December, 27 2011, 09:54am EDT
Occupy Des Moines To Preempt January 3rd Iowa Caucus
"Occupy Des Moines has the first in the nation caucus now, not the political parties"
DES MOINES, Iowa
Occupy Des Moines will stage the first-in-the-nation "Occupy Iowa Caucus" - otherwise known as the "People's Caucus" - tonight, Tuesday, December 27th at 7:00 pm, 504 East Locust Street, pre-empting the political parties January 3 Iowa Caucus.
"We're holding the first in the nation caucus now, not the political parties," said Olivia Sandbothe, a Des Moines Area Community College student and Occupy Des Moines volunteer.
As is the case at Republican and Democratic Party precinct caucuses, Occupy Des Moines' "Peoples Caucus'" attendees first will introduce and discuss resolutions representing the grievances raised by the movement and the 99 percent. They then will break into candidate "preference" groups, but with a twist. Instead of indicating preference for the presidential candidate they support, participants will state their preference for the candidate whose headquarters they intend to occupy over the next three days of non-violent action.
"People are sick and tired of being ignored by the political establishment in both parties, tired of having the common good placed last when it comes to government's priorities," said Ed Fallon, a campaign volunteer. "Holding the Peoples Caucus before the two major parties' January 3rd precinct caucuses is our way of telling America's corporate and political elite that we demand that our voices be heard, that the public good must come first."
Organizers reiterated their commitment not to disrupt the official January 3rd precinct caucuses, and stated that they are hoping hundreds of people from Occupy movements across Iowa, the Midwest, and the country to participate in the week's actions and events.
"We'll occupy the jails too, if that's what it takes to make our voices heard," Sandbothe said. "Enough is enough. It's time to put communities before corporations and people before profits."
Occupy Des Moines is part of the grassroots Occupy Wall Street movement working to make fundamental and systemic changes to our economy and our political system, and end the climate of corruption and corporate greed that has put our democracy in a chokehold.
Teach-ins will also be held from 10am to 5pm today at 500 East Locust Street. The schedule is below.
Tuesday 10:00:00 AM
How do we strategize to win, and what does victory look like? (Hour 1) Paul Engler, Occupy Los Angeles
Tuesday 10:00:00 AM
What is different about this Crisis! (hour 1) Tony Smith
Tuesday 11:00:00 AM
How do we strategize to win, and what does victory look like? (Hour 2) Paul Engler
Tuesday 11:00:00 AM
Citizens United : How Did We Get Here Stephen Toothman
Tuesday 11:00:00 AM
What is different about this Crisis! (hour 2) Tony Smith
Tuesday 02:00:00 PM
Community Organizing and Public Narrative (Hour 1) Paul Engler
Tuesday 02:00:00 PM
To Big To Fail : Large Banks as a National Security Risk Stephen Toothman
Tuesday 02:00:00 PM
Early History of Corporate Personhood Maggie Rawland
Tuesday 03:00:00 PM
Community Organizing and Public Narrative (Hour 2) Paul Engler
Tuesday 03:00:00 PM
How to get along with the 2% of the 99% that you can't stand! Arianna Norris-Landry, Occupy St. Louis
Tuesday 03:00:00 PM
Occupy Your Workplace - Crash Course in Union Organizing Jennifer Marsh, Occupy Iowa City
Tuesday 04:00:00 PM
From Seattle to #Occupy: Measuring the Impact of Mass Mobilization Mark Engler
Tuesday 04:00:00 PM
Feminism and Occupy: Why Gender Issues Matter in the Movement Laura Kacere, Occupy DC
Tuesday 04:00:00 PM
Organizing for Change 101 Hugh Espey
For more information, contact firstinthenationoccupation@gmail.com or visit www.occupythecaucus.org and www.occupydsm.org. Follow us on Twitter: @OccupyCaucus, @OccupyHawkeye, and #occupydsm.
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