OCCUPY WALL STREET

[Dominique]

OCTOBER 17, 2011 Borrowed from the City Paper
Occupy Pittsburgh and other activists come calling at Toomey's office


BY LAUREN DALEY


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Participants in the Occupy Pittsburgh movement ventured out from their Mellon Green encampment and to protest outside Sen. Pat Toomey's office today, demanding he "[s]top working for Wall Street and start working for us."


The Occupy campers joined One Pittsburgh and its offshoot action, the People's Lobby, in front of Toomey's Station Square office building at noon today. There, they denounced the Republican Senator's vote against the American Jobs Act. The action was among those that Occupy participants consented to supporting this week. They also plan to picket BNY Mellon -- which owns the Mellon Green site they are camping on -- this Wednesday.
The roughly three dozen activists on hand were joined by county councilor Amanda Green. "A lot of people think of me as an elected official, but that's just a part-time job," she said into the bullhorn. "I've got a full-time job. I've got bills to pay. I've got student loans. I understand what it's like to not be able to make ends meet."
Green made an impassioned speech from below Toomey's office window. "You need to be able to explain how, at almost 9 percent unemployment rate in this county, you vote 'no' on the [American Jobs Act]," she said. "It's unacceptable and ridiculous to me."
Toomey, protesters say, hasn't offered much of a response to their concerns. "At every meeting, his staff leads us nowhere," says Corey Buckner, a 24-year-old Garfield resident and member of One Pittsburgh.
Toomey has issued this statement on the ACA vote:
President Obama's latest stimulus bill contains hundreds of billions of dollars in increased spending and more tax hikes, which won't create jobs any more than his last stimulus bill did. With the unemployment rate at 9.1 percent, we do not have time to waste on political games and big tax increases that will only make our economy weaker for all Americans
Instead, I support a real jobs plan, which will reduce burdensome regulations that are preventing businesses from hiring; ratify three pending free trade agreements that will increase Pennsylvania's exports; simplify and reduce business and individual tax rates to encourage job-creating business expansions; and get our federal deficits under control, among other pro-growth measures. This plan will actually create jobs.
The protesters, meanwhile, called for Toomey's impeachment for his allegiance to corporations and big banks. And while One Pittsburgh and the People's Lobby aren't directly part of the Occupy Pittsburgh movement, or vice versa, activists like Buckner say the movements go hand-in-hand. "We're all here for the same thing," he said. "We want what Americans have been promised people forever: freedom and the ability to work."
After protesting for about 45 minutes, the group headed back across the Smithfield Bridge and into Downtown, shouting rants against Toomey and singing: "Everywhere we go, people want to know who we are," one lyric went. "So we tell them: We are the 99!"
Onlookers seemed mostly amused or inquisitive. One man yelled, as he flicked his cigarette in the trash, "This is what you get for voting against Arlen Specter, you dumbasses!" Another man, walking behind the protest, asked, "Are they shouting against Toomey?"
Told they were, he smiled. "I can agree with that."
Meanwhile, Downtown workers have been scoping out the Mellon Green encampment that has suddenly appeared amidst the city's skyscrapers. Some workers milled around the encampment during the morning rush and lunch hour, reading signs posted on the fence around the parklet's fountain.
"Keep up the good work!" one woman in a business suit yelled as she passed by on Grant. Another man sidled up to protestor Steve Cooper and said, "Ok, what do I need to know?"
Not everyone was receptive to the message: Occupiers have been keeping a tally of how many times a passerby instructs them to "get a job!" -- and that number is now in the dozens.
But as camper Doug Placais, 27, of the city's Allentown neighborhood puts it: "For every one person who walks by and yells 'get a job' there's been a positive honk or someone yelling in support."

[Cin]

Originally Posted by Yellow band

I support a real jobs plan, which will reduce burdensome regulations that are preventing businesses from hiring; ratify three pending free trade agreements that will increase Pennsylvania's exports; simplify and reduce business and individual tax rates to encourage job-creating business expansions; and get our federal deficits under control, among other pro-growth measures. This plan will actually create jobs.

You know it concerns me that our elected officials, elected by the people and supposedly working for the people, can continue to spout this rhetoric. I am sure they have an understanding of how the economy works and how it could be fixed, they know what they are saying are lies, yet they continue to spread these untruths.

How will continued and increased tax breaks for corporations, who if not stopped will continue to bring jobs out of the country where there is cheaper labor, ever, ever create jobs for Americans? How can our elected officials not know this? They do know it. Yet they continue to tell us different because they believe the majority of people are too stupid to figure it out. So there is no harm for them in lying to us.

Free trade agreements aren’t very helpful for creating jobs when we continue to import so much more than we export. No jobs there. It would be helpful if, at least, we could tax imports from. U.S. corporations that are U.S. in ownership only. Meaning they provide no U.S. jobs, no goods are produced in U.S., no raw materials are purchased in the U.S. These corporations should be treated like foreign corporations and should pay to import their products to the U.S. So why don’t our elected officials understand this simple reality. Free trade agreements won’t get us jobs. Are they stupid or do they believe we are stupid?

I shudder to imagine what could define burdensome regulations. We don’t even have enough regulations in place to stop the financial sector from destroying the economy of the world. How much less regulations could we possibly survive with? How can any official, given the jam that a lack of regulation just got us into, say with a straight face that we need less of these burdensome regulations? It’s like the mayor of Oakland saying that Oakland needs a more aggressive police department. She would never say that because it would be political suicide. But politicians feel no such qualms about telling us we need to deregulate. Why? Do they think we are so stupid they can get away with that? They seem to be getting away with it.

The federal deficit would get in control much easier if we hadn’t had to bailout those poor over-regulated financial terrorists. But I doubt curtailing handouts to the wealthy is what the 1% has in mind when they speak of getting the deficits under control. They mean austerity measures (social genocide).

So let me see if I can get this straight. The deficit is so bad because the financial sector engaged in actions that [purposely (hard to believe that they could ignore all the warnings and still plead ignorance) or accidentally because of greed and disinterest in consequences – you choose which you believe] are destroying the world’s economy (which destruction, if they place their bets correctly, could even make them money –so really what is in it for them if we have economic recovery) and we the 99% had to bail them out. And we had to bail them out despite the reality that of all the people hurt by their actions they suffered least, if at all, and that the 1% has plenty of money, the banks have plenty of money, everyone who is anyone in finance is still making money hand over fist, but just they don’t have money they wish to share. Then to add injury to insult we have to be squeezed and nickel and dimed to death. The 1% continues to insist on tax breaks and deregulation and bailouts and bonuses and whatnot that benefit them and that will inevitably erase the middle class, crush the working class and leave the poor hopeless. Rather than raise taxes for the rich they would rather subject the rest of us to untold pain and suffering.

They talk like the things they are saying make perfect sense and deserve to be taken seriously as an answer to our economic woes. It’s as though we should take seriously the idea that perhaps the sun does indeed revolve around the earth after all.

[Sachita]

Does anyone remember this? How profound George was. RIP

[persiphone]

Originally Posted by Miss Tick

You know it concerns me that our elected officials, elected by the people and supposedly working for the people, can continue to spout this rhetoric. I am sure they have an understanding of how the economy works and how it could be fixed, they know what they are saying are lies, yet they continue to spread these untruths.

How will continued and increased tax breaks for corporations, who if not stopped will continue to bring jobs out of the country where there is cheaper labor, ever, ever create jobs for Americans? How can our elected officials not know this? They do know it. Yet they continue to tell us different because they believe the majority of people are too stupid to figure it out. So there is no harm for them in lying to us.

Free trade agreements aren’t very helpful for creating jobs when we continue to import so much more than we export. No jobs there. It would be helpful if, at least, we could tax imports from. U.S. corporations that are U.S. in ownership only. Meaning they provide no U.S. jobs, no goods are produced in U.S., no raw materials are purchased in the U.S. These corporations should be treated like foreign corporations and should pay to import their products to the U.S. So why don’t our elected officials understand this simple reality. Free trade agreements won’t get us jobs. Are they stupid or do they believe we are stupid?

I shudder to imagine what could define burdensome regulations. We don’t even have enough regulations in place to stop the financial sector from destroying the economy of the world. How much less regulations could we possibly survive with? How can any official, given the jam that a lack of regulation just got us into, say with a straight face that we need less of these burdensome regulations? It’s like the mayor of Oakland saying that Oakland needs a more aggressive police department. She would never say that because it would be political suicide. But politicians feel no such qualms about telling us we need to deregulate. Why? Do they think we are so stupid they can get away with that? They seem to be getting away with it.

The federal deficit would get in control much easier if we hadn’t had to bailout those poor over-regulated financial terrorists. But I doubt curtailing handouts to the wealthy is what the 1% has in mind when they speak of getting the deficits under control. They mean austerity measures (social genocide).

So let me see if I can get this straight. The deficit is so bad because the financial sector engaged in actions that [purposely (hard to believe that they could ignore all the warnings and still plead ignorance) or accidentally because of greed and disinterest in consequences – you choose which you believe] are destroying the world’s economy (which destruction, if they place their bets correctly, could even make them money –so really what is in it for them if we have economic recovery) and we the 99% had to bail them out. And we had to bail them out despite the reality that of all the people hurt by their actions they suffered least, if at all, and that the 1% has plenty of money, the banks have plenty of money, everyone who is anyone in finance is still making money hand over fist, but just they don’t have money they wish to share. Then to add injury to insult we have to be squeezed and nickel and dimed to death. The 1% continues to insist on tax breaks and deregulation and bailouts and bonuses and whatnot that benefit them and that will inevitably erase the middle class, crush the working class and leave the poor hopeless. Rather than raise taxes for the rich they would rather subject the rest of us to untold pain and suffering.

They talk like the things they are saying make perfect sense and deserve to be taken seriously as an answer to our economic woes. It’s as though we should take seriously the idea that perhaps the sun does indeed revolve around the earth after all.

they're still clinging to the notion of trickle down economics, which, as we've seen, doesn't work. they keep talking this trash but never mention that the largest corporations in this country are literally sitting on a collective trillions of dollars in cash. TRILLIONS! of CASH! they aren't spending shit and we are the most deregulated we've ever been since after the Depression. the bottom line is they have no other answers. it's all lip service. they really don't have any other ammo in their arsenal. the same old spewing of nonsense is all they've got.

[Cin]

Originally Posted by persiphone

they're still clinging to the notion of trickle down economics, which, as we've seen, doesn't work. they keep talking this trash but never mention that the largest corporations in this country are literally sitting on a collective trillions of dollars in cash. TRILLIONS! of CASH! they aren't spending shit and we are the most deregulated we've ever been since after the Depression. the bottom line is they have no other answers. it's all lip service. they really don't have any other ammo in their arsenal. the same old spewing of nonsense is all they've got.

Well, actually it works just fine for the 1%. And they don't need any other answers. People are still buying this crap by the bushel. Truthfully these financial terrorists scare everyone with there doom economics. If they don't get what they want the economy will collapse, if they fail we will all shrivel up and die. The 99% needs to protect the 1% because they are our ticket to prosperity. Well we've all been riding that train for awhile and I don't know about you but I don't seem to be prospering so much at all. But they threaten us with if you think it's bad now wait and see if any of the shit storm we've created ever gets spattered on us there will be hell to pay. They threaten us saying if anything happens to move us toward a more equitable distribution of the wealth we will take your jobs and eat you alive. Hell I got news for them they've already done that.

Oh, I'm sure they have plenty of ammo in their arsenal. I bet we get a first hand look at it real soon.

[persiphone]

Originally Posted by Miss Tick

Well, actually it works just fine for the 1%. And they don't need any other answers. People are still buying this crap by the bushel. Truthfully these financial terrorists scare everyone with there doom economics. If they don't get what they want the economy will collapse, if they fail we will all shrivel up and die. The 99% needs to protect the 1% because they are our ticket to prosperity. Well we've all been riding that train for awhile and I don't know about you but I don't seem to be prospering so much at all. But they threaten us with if you think it's bad now wait and see if any of the shit storm we've created ever gets spattered on us there will be hell to pay. They threaten us saying if anything happens to move us toward a more equitable distribution of the wealth we will take your jobs and eat you alive. Hell I got news for them they've already done that.

Oh, I'm sure they have plenty of ammo in their arsenal. I bet we get a first hand look at it real soon.

truth be told i'd like to see the whole thing go under. seriously. i can feed myself without money so i'm just not scared of it. they already took my son's college fund and my retirement. my gramma always said.....never get into a fight with someone who has nothing to lose. fear has worked up to this point to spur the masses into voting for crap that screws us in the end. i think the whole doom economics thing has had it's 15 minutes of fame, they just aren't aware that the panic button is broken. we still haven't seen the worst of it. and i say that cuz it just keeps getting worse lol! when we hit the bottom we will all know it and that includes the 1%. you can't eat a 5 million dollar yacht and bullets don't make themselves. yanno who's gonna make it? the granola eating greenies and the survivalist conspiracy theorists! hahahahaa

[Sachita]

I am certainly not counting on SS, money, retirement programs or anything administrated by our government. My retirement plan is owning a big chunk of land free and clear, stock piles of non-gmo organic seeds, lots of hens, more fruit and nut trees and the knowledge to sustain no matter how fucked up it gets.

I do depend on money but could also do without it. Now that, to me, is the ultimate freedom

[persiphone]

Originally Posted by Sachita

I am certainly not counting on SS, money, retirement programs or anything administrated by our government. My retirement plan is owning a big chunk of land free and clear, stock piles of non-gmo organic seeds, lots of hens, more fruit and nut trees and the knowledge to sustain no matter how fucked up it gets.

I do depend on money but could also do without it. Now that, to me, is the ultimate freedom

wouldn't that be lovely? when i say they took my retirement and my son's college fund, i mean i invested hard cash. and now? it's gone. i've never been the recipient of anything from the government until getting a PELL grant to go to college. (thanks Obama! ) i never even take a tax refund. i figure they need it more than me. in fact...thinking back....i have never in my life received a tax refund check. in the times that i have worked for a paycheck and taxes were taken out, i've never technically earned enough to even qualify for filing and i didn't feel like i needed a tax refund so badly that i would annoy myself with such a nightmare institution like the IRS (which i am personally against to begin with) for a few bucks. i'll pass thanks.

i'm rambling. i really really love the idea of being self sufficient. it's a hard life though. but i'm not afraid of hard labor. never have been. it's good to know like minded people.

[SoNotHer]

That's been my belief and plan. ;-)

Originally Posted by Sachita

I am certainly not counting on SS, money, retirement programs or anything administrated by our government. My retirement plan is owning a big chunk of land free and clear, stock piles of non-gmo organic seeds, lots of hens, more fruit and nut trees and the knowledge to sustain no matter how fucked up it gets.

I do depend on money but could also do without it. Now that, to me, is the ultimate freedom

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by Sachita

I am certainly not counting on SS, money, retirement programs or anything administrated by our government. My retirement plan is owning a big chunk of land free and clear, stock piles of non-gmo organic seeds, lots of hens, more fruit and nut trees and the knowledge to sustain no matter how fucked up it gets.

I do depend on money but could also do without it. Now that, to me, is the ultimate freedom

Oh I should have said I already own my chunk of land free and clear. I refinanced and took 25 acres off my mortgage in the event my mortgage company got freaky. I also put my greenhouse on the free and clear land. I already have the seeds but continue to get things. I have hens but want 100 going all the times.

I need help

[Cin]

Originally Posted by persiphone

truth be told i'd like to see the whole thing go under. seriously. i can feed myself without money so i'm just not scared of it. they already took my son's college fund and my retirement. my gramma always said.....never get into a fight with someone who has nothing to lose. fear has worked up to this point to spur the masses into voting for crap that screws us in the end. i think the whole doom economics thing has had it's 15 minutes of fame, they just aren't aware that the panic button is broken. we still haven't seen the worst of it. and i say that cuz it just keeps getting worse lol! when we hit the bottom we will all know it and that includes the 1%. you can't eat a 5 million dollar yacht and bullets don't make themselves. yanno who's gonna make it? the granola eating greenies and the survivalist conspiracy theorists! hahahahaa

Urban dweller here. Never owned any land, never even a house. Came from a long line of no land no home people. Although I will say my grandparents raised chickens in the backyard of 3 story tenement building when i was kid. They also slaughtered pigs and god knows what else down in the basement. I remember roosters crowing up and down the neighborhood so they weren't the only people to do that. Lots of veggies and everybody grew grapes and made wine. However, nobody does that much anymore. I guess there are laws against it. Not the vegetables, the chickens i mean. I guess us land deprived lack of money to buy any urbanites are pretty screwed. Although I think my survival skills are quite honed.

I really do hope the panic button is broke though.

[persiphone]

Originally Posted by Miss Tick

Urban dweller here. Never owned any land, never even a house. Came from a long line of no land no home people. Although I will say my grandparents raised chickens in the backyard of 3 story tenement building when i was kid. They also slaughtered pigs and god knows what else down in the basement. I remember roosters crowing up and down the neighborhood so they weren't the only people to do that. Lots of veggies and everybody grew grapes and made wine. However, nobody does that much anymore. I guess there are laws against it. Not the vegetables, the chickens i mean. I guess us land deprived lack of money to buy any urbanites are pretty screwed. Although I think my survival skills are quite honed.

I really do hope the panic button is broke though.

slight derail/

there are ways around this! on my now defunct previous laptop i had plans downloaded for a complete indoor container garden that used old plastic containers and hung on the wall. ya just gotta think out of the urban box a little bit.

/slight derail