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'Occupy Congress' Converges on Capitol Hill
Group aims to highlight "broken system," corporate control of elections
Jan 17, 2012
UPDATE: OakFoSho is streaming live video here.
***
UPDATE: The Atlantic Wire now reports arrests have begun.
***
Thousands of protesters under the banner of "Occupy Congress" are expected to converge on Capitol Hill today in what they hope will be the largest Occupy gathering.
From WMAL:
"This is going to be the biggest coming together of the most diverse group of occupiers from around the country," said Ben Zucker, a member of the Occupy D.C. media team, told WMAL.com.
MSNBC reports:
The congressional protest - which falls on the movement's four-month mark and the beginning of a new session of Congress - appears to represent a strategic shift aimed at winning support of the many Americans disillusioned with the legislative branch.
Highlighting the corporate control of politics, one occupier explains to WMAL:
"One of the big grievances ... is the corporate money in politics and corporate influence on politic elections," said Lucas Thayer, 26, a Los Angeles resident who travelled to D.C. for the events. "We feel that corporations own our country now and the people don't actually control it, so it is not a true democracy."
Thayer admitted that Congress has not paid much attention to the protesters but that he was determined to get Americans' attention focused on their message. "Congress doesn't intend to listen to us because we don't have money to give them," he said.
Explaining the motivation behind the day of action, the group says on the Occupy Wall Street website:
Our nation, and our world, is in crisis and our "elected" officials have failed us. They refused to hold their bankrollers--Wall Street--responsible for the financial crimes that bankrupted our nation and destroyed the global economy. This last legislative cycle was the least productive in recorded U.S. history; 90% of the country disapproves of these "elected" officials.
We refuse to accept the grim future that Wall Street's cronies have designed. We refuse to be the 1%'s captive citizenry. We stand together to show that the 99% are creating a better world.
The 99% will no longer be complacent. Our many voices will be amplified on the steps of Capitol Hill. We shall have a nation by, for, and powered by the people once again. We are building it.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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UPDATE: OakFoSho is streaming live video here.
***
UPDATE: The Atlantic Wire now reports arrests have begun.
***
Thousands of protesters under the banner of "Occupy Congress" are expected to converge on Capitol Hill today in what they hope will be the largest Occupy gathering.
From WMAL:
"This is going to be the biggest coming together of the most diverse group of occupiers from around the country," said Ben Zucker, a member of the Occupy D.C. media team, told WMAL.com.
MSNBC reports:
The congressional protest - which falls on the movement's four-month mark and the beginning of a new session of Congress - appears to represent a strategic shift aimed at winning support of the many Americans disillusioned with the legislative branch.
Highlighting the corporate control of politics, one occupier explains to WMAL:
"One of the big grievances ... is the corporate money in politics and corporate influence on politic elections," said Lucas Thayer, 26, a Los Angeles resident who travelled to D.C. for the events. "We feel that corporations own our country now and the people don't actually control it, so it is not a true democracy."
Thayer admitted that Congress has not paid much attention to the protesters but that he was determined to get Americans' attention focused on their message. "Congress doesn't intend to listen to us because we don't have money to give them," he said.
Explaining the motivation behind the day of action, the group says on the Occupy Wall Street website:
Our nation, and our world, is in crisis and our "elected" officials have failed us. They refused to hold their bankrollers--Wall Street--responsible for the financial crimes that bankrupted our nation and destroyed the global economy. This last legislative cycle was the least productive in recorded U.S. history; 90% of the country disapproves of these "elected" officials.
We refuse to accept the grim future that Wall Street's cronies have designed. We refuse to be the 1%'s captive citizenry. We stand together to show that the 99% are creating a better world.
The 99% will no longer be complacent. Our many voices will be amplified on the steps of Capitol Hill. We shall have a nation by, for, and powered by the people once again. We are building it.
UPDATE: OakFoSho is streaming live video here.
***
UPDATE: The Atlantic Wire now reports arrests have begun.
***
Thousands of protesters under the banner of "Occupy Congress" are expected to converge on Capitol Hill today in what they hope will be the largest Occupy gathering.
From WMAL:
"This is going to be the biggest coming together of the most diverse group of occupiers from around the country," said Ben Zucker, a member of the Occupy D.C. media team, told WMAL.com.
MSNBC reports:
The congressional protest - which falls on the movement's four-month mark and the beginning of a new session of Congress - appears to represent a strategic shift aimed at winning support of the many Americans disillusioned with the legislative branch.
Highlighting the corporate control of politics, one occupier explains to WMAL:
"One of the big grievances ... is the corporate money in politics and corporate influence on politic elections," said Lucas Thayer, 26, a Los Angeles resident who travelled to D.C. for the events. "We feel that corporations own our country now and the people don't actually control it, so it is not a true democracy."
Thayer admitted that Congress has not paid much attention to the protesters but that he was determined to get Americans' attention focused on their message. "Congress doesn't intend to listen to us because we don't have money to give them," he said.
Explaining the motivation behind the day of action, the group says on the Occupy Wall Street website:
Our nation, and our world, is in crisis and our "elected" officials have failed us. They refused to hold their bankrollers--Wall Street--responsible for the financial crimes that bankrupted our nation and destroyed the global economy. This last legislative cycle was the least productive in recorded U.S. history; 90% of the country disapproves of these "elected" officials.
We refuse to accept the grim future that Wall Street's cronies have designed. We refuse to be the 1%'s captive citizenry. We stand together to show that the 99% are creating a better world.
The 99% will no longer be complacent. Our many voices will be amplified on the steps of Capitol Hill. We shall have a nation by, for, and powered by the people once again. We are building it.
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