January 5, 2012

Our Shrinking Democracy: The Battle Against Voter Suppression

Voting is a fundamental right, not a privilege. But right now across America, the right to cast a ballot is under attack. For the past century, voting rights advocates have fought, sometimes risking their lives, for each expansion of the franchise.

But the voting restrictions being passed in states across the country today turn back the clock on the hard won gains Americans have made to ensure equal access to the ballot box.

In 2011, states across the country passed measures to make it harder for Americans – particularly African-Americans, the elderly, students and people with disabilities – to exercise their fundamental right to cast a ballot. These measures include requiring a government-issued photo ID to vote and proof of citizenship to register, cutting back on early voting, eliminating Election Day registration, new restrictions on voter registration drives, and additional barriers to voting for people with criminal convictions.

The map above outlines which states passed voter suppression measures since January 1, 2011 and where the right to vote remains under siege today. As we go into 2012, we will no doubt see new voter suppression measures proposed across the country. This map will track state legislative and other battles over the fundamental right to vote.

http://www.aclu.org/node/29429

January 5, 2012

You've never played Banking?

January 5, 2012

Vintage but utterly predatory bank memo discusses using bipartisanship to divide, conquer America

“We must go forward cautiously and consolidate each acquired position, because already the inferior social stratum of society is giving unceasing signs of agitation.
“Therefore, prudence dictates to us a line of conduct that seems to give in to the will of the people, until the execution of our plans be well-enough established for us to be able to declare our intentions without having to fear any organized resistance.
“Our confidence men shall have to closely watch the Farmers Alliance and the Knights of Work, and take steps immediately, either to control both associations in accordance with our interests, or to break them.
“Our men will have to attend the Convention that will be held in Omaha on the 4th of July, and be in charge of all activities. Otherwise, this Convention could muster such an antagonism to our plans that we would have to resort to force to overcome it.
Now, at the present time, using violence would be premature. We are not yet ready to confront such an assault. Money must first of all seek maximum protection in schemes and in legislation.
“Let us make use of the courts. Let us go forward as fast as possible at perceiving debts, at foreclosing (depriving of recourse to justice when a certain time limit has been transgressed) on debentures and mortgages.
“When, through the law's intervention, the common people shall have lost their homes, they will be more easy to control and more easy to govern, and they shall not be able to resist the strong hand of the Government acting in accordance with the orders of the central power of imperial wealth, under the control of the leaders of finance.
“Our top leaders are perfectly aware of the truth. They are presently working at establishing an imperialism of the capital to rule the world. But while they are implementing this plan, they must keep the people busy with political antagonisms.
“We'll therefore speed up the question of reform in the custom rates by the political organization called the Democratic Party; and we'll put the spotlight on the question of protection and of the reciprocity by the Republican Party.
“By dividing the electorate this way, we'll be able to have them spend their energies at struggling amongst themselves on questions that, for us, have no importance whatsoever, and on which we only touch upon as instructors of the common flock.
“It is thus that, through discreet acts, we can maintain what was so generously projected and executed with such a remarkable success.” -United States Bankers' Magazine 1892

January 5, 2012

Jan 4, #Occupy Foreclosures Los Angeles: Have a little Faith. (Dial-up warning)

Today at 4PM, members of various #Occupations including #Occupy the Hood as well as some other groups working for economic and social justice and fairness, came together in South Central to show solidarity with Faith, an absolutely lovely lady whom Bank of America are attempting to tire and drive out of her home with toxic loans and vast obstructionism. The LA Times were there. I didn't get an opportunity to request that they attempt to present a fair and unbiased perspective (read: Actual news and reporting) on this and other matters #Occupy; hopefully this was one of their good people. Neuva Television, Press TV, and others attended.

Faith and her daughter:



Faith was truly blown away by the support. "Who am I (to deserve all this)?" she asked. We reassured her that times have changed and that all you have to do is call. She hugged everyone and kissed us on the cheek. Lovely, lovely lady. She also told the story of how BoA have obstructed her to attempt to drive her from her home. Robber barons. Shifty men dresssed in black with stovepipe hats and long, twirly moustaches, just waiting to grab up everything they can. When you meet their victims in person and hear their stories, you can come to no other conclusion.

So, there we were.









The mood of the thing swinging from heartbreak to compassion to unity! The neighbors were out or were sometimes watching from windows; they know a toxic foreclosure will effect THEIR property value. Hopefully they now also know that we will be there if -they- need us as well.

#Occupy the Hood spoke of action to unite all in the community, and of the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. march at King and Crenshaw. Others who are in trouble with banks told their stories. And to me, most significantly, this reading of an old but still terribly meaningful document:

Freedom LA livestreamed the entire event; you can move the time marker as you wish and play from there. Faith and the others begin speaking at around 33 minutes, and at 1:12 is a far better view of the above bank document reading.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/19571871

If you are at all curious about this, I encourage you to listen to what all of these people had to say. It is wonderful, it is powerful, it is hopeful!

This is what it's all about. This is what has to keep happening.

I'll bet they wished they'd let us stay in the camps where we wouldn't have found all of these foreclosures, and foreclosure auctions, which take place every day in Los Angeles. Yes, there are actions against these events as well!

MAKE A CALL TO BOA AND DEMAND RESCISSION ON THE FORECLOSURE SALE OF FAITH PARKER HOME LOCATED AT 935 W. 60th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90044

BANK OF AMERICA CEO BRIAN MOYNIHAN
(972) 526-3776

January 4, 2012

N.Y.'s Top Court Paves Way for Unions to Sue Over Wall Street Fraud

By Dan Rivoli | December 21, 2011 3:03 PM EST

Thanks to a Tuesday decision from New York's highest court, unions and other burned investors will now have another avenue to take in fighting Wall Street's alleged fraud and misconduct.

New York's high court, known as the Court of Appeals, has paved the way for investors, including union pension plans, to file private negligence claims against major Wall Street financial institutions for alleged securities-related fraud.

In a unanimous decision, the Court of Appeals rejected an argument from J.P. Morgan Investment Management that New York's Martin Act -- a powerful 90-year-old law enabling the state attorney general broad authority to crack down on financial fraud -- preempts investors from launching their own private common-law claims.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/271049/20111221/n-y-s-top-court-paves-way.htm?mid=55

January 4, 2012

Video of Globalrevolution team arrests

http://bambuser.com/channel/LucaAntonio/broadcast/2261571

You can set the timer to about nine minutes or so...

January 4, 2012

NY City Council Passes Resolution Declaring that Corporations Are Not People

http://nycprogressives.com/2012/01/04/ny-city-council-passes-resolution-declaring-that-corporations-are-not-people/

NEW YORK, NY — The Progressive Caucus of the City Council commends today’s passage of a resolution opposing the United States Supreme Court Citizens United decision, which gave corporations the same First Amendment rights as people. Progressive Caucus Members Brad Lander, Melissa Mark-Viverito and Steve Levin sponsored this resolution, with the entirety of the Progressive Caucus as co-sponsors. We thank Speaker Christine Quinn for her leadership on this important issue.

As our support of this resolution demonstrates, restoring confidence in government and strengthening democratic participation is a core principle of the Progressive Caucus. We believe that corporations should not share the same rights as people, that unlimited and unreported corporate donations meant to sway the electoral process should not be considered freedom of speech, and that the government should regulate the raising and spending of money by corporations intended to influence elections. We cannot allow corporate money to manipulate our democracy.

As Justice John Paul Stevens recognized in his dissent in the Citizens United decision, “corporations have no consciences, no beliefs, no feelings, no thoughts, no desires. Corporations help facilitate and structure the activities of human beings, to be sure, and their ‘personhood’ often serves as a useful legal fiction. But they are not themselves members of ‘We the People’ by whom and for whom our Constitution was established.”

The Progressive Caucus supports this sentiment and urges Congress to take action to protect our democracy against corporate control and return the election process to the people.

(That's the entire article)

January 4, 2012

‘Occupy’ protesters stage ‘die-in’ against National Defense Authorization Act

“The people lying before you represent the victims of the one percent’s war on democracy both at home and abroad,” said one protester, reading from a prepared statement.

“We are determine to remain here until Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chair of the Democratic National Committee agrees to meet with us to discuss our demands that corporate money be removed from national politics and civil liberties be restored to their primary position in all public policy,” he continued. “We seek a discussion about how the democratic party will stop serving the interests of Wall Street and corporate money and start putting people before profits.”

Schultz said on Tuesday that she probably would not have a chance to meet with them.

“I probably won’t have a chance to talk to them while I’m here but I have talked to Occupy Wall Street folks over the last few months, I’ve been publicly supportive of them,” she said. “I think that they are well within their rights to be frustrated.”

(Rather a non-answer, eh? -FWWM)

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/03/occupy-protesters-stage-die-in-against-national-defense-authorization-act/

January 4, 2012

Voices of #Occupy Los Angeles, the #Occupy Movie

Uploaded by OccupyMovie on Jan 3, 2012

This inspiring documentary highlights the unified voices of Occupy movement participants. This compelling look into the perspectives of citizens rallying for change sits in stark contrast to the out of context portrayal of the Occupy movement falsely created by media corporations.

Occupy Movie has been released as a social film experience! You can now INTERACT with each of the speakers in the film.

To learn more about Occupy Movie and social filmmaking, please visit:
http://www.OccupyMovie.com

January 4, 2012

At first I was like