'Occupy' Protests

[hitchcockgreen]

Some reports now saying 30'000 marching on Wall Street right now. Some say double that.

Listening to NYPD scanner right now. Sounds like chaos.

You didn't check out the protests in Chicago, Eddy?

I agree about the TP (as I stated above). I may think they're nutjobs but they still have the right to be heard (maybe now a little less nights than the Christian Right Dominionists running ifor leadership n the GOP right now.

The protesters have a lot of big unions behind them now....

[FirBirGir]

We average one or two protests or marches per week in Chicago. When I worked downtown, I could sit and watch out the windows as they go by. Most of the time, we had no clue what they were protesting. All we heard or Stop the Stuff and No More Mumble Mumble. Most of the signs were either way too small or very poorly made...

Eddy

[FirBirGir]

I checked it out on Tribune's web site, 75 people hung out at one street corner in the city today. For Chicago, that's pretty small. We see more people than that waiting for Garrett's to open in the morning.

So far, they're peaceful and keep the area clean so it's not causing any disruption but they're also not getting much coverage for precisely the same reason - peaceful and clean is boring to the media.

The unions are joining in to apparently get some attention of their own. Clip from one of the NY Times - "Several union leaders complained that their own protests over the past two years had received little attention, though they had put far more people on the streets than Occupy Wall Street has."

Like I said, more power to 'em. I just don't see it having any impact yet...

Eddy

[FirBirGir]

Did you know this?

"The Occupy Wall Street gathering, now midway through its third week in a Lower Manhattan park, was hatched by a Canadian magazine, Adbusters, and is heavily populated by youthful out-of-towners."

From the NY Times.

[hitchcockgreen]

Lol

That's actually inaccurate. I'm sure Adbusters would love to take credit for it but they're a joke. Old hippies running a "counter culture" magazine out of a wealthy neighbourhood in Vancouver.

I think Anonymous had waaaay more to do with the protests. Adbusters just hitched their wagon, so to speak.

As for protests in other cities I haven't heard much about many of them. NY's would be considered the epicenter. LA's is also fairly big, with even the city itself backing the protests. That's likely ingenuous considering their financial state. I'm sure they're all for some redistribution of wealth and to have the ability to more heavily tax their wealthier populace.

http://www.mediaite.com/online/chicago- ... are-the-1/

[Ded10c]

Anonymous have had an awful lot to do with spreading this.

[hitchcockgreen]

And whatever they have planned when all attention is on the protests....

[Sno]

Anon. had a lot to do this this, as seen in this video-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNG8b7KokRM&sns=fb


The Tea Party is a movement, not a political party per say. There are Democrats and Republicans in the one where I am. They have different political views, but overall they believe in the same thing (too much government involvement). I don't think that picture of protestors is the TP, at least not the ones I've come to notice. The ones here shout End the Fed (the Reserve, not government) and no more taxing the wealthy signs. There are a lot of statistics online, like in Forbes IIRC (I have the addresses if you'd like them), showing that taxing the rich more really won't do anything since they make up <1% of the US population.

What most Conservatives can't comprehend is that

Oversea's bases = cost money
Oversea deployments = cost money
Wars = cost money
Interfering with other countries internal affairs = cost money



What most Liberals can't comprehend is that

Too much government regulation = Company outsourcing
Socialism = No free market
Paying more for your success = Not "American Dream"
No military = Invasions
Texting pictures of your penis = bad

[hitchcockgreen]

Texting pictures of your penis = bad

lmao

Even Canadian Conservatives haven't learned that lesson.

Oh and

http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news ... 060dcbb3c3

Yes, I don't know who that picture I originally posted is of, anymore. I can't even find the source that I got it from now. So let's just chock it up to lunatics with way too much time on their hands...or wait, am I describing the Westboro Baptist Church?

[Ded10c]

I like the way political terms are so different across the ocean. In this country I'm probably classed as liberal, but in the US I'd probably be democrat or similar.

[hitchcockgreen]

I like the way political terms are so different across the ocean. In this country I'm probably classed as liberal, but in the US I'd probably be democrat or similar.

American labeling confuses me too. In Canada the Liberal Party isn't like an American liberal - more like a Democrat. They're kind of like republicans, but not exactly. Except in British Columbia, where they're more like Conservatives. (Don't ask - B.C. politics are like a Bizarro world). They took a tremendous beating in the last election and may take some time to recover.
The Conservative Party is similar to American Conservatives and republicans.
The New Democrat Party is most like the American Democrats, but a lot more socialist.
The Green Party is....well, the Green Party. More traction in Canada than the U.S. but not nearly as much as in Europe.
The Parti Quebecois is a separatist party and they've failed to accomplish their one major goal - ever; to have Quebec separate from Canada. They lost a lot of traction in the last election and may not survive. (how they even managed to gain Federal Party status at all is a nuance of Canadian political history).

[Blunt Force Trauma]

I like the way political terms are so different across the ocean. In this country I'm probably classed as liberal, but in the US I'd probably be democrat or similar.

In the US, liberals are democrats.

[FirBirGir]

Liberal and Conservative are better descriptors than Democrat and Republican. Yes, most liberals are Democrats but not all. Same is true for conservatives and Republicans. It's not a safe bet to vote straight Democrat or straight Republican and assume the candidates are aligned with your own philosophy. Look at Ahnold for an example...

Eddy

[hitchcockgreen]

While some may argue that simply protesting in the streets en masse may not be effective, perhaps this tactic will be....

https://plus.google.com/117665613028757 ... yNsbbcZYHp

[FirBirGir]

Just like voting, where you spend (or don't spend) or put (or take away) your money will definitely have an affect. I've changed banks a few times over the years for different reasons and when enough people do it, things change. I wouldn't call that protesting per say, it's being smart with your money. I no longer go to Walmart. Not because of where they get their products or because of prices. I got sick of the dirt and filth all over. They have to keep their stores and parking lots clean. I was sitting in the car waiting for my wife and the guy in the car next to me got out, stood up and peed beside his car and got back in. I guess that acceptable at Walmart but not to me so I'm done with them.

Eddy

[hitchcockgreen]

Just like voting, where you spend (or don't spend) or put (or take away) your money will definitely have an affect. I've changed banks a few times over the years for different reasons and when enough people do it, things change. I wouldn't call that protesting per say, it's being smart with your money. I no longer go to Walmart. Not because of where they get their products or because of prices. I got sick of the dirt and filth all over. They have to keep their stores and parking lots clean. I was sitting in the car waiting for my wife and the guy in the car next to me got out, stood up and peed beside his car and got back in. I guess that acceptable at Walmart but not to me so I'm done with them.

Eddy

Walmart is pretty disgusting... PeopleOfWalmart only highlights that argument!

[Blunt Force Trauma]

Yes, most liberals are Democrats but not all. Same is true for conservatives and Republicans. It's not a safe bet to vote straight Democrat or straight Republican and assume the candidates are aligned with your own philosophy.

Eddy

I've never personally met a liberal/progressive Republican. Of course I'm in the middle of the bible belt.

All the Walmarts near me in the Raleigh area are very nice stores, easily comparable to Target. But all are pretty new, as in less than 6 years old. I've never once seen the craziness in the stores that you see on those "People of Walmart" sites. Maybe because the Raleigh area is generally more yuppyish, as compared to a 20 year old Walmart in some backwater town in Mississippi. Now I DO see men and women covered with tats, but that's pretty much becoming mainstream. I learned early on, years ago when in the Navy, just how ugly and blurred tattoos get after 20+ years, so I've steered clear and have yet to get one. THIS is so true.

[hitchcockgreen]

Yeah tattoos require touch-ups...and basically have to remain simple.

I feel sorry for all the guys who get the huge elaborate ones....by the time they're in their 40s those tattoos are going to look like s**t.

[FirBirGir]

Remember silly putty and how you can press it on cartoons then stretch it out in all kinds of weird ways. It's like that...

[Sno]

In the US, Liberals are usually Democrats and Conservatives are usually Republicans. I say usually because I am aware of a few Democrats that are Conservatives, and some Republicans that are Liberal. I get all confused when I hear the terms used in foreign govt's because every country has a different label for ideologies