We are the 99 Percent

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

We Are the 99 Percent

America's leftist uprising

By Carl Gibson

In Les Confessions, Rousseau wrote, "Finally I recalled the stopgap solution of a great princess who was told that the peasants had no bread, and who responded: 'Let them eat cake.'" This 1782 quote has become the iconic slogan of class oppression by the ruling elite. While the right cries class war at the proposal of taxing millionaires at a slightly higher rate, the richest 1% continue to wage war against the other 99% of us with powerful corporate, financial and lobbying connections.

Class war is being waged daily - foreclosure fraud, wanton oil speculation, a student-loan bubble fit to burst. The same corporate moguls who have bankrolled the campaigns of Tea Party candidates promising deregulation and lower taxes have been recently highlighted for illegally trading with hostile nations, falsifying documents, and knowingly operating equipment that has killed children. A trader nonchalantly mentioned on BBC that he dreams every night of another recession, so he can profit more from a market crash. The evidence of class warfare is everywhere. Our current system has been carefully designed so the 1% will benefit from the efforts and toil of the 99%.

If you saw Jon Stewart's most recent bout with Bill O'Reilly, even the FOX commentator agrees that Wall Street speculators aren't paying their fair share and should be held accountable. Even lifetime registered Republican, corporate CEO and tax preparer Henry Bloch admits that wealth and tax burdens for the rich and poor are extremely unequal in the United States. Even billionaire Tea Party financier Charles Koch admits that Social Security and Medicare are wonderful programs worth paying taxes for and using to the fullest, despite his brother running a vice-presidential platform of eliminating those programs 30 years ago.

In protest of the greedy practices that wrecked our economy, thousands of people have occupied the nerve center of the world's financial system since September 17, calling themselves "The 99 Percent," and have grown to roughly 6,000 since. The police brutality recently on display in New York's financial district was reminiscent of Cairo. A police officer kneeled on the neck of a man holding an American flag. NYPD Lt. Anthony Bologna pepper-sprayed a group of women cordoned off on a sidewalk, disappeared into the crowd, and made more unprovoked attacks on another part of the crowd. One nonviolent protester was openly beaten in the street. While protesters were expressing their first amendment rights and experiencing brutal treatment by the police, Wall Street banksters lounged on the balconies above, sipping champagne. The wealthy, powerful elite mocking the impoverished masses protesting below. And JPMorgan & Chase bank just made a $4.6 million donation to the NYPD, presumably so they can continue to protect and serve the traders and hedge fund managers. 0 bankers who purposefully wrecked the livelihoods of millions have been arrested, yet over 1,000 ordinary people have been arrested speaking out about it. A Hollywood screenwriter couldn't have set the scene any better.

Yet, despite such a populist message and stalwart resistance from the left, mainstream media sources have only given the occupation a passing glance. While thousands were kettled on both ends of Brooklyn Bridge this weekend after shutting down the NYPD headquarters, New York Times Financial Columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin mocked their numbers, referring to "all 80 of them." This comes on the heels of a particularly snooty column by the Times' Gina Bellefante. The main criticism of the media has been the movement's supposed lack of organization and/or central message, and the supposed stereotypical images of the protests. Even Mother Jones harped on the occupation's "dirty hippie" theme. Yet, the occupation has grown incredibly diverse, bringing in pilots, marines, and 100 NYPD officers boycotting in solidarity with the protesters. But the only real response from New York's flagship paper has been dismal coverage and the bemoaning of a supposed lack of leftist demonstrations.

The American Left has been standing up and fighting all year. From the collective bargaining marches and recall efforts in Wisconsin and other states in February, to The Yes Men/US Uncut's prank on GE and subsequent weekend of actions in over 100 cities on tax day weekend, to liberal bird-dogging of Congressional Republicans during the August Recess, to 1,253 activists arrested to stop the Keystone XL pipeline, to the Occupy Wall Street movement and the dozens of similar occupation campaigns happening nationwide, the leftist uprising sweeping North Africa and Europe has reached America. Corporate-owned media can black it out and mock it all they want, but they're only delaying the inevitable. Dr. Cornel West said it best in a recent speech to the occupiers:

"... Because when you bring folk together, of all colors, of all cultures, of all genders, of all sexual orientations, the elite will tremble in their boots."

Ordinary Americans, the other 99%, realize that the corporate takeover of our democracy will only worsen until we come together and demand new, sustainable economies and political structures incorruptible by the influence of lobbying and corporate money. That's what's driving the occupytogether.org movement. And that's a demand that any reasonable member of the 99% can agree on.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

We Are the 99 Percent

America's leftist uprising

By Carl Gibson

In Les Confessions, Rousseau wrote, "Finally I recalled the stopgap solution of a great princess who was told that the peasants had no bread, and who responded: 'Let them eat cake.'" This 1782 quote has become the iconic slogan of class oppression by the ruling elite. While the right cries class war at the proposal of taxing millionaires at a slightly higher rate, the richest 1% continue to wage war against the other 99% of us with powerful corporate, financial and lobbying connections.

Class war is being waged daily - foreclosure fraud, wanton oil speculation, a student-loan bubble fit to burst. The same corporate moguls who have bankrolled the campaigns of Tea Party candidates promising deregulation and lower taxes have been recently highlighted for illegally trading with hostile nations, falsifying documents, and knowingly operating equipment that has killed children. A trader nonchalantly mentioned on BBC that he dreams every night of another recession, so he can profit more from a market crash. The evidence of class warfare is everywhere. Our current system has been carefully designed so the 1% will benefit from the efforts and toil of the 99%.

If you saw Jon Stewart's most recent bout with Bill O'Reilly, even the FOX commentator agrees that Wall Street speculators aren't paying their fair share and should be held accountable. Even lifetime registered Republican, corporate CEO and tax preparer Henry Bloch admits that wealth and tax burdens for the rich and poor are extremely unequal in the United States. Even billionaire Tea Party financier Charles Koch admits that Social Security and Medicare are wonderful programs worth paying taxes for and using to the fullest, despite his brother running a vice-presidential platform of eliminating those programs 30 years ago.

In protest of the greedy practices that wrecked our economy, thousands of people have occupied the nerve center of the world's financial system since September 17, calling themselves "The 99 Percent," and have grown to roughly 6,000 since. The police brutality recently on display in New York's financial district was reminiscent of Cairo. A police officer kneeled on the neck of a man holding an American flag. NYPD Lt. Anthony Bologna pepper-sprayed a group of women cordoned off on a sidewalk, disappeared into the crowd, and made more unprovoked attacks on another part of the crowd. One nonviolent protester was openly beaten in the street. While protesters were expressing their first amendment rights and experiencing brutal treatment by the police, Wall Street banksters lounged on the balconies above, sipping champagne. The wealthy, powerful elite mocking the impoverished masses protesting below. And JPMorgan & Chase bank just made a $4.6 million donation to the NYPD, presumably so they can continue to protect and serve the traders and hedge fund managers. 0 bankers who purposefully wrecked the livelihoods of millions have been arrested, yet over 1,000 ordinary people have been arrested speaking out about it. A Hollywood screenwriter couldn't have set the scene any better.

Yet, despite such a populist message and stalwart resistance from the left, mainstream media sources have only given the occupation a passing glance. While thousands were kettled on both ends of Brooklyn Bridge this weekend after shutting down the NYPD headquarters, New York Times Financial Columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin mocked their numbers, referring to "all 80 of them." This comes on the heels of a particularly snooty column by the Times' Gina Bellefante. The main criticism of the media has been the movement's supposed lack of organization and/or central message, and the supposed stereotypical images of the protests. Even Mother Jones harped on the occupation's "dirty hippie" theme. Yet, the occupation has grown incredibly diverse, bringing in pilots, marines, and 100 NYPD officers boycotting in solidarity with the protesters. But the only real response from New York's flagship paper has been dismal coverage and the bemoaning of a supposed lack of leftist demonstrations.

The American Left has been standing up and fighting all year. From the collective bargaining marches and recall efforts in Wisconsin and other states in February, to The Yes Men/US Uncut's prank on GE and subsequent weekend of actions in over 100 cities on tax day weekend, to liberal bird-dogging of Congressional Republicans during the August Recess, to 1,253 activists arrested to stop the Keystone XL pipeline, to the Occupy Wall Street movement and the dozens of similar occupation campaigns happening nationwide, the leftist uprising sweeping North Africa and Europe has reached America. Corporate-owned media can black it out and mock it all they want, but they're only delaying the inevitable. Dr. Cornel West said it best in a recent speech to the occupiers:

"... Because when you bring folk together, of all colors, of all cultures, of all genders, of all sexual orientations, the elite will tremble in their boots."

Ordinary Americans, the other 99%, realize that the corporate takeover of our democracy will only worsen until we come together and demand new, sustainable economies and political structures incorruptible by the influence of lobbying and corporate money. That's what's driving the occupytogether.org movement. And that's a demand that any reasonable member of the 99% can agree on.

More like "We are the 25% - America's insane congregating in one area and sleeping in the same park rather than parks across the US". Evidenced by the fact that you posted an article from Michael Moore's website in support of the crazy congregation.

And the idea that this is a diverse racial group is preposterous. They're all low-life white people.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by epicSocialism4tw

More like "We are the 25% - America's insane congregating in one area and sleeping in the same park rather than parks across the US". Evidenced by the fact that you posted an article from Michael Moore's website in support of the crazy congregation.

And the idea that this is a diverse racial group is preposterous. They're all low-life white people.

Figured you would try to discredit the entire article simply on the basis of where it was posted.

At any rate, how do you benefit from being a sycophant and an attack dog for the top 1%?

What's in it for you?

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

Figured you would try to discredit the entire article simply on the basis of where it was posted.

At any rate, how do you benefit from being a sycophant and an attack dog for the top 1%?

What's in it for you?

Nobody is with your far-left loon brigade except for your far left loons.

Get your communist loonies out of here.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by epicSocialism4tw

Nobody is with your far-left loon brigade except for your far left loons.

Get your communist loonies out of here.

If this is the extent of your "rebuttal" to the article, then you must be more out of ammo than I thought.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Those communist and socialist morons and useful idiots arent representative of any of us.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by epicSocialism4tw

Those communist and socialist morons and useful idiots arent representative of any of us.

There you go thinking name-calling is the same thing as an actual rebuttal again.

Way to dodge the topics discussed in the article (but that's your SOP.)

[gunns]

Originally Posted by epicSocialism4tw

Those communist and socialist morons and useful idiots arent representative of any of us.

My, so late 60ish.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by gunns

My, so late 60ish.

Do you want communism?

[epicSocialism4tw]

They are the 1%...the wacked-out communist loons who actually think that anyone else is buying their lie.

[epicSocialism4tw]

These aren't capitalists:


They're communists.

[El Jué]

Originally Posted by epicSocialism4tw

These aren't capitalists:


They're communists.

They don't know enough about communism to be communists, even though some of them think they're against capitalism.

A capitalist is a guy who opens a bike shop because he's always liked to ride and he know a lot about it and he figures he can make enough money to keep himself in rent and groceries and toys and employees. Capitalism is dandy.

Corporatists and the government they own are a huge problem.

[Spider]

Originally Posted by El Jué

They don't know enough about communism to be communists, even though some of them think they're against capitalism.

A capitalist is a guy who opens a bike shop because he's always liked to ride and he know a lot about it and he figures he can make enough money to keep himself in rent and groceries and toys and employees. Capitalism is dandy.

Corporatists and the government they own are a huge problem.

nice post

[DBruleU]

Originally Posted by moninghaly

A Job is a right .

Where is that in that constitution? Right next to where Health Care is a right?

Sure you have the right to find employment in this country, but you sure as hell aren't just given one.

[epicSocialism4tw]

I don't have anything in common with these communists in the IWW:

"On behalf of our union, the General Executive Board of the Industrial Workers of the World sends our support and solidarity to the occupation of Wall Street, those determined to hold accountable our oppressors.

This occupation on Wall Street calls into question the very foundation in which the capitalist system is based"

http://www.iww.org/en/content/iww-en...py-wall-street

I don't have anything in common with their "Little Red Songbook": http://littleredsongbook.blogspot.com/

[epicSocialism4tw]

I don't have anything in common with these socialists who are involved in Occupy Wall Street:

http://socialistparty-usa.org/occupywallstreet.html

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by epicSocialism4tw

I don't have anything in common with these socialists who are involved in Occupy Wall Street:

http://socialistparty-usa.org/occupywallstreet.html

It doesn't matter whether you believe you have anything in common with the groups you are attacking here or not - you are still part of the 99% (which was the point of the article.)

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

It doesn't matter whether you believe you have anything in common with the groups you are attacking here or not - you are still part of the 99% (which was the point of the article.)

I flatly reject any attempt for that crazy bunch of communists, socialists, and far-left radicals to claim that I am in any way grouped with them.

They do not represent me at all, nor do they represent anyone else with any sense.

[epicSocialism4tw]

I don't have anything in common with these communists who are mobilizing and promoting the event:

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/se...wall-s29.shtml

[epicSocialism4tw]

I dont have anything in common with these communists involved in the event either: http://peoplesworld.org/occupation-o...rs-third-week/

[epicSocialism4tw]

I don't have anything in common with the communists in China who are using their state propaganda to promote the event: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion...t_13823311.htm

[epicSocialism4tw]

So who are you with, LA? The communists, the socialists, or the useful idiots?

I know that you guys like to lie and to hide who you are.

Why not just admit it?

[ghwk]

Fell off your meds again didn't you.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by ghwk

Fell off your meds again didn't you.

You guys that let the communists and socialists in your party wag the dog are worse than the communists and socialists themselves.

[cutthemdown]

I may be in the 99% group, but I dream about being in the 1%. So do many in that 99%. Some of us, the ones that believe in capitalism and earning our own way, dont want to see that 1% strung up.

its being able to know what is yours, and whats not yours, that makes me different then those protesting.

Part of Obamas plan is to take away the deductions for charities on people making 200 grand or more. More of his plan to destroy private charity and get all that money for public entitlements.