Never underestimate the power of the people

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

Many on this list do not take OWS movement very seriously.

But apparently, many in Washington are being shaken down by, you guessed it, fear.

video at the link.

A well-known Washington lobbying firm with links to the financial industry has proposed an $850,000 plan to take on Occupy Wall Street and politicians who might express sympathy for the protests, according to a memo obtained by the MSNBC program “Up w/ Chris Hayes.”

The proposal was written on the letterhead of the lobbying firm Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford and addressed to one of CLGC’s clients, the American Bankers Association. CLGC’s memo proposes that the ABA pay CLGC $850,000 to conduct “opposition research” on Occupy Wall Street in order to construct “negative narratives” about the protests and allied politicians. The memo also asserts that Democratic victories in 2012 would be detrimental for Wall Street and targets specific races in which it says Wall Street would benefit by electing Republicans instead.....Two of the memo’s authors, partners Sam Geduldig and Jay Cranford, previously worked for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Geduldig joined CLGC before Boehner became speaker; Cranford joined CLGC this year after serving as the speaker’s assistant for policy. A third partner, Steve Clark, is reportedly “tight” with Boehner, according to a story by Roll Call that CLGC features on its website.

Obviously this 21st Century 5th column is perfectly legal, and in today's political environment, just another walk in the park. Don't EVEN try to argue that point. But aren't you 1% apologists getting kind of uncomfortable defending big money's blatant attempt to crush any dissension? They take OWS seriously, and fear for real reform (you call 'demon regulation')

I'd like to hear some more contrite explanations as to why this is 'just peachy' and 'why am I complaining this is your free market forces at work etc'? Does this bother you? Change your mind? Reinforce your opinions?

ETA: Yikes! They are on to us! Spying n FaceBook?

Comments

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

Well, hopefully this gets enough coverage to counteract it before it comes to pass. As an actual grass-roots movement, OWS doesn't have a lot of protection against targeted attacks like this because it's hard to get dispersed random people together to coordinate paying off a PR firm for counter offensive. Something the Tea Party didn't have to worry about since it was set up by PR firms in the first place.

[notmrgarrison.livejournal.com]

It has the New York Times, just as the Tea Party had the New York Times working against it.

[notmrgarrison.livejournal.com]

A well-known Washington lobbying firm with links to the financial industry has proposed an $850,000 plan

You'd have more of a story if someone were paying for this, as oppressed to someone attempting to make money doing it.

[allhatnocattle.livejournal.com]

That's generally how these lobby firms work. I mean sometimes it's the potato growers looking for someone to get congress to reinstate french fries in school cafeterias. That's the exception. As a rule a lobby firm sees that french fries are no longer in school cafeterias, so they pitch it the potato growers they can get fries back in school cafs for a fee.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

You know they will - just like they did with the 84 year old woman.

here's your excuse

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

[notmrgarrison.livejournal.com]

The protestor being hit with the uniform orange spray doesn't seem to be reacting to much.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Were they refusing to leave?

Seems like a perfectly non-violent means of enforcing the law.

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

Americans have an abiding love affair with PR people that is only surpassed by their love for journalists and advertisers.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

How far has America sunk where apologia towards the targets of a lynch mob is considered a bad thing?

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

What sort of American history have you been reading? Some fantasy world of orderly aristocrats reasonably pursuing common interest through committees?

L-O-L. Welcome to America. Read a book.

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

"Lynch mob"?

[oportet.livejournal.com]

Why would Democratic victories be detrimental to Wall Street?

Democrat politicians are just as responsible for giving tax breaks and fuckloads of money to corporations, they just aren't proud of it like the Republicans are.

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

Bernie Sanders is the kind of Dem the banks fear (tho Sanders isn't technically a Dem, he is the kind of politician who they fear, and such a politician would only be elected as an independent, like Sanders, or as a liberal Dem, like, say, Weiner)

[kayjayuu.livejournal.com]

"Tea Party" vs "Teabaggers."

Wonder how much opposition research that cost.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Well I can't say that I'm that surprised that the so-called conservatives think force and violence is fine if it involves people they don't agree with.

"Yes but they're wrong, so it's ok to do it..."

lololololol it's like a friggin' comic book around here.

[notmrgarrison.livejournal.com]

I've seen exactly one person here defend the pepper spray. Is that all you need for your broad brush?

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Force and violence is fine when it comes to enforcing the law.

As opposed to OWS where force and violence is okay because... BECAUSE.... Income disparity!!

If you're going to legalize force in a society... shouldn't the gold standard be in enforcing the rules?

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

Man, considering how much libertarians are in favor of private police forces, I find it ironic how much they support the public police force upholding the law by any means necessary. Shame that mentality doesn't extend to tax evaders.

Re: MODS?

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

Ugh, sorry - collateral from the sub-thread that got partially frozen. Hold on, I'm de-freezing the bits which are irrelevant to the drama as we speak :)

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

I'm getting this feeling that amidst all the talking about things like what constitutes police brutality, should pepper sprays be used against protesters, and stuff like that, the bigger picture is slowly beginning to slip out of people's sight.

I'm sure we'll be able to find a zillion pieces of evidence supporting either position - either proving that the protesters are a mob of violent criminals, or that the government is performing a gradual crackdown on them because it's scared of this movement - ultimately, there's a bit of all spices in a soup. But the purpose and the real meaning of this phenomenon, street activism, no matter if it's called Tea Party of Occupy Wall Street, is somehow the last thing that's on people's minds, and that's sad. Because it's the main point. I'm starting to think all of this is deliberate - drown the real questions with yelling and pointing fingers, and the issue will somehow go away when people get tired, or frozen in the coming winter. Sad.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

Don't forget shitting on cars. It's *THE* most important side of the issue, out of many.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

Just a side question I have been wondering about: when is the line between the right of ANY protest and some uninvolved person's right to go to work crossed?

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

That is a really good question.