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Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress--and a Plan to Stop It

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Newt: How will the Wall Street Protest” and OWS influence this election?

Editor 54 — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:22:26 +0000

Take Action Now!

How will the Wall Street Protest” and OWS influence this election?

Newt Gingrich seems to be taking off in the polls. We’ve heard about Mitt Romney for months now. Others have fallen off: Michele Bachman, Herman Cain, and Rick Perry come to mind. Ron Paul seems to be lingering in the polls but not out of the mix.

Looking forward, how will the Occupy Wall Street protesters – the “99%” – impact the upcoming elections?

Some believe they will simply note vote.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Others think OWS supports Ron Paul (which our polls have demonstrated to be an inaccurate assumption). The ideas espoused by Ron Paul so far seem most in line with OWS ideas – a need for a different perspective with respects to certain areas of our social construct, however, that is even debatable among OWS insiders.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

It is possible that as the months drag on, protesters will revert to their bi-partisan voting ways and seek a democrat by default. One major problem with Ron Paul, according to many visitors to this site, is that he is a quote un-quote, “Republican.” That mere label hurts him.

Why doesn’t Ron Paul run as an independent? Heck, even the Republicans who do support him would probably vote for him either way. He’d only stand to gain a ton of support for making that move. If you know why, please leave a comment or contact us privately and let us know if we can post it.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Don’t forget to vote on the main poll page…

and also,

take action

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Infographic lays out the celebs supporting OWS and the Wall Street Protests

Editor 54 — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:02:13 +0000

Big thanks to Sean L. for submitting us his info-graphic. You can view it on his site here.

“The [OWS] War is for a Political Process – the Battle is the 2012 Elections”

User Submitted — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:16:35 +0000

Visitor-Submitted Opinion of the Week: (On Ron Paul; whether it would be wise for OWS to select a leader; campaign finance reform, and more. Thanks for the submission! ) If you would like to submit your opinions, we will select the best write-up each week (or more frequently if we are flooded with good ideas. Just email us at TheWallStreetProtest@Gmail.com)

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In my view, the war is for a political process that will bring about a government for the people and by the people. A government that is responsible to the voters and the people. Not merely in election season but also during the term of governance.

The battle is the 2012 elections. To support Ron Paul or any other combatant, if you will, in this battle would be to limit the movement, get tied to an existing candidate under the same electoral model.

As election date nears, every candidate will draw nearer to OWS, as required by this process. Every candidate in both parties will try to co-opt OWS. If an OWS backed candidate under the current set-up wins, we would have won the battle and lost the war.

From this perspective, OWS should back not one candidate but a process. OWS should back a candidate that emerges from the horizontal setup of the movement. Leaders and Leadership will emerge.

But one does not have to wait for this to happen. One can set this in motion. I propose OWS supports a candidate that eschews all corporate contributions, pledges to run only on individual contributions of $100 or less, and stands for good government. Not big government, not small, not [anarchy], but good government, a government responsible to the people. They can define what they propose by good responsible government. That is their job, not ours.

By sidelining corporate donations (they could, as persons as per recent ruling, each be allowed to donate $100 I suppose) campaign finance reform can be enforced. There is no need to, and unreasonably to my mind, expect those put into power by corporate money to bring about this reform.

By supporting a process, OWS will remain a swarm, decentralized and with a collective intelligence. Only a swarm can fight the Goliaths of the two parties and Big Business. Many cultures have folklore and mythological tales illustrating this, I might add.

LSR

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Image: nattavut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Berkeley Beat-Down, U.C. Davis Spray-Assault: College Students at a Higher Risk?

Editor 54 — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 02:12:00 +0000

College students may face an increased risk of extreme police brutality, as evinced by the recent “incident” at U.C. Berkeley and now, the disturbing, front-page-news-worthy story still unfolding from U.C. Davis. After the incident at U.C. Berkeley, we asked the question, “should the federal government be investigating the police brutality on YouTube?” You overwhelmingly said, “Yes.”

Here it is. Please vote if you haven’t had a chance to yet:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Many universities have their own police departments, prompting Americans to ask if these officers are under less scrutiny, held to a lower standard, and managed with less oversight. However, what the officials of these departments have forgotten is the existence of social media – particularly, YouTube. Everything is filmed. You do it, you will face the consequences…good or bad.

Here are our other polls we are sending to Congress.

Here is a compilation of recent events, protests, and even some 2009 footage (from what we think may have been a Tea Party rally) Enjoy:

Interesting works of art have been surfacing on the internet…this one with over a million views:

We were shocked to see this weekend, on the CNN front-page, the UC Davis story. If you haven’t seen the video yet, you can watch it here. It’s also included in a compilation of recent events, above.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

There is another issue, aside from police brutality at colleges, and that issue is the “college bubble.” Look for an upcoming report and video compilation on that subject in the weeks to come.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Please vote on these new issues surrounding police brutality at universities in recent weeks. If you missed our article on the UC Berkeley incident, you can check it out here.

From one of our visitors, an extraordinary quote. Thank you, Mr. Blanch.

“I am in a salt lake hospital fighting for my life with leukemia, I have never been so proud of a group of humans as I was two days ago [when] my daughter and many I am very close with were in lower Manhattan and Berkeley FIGHTING for the first time in 40 years standing and fighting. – Kevin D. Blanch 11/19/11”

Video Surfaces: “Did the Police Really Smash Her in the Gut?”

Editor 54 — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:34:37 +0000

*CORRECTION: These protesters were chanting “stop beating students,” not “stop these students.” Thanks for the correction. Originally we thought “stop these students” made sense, too, because it could have been construed as a sarcastic, ideological point. In any event, this violence is not acceptable.

UPDATE: Last night, we came across this video. It had received a few hundred views. Tonight, it has nearly 200,000. We predicted this would happen. But have you seen this story covered by CNN, Fox, or MSNBC? If you have, let us know. We have not.

UPDATE 2: You voted, and so far, the results are: This officer should fired. A lot of voters think this officer should also face criminal charges. Editors note: Our poll system is designed so that no single person can vote more than once on a particular poll. Ever. So, the results you see are accurate.

Why did a police officer in this video, after looking in both directions, violently thrust his baton into a protester’s stomach? (See the video below)

*This* is the question that will be on the minds of Americans when this video goes viral. And yes, it most definitely will go viral.

The video ends with loud, passionate, and unified cheers:

Stop beating students!

Seconds before, many were hit with batons. One particularly harmless looking Asian girl with a big smile on her face was the first to take a beating.

Students at the University of California, Berkeley were protesting in a video uploaded to YouTube (see below) Wednesday, November 9th, 2011. Yes, the students were chanting. Yes, they were loud. But protesters across the country will be outraged when they see this video showing police savagely beating students.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

What the video appears to depict is a law enforcement officer looking in both directions (for reasons we do not know). Directly in front of him stands a girl who appears to be a female protester chanting loudly in his face.

No footage suggests this female protester initiated physical contact.

After looking in both directions, the officer thrusts his baton into the girl’s stomach with extreme force. Then, more and more officers join the mayhem, beating college students like a real-life version of “Super Smash Brothers.”

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

At the time of this post, the video has only received several hundred views. UPDATE: A Quarter MILLION VIEWS. Make no mistake: This will go viral. We predict that it will actually make it on mainstream media networks and that this officer, the coward wearing “helmet number 14,” loses his job. Why? Just watch the video. It is disturbing as hell. Even Americans who detest the Wall Street Protests and the Occupy movements will raise an eyebrow – how could they not?

We welcome comments from University of Berkeley students, as well as the police department behind this incident. Contact us. That goes for Mr. “Helmet 14.” We hope someone who knows him tells him about this site, because we would love to hear his side of the story.

Whether this is police brutality or not is up to you to decide. Share this article if you think this video deserves attention.

You be the judge. Then vote after you view:

Sgt. Shamar Thomas will be livid once he sees this (if you missed his classic yet peaceful confrontation with the NYPD last week, you do not want to miss it).

After you watch this video, answer the poll questions below and then go vote on the polls we are sending to Congress. We don’t care if you support “OWS” or not – as long as you are a U.S. citizen – make a difference online and we will raise awareness.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Did Protests Cause Collective-Bargaining-Limit DEATH?

Editor 54 — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:37:54 +0000

Editor’s Note: We need your support. Vote on the polls we are sending to Congress. We have passed the 5,000-voter mark. Our first goal is 10,000 voters (but we aren’t stopping there – not even close) and then we will send results to Congress and post any feedback. We will do this again at 25,000, 50,000, 100,000, and 1,000,000. Keep on voting, and tell your friends and family members that this is where you can make a real difference without having to affiliate yourself with a political party or “movement.”

We now know, according to CNN, as of the early hours of November 9th, 62% of the voters in Ohio from 28% of the precincts have voted to repeal a controversial law affecting teachers, police officers, and other public employees, and moreover, it projects that the law will NOT go into effect once all votes are tallied. This is considered a major victory for public employees – a major defeat for some Republicans.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

A recent editorial published on our site opined the Bank of America “Debit Card Debacle” was the first victory for the “OWS – or the Occupy Wall Street” protest. Is this the second?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

The bill, passed the Senate in Ohio back in March…however, before taking effect, it was subject to a referendum. The bill, if passed, would have:

- Limited collective bargaining to salaries, working conditions, and hours;

- Prohibited promotions based on seniority;

- Required public employees to pay 10% of their income to a pension;

- Required public employees to pay 15% of their healthcare premium.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

A similar measure in Wisconsin was also met with sharp criticism from the public. Thousands of people from both states protested, before the Wall Street Protests gained much steam. In an effort to repeal the bills, thousands of signatures were collected.

According to CNN, Republican Gov. John Kasich said, “It’s clear that the people have spoken,” the governor said. “Part of leading is listening to and hearing what people have to say to you.”

Here are polls we are sending to Congress. When you are done, please visit our page full of more polls where you can make an impact.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Please vote on our other polls we are sending to Congress, and the polls we are sending to the media outlets. It does not matter whether you support “OWS” or not – we seek the opinions of the American public at-large.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Marine vs. NYPD: “A Legendary Moment in U.S. History”

Editor 54 — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 23:09:45 +0000

The footage below is compelling (approaching 3 million hits).

You are about to view a legendary moment in U.S. history. United States Marine Corps. Sgt. Shamar Thomas of Roosevelt, NY makes a public speech and confronts NYPD officers in what can only be described as an iconic verbal beat down. The influence of this speech – though repetitive due to its off-the-cuff nature – could not have been possible before the YouTube-era.

Watch the entire video to fully appreciate what Sgt. Thomas did here. We predict this video becomes iconic, clips of which will be seen in documentaries for the ages. We are being completely serious. This type of video, we feel, is an example of a new aspect of the Wall Street Protests: The masses inspired online. The mainstream media is doing a poor job covering the Occupy Wall Street movement and the Wall Street Protests. So it is up to protesters and independent media outlets to cover the stories and take the videos themselves. YouTube and Google have been essential in this new, developing journalistic aspect of the the protests (or whatever else mainstream media turns a blind eye to).

What this is — is a Mike Tyson style beat-down. Yes, it is epic. But the important point is this: The world now is watching. America has realized protesting in this way is not only more peaceful and influential than a real Mike Tyson style beat down, but also, protesting in the right way and with passion can give you a big, big audience.

We noticed that at 3:35, the NYPD “riot crew” as we shall refer to them, assembled in a large mass across the street from this man. Sgt. Thomas makes a public speech, and within 30 seconds, a senior police officer says something to the “riot crew,” prompting them to move from the area (at 3:58). This guy made an impact by using his voice, not violence…he also successfully spread a message to the police about their use of brutality (at the end of the video, he is interviewed by onlookers). So what did peace, not violence achieve? An audience of 2.6 million people, and counting.

Most of these officers look like they are in their 20′s.

Shamar is a big, intimidating, loud black man in uniform.

We see people with cameras gathering around Sgt. Thomas in increasing numbers. When the riot crew arrives, it only pisses Shamar off even more – he later says during an interview that he saw police grabbing people from the crowd, which is why he was telling the police that there “is no honor” in what they are doing.

Not to spoil it for you, but the Marine concludes his now-famous speech by saying something like, ” “There is no honor in hurting unarmed civilians. Have a good night.” Then, he proceeds to shake hands with – and hug – stunned onlookers (who are also now internet celebs). Why he was not signing autographs, we don’t know. But he probably will be soon. God knows, we’d love to have one. So why not shamelessly ask?…(If you read this, or know this guy, send us (or tell him to send ) an autograph!

The police are perpetually schooled because the video is going viral and has nearly 100,000 hits (UPDATE: This video has reached 2.6 million views) on YouTube, thanks to the internet. I can see this video getting airtime or remixed on late night television, in a good way. Take note, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel, and the guy with the Irish accent. Maybe this guy will become famous, who knows. He deserves it. Hell, even we were inspired when we were coming up with T-shirt ideas. He reminds us of a black Chuck Norris, and that’s a good thing.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

The moral of the story? There are some classic quotes we can turn into catch-phrases. Actually, there really is a lesson to be learned, and it is that people should not be afraid to stand up and speak the truth to the police, the government, or elected officials, and it shouldn’t require you to have risked your life overseas to comprehend that you have a human right to do so.

In this video – on this day and on this street corner - a man who previously witnessed the worst humanity has to offer spoke that which was on his heart and mind – and as a result, millions of people have heard, and will continue to hear (or already knew) his message.

The courage of one is capable of spreading to hundreds of thousands – or millions.

He could have been arrested. He could have been brutalized. Yet, he walks into the night after shaking hands and hugging utterly stunned onlookers…and oh yeah, viewed by millions of people online. Well played, sir.

Here are some of the more memorable quotes:

“It does not make you tough to hurt these people.”
“I am from New York City and these cops are hurting people that I fought to protect.”
“There is no honor in hurting unarmed civilians. Have a good night.”
“Leave these people alone. They are U.S. citizens…why are you doing this to our people? I’ve been to Iraq for 14 months… [These people] don’t have guns…how do you sleep at night?”
“There is no honor in this shit! No honor in what you’re doing.”
“If you want to go fight, go to Iraq or Afghanistan.”
“Leave these people alone, they are U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens. . U. S. Citizens.”
“It doesn’t make any sense.”
“There is no honor in this shit.”
“How do you do this to PEOPLE?”

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Millions of Peaceful Protesters Better than Hundreds of Violent?

Editor 54 — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:28:50 +0000

Will a few violent, immature, and impatient protesters ruin the ‘Occupy’ movement? Millions of peaceful protesters possess much more potential to influence United States policy than do a few hundred or a few thousand who advocate violence.

“The violent” – as a group – are a splinter of the Wall Street protests. This being said (and known by most protesters), it is amusing that some pundits and mayors believe a few bad-eggs will spoil the bunch (‘Occupy’ protesters around the globe are similarly scoffing at the analysts who predict an end to the protests, when and if occupiers in Zuccotti park are evicted). These mayors and policy makers know a mere eviction will only lead to more protests, in other locations.

While breaking a window or two won’t lead the American public to discredit the movement overnight…there needs to be a long-term vision established, which at the very least prohibits violence. The answer is in numbers – the masses – not extremism.

The mainstream media does NOT want the Wall Street protests covered, and given the opportunity, will portray the protests and protesters in the most negative light possible. Tell us what you think. Below the poll question, we’ve added a customized YouTube assortment of ‘Occupy violence’ for your viewing pleasure. (Warning: Time Suck). And if you haven’t voted on the polls we’re sending to Congress, do that when you get a chance.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

(note: the videos are based on the search tag “occupy violence,” so what shows up is beyond our control after that).

Ultimately violence will be necessary, says Occupy L.A. speaker - Pt2 10/01/2011