Monday, October 10, 2011
Grassroots at the Real Grassroots. What a Novel Idea
The Occupation of Wall Street protests are growing, and appear to have staying power. Without the corporate funding of the Tea Party, they started with just a small group and an idea.
Taxpayers were forced to bail out Wall Street, and yet Wall Street now sits on a mountain of cash, refusing to bail them out.
What are these so-called "job creators" doing with all that money? They certainly aren't creating jobs.
So this small group took to the streets to deliver their simple message and it's beginning to resonate.
Republican presidential hopeful, Herman Cain, suggests that they are playing the victim card. They are jealous of the wealthy, otherwise known as Republicans and their posse; and if they're out of work it's their own fault.
Can you imagine someone wanting to be president of the United States, openly declaring that he has no interest in representing the working class, who are now the "hardly working" class?
He's now tied for the lead.
Canada's occupation of Bay Street protests will start this week and let's hope they are a success.
The fools gold of neoconservatism has been exposed as worthless. Giving more money to the rich, only helps the rich, who in turn help the conservatives stay in power.
In Ontario, Tim Hudak's campaign was reliably disappointing. "Low taxes", tough on imaginary crime and going after welfare cheats. If he'd thrown in "long-haired hippies", it could have just as easily been Ronald Reagan's 1967 campaign in his first run for Governor of California.
In fact, it probably was. For almost half a century, neocons have stuck to the same script.
In Kingston, our local conservative candidate Rodger James, had more signs than any of his opponents. Not many on lawns, but busy roadways were plastered with them, lined up like blue and white dominoes.
I see those signs as a metaphor for today's conservatism.
Gluttony and excess, with nothing behind them but a big stick.
James finished third.
I applaud the idea of Bay Street protestors but worry about the people, Emily. Who's to say they won't be hauled off like the G20 protestors?
ReplyDeleteI just read what Wikipedia has to say about the G20 arrests, and am surprised to see it says the black-clad burners of police cars came out from amongst the protestors, which makes it sound as if the protests were merely a cover for the rioting. VERY disappointed in Wikipedia. Has Harper got his henchmen dictating there, too?
And in Canada taxpayers money was used to 'bail out' the banks -
ReplyDeleteSpecial investigation: How high-risk mortgages crept north - The Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/article727831.ece
Mortgages and Harper’s ‘pre-emptive’ bank bailout : The Ryerson Free Press
http://ryersonfreepress.ca/site/archives/1886
It may have been necessary,but to deny it is wrong.
If you disagree with Wikipedia, submit an update with a correction. It's always a 'work in progress' and not a fixed knowledge base.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course Harper bailed out the banks. They'd be on their a$$es today if he hadn't and he knows it.