be surprised that people are finally “mad as hell and not going to take it anymore”?
This is why those “angry mobs” are in the streets in the first place. For Democrats and Republicans to jump on this bandwagon while these people are being pepper sprayed and jailed is the pinnacle of hypocrisy. “Shame on you” both!
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About the Author
Greg Hunter
Greg is the producer and creator of USAWatchdog.com. The site’s slogan is “analyzing the news to give you a clear picture of what’s really going on.” The site will keep an eye on the government, your financial interests and cut through the media spin. USAWatchdog.com is neither Democrat nor Republican, Liberal or Conservative. Before creating and producing the site, Greg spent nearly 9 years as a network and investigative correspondent. He worked for ABC News and Good Morning America for nearly 6 years. Most recently, Greg worked for CNN for shows such as Paula Zahn Now, American Morning and various CNN business shows.
I think these “protests” are laughable. These people have no idea how a society is supposed to work or any consideration for the foibles of human nature. They live in fantasy world without goals, without direction, and clearly without ambition.
Every time I see the coverage, which I do only by accident, these disjointed ideas and stupid behaviors are all the more cause for bewilderment.
Is America now a free ride? What contributions are these people making towards the common good? They want their student loans forgiven, why did they sign a contract? These folks are mostly disingenuous anarchists or juvenile delinquents.
John,
This all started with the bank bailouts and they continue. This is what moral hazzard looks like. Thank you for weighing in.
Greg
Greg,
to buttress yours next above, i offer the following, be sure
you take a deep breath before you start….
“(7) Taking everything into account regarding Barack Obama, in difficult position for the next presidential elections because of his disastrous economic record and the deep disappointment of most of those who voted for him in 2007 because of his many broken promises, he must at all costs try to blame anyone or anything for the disastrous state of the economy and American society. So why not Greece and the Euro? When that doesn’t work anymore (in a couple of months), it will be necessary to find something else, but short-sighted management is an Obama administration specialty; no doubt his Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the faithful Wall Street link, will find another explanation. In any case, it’s not Wall Street’s fault, we can at least be certain of that. Otherwise, the Obama administration will always bring out the “specter of Iran” to try and divert attention from the United States internal problems. Incidentally, this seems to be the current situation with the cock-and-bull story of the attempted assassination of the Saudi ambassador to Washington by Mexican drug traffickers paid by Iranian intelligence. Even Hollywood would balk at the improbability of such a scenario, but to save the “Wall Street” soldier and try to be re-elected, isn’t it worth a try? Sources: Huffington Post, 26/07/2011; NBC, 13/10/2011″
This article fails to lay the blame with whom it belongs. Instead of assigning blame to the Wall Street bankers, these protestors have no clue about how Chris Dodds and Barney Frank created the housing bubble in the first place. Changing tried and true conservative lending policies established by the banks and changing underwriting rules requiring banks to lend to those who could not otherwise afford a mortgage on their own led to the bubble bursting and the economic consequences which last until this day. But you don’t ever hear that in the news, do you?
Well said John, You not only hit the nail on the head but also drove it through the board.
I feel like John Bernard hasn’t gone through many rough times in his life. These are college educated people that do not have jobs and have student loans. They have been lied to and their futures stolen so a small percent of people (many of whom earned a lot of money off manipulation and fraudulent activities) could propser. If you were told that unfortunetly your future was not bright you are going to work fast-food the rest of your life would you not be frustrated? Top if off with a college education and you have an organized grassroots movement. Remember Rome is burning.
Oh one more thing, its hard to have direction when your leaders only care about directing themselves. I give an applause for these people because they do have a vision and are willing to assert their position.
the point is as follows:
obama is killing the Seniors !!!!!!!
TRAPPED WITH NO PLACE TO RUN!
“What you permit, you promote.”
“The per person Medicare insurance premium will increase from the present monthly fee of $96.40, rising to: $104.20 in 2012; $120.20 in 2013; And $247.00 in 2014. These are provisions incorporated in the Obamacare legislation, purposely delayed so as not to ‘confuse’ the 2012 re-election campaigns. Send this to all seniors that you know, so they will know who’s throwing them under the bus.”
REMEMBER THIS
IN NOVEMBER 2012
& VOTE ACCORDINGLY
Greg,
Although I agree that Wall Street has gotten a free pass the last few years I am certain most of the people there protesting are at the wrong place. They should be in Washington. Wall Street is not a group of elected legislators who represent anybody but their shareholders. Righ or wrong, they are simply using the freedom they were given by the repeal of the Glass Steagall Act signed by Clinton. I also believe these protesters are hypocritical because they were likely the same people arguing the ” too big to fail” with me at the water cooler. While most conservatives were willing to let the economy play out these idealogues wanted to save everybody thinking we could use governent intervention to get out of this.
Furthermore they hurt their cause by their ridiculous list of demands. $20per hour minimum wage whether you are working or not? Complete forgiveness of student loan debt? I saw a story where some girl who majored in poetry wanted Wall Street to pay for her loans because she couldn’t get a job. Despite the fact that she acknowledged she could have majored in something more practical but she “would have been miserable” in her words. Makes me sick. If you choose to major in something useless and can’t get a job it’s your fault. Get a job and stop crying about it. Pay your commitment back and realize the 60s are over you hippie wanna be.
Don’t get me wrong, what Wall Street has done is deplorable. Problem I have is that the idiots protesting have no credibility. Most of them are college aged or recent grads who have nothing better to do with their time and want to blame someone else for their problems.
Just venting
Stephen
P.S. I have a useless degree that I am still paying for but have a job unrelated to my degree that doesn’t make me happy. My problem, my choice. I live with it and am not asking for a ridiculous handout.
Stephen,
You are probably right, and maybe both places.
Greg
In the past when the elite prospered they prospered there workers as well, the ones who made them prosper. Starting with the firing of the air traffic controllers in 1980 by President Reagan it has been down hill ever since, lower taxes on corportions, offshore companies & jobs, diminished union strengh, lowering health care and benefits, plus lower wages with inflation added in, while the elite, the banks, & wall street made billions & billions, if not trillions. After the bailout nothing was done for all the underemployed, the working poor, and the unemployed because all the fiat money went to the big guys again. The people simply on all levels are feeling the pinch of a middle class being eroded to third world type status. I can remember my father worked for hourly wages as a mechanic, my mother was a homemaker, we had a modest house, a new car, and my parents saved a little money for their old age and our education. This true story cannot be duplicated any longer due to the greed of the corporations and the merger of the corporations with Washington as a block, all to the detriment of the great middle class. I have been preaching this on this site for quite a while about the destruction of the middle class, just look around to see for yourself at its crumbling at the corners. The middle class was what caused this country to be a superpower. All that said, I think that is one frustration you may been seeing in the protest (OWS), there are countless others, but this movement will not go away. It may go away when the snow flies but it will be back. One other point, the vast majority of the protesters no longer believe that the next election will solve all the problems. That trash rubbish idea is on its way out, meaning, that the american politicans will finally get it or become irrelevant.
No more bullshit, no more promises, no more rhetoric, sound money not fiat is the answer with sanctions to the corportions that take out jobs overseas, benefits for bringing them back.
once agian greg… you nailed it.
one thing id like to piont out.
the rep and dem party will now say the problem is all the jobs lost like eric canter did.this message will not go as far as you did in explaining why theres no jobs..that would be political suiside from the elite oligarchy that caused the problem. he who holds the money holds the influence. as we have seen influence is greater then athority.
Too Big to Be Ignored.
No! This is not your run of the mill, Tea Party”. This has morphed into something bigger. The “Cake Eaters” are bold and alot more of them in the streets. The real problem for the “Powers That Be”, is when the agendas are refined and focused. The rable and the rift raft are becomming a threat. Quickly, rewrite the speeches. We just may get a few more votes out of them.
Going to be a long run for the White House. If we make it.
The DOJ and all the financial regulators are just puppets under FED and TBTF control. Until we stop the revolving door between WS and the SEC, CFTC et all, nothing will change. Extend and Pretend to maintain the status quo of corruption is an incurable virus; eventually though, it will end in nooses and guillotines, despite the growing fascist police state that is encircling us.
So true and well stated. A.B.
Dear Greg,
Shame on everyone for not doing their homework.
World Net Daily reported on this a MONTH before OWS occurred. It was being organized by the SEIU, ACORN, and other BHO cronies. BHO is trying to bring about the “revolution” he wants, only even this is failiing as OWS doesn’t even know what it wants. All OWS is, is the post-Babel crowd.
Sam,
Please post of send the article you are talking about. Thank you.
Greg
Soon the elites will be forced to throw us some small fish to insulate themselves, buy them a little more time. Only when these “carp”
find themselves out in the cold, will they bite the hands that fed them, and sing. That’s when the real action begins.
Rothschilds G20 just announced an 8 day countdown… countdown to what?
greg-thanks for the great report. how cheap!! all the political whores in congress now getting their pictures taken back dropped by this event!….the ‘judgement at nurenburg’ ralleys should be staged in front of congress and the whitehouse. they are the guilty culprits now being covered up by MSM…..your phrase, “shame on you both”(reps/dems) is much too kind for those b$$$$$ds. letting our congress/whitehouse off the hook here would be equivalent of putting the german soldiers on trial at nurenburg after WWll instead of the nazi leadership. MSM abetted and is as guilty of todays malaise as much as the american politican is when they spawned it…..
Yea, correct & right, just let old Hannity and the other Republicats pretend this is an immoral movemant of people who want to get something for nothing. The big surprise for big money Hanity and the other elite who he brown noses to will be their undoing. The people have spoken and they don’t agree that the elite can make a billions without prospering the workers who make them their billions.
As I have asserted many times in your blog and elsewhere ordinary citizens and small business operators everywhere need to inform themselves how friendly bankers, their families, attorney’s and lawyers as well as politicians have all enriched themselves over the past 25 years by arranging matters to be on the receiving end of huge personal bank loans [ $300,000.- $500,000.00 ] disguised simply as Small Business Loans – without paying any Interest and/or Principal to the complicit lending Bank. Further, many of these “sweetheart” bank loans in the end are “written off” as a Small Business Loan loss to the Bank.
All you and your readers have to do to verify the above is to take some time to obtain copies of these registered transactions from Public Registry Offices such as The Land Titles Office etc.
Citizens, particularly small business owners, will be flabbergasted when they see for themselves how their friendly commercial bank loan officer, the bank loan officer’s manager, bank vice-president’s and senior vice-president’s enriche themselves.
But many attorney’s/lawyer’s as well as politicians also are enriched by the very same Banks. The publicly registered documents are available for any citizen to see.
Citizens everywhere “sense” the game is rigged. What is this ? The privileged elite call it Free Enterprise.
I don’t identify with them; I couldn’t be more disgusted with those who do. They’re just useful idiots. But useful idiots can become dangerous. And, now we have journo-list 2.0 with leftist media joining the bandwagon with the Nazis and the Communists, and now CHINA publicly offering their support. Yves Smith, Dylan Ratigan and others have joined and are “helping” to craft OWS’ message. You can read the emails at breitbart’s blog. I won’t link to it. But I do think the fact that the marxists at Alliance for Global Justice are running their donations for them gives a clue as to who is leading this marxist revolutionary fervor. This is Saul Alinsky. This is not ordinary americans who seek a return to a rule of law which holds corruption to account without regard to wealth or favor. This is just more corruption, cloaked in the mantle of “social justice.” Give me a break. Let them get a legitimate protest license for public property and march. But they’re occupying private property in Zucotti Park and they’re hoping someone will force their hand, so they can turn into the anarchists they really are–all with a purpose to foment dangerous destruction. This is not a “redress of grievances”; it’s marxist revolution.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/new_york_marxist_epicenter_gVrMJIKezP82E3Gkki2IvO
haha hilarious!
your quiz of the day “when will financial meltdown begin”
it started the first year of obama in office and will finish
about a year after he is out of office…. i.e. if it can be
salvaged and reversed and prosperity return after the obama disaster
this is what happens when deadheads elect a brain dead
fast talker to do a job :: the job becomes all talk and no go
re: last week candidate Cain and his 999 dream – for those who
like bottom lines, the cost to op and collect loot on his
9 9 9 will be more than the loot collected, thus irs will
be duped into working for nothing and getting to pay for
the honor of make believe…. if govt were operated correctly
there would be zero tax, none
Bob D.
Plenty of blame to go around on both sides if the aisle. Both parties only do things to retain power for their party and not for the overall good of the country.
Greg
Greg, i agree with your next above “Plenty of blame to go around on both sides if the aisle. Both parties only do things to retain power for their party and not for the overall good of the country”
however, the folks who put obama into pres realize their error but can not figure out that only their CIA (centr intel agency) can
fix their problem, i.e. blow him away
obama intentionally destroys usa econ as well as helping destroy
the world econ, and has succeeded in the free fall hyperinflation depression which is in real terms “homicide of man worldwide”
obama was given bonus money, a lot, to destroy not to succeed and
so he destroys daily and nightly dreams of new destruction
the only hope we of usa and all of us worldwide have is Perry
will be elected president, he is the only one that can reverse
the obama freefall, and , even Perry will need a year to fix
the mess…. the others running for the job of pres want the
job for self aggrandizement but Perry wants it because he is a
Statesman and a Patriot who wants to make USA, his country, better
Greg, thanks for your forum, you always have on point interesting
tomes, and allow your readers to say what they think without you
blocking them off the forum, …. keep in mind once you post your thoughts they are working the universe who must adjudicate and thus must correct matters to what reality must become meaning obama is at end of his destruction and soon will be gone to wherever
garbage goes for final rest
It is quite obvious that hundreds in the banking industry deserve prosecution, but the Community Re-investment Act and the politicians who pressured banks to increase risky loans are equally culpable. Where are the marchers in the Halls of Congress & at the Whitehouse? If the truth be known, I’d bet that economically ignorant, or stupid, or well-paid off politicians are at the root and real cause of the mess we’re in. Fiddlin
Greg, i have to tell you i think Perry will be pres elect
the polls get hysterical every time he takes a rest and or
deals with the problems of Texas, he still is governor whereas
the others are playboys on perpetual vacation spending
their daddy’s loot, take romney, please, he is tearing down
his multimillion dollar home and building a new $20 million one,
i guess he was living in the outhouse, o well::
cain is gaining weight eating too much pizza he thinks he is an italian whose genes are adaptive to the good foods
the other that become obvious is that Perry is a Statesman
thus we can be proud of him
Bob, get real …Perry is a new world order politician. He is nothing more than a wolf in sheeps clothes. Have you ever heard of the “Trans-Texas Corridor”? Perry is your typical polotician who does what he is paid for by his campaign contributors … and he is one of those KOCH suckers selling out the American people.
Greg,
This OWS movement has me in somewhat of a pickle. I am of the mind that Wall Street Banksters have created much of the financial mess that this country is in. I believe that there is too much collusion between federal politicians and wall street fat cats and there is widespread corruption as a result. I want the guilty parties brought to justice and the ties to Washington severed.
On the other hand, I have nothing in common with the OWS movement. I don’t believe the revolution that is being called for is the solution. I don’t believe in wealth redistribution or any other socialist policies. I want to live in a land where the rule of law applies equally and the constitution, in its original context, are the words and principles we live by.
I don’t belong in the 1% wall street fat cat group and I certainly don’t fit in the 99% OWS group. Surely there is a third group that just wants a better America.
Robert,
I think I am in the same “pickle” as you. Well said. Thank you.
Greg
Don’t speak for me. I support their First Amendment Right to Assemble, but do not dare include me in the mix of anti-sematic, Socialist, Communists, anti-Capitalist, now you can include the Communist Chinese, Al-Queda and the American Nazi party. NONE of these groups are in any way representative of freedom loving, Constitutional Republic minded Americans.
I am replused by those who claim to lock arms with them. You are what Karl Marx called an Useful Idiot. Stop falling for the trap of siding with these people, they are being led by the very people they are protesting against. USEFUL IDIOTS!
Tyson … you mean like the republican party pandering to the abortion issue while selling America down the drain? Conservatives are dupes for the business community as long as they pander to their religous beliefs …. WWJD vs WWSD ?????
To the people who have lost their homes or are losing their homes due to the Mortgage Fraud. Please go down to the County Courthouse
Well said as usual Greg! I only wish your blog was on the first page of every newspaper!!Thanks for your hard work! James Bouris. Honolulu
Thank you James!!!
Greg
These young folks want answers and they have the information to know what question to ask. It’s a truth movement and these young folks have been raised to put the information in, an get the dated. We can’t go forward when the dated is not adding up right. So it’s a truth movement. Many of these young kid are not into having leaders but have been train to work as groups. They will change the world and the old ruling class picture of the world will be no more.
Hey Greg,
I dont believe these OWS demonstrators are for smaller government or capitalism…
“Mr. Obama said: “Dr King would want us to challenge the excesses of Wall Street without demonising those who work there.”
Well Mr. Obama could start off that challenge with some indictments by his attorney general Eric Holder- that is if he weren’t in the pocket of the banksters.
Greg, great stuff.
I was very pleased to have a friend send me these links about Gold, the economy and world events that will have a effect on us all in some way or another. http://www.kingworldnews.com/broadcasts where the line up of speakers is top notch.
Martin Armstrong has a 40 page article that covers world events, the price of gold and what we now face as Europe is about to explode as more money will be needed to keep the EU in tact. All the central banks are printing money and we in the USA are no different. The federal reserve and its owners have the government eating out of their hands. TBTF is what keeps congress in business so they can’t let the manipulators be brought to justise. That would put congress out of work.
Greg, again thanks for the real truth.
Thank you for your support M Smith.
Greg
People need to withdraw their money from the large banks and put their money in credit unions to affect change in the system. Hit the banks where it hurts. Have a run on the big banks and stop buying their products and stop investing in them. Stop buying their high fee low performance, inferior, mutual funds. This is the only way to have a financial, and therefore, an effective impact on the banks. People are protesting the way governments in all countries support the favoured few with taxpayer dollars, while the system is failing. The Sheople are waking up everywhere now.
meanwhile, back at the white house, obama is out on the campaign
trail, campaigning and yes blowing lots of needed dollars on his
favorite personal airplane airforce one and on his favorite personal
body guard the secret service and driving around in big armored cars
getting 4 miles to the gallon, etc etc etc, yep all that big speaking
and still no solution for his freefall economy, the usa and world
freefall hyperinflation depression, and no one the wiser
the rich do not care because are on obama welfare keeping them
in business etc, and the poor dont know thinking obama is their
savior replacing their god and allah
Greg, nice article, all these folks are in their preliminary
stage soon to turn to a deluge of blood in the streets
i sure would not want to be a cop assigned to keeping those in the streets
obedient to law,
soon they will not respond to law,
soon they will
repeat the 1932 mobs who tore the bankers out of their banks and
hanged them,
was a nice gesture,
a touch of mob will power
put to action instead of campaign speech
Greg,
We put too much emphasis on the Wall Street big banks and big corporations. I would like to see the Occupy Wall Street movement putting more pressure on our elected officials in Washington, D.C. to fix the banking system. Without the help of the President, the Congress and the Treasury, the U.S. banking system would not be in such a mess. Without the loopholes, the deregulations and the Fed’s money, the big banks and big corporation would not be that powerful.
Yes, more and more people are paying attentions to the Occupy Wall Street protesters. However I am upset by the continuous silence of our representatives in the Congress. Are they really the “Do-Nothing” congressional member? Have they become No-Shame of their poor job approval rating?
Have you ever wonder what kind of country we are living in? According to Gallup Polls, the latest job approval rating of President Obama is 42% (50% disapproved). Congressional job approval is now 15% while disapproval is 82%. How can a government with such a low approval rating run the country properly? Only 13% of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the U.S. (http://www.gallup.com/poll/150056/Satisfaction-Remains-Low-Economic-Concerns-High.aspx) If we are in some third world countries, the government will probably be overthrown by angry mobs and some of the corrupted officials may even be executed. Luckily for us, the U.S. population is civilized and we still believe the democratic system. For our country’s sake, please vote against those “Do-Nothing” politicians in the next election.
Ambrose
Ambrose,
Amen brother!
Greg
Why would the congress-people fix it when it is to their benefit … What do you think poor people are in congress? Our leaders don’t have a clue what is happening to the average American.
While the american people are told we must endure austerity measures, where is the austerity for the financial elites? How is it that those banksters who should have been tarred and feathered, instead got bailed out and bonus’?
Really? Most of the people I know think they’re naive, teabagging tools of George Soros and socialists. But hey, the Communist and Nazi Parties support the “protesters”, so I think that tells you all you need to know about the little Nazis in the streets.
Mr. X,
This is what hapooens when you let bankers run wild and go unpunished. The whole thing scares me.
Greg
The powers that be are trying to orgainize these kids into a Democratic voting block, just like the Republicans tapped into the anger & frustration of the Tea Party. All are on a fools errand if they think either party will give a hoot about their plight after the election.
They signed on the dotted line not understanding what they were doing. They do not understand that to forgive their loans is to dump their education cost on Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa & society at large. Their free pass will cost the banks nothing, their free pass will cost the bloated university system nothing.
The banks have no skin in the game nor to the colleges – the government pays all.
I saw Stossel’s coverage last night on Fox. There are some people there protesting against capitalism! There was a moment of silence over Steve Job’s death and yet he gave us many Apple products. Without capitalism he wouldn’t have been motivated nor rewarded for doing so.
I think the masses are morons and have no clue what has happened and what needs to be done to fix it. They are angry but ignorant. I hope they can finally wake up and actually study history. I fear they will vote another Keynesian robot all because he has a nice smile. Urg!
You can keep saying both parties are to blame, but who keeps filibustering and voting down campaign finance reform? If it doesn’t get passed, crazy are the candidates that don’t participate while the others do – how else could it ever be passed??
Steph,
Bill Clinton did away with the Glass Steagall Act. in 1999, and it has been downhill every since. Under the Bush 43 Administration we got the biggest housing bubble in history and also TARP then Obama turbocharged the entire debt mess. Both parties, and that is fact. Thank you for your comment.
Greg
Sorry, but no. I opposed bailouts to the banks, I oppose bailing out student loans (the occupy crowd seems to want that money used for bailouts to go to them instead — I oppose bailout to either). What really is the difference? One is socializing the bad bets to the american taxpayer, from bad companies, bad banks, the other is socializing loans of people who took on too much debt, I oppose either.
These occupy people want bailouts, the nazi party has now joined them, the socialist party of the US has joined them. No Thanks. There might be some there at the beginning that are legimately against bank bailouts, the Tea Party might be a better venue for them. Cut spending, no bailouts for anyone (you fairly succeed, good for you, you fail, then no bailout to those companies, states, etc), limit the size of govt, only basic necessaities provided by the govt.
Mr. Hunter,
Forgot to add this in my comment, but there’s an excellent website run by someone, Jim Sinclair, http://www.jsmineset.com/
I don’t agree with him on everything, but his website always has a wealth of information, like yours, thought the readers of your site here might benefit from that site as well, very interesting articles posted over there.
adios greg. good luck.
Bean,
I don’t know why you are leaving. You didn’t like the post? This is the ugly side of what is called moral hazard. Can you see why people are afraid of it. I sure can. I am afraid this whole OWS thing will get hijacked by the unions or Nazi’s.
Greg
Greg,
This is not something i would stand behind. The second Obama and the main stream media got behind it i knew it was B.S. These people are pooping on the hoods of police cars, leaving messes everywhere, destrubing the public buisesses by loitering in their bathrooms and using paper towels to bathe themselves, getting arrested for disturbing the peace, etc.
What does Obama and the main stream media say? OHHH this is the voice of the people, this is their frustration realized.. HOOOHEY! these same people said the tea party protestors were violent, slave owning, white nazi satan worshipers! How many tea party folks got arrested? how many parties left huge messes in their wake? NONE
Look at the hypocracy! We hate how expensive our college is so we are going to march on wall street. Why not march at the college? We hate the free money that wallstreet got.. ME TOO, so go march at the white house THEY CUT THE CHECK!… this is all smoke screen for Obama paid for by Soros!
Brian,
I am not standing behind anything but the 1st Amendment. The rest of what you mentioned is totally out of line. I agree with you.
Greg
Greg, I was not sure what this whole thing was about until I saw the NYPD arresting protesters at Chase for withdrawing & cancelling their accounts – frankly, the police are on the wrong side – now I know that the government & the police will turn against its citizens for their own welfare, reminds me of Nazi Germany. Mark my word police, we will remember who shot at the people when this thing gets sorted out, you can’t hide behind that you were just following orders, you will be tried and prosecuted for your crimes against your fellow citizens & neighbors.
Good evening Greg, First I want to let everyone on this site know that you will host the Brad and Britt Show at http://www.fmtalk1011.com from 6-10 am eastern next week. You can also follow brad abd Britt on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bradandbritt ……
Yes Greg, millions of us identify with the OWS. Many of us wish we could be there to add our voice to the discourse. I have seen no mention about the legalizing of the criminal behavior of the banks by the States Attorney Generals. I don’t know how OWS will end but the powers to be are trying co-op the struggle while both parties do the bidding of the corporate fascists.
and Greg, could add something so we know when you are going in a media event? I would listen to you online if possible. Thanks in advance, Mitch Bupp
Thank you Mitch!
Greg
An unscripted reality show, Occupy America is a populist movement in the tradtion of the nineteenth century Cross of Gold. Speculation (George Soros; hedge funds), long or short, oil futures, de-regulation, neo-liberalism, benefits the 1 percent connected class with no social benefit. Banks once organized and allocated capital in order to produce wealth, economic expansion, that benefited the many rather than the few. Globalists know no national loyalty and are detached from their nations.
Get the $oney out of politics. Campaign contributions are the nexus of corruption in the capitol. Reduce the amount of money involved in re-election, which really is the name of the game, by promulgating free air time during elections. Keep the current system for primaries.
http://napoleonlive.info/what-i-think/occupy-wall-street-get-the-money-out-of-politics/
History repeats itself: no leadership, no vision, no perspective, chickens have come home to roost…Selfishness.
For example, there was an imbalance in trade between the Western and Eastern halves of the Roman Empire, along with high taxation. Consider: the government lost control of its borders — Goths, Franks, Suevi, Alans — and society experienced moral decay.
NeilSalemMA Why does all this remind me of France in the 1780s and 1790s?
1) 1780s – The economy of France is in crisis. The civil population is poor and becoming poorer and they are starving.
2) 1789 – The storming of the Bastille – the revolution begins
3) 1791 – The King and Queen flee for their safety.
4) 1792 – The King and Queen are arrested.
5) 1793 – The guillotine – King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette are beheaded.
6) 1793 – 1794 – the Reign of Terror. Over 16,000 people are beheaded.
Our system of free enterprise is a corrupt oligarchy of the wealthy that drives more and more middle class Americans into poverty, even while the very rich get much richer. As happened over 200 years ago in France, the people will eventually rise up.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/17/markets/thebuzz/?source=cnn_bin
I was listening to my local “right” talk show today. One of the OWS group was on the show today. Sadly, these dazed & confused kids are being pushed to the socialist, commmunist and whatever else agenda by the rabid right.
They worked hard completed college, got that all important college degree, their ticket to the good life only to have the rug pulled out from under them. The guy today wants a job and would like to have five year forebearance before starting to make loan payments, so he can find a job and get a start in life.
Sounds reasonable to me.
There are some dangerous people setting these kids up for more disappointment and maybe even to be cannon fodder for their cause before the election.
Class warfare is ugly and will cause a get deal of harm to the country.
Meeting Collusion with Cooperation
One could hope that at some point the more intelligent aspects of the “Tea Party” movement and “Occupy Wall Street” people might get their heads together and recognize their common interests and common enemies. If they do, the results could be a rapid evolution of the American political process.
But unless or until each side frees itself from the constraints of “left vs. right” doctrines it won’t happen, or at least not up to the potentials of such a merger.
Both groups recognize, at least to some extent, that the root of the problem is in the open collusion between government elites and financial elites. They even may say it out loud but none has the courage to openly label it for what it is; fascism.
The “OWS” group is to some extent guilty of wanting to throw the baby out with the bath water. Their most strident voices seem to be little more than planted, would be communist college professors, or union activists, openly calling for the destruction of capitalism itself, preaching to a choir of poorly educated followers who couldn’t properly define communism, fascism or capitalism. That’s not to say that I don’t agree with the slogan; “the banks got bailed out, we go sold out.” Rather than thinking outside the constraints of conventional politics they are being led down the path to the left of more government and more dependency while ignoring the violent and deadly excesses of central planning collectivism. Even more dangerously it has allowed anti-Semitism to creep in from the fringes. Again ignoring not so historically distant dangers on that particular poison.
Some of the more active voices among the “TEA” people on the other had seem to completely reject out of hand any concept of a “social compact” between citizen and government, or at the very least feel it has become so bloated and abused that it no longer functions in any positive manner and has become disassociative rather than cohesive to society in general. In this last respect they too are correct. This has lead some of them down the path to the right, where personal initiative and self-reliance thus becomes the be all and end all justification of their argument while ignoring the oft as deadly consequences of greed and unfettered laize-fair capitalism. This is how we get an almost knee-jerk reaction to the actions of the OWS by the TEA defending what they know to be the excesses of the very few on Wall Street with the mistaken attitude of “well at least they are capitalists.”
Meanwhile the OWS compounds the mistake of categorizing the criminal behavior on Wall Street as definitive capitalism by attempting to tar the entire system and its participants with that same brush.
Both sides need to recognize that it’s not a matter of the 99% vs. 1%. It’s more like 99.9% vs. 0.1%. If both sides could come to an understanding that the excesses of big government, as viewed from the Tea Party “right,” and the excesses of Wall Street, as viewed for the “Occupy Wall Street” left are but two side of the same coin, and that the collusion between them is working to keep them divided and more occupied fighting each other rather than addressing the issue of that fascist collusion that is at the heart of the problem. If such an understanding amongst the rank and file of both political sets could be reached then the more distasteful extremist elements, communist and racists, on both ends could be marginalized if not pushed out of the picture. And then something might be accomplished furthering work on those elements where there is agreement rather than expending and wasting energy fighting over those thing where there is not.
Such a combination would not only marginalize the extremists but put the left and right wings of our one party state on notice that their game has been exposed for the fraud that it is and a new paradigm is in play that will make them obsolete almost overnight. The thesis of one side must meet the antithesis of the other and give birth to a new synthesis of political and economic direction. Without it only chaos and violent conflict lays ahead.
Its amazing how fast information spreads in this day and age. This type of global phenomenon would not be possible 40 years ago. Great work again Greg, keep feeding us the real news.
Greg,
Just had to mention the PPI this morning. .8%, and well over all analyst projections. CPI on the other hand only .2%. The most unbelievable interesting item is that Market Watch did not even post this information and it is now 9:19 AM. Reported 9:00 AM and usually the reports are out stating no inflation. Well it is here now and it is going to get viciious. More BS from the modern day media.
Craig,
PPI at .8 annualized is nearly 10% inflation. Wow, thank you!!
Greg
“A Lesson in Democracy”
A good read at The Burning platform site. Lots of pictures on the OWS.
Protest in Washington? Why go through the middle man (Washington) when you can go directly to the boss?(aka Wall Street)
I am amazed that people didn’t see the moral hazard created by the bailouts. I’ve asked here before…why should I pay my debts when the banks don’t have to pay theirs?
MY tax money was used to bailout banks. Why can’t it be used to bail me out?
The only people who think student loans shouldn’t be forgiven are those that went to school in the 60’s and 70’s and were lucky enough to pay their way through. That’s when tuition wasn’t that high.
You used to be able to discharge student loan debt in bankruptcy until 1996 when Gingrich changed the laws in favor of? you guessed it..the banks.
I’ve said it here before and I’ll say it again…fewer and fewer people care about their credit scores anymore. They’ve come to the conclusion that their debts can never really be repaid and they’ve just stopped paying them. What will the banks do? There is no debtor’s jail in America.
Labeling people as bad and irresponsible because they don’t pay back their debts has no effect anymore ever since the bailouts
Exactly so.
Is it not now clear beyond argument that the national Republican and Democrat Parties are sock puppets, the two heads of the establishment party which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Banks?
Follow the money, good people. To whom did the Congress vote in a bi-partisan way to give trillions of dollars of your money (and the money of your children and grandchildren)? Why, to the Banks, of course! By this act alone, they have demonstrated to whom their allegiance belongs!
For so long as people continue to fall for the Republican vs. Democrat, Liberal vs. Conservative Lie, the Banks will continue their theft–and rule us all.
Greg, I am just downright terrified after reading some of the above posts, however it is the same with family members. Lets be honest here, this is not going to end well. I am sure the police and military will be used against people in the name of Law and Order, as I have already seen this asked for. Just listening to some politicans on TV you can see the fear that they have of the current system being attacked just as many of the above posts have. I dont know who to give the following saying credit to, but I sure think of it: evil can persit because good people who see it, just ignore it. I am a poor writer and leave it to others, but the above post by Davis “Meeting Collusion with Cooperation” is well written.
Armistead Garrett,
So am I.
Greg
OWS is great theater, entertaining while never bringing attention to the cause of the banking crisis or its solution. It is superficial and full of human interest. Like the potential disaster of a hurricane it draws us in and successfully distracts us… from our troop deployments to Africa.
the 99% means everybody but the (way less than* 1%. this means it encompasses by definition all human ideologies.
this is not about right versus left, communism vs. capitalism, christian vs. islam, or anything else other than one simple thing.
read their signs. it’s about we got screwed and we are pissed.
remember just a little over a month ago when we were (rightly) complaining of how the mainstream media ignored the truth and lied and lied and lied?
well, why do you suddenly believe the msm when they take their cameras to the demonstrations and focus on small (unsavory) segments of ows in order to paint and unsavory picture of what it’s all about?
when you hear someone from the 99% being interviewed and they are demanding whatever shit they are demanding. just remember who selected these minority opinions as representing ows. it was the msm.
they ignore the simple reality and try to make you think it is something else, something sinister.
and from what i can tell by many responses in this thread, far too many useful idiots are buying into the msm lie……again.
wall street is the appropriate venue. washington has become irrelavent.
1500 cities world wide and growing. just the tip of the iceberg.
do not worry. ows is not going to be hijacked by communists, socialists, corporate capitalists or any other ists.
ows is organic, it is real. and it is beautiful.
if you fear it. get over it.
g.johnson
Great stuff!
Greg
“Eric Cantor, the Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives, told Fox News on Sunday that Republicans agreed there was “too much” income disparity in the country.”
————————————————————-
Eric Cantor is an idiot. With this incredibly stupid comment, Cantor gives unjustified credence to the Marxian notion that it the responsibility of some central authority to achieve the “natural” equilibrium in the distribution of income (and wealth) that would otherwise exist save for some people earning “too much.” He demonstrates again what too few conservatives understand: That neoconservatism truly is descended from Trotskyism and that neoconservatives are not conservative at all. See http://tippingpoint-watchman.blogspot.com/.
Frank Brady
the sad truth is that the only force which stood up for the working person is the UNION! Since unions have been marganilized by the corporate government … it has been down hill and wages have decreased while profits rise ……
Thanks, Greg. I couldn’t agree with you more on this; a pox on both your houses.
But no one should be fooled about what OWS’ leadership is all about: Here’s their manifesto.
http://stevebeckow.com/2011/10/get-ready-for-this-one-the-99-percent-declaration/
This ought to give everyone pause. SEIU’s Stephen Lerner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FsZECfIGGeA
Radical labor organizer Stephen Lerner of SEIU intends to terrorize the families of bank executives in their homes.
Lerner, a prime architect of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations, said this to Marxists at the left-wing Taking the American Dream Back conference in Washington, D.C., on October 3, 2011.
Like any good Alinskyite organizer Lerner poses as a mere liberal instead of as an anti-American radical.
If Lerner gets his way, more labor and leftist-inspired violence and mayhem are on their way.
SEIU’s favorite community organizing group, ACORN, is very much alive despite reports of its demise. It is restructuring in time to help re-elect President Obama in 2012. Obama used to work for ACORN and represented the group in court as its lawyer.
Mountainaires,
I think the Unions are trying to catch a wave created by OWS in the same way the Republicans latched on to the Tea party. One thing is for sure, folks are finally waking up but I hope it does not become a nightmare. Thank you for your participation and for the links and content for people to see.
Greg
I think the Unions have been in the initial wave of OWS. Linda Fithian for example has been organizing for the OWS for a while now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BARB-aSqYM&feature=player_embedded
Greg, Earlier today I posted a comment after becoming demoralized by some of the comments others were posting. After sitting back and reflecting, I remember reading just recently, where there is a concerted effort by “organizations” to monitor, infiltrate and post on websites (those that go counter to the prevaling power base)just to cause disruptions. I honestly suspect that this may be happening here, as I sense a desperation of the banksters, politicians and MSM to keep a lid on these protests. I do thank you and your website for your efforts to pass on and reflect on the news. I consider this website a must, along with many others to get the real news. Your answering and responding to posts is a real nice human touch. We are going to go through difficult times ahead and our humanity is going to be severly tested.
Thank you Armistead Garrett.
Greg
Just saw Occupy Boone go through my small town. Fifty people marching down the road to make a point. Not bad for a small university town.
Thank you Master Luke for the reporting from North Carolina!
Greg