Mad As Hell and Not Going to Take It Anymore
Whether it’s the protesters occupying Wall Street or hundreds of smaller actions in cities across the country, there is a growing movement demanding that banks (and millionaire bankers) pay their fair share, that we rebuild the middle class and the American Dream, and that we have to put jobs before corporate profits and tax cuts for the wealthy.
Here are some scenes from the streets.
Occupying Wall Street
The occupation of Wall Street is now well into its second week. Here’s some snaps from the past few days.
Meanwhile, from the “Let Them Eat Cake!” file, Wall Streeters literally drank champagne as they watched the protesters from above:
Taking It to Bay Area Banks
Members of the New Bottom Line coalition recently organized actions at banks, including Wells Fargo, Chase, and Bank of America in the Bay Area.
A Wake Up Call In Washington
From another New Bottom Line action in Washington State:
At sunrise, each member of the Association of Washington Business Policy Summit received a call in their plush suite at Suncadia. When they picked up the phone, this is the message they heard:
“Good morning! This is a wake up call. While Wall Street Bankers, corporate CEOs and their lobbyists go to wine tastings, play golf and plot how to maintain special interest tax breaks, middle class and poor families are struggling to make ends meet. Today, you will notice hundreds of community members here to protest at the Showdown at Suncadia. Our message: It’s time Wall Street Banks and wealthy CEOs pay their fair share.”
A Breakfast Surprise in Boston
Shame, Shame, Shame
Jobs Not Cuts!
A scene from a recent protest in New Mexico targeting GOP Governor Susana Martinez:
We could go on and on!
Actions like these will continue on Wall Street and across the country, including more than 130 tomorrow alone that are being organized by our friends at MoveOn and the AFL-CIO. Those events will demand that the 136 Republican millionaires in Congress and every other millionaire in America start paying at least the same tax rates paid by middle class families.
Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed
Good news: The FBI will revise its anachronistic definition of rape
The weird – and sexist – double standard for profanity in mass media
Why fewer young American Jews share their parents’ view of Israel
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA) appeared on Ellen DeGeneres’ daytime talk show today and spoke out against the GOP presidential candidates’ initial refusal to condemn the booing of a gay soldier during a recent debate.
Herman Cain told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer yesterday that he could not support Perry in large part because of Perry’s somewhat moderate stance on immigration.
The FBI is planning to revise its official definition of rape after more than 80 years of using an antiquated definition that drastically underestimates the number of sexual assaults every year.
Reporting for The Nation, Yasha Levine and Mark Ames reveal a letter from Charles Koch to famed libertarian economist Frederick Hayek, imploring the Austrian professor to join a Koch think tank and receive Social Security and Medicare benefits in America.
Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), now a far right candidate for president, has revealed through mandated disclosure forms that has been paid $330,000 in consulting fees by Consol Energy, a fracking company, American Continental Group, a lobbying firm, and from a public relations agency. He also earned $239,000 from his gig at Fox News.
The Associated Press reports that West Virginia and Kentucky are running out of easy-to-reach coal, and mines in both states are struggling to compete with mines in Montana. The Appalachian region’s reliance on coal has left many working class families vulnerable as the coal industry there teeters.