Happy Birthday Occupy Wall Street

Today marks the one-year anniversary since Americans began highlighting Wall Street's crimes by occupying Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan and eventually hundreds of other cities across the nation. Events and rallies are underway in New York City and elsewhere around the nation to commemorate the occasion, and already there are several reports of more than 70 demonstrators arrested in lower Manhattan. One year ago, Occupy changed the game by changing the national conversation away from deficit-reduction and austerity and toward wealth inequality and job creation.

After brutal police oppression, the encampments disappeared from the public eye. But Occupy didn’t go anywhere, it’s been working under the radar saving Americans from foreclosure, helping students with debt, and helping workers organize. The nation is in a crisis, and, in response, the American people are pregnant with revolution.

Occupy was simply the first tactic in the burgeoning, grassroots revolution. What comes next we don’t know for sure, but it’s absolutely essential to pick up on what Occupy started a year ago, get organized and get active to take on the corporate 1% that have taken over our government and economy and is destroying the American middle class.

Comments

ken ware's picture
ken ware 10 years 36 weeks ago
#1

(Palindromeday) Electronically hijacked and remotely flown into the towers? I have a theory of my own and it goes like this. I have read your comments and have stated you are one of the most paranoid people I have ever come across. I have read articles by Dr. Roberts; I believe that was his name that you have suggested to read. My conclusion at first was that you and the group of people you theoretically subscribe to are psychologically paranoid and see the enemy at every turn. Your hypothesis on most matters has no foundation or facts to back them up. The logic you use is much like that of Fox news, I heard or I read somewhere that this or that occurred with no real basis in the real world. And when you're questioned about the subject, you refer to the person asking the question as a brain washed individual doing the bidding of their masters in Washington or wherever. So I have reached a scenario of my own. You and others like you are actually agents working for some obscure arm of a federal agency like the C.I.A. or F.B.I. or a multinational corporation. The reasons why you and your peers come up with these far reaching and radically entrenched conspiracy theories that no logical human being with even a limited intellect would except, is that your using these forms of rhetoric to make legitimate theories seem as though they are in the same class as your paranoid fantasy’s, thus discrediting them in the minds of the readers. Why else would you actually state such ridiculous themes, such as the aircraft were electronically hijacked and remotely flown into the Towers and the Pentagon. And that is only one of the many statements I have read from you and others that create statements that sound so far out in the twilight zone and paranoid that no one could possibly believe them as being legitimate and the truth. If you can get people to think that all the theories come from the same type of mind set then you have an effective tool to combat the true conspiracy theories that arise that actually might create a problem for the people whom you and others work for. A very good way to discredited others while playing the role of a paranoid and having people think you’re all the same. So you see I do believe there are people out there posing as someone they are not, just to fool the public into believing all theories are not too be trusted because they all come from the same type of paranoids and disturbed individuals. Good work to you and your comrades, it appears it might be working in America. Long live the Republic and long live Democracy here in the United States.

js121's picture
js121 10 years 36 weeks ago
#2

Who's the paranoid one? Ouch!!

paranoid's picture
paranoid 10 years 36 weeks ago
#3

F.B.I. surveillance of O.W.S

Perplexed about why, because they want to know their movements and motivations,and
this convert action is also being paid by big corporations to keep their status quo. The same
reason most states have a police force that mimics a military disposition which also ask
the community to hand in unlicensed firearms to prevent an impending riot when the
economy collapses. They are not doing this to protect civilians and have not's Beside,
everybody is under surveillance at this juncture.

js121's picture
js121 10 years 36 weeks ago
#4

OWS, Detroit, Mi......They help the people on the street and those getting their homes foreclosed. I can't find fault with that. Hopeful that they would become more active - politically - they did not. The other issue is that they are in Downtown Detroit....Not a place to be - even in the daylight hours. So, no, not with them; but, on facebook and "sharing" information. We have sooooo many organizations out there that are fighting all the attacks and "Get the Vote Out"...so, with them, too! Right now, am trying to find training for actual voting day. There is Election Fraud which is going on all the time with the New Right Party and we will NOT let them get away with another election won by Fraud. Identify the machines in your state (blackboxvoting.org) and try to get them banned before election. They are NOT made in the USA anymore and VERY suspicious. Ireland, Iceland, Germany have thrown them OUT. We must not let this happen again (8 yrs of Bush - Proven Fraud)!!!

ken ware's picture
ken ware 10 years 36 weeks ago
#5

Reply: Palindromedary: The useful idiot that removed the early statements, commenting on your conspiracy theories and your psychological health, did so because I felt it may have been too offensive to leave online. But, obviously that was a mistake. By your comments I must have really ruffled some feathers. No one has stated that the technology did not exist to remotely fly aircraft into the Towers and Pentagon, this technology has been used by the military since WW2, but rather it was such an idiotic theory it simply was not plausible to think the government would go to such lengths to start a war in the Middle East. They already had their smoking gun in both Afghanistan and in Iraq. Simply because you can contrive a ridiculous theory does not make it true. You sound more like a science fiction writer then a rational commenter on events that happened on 911. And, I still stick by my theory that you and others in our society like you, that rant on about absurd theories of conspiracy by the government need a mental check-up. Like all paranoids you believe you have found the enemy and it is your duty to expose the beast. A fictional story that encompasses technological facts is still a fictional story. Also, to believe R.T. is one of the only television news stations that reveals the truth is almost as laughable. The Russian government pays for this station and like any good tool of subversion its main objective is to spread unrest throughout the population of the intended nation in its way to retake back the domination it once held in the world. That is why it is so easy to see that you are probably are an agent of the K.G.B., rather than working for the F.B.I., although that is just as plausible as I have stated in an earlier comment concerning your lack or reality or the act of seemingly act like a nut job. If you think the K.G.B. is no longer in existence you only have to see who is running Russia. It is run by Putin and his henchmen, the same man who ran the K.G.B. during our cold war with his country. It is just as plausible to consider you as an agent of one of the governmental agencies either in the U.S. or Russia as too believe your fictional ranting’s. Good try comrade, but no cigars on you conspiracy theories based here in the United States. Like I said earlier in my comments, you are a very useful tool to subvert our attention away from legitimate conspiracies that affect our country. Your fear of showing your face on your comments is probably because you fear the use of facial recognition and who might recognize you for an agent. Just a conspiracy theory of mine. Long live the Republic and long live Democracy in America.

ken ware's picture
ken ware 10 years 36 weeks ago
#6

Every movement that has been used to accomplish good for our society has been under surveillance of some kind. The police dept., the F.B.I. and Homeland security have all actively infiltrated O.W.S. as well as groups that have sprung up from this movement. This is no surprise to anyone, but the severity that the local police have used is not called for. These people as a whole have not been violent protesters; they resemble the peace in Vietnam and the Civil Rights movements of the sixties. And, if you recall or are old enough to have participated you can remember that they were battered by the various factions of police as well as being infiltrated by the separate police agencies. It should be no surprise that it is happening today. Unlike Canada and different European countries the protesters are not throwing objects or Molotov cocktails at the authorities that are using force against them. My main concern is that somewhere along the road of these protesters someone may become violent and the response by the police will be extremely violent. They have to be vigilant in their efforts to make sure this doesn't happen by one of them or by an infiltrator trying to stir things up to the point of no return. We live in a free nation with a democracy for most if not all, and the fight must continue in a peaceful manner or the message will be lost and the movement will lose support by the everyday hard working Americans that witness on a daily basis the struggles we are going through to regain our rights and freedoms from assault from the 1 percenters and the politicians that support their effort to destroy the middle class.. Long live Democracy and long live America. P.S. There are good politicians out there among us, everyone in Washington and in our State Capitals are not out to destroy us and the democracy we love.

nigle77's picture
nigle77 10 years 36 weeks ago
#7

Today on the New Mitt Romney was talkeing to some people, and hr told them that he,

(Mitt Romney) going to have so maney jobs for the American_People

1) So why did Mitt Romney tooks so much jobs from the American Womens & Mens ? 2) Is Mitt Romney teling the People the "Truth" or is Mitt Romney Lies to the America_People ?

LOOK what G.W.Bush told the America_People ! The same things. I don't think Mitt Romney know what the "Truth is"

historywriter's picture
historywriter 10 years 36 weeks ago
#8

When exactly did Thom Hartman talk about remote something or others being sent into the towers? Now that's paranoid.

I think all of us should start getting a lot more paranoid; maybe we are, but they are in fact after us.

nigle77's picture
nigle77 10 years 36 weeks ago
#9

September 17,2012 a Republicans was on TV and he told the People that the Republicans Mitt Romney will be the President in 2013 !

DO_NOT for how G.W.Bush got in the White house in 2001 to 2008. Also DO_NOT for get November 2,2010 when the Republicans Congress got in to Office and now the "Republicans Congrees" is at 12%

Palindromedary's picture
Palindromedary 10 years 36 weeks ago
#10

Just a note...be sure to watch today's Breaking the Set on RT with Abby Martin. Jesse Ventura is interviewed.

Kend's picture
Kend 10 years 36 weeks ago
#11

First of all
What r u talking about. Some religious nuts hijacked some planes and flew them into some buildings and killed thousands of people.

To nigle77
How did GW Bush take jobs from anyone. Are you forgeting the economy was booming in mid 2000's it was over financing that brought the economy down.

As far as "occupy" it is a bunch of freakin hippies smoking dope looking for some free stuff from hard working tax payers. The private sector middle class can only carry the country so long. Ask not what your country can do for you you lazy hippies and get a job.

2950-10K's picture
2950-10K 10 years 36 weeks ago
#12

Hope I got the right blog?...Regarding Occupy!........ Anyway, I gotta admit, except for a May-Day event, I've seen very little action this year. However I did finish my firewood recently, so I'm ready to rip if the event is close enough, and it's the weekend!

ken ware's picture
ken ware 10 years 36 weeks ago
#13

After watching Thom Hartmann's show and hearing Mitt Romney speak of the 47% who are dependent on the government for their needs, I am sure of one thing, Romney and Ryan need to be politically destroyed on Election Day. I have been skeptical about many things I have read and heard both on R. T. and on the various programs that talk about the politicians and their motivations. I really think there is a conspiracy to destroy the middle class and poor of America and turn us all into worker drones for the benefit of the wealthy. I support the Green Party and their agenda and have my doubts about Obama and his intentions, given the fact that he is promoting the TPP agreement for free trade that will destroy American based jobs. But, too allow Mitt Romney and the right wingers to win in Nov. by pulling votes away from Obama, will be the last straw that destroys the camel’s back. That back being the workers of America, both blue and white collar workers that keep this country strong and instill the right ethics in our children. To allow these scoundrels to win, would essentially be to give our children's and our grandchildren's future away to the unethical 1 percenters. It is time we declared War on these ruthless people and take back America at any cost. It appears his (Romney) contempt for the middle class and poor envelopes all manner of working people from our teachers, steel workers, policemen, grocers, tradesmen of all types to our brave men and women in the service of our great country in the military. We must unite this election year to make sure this man is destroyed politically in the polling place. Take your place in the polling booth to defeat this enemy of the working class and show the 1 percenters they cannot buy our country. Stop the Fascists from stealing our country in Nov. and get the vote out to defeat these people once and for all. Long live the Republic and long live Democracy in America.

chuckle8's picture
chuckle8 10 years 36 weeks ago
#14

It was the Bush tax cuts that provided the fodder to financial community to bring the economy down.

Bush did nothing to discourage the closing of the 60,000 factories in the US during his term.

McDonalds had 60,000 job openings and 830,000 applications. Where do you think these hippies should get a job?

bluedog 294's picture
bluedog 294 10 years 35 weeks ago
#15

kend What are YOU talking about? You asked nigle77, "How did Bush take jobs from anyone. Are you forgetting that the economy was booming in mid 2000's? It was over financing that brought the economy down"......

Are YOU forgetting that George W. Bush inherited a $236 million dollar budget SURPLUS from Bill Clinton? He wiped out that budget surplus in only one year....Bush approved big-ticket items during his tenure that included tax cuts, a new prescription drug benefit for the elderly, and the Troubled Aasset Relief program (TARP), which allowed the government to spend up to $700 billion to shore up troubled assets and bolster various industries.http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jan/15/david-axelrod/axelrod-claims-bush-saddled-obama-with-a-big-deficit/

"How did Bush take jobs from anyone?" That's easy. He allowed, and even encouraged vulture capitalist firms like Bain Capital to purchase thriving American manufacturing firms, sell off all the company's assets, fire all the employees, then ship the jobs overseas

As far as your ridiculous statement.about the Occupy Movement..."It's a bunch of freakin hippies smoking dope looking for some free stuff from hard working taxpayers".....Looking for "some free stuff"? What "free stuff"? The "free" pepper spray in their eyes? The "free" whacks in the head with police battans? The "free" gas cannisters that were aimed at their heads?

You are a Republican troll You know it, and we know it!

Thom's Blog Is On the Move

Hello All

Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.

Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.

From Unequal Protection, 2nd Edition:
"Hartmann combines a remarkable piece of historical research with a brilliant literary style to tell the grand story of corporate corruption and its consequences for society with the force and readability of a great novel."
David C. Korten, author of When Corporations Rule the World and Agenda for A New Economy
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From Screwed:
"I think many of us recognize that for all but the wealthiest, life in America is getting increasingly hard. Screwed explores why, showing how this is no accidental process, but rather the product of conscious political choices, choices we can change with enough courage and commitment. Like all of Thom’s great work, it helps show us the way forward."
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