‘Occupy Wall Street’ not as ‘fringe’ as some like to believe
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Federal Hall National Memorial was built at the site where Congress held its first session, at the foot of Wall Street in New York City.
The First Amendment, part of the Bill of Rights, was ratified by Congress meeting at Federal Hall in New York City on Sept. 25, 1789. Today, a motley, disorganized group of American citizens is exercising its First Amendment rights to peaceably assemble and to petition their government, literally within steps of where Congress met to acknowledge those rights.
The movement’s goals are at best uncertain, and to the extent they can be determined, in some ways extreme and unrealistic. And as has been demonstrated convincingly with other large political gatherings, it is certainly possible to wade into the crowd to find people whose antics and beliefs can be used to discredit the larger effort.
The protesters are at least pretty clear about what they don’t like: They don’t like the fact that Wall Street and the financial sector benefited enormously from taxpayer-funded bailouts, while insisting that ordinary Americans neither need nor deserve such assistance.
As the protesters like to chant, “The big banks got bailed, but the middle class got left behind.” Rasmussen reports, 79 percent of Americans say they agree with that sentiment. Only 10 percent disagree.
As Rasmussen assesses its poll findings, “The bailouts of the financial industry still leave a sour taste in the mouths of most Americans, who feel as strongly as ever that the government was looking out for bankers rather than taxpayers and that crimes on Wall Street remain unpunished.”
Earlier this year, Gallup conducted what has become an annual polling of Americans on their attitudes toward major corporations. Not surprisingly, given the role that Wall Street greed and arrogance played in creating this economic crisis, the public isn’t all that happy with them.
In fact, two-thirds of Americans say they are dissatisfied with the size and influence of corporations in national life.
But take another look at the charts above and below. This sense of dissatisfaction and distrust began to grow long before the crisis of 2008. Those events merely helped to crystallize sentiments that in fact had been building for years.
In other words, it’s easy to dismiss “Occupy Wall Street” as the work of the radical fringe, because in some ways it is. But what makes it bigger than that is the fact that the misgivings and distrust it is expressing are felt much more broadly, not just in campus coffee houses but in small-town diners, and not just in liberal chat rooms but in Tea Party meetings as well.
You don’t have to agree with the solutions they propose in order to recognize that the problems they dramatize and publicize have merit. Tens of millions of American citizens understand that .
– Jay Bookman
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
658 comments Add your comment
mm
October 6th, 2011
2:20 pm
“Didn’t help the middle class any did it??”
Yes, I believe it saved about 1 million middle class jobs. Next silly question?
Joe the Plutocrat
October 6th, 2011
2:21 pm
JKL2, and wouldn’t it be funny (funny “ha-ha” not funny queer) if the Occupy Wall Street crowd dovetailed their redress of grievences to include the 2nd Amendment? remember all those d**chebag tea party types who showed up a political rallies toting AR-15s and .357s on their hips? truth be told, I’ll take a protester with B.O. over one with a H&K. these people don’t “hate America”. in fact, they are protesting against the criminals on Wall Street who are selling America short. you ever see “On the Waterfront”? check out the scene in which Terry laments the fact that he ‘coulda been a contenda’ until his mobbed up older brother Charlie took ‘the short money’ at the expense of Terry’s career as a prize fighter. oh that’s right, Elia Kazan was an un-American Communists…
Jm
October 6th, 2011
2:22 pm
Translation
Bug business is bad bad bad
Whatever
Lets ignore the fact that the most egregious and largest tax loopholes were created by a million small residential broker contractors, and the obscene health care tax exemption is promoted by labor unions
Look in the mirror jay. The biggest tax cheats are tour constituency.
Granny Godzilla
October 6th, 2011
2:22 pm
RB from Gwinnett
October 6th, 2011
2:17 pm
Are they protesting over at GM headquarters too?? They got bailed out too and I still have to pay the same for a new car. Didn’t help the middle class any did it??
I am so sorry you had to pay for a new car just to keep a million people employed. My heart just breaks for you.
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:23 pm
Reality is a tough pill to swallow isn’t it Grandma? The majority of the people protesting out there are proudly stating marxist goals, so you can call me a liar or whatever else you’d like. It doesn’t change the fact that this is a marxist movement by and large. Calls for ‘free everything’ are exactly what the marxist idiology is, and what i’m seeing and hearing come from most of these clueless kids.
Marxism: the system of economic and political thought developed by Karl Marx, along with Friedrich Engels, especially the doctrine that the state throughout history has been a device for the exploitation of the masses by a dominant class, that class struggle has been the main agency of historical change, and that the capitalist system, containing from the first the seeds of its own decay, will inevitably, after the period of the dictatorship of the proletariat, be superseded by a socialist order and a classless society.
jewcowboy
October 6th, 2011
2:23 pm
Talking Head,
“what’s your definition of stable?”
How about the opposite of this:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late-2000s_recession
too little time
October 6th, 2011
2:23 pm
I watch this movement and cringe as the Unions and MoveOn move in to co-opt and lay claim to grass roots. The ORIGINAL protest against banks has more support than most would like.
What has the Obama Administration done about prosecuting Wall Street for what happened? Where is the rebuke of Fannie, and Freddie, and Barney Frank and Chris Dodd?
The Savings and Loan debacle of the late 1980’s resulted in HUNDREDS of prosecutions and convictions of banking execs. Where are the prosecutions in THIS debacle?
The Democrats are trying to mobilize the movement to pin blame of the great recession on Republicans… instead of prosecuting wall street. FAIL. Their signature legislation… Dodd/Frank… was written by the very folks who enabled this to happen in the first place…. and it will not prevent a future meltdown.
And that is where we really are: We have no prosecutions and no changes that will prevent a future meltdown. And once again, both Republicans AND Democrats are to blame.
Jm
October 6th, 2011
2:24 pm
Fact: liberals destroyed the economy.
Abetted by bankers.
Absent Fannie, freddie, and massive tax deductions for the middle class, housing mania would not have destroyed the economy
Joe the Plutocrat
October 6th, 2011
2:25 pm
Buckhead has a “Financial District”? I thought they razed the Bank of America branch on the corner of Pharr and Peachtree.
1811/0311
October 6th, 2011
2:26 pm
Joe Mama:
They have been arrested for not having a parade permit, etc.
May I assume that if they are prosecuted and it sticks that you will agree with me that they have violated and prostituted the First Amendment ……………………….. or is every citizen free to violate another citizen’s rights ?
Jm
October 6th, 2011
2:27 pm
Too little
U r poorly informed
Libs know that prosecutions don’t prevent crime
That’s why the death penalty is stupid silly
Granny Godzilla
October 6th, 2011
2:27 pm
Irony
Bitter Pills? They have your picture on the label.
Underneath the slogan: Proud Liar.
You have been promoted to Captain Silly Pants.
(no matter what your nom de plume is)
Joe the Plutocrat
October 6th, 2011
2:28 pm
Irony, can you read? can you see? please direct us to the “free everything” demands of the protesters. and change your handle to dumbsh*t, it makes more sense.
Jimmy62
October 6th, 2011
2:29 pm
Who is saying they can’t assemble? Of course people that work in that area also have the right to do their jobs and run their businesses, a right that is being trampled on by the protestors. They could assemble peaceably, but instead they are interfering with everyone else’s lives.
Also, they are protesting the wrong people. The banks didn’t get to decide whether they got bailed out or not, politicians did that. Politicians chose to punish success and reward failure by bailing out these banks. The things the protestors are railing about are the result of big government. Their student loan debts- Big government’s partnership with Big Education, the goal of which is to extract as much money from middle class families as possible. Why aren’t they protesting the people who caused the problems they are upset about?
TaxPayer
October 6th, 2011
2:30 pm
I think Scout is drooling. He so wants to get up there with Officer Bologna.
Jimmy62
October 6th, 2011
2:30 pm
I guess it just shows the general lack of education those people have, that they can’t even blame the correct people.
Trotsky Foxtrot
October 6th, 2011
2:30 pm
Thanks for the Wikipedia tour, Irony.
Lost in your little exposition there is the posing of one simple question: Is Marxism RIGHT?
I ask you. Can you honestly look out at the brutality that is contemporary global capitalism and say with certainty that it is not? I dare you to.
“Calls for ‘free everything’ are exactly what the marxist idiology is, and what i’m seeing and hearing come from most of these clueless kids.”
You apparently don’t understand the first thing about social history or the world around you. If you were being honest, you would realize that ONLY ONE group and ONE only want “free everything” and that is of course the wealthy.
Now that doesn’t mean that they’re evil. It just means that the more that you have, the more that you will tend to act as though you already own everything, and thus you will not see any need to pay for what you want (since you want for nothing).
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:30 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hK4yACfCjGw
Granny and Joe – I accept your apologies
Granny Godzilla
October 6th, 2011
2:30 pm
“Big government’s partnership with Big Education”
Wow wowwee wow
Peter
October 6th, 2011
2:30 pm
Hey WOODSTOCK ” Angry ” MIKE .
Are you aware that he has only been there 2 1/2 years..not nearly enough time to clean up the Bush mess ?
How is that $300 Million Iraq War budget working out ?
How is it Republican’s were too pansy to get Bin Laden ?
mm
October 6th, 2011
2:31 pm
jm,
“Fact: liberals destroyed the economy.
Abetted by bankers.
Absent Fannie, freddie, and massive tax deductions for the middle class, housing mania would not have destroyed the economy”
You prove on a daily basis you have no concept of reality. Just repeat lies, rinse, repeat.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 6th, 2011
2:32 pm
So Scout, since you have come out of the hidey hole, Tony Bolgna? If the tapes are shown correct, he violated the rights of the protestors and police procedure and should be punished right?
How about the Brooklyn Bridge lawsuit? Entrapment since the so-called “warning” could not be heard and the police then led the group part way across the bridge?
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:32 pm
@Trotsky
No, marxism is not RIGHT. it is CRAZY and DESTRUCTIVE. Sorry I left those out in my original wiki tour.
You show me one country or one instance in which marxism hasn’t resulted in the death and/or oppression of millions, and maybe I’ll be willing to reconsider.
Granny Godzilla
October 6th, 2011
2:32 pm
Irony
Ya do? Well isn’t funny, all I offered was disdain.
TaxPayer
October 6th, 2011
2:33 pm
These people have every right to exercise the right to bare arms. In public even. I bet the Republicans would really have a hissy fit if the peaceful protesters started showing up with there permitted guns. Talk about a love-hate relationship! The Republicans would be yelling, “Take those socialists down… but be careful not to scratch that beautiful Glock!”
Armed Liberal
October 6th, 2011
2:33 pm
Jimmy62 – Have you ever pondered whether you were wrong? You don’t have to admit anything, just a little thought exercise – what if you were wrong and those in NY are right?
And before you ask, yes I ask myself that all the time. Sometimes I even change my mind/position!
carlosgvv
October 6th, 2011
2:34 pm
History has repeatily shown that when a small minority of the people control the vast majority of the wealth and power, the “have nots” will finally start to act. There is no reason whatsoever to think that we Americans are somehow immune from the lessons of history, as we most certainly are not. This is not something that will just go away. Forewarned is forearmed.
Tom Middleton
October 6th, 2011
2:34 pm
It’s not a movement unless it translates into votes. I mean, this is a democracy, isn’t it?
And since the taxpayers actually made money off the bailout to the tune of $billions (Erin Burnett), then protester sentiment seems to mostly be against the unwillingness to help everyone else, yes?
Sounds like this is one to favor the Dems next November, Jay, if we can keep the right wing from sending in their thugs to make it turn violent. I’d bet another bailout they will try, most likely more than once!
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:34 pm
No worries Grandma. I went ahead and gave you enough credit for knowing when to apologize about being so horribly wrong and misguided. You’re welcome.
1811/0311
October 6th, 2011
2:34 pm
Jimmy62:
I’m betting if Joe Mama was working a hard job in Lower Manhattan and these knuckleheads had caused him to be late for work and miss a contract or something that he would not be so supportive.
You can demonstrate within the law without trampling on other citizen’s rights. Many groups in our history have chosen not to do that and that makes them “spoiled brat politcal trash”.
Jm
October 6th, 2011
2:35 pm
Mm u have no rebuttal
Trotsky, u really are a commie. Don’t vote D next November
Cause they’re not commie
Mick
October 6th, 2011
2:35 pm
jm @ 2:24
Not intended to be an intelligent statement. C’mon man, you know as well as I that we are all part of the same hypocrisy?
Granny Godzilla
October 6th, 2011
2:35 pm
Off topic but funny from TPM
Bad Sign For Ohio’s Guns In Bars Law: Ohio Barber Shot In Butt After Customer Drops Gun
1811/0311
October 6th, 2011
2:36 pm
carlosgvv:
And thanks to the NRA we are forearmed !
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:36 pm
@Tom
“I mean, this is a democracy, isn’t it?”
Um, actually no. It’s not. It’s a Republic. You should try scanning through the constitution one of these days.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 6th, 2011
2:37 pm
Hmmm… why I am sure the original Tea Party demonstrated within the law….. oh wait, they destroyed property. Scout just called the founding fathers “spoiled brat political trash”
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 6th, 2011
2:40 pm
Granny, how funny…..
TaxPayer
October 6th, 2011
2:40 pm
I’m betting that Scout can’t stand the fact that those people are up there peacefully protesting. If only they were Tea Partyers that support Dick Armey and the Koch crooks, then he would be okay with it.
1811/0311
October 6th, 2011
2:40 pm
Granny:
How many wrecks were there in the U.S. last year by a driver who had just left a bar?
Let’s ban driving after drinking in a bar …….. regardless of amount of alcohol consumption.
What say ye ?
Granny Godzilla
October 6th, 2011
2:40 pm
Irony
You learn that from one of the Lehman Brothers? Countrywide?
That worked out so well.
Jm
October 6th, 2011
2:40 pm
Romney, Paul Ryan gotta make more donations
Commies must be stopped from turning America into Zimbabwe
Granny Godzilla
October 6th, 2011
2:41 pm
Scout
I say to thee…ok.
Doggone/GA
October 6th, 2011
2:42 pm
“Um, actually no. It’s not. It’s a Republic”
Ummm, actually it is. It’s Democratic Republic. Saying it’s not a “democracy, it’s a republic” is like saying that vehicle you are driving isn’t a “car” it’s a “Ford” It’s a “Ford car”
(and no, I DO NOT care what kind of vehicle you actually drive, if any)
Jm
October 6th, 2011
2:43 pm
Mick 2:35
I’m an unwilling participant in the hypocrisy
Or maybe I’m willing. I prefer not to break the law.
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:43 pm
Holy Smokes Grandma! That was the best and most clever response EVER! Guess you showed me! Way to go!!
Mick
October 6th, 2011
2:44 pm
1811
Protesting is the american effing way! It’s just not as much fun when you are against what is being protested…
Kamchak
October 6th, 2011
2:45 pm
The Fannie and Freddie hot sauce.
A classic flavor that hasn’t been sprinkled enough lately, I see
Granny Godzilla
October 6th, 2011
2:45 pm
Irony
Only to be topped by yours…..
Such poetry.
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:45 pm
@Doggone -
democratic is only the type of republic we have. It’s still a Republic first and foremost. But thanks for playing!
Jm
October 6th, 2011
2:46 pm
If you can’t get a job or find work where you are, go somewhere else where you can
I prefer the occupy people go to Mexico or better yet china. They could learn a few things
TaxPayer
October 6th, 2011
2:46 pm
I saw that one of those NY police even whacked a Fox 5 reporter with thier baton.
Joe the Plutocrat
October 6th, 2011
2:47 pm
from Yahoo News: Nearly half of all Americans lived in a household that received some kind of government benefit during the first three months of last year, the Wall Street Journal reports, based on new Census data. That’s even higher than the figure recorded during the depths of the Great Recession.
OK class (JKL2, WOODSTOCK MIKE, et al); what do these lazy Americans who suckle at the teat of government do with all this “unearned income”? you think maybe Wal-Mart, Kroger, Sears Holdings, TJMaxx, ExxonMobil, Sony, Archer Daniels Midland, Miller/MolsonCoors, Coca Cola and Herman Cain’s favorite; BurgerKing (part of Pepsico, I believe) “rely” on these funds as well? follow the money to Wall Street for your answer.
Jm
October 6th, 2011
2:47 pm
Jay: “occupy not fringe, but tea party is ”
Whatever
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:49 pm
Everyone here does realize that most of Wall Street is leftist, right? And that wall street donated more to obama in 2008 than to any other candidate? These folks are protesting the same people who are and have been in bed with this president. I’m fine with that, just can’t help laughing at the irony of protesting against capitalism while spreading the word from your apple laptop. I’m also betting Steve Jobs was greatly mourned by these folks, and he was one of the biggest and most successful capitalist CEOs ever.
Ah the irony
Jay
October 6th, 2011
2:50 pm
Jay: “occupy not fringe, but tea party is ”
jm, I don’t recall using that word to describe the Tea Party. However, I’m certain that you can show me where I did, because as an honorable person you would never make such a claim unless you knew it to be true, correct?
You would never put your own words in someone else’s mouth in an attempt to discredit them.
Correct?
1811/0311
October 6th, 2011
2:51 pm
TaxPayer:
I delt with protestors my whole federal law enforcement career.
If it’s peaceful and within the law ……………….. not a problem.
.O.K ……. back to babysitting my little prosters !
Mick
October 6th, 2011
2:51 pm
irony@2:49
I find it ironic that you don’t really understand what the protest is about…
carlosgvv
October 6th, 2011
2:52 pm
1811/0311
Yes, we are forearmed, thanks to the NRA. Unfortunately, your pistols and semi-automatic rifles will not stand up to tanks, F-18’s and modern artillery. This obvious fact is something that gun nuts just don’t seem to be able to understand.
Granny Godzilla
October 6th, 2011
2:53 pm
Good Little Irony
Is that true currently?
Kamchak
October 6th, 2011
2:53 pm
Everyone here does realize that most of Wall Street is leftist, right?
There’s your sign.
Trotsky Foxtrot
October 6th, 2011
2:53 pm
Irony, did 20th C marxist movements end in disaster?
Most of the time, yes. (Notice my name does not evoke Stalin.)
But what is the alternative to global capitalism?
Some people, all the way from Bill Clinton’s DNC (which means Barack Obama and 99% of the Democratic party) to our esteemed blog namesake, think that there is none.
I say that just because there is not one on the horizon that is easy to recognize does not mean there is not one.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 6th, 2011
2:53 pm
Chicago Traders respond “We are the 1%” to OccupyChicago.
Genius response I tell you. Pure genius! Great PR.
Joe the Plutocrat
October 6th, 2011
2:54 pm
Irony, you’re making progress; that’s good. you seem to have grasped an important concept (the concept of facts). namely, the Occupy Wall Stree demonstrators are not pro-Obama, they are anti-Wall Street. and kudos to you for seeing the “irony”, ‘cept there is no irony in protesting against Wall Street via an Apple laptop; it would be like seeing irony in the fact that Paul Revere warned the rebels “the British are coming” on a horse he likely imported from the UK (horses don’t come from Massachusetts)
Doggone/GA
October 6th, 2011
2:54 pm
“democratic is only the type of republic we have. It’s still a Republic first and foremost. But thanks for playing!”
Yes, it’s what WE have. It’s not the only kind of Republic that can exist. So, again, this IS a democracy…with a repulican form of representation. Thank YOU for “playing”
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:54 pm
@Mick
That would put me in the same ‘ironic’ category as a lot of the people actually protesting. There is no cohesive message out there, no consistent list of demands or wants. I’ve seen signs about anti-capitalism, free this or that, anti-Israel, etc. I don’t begrudge these folks their right to protest, but it would help if they could actually stick to one or two messages rather than all over the board.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 6th, 2011
2:56 pm
And Scout returns to his hidey hole to avoid the questions of Tony Bologna and the Brooklyn Bridge entrapment lawsuit………..
1811/0311
October 6th, 2011
2:57 pm
carlos:
One more quick one and I must run for awhile :
1) I was talking about individual protection ……………. someone breaking into my house “in protest” for what I have earned, etc. …………….. also known as burglary.
2) You should study history. If any country gets bad enough that a revolution takes place ………….. then the military becomes fractured as well …………….. not just the civilian populace. That’s why some revolutions (ours for example) are successful.
getalife
October 6th, 2011
2:57 pm
“We are the 99%” they chant.
You woke up the sleeping giant cons.
Joe Mama
October 6th, 2011
2:57 pm
Mike — “If you really somehow don’t recognize the super majority that’s very scary, spin it and twist it any weird way you want, even Obama himself recognized the super majority?? More links, I guess they are all lies…”
Jay’s elaborated on the specifics of this point many times, Mike. Bringing it up again won’t change things.
Tom Middleton
October 6th, 2011
2:58 pm
Irony
Irony: “Um, actually no. It’s not. It’s a Republic. You should try scanning through the constitution one of these days.”
Ahhh Irony. Actually it’s an INDIRECT democracy, a representative one, not a direct one, the kind you are talking about. It’s basic civics, dude, that when power begins and ends with the people themselves, it is a democracy, no matter how you try to deny it or how many times. Sorry to have to be the one to tell you…
Jm
October 6th, 2011
2:58 pm
Jay, I’ll have to go hunting this evening
I certainly recall you setting a tone along the lines of: tea party people are crazy (for one reason or another)
I don’t ever, ever recall you defending their grievances
Of that I am almost certain, but I also know my memory isn’t perfect
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 6th, 2011
2:58 pm
GLI? The muddled message objection. You mean like the clear single message of the Tea Party?
harvey
October 6th, 2011
2:58 pm
I was never in favor of ANY bailouts. But, I think those protestors ought to be in D.C. protesting at the Capitol, and not on Wall Street.
Trotsky Foxtrot
October 6th, 2011
2:58 pm
Irony: “Everyone here does realize that most of Wall Street is leftist, right? ”
Wait a minute, I would assume you tend to be a Wall Street supporter. So if I were to convince you that Wall Street is mostly Obama-supporting, would that mean you would change your mind and start approving of Obama or would you just start hating Wall St.
Hmmmmm … wondering what’s the cornerstone of that ideological position of yours ….
Irony
October 6th, 2011
2:58 pm
@Joe – oh oka!. I get it now. Ironic like the president preaching to “BUY AMERICAN” while he travels the country in his bus made in Canada? Got it!
Mick
October 6th, 2011
3:00 pm
irony
I think the greater point is that wall street, after creating a global crisis, walked away with money in their pockets and smelling like a rose. The victims of that sorry episode of greed, their friends and family, have gotten together to make life a little inconvenient and to send the message that the people have a limit for your games with money that ruin lives…
Recon (2nd.and 3rd.)
October 6th, 2011
3:01 pm
Wonder why Jay wasn’t as kind to the Tea Party demonstrations? Will they be demanding Obama’s resignation?
md
October 6th, 2011
3:01 pm
And our wonderful misfits were able to take a position of strength and negotiate US into a position of weakness……….we get what we deserve.
And for the side choosers, your side participated in the shafting……..
Irony
October 6th, 2011
3:01 pm
Hmmm…Trotsky – you are soooooooooo far off base. I don’t support the wall street companies that got bailed out and played an enormous part in destroying our economy. I’m actually able to hate wall street AND obama at the same time! So you don’t have to convince me that wall street is pro-obama. I’m very aware of that and actually the one who said that to begin with
Adam
October 6th, 2011
3:02 pm
Peadawg: Bailing out the auto industry which helped keep jobs intact vs. bailing out big banks which helped fatten CEO and Wall Street’s wallets….see the difference?
Precisely.
Joe the Plutocrat
October 6th, 2011
3:02 pm
Irony, who died and left you arbiter of the “cohesive message”? ever look at a dollar bill? ever see the words E Plurbus Unum (”from many, one”), see; by defintion, “many” suggests we the People are not a “cohesive” lot; but we are “one” in our citizenship (except Obama and all the Mexicans, of course). listen, sport (sorry Kamchack); if you can only handle one message at a time that is a you problem, not a we problem. take small bites, chew thoroughly, and swallow. such things will be much easier to digest.
Jm
October 6th, 2011
3:02 pm
Jay see your June 7 2011 for starters (5:56pm)
U have made effort upon effort to discredit the teaparty
That’s your right
Buy don’t try to deny it
Joe Mama
October 6th, 2011
3:03 pm
1811 — “They have been arrested for not having a parade permit, etc.”
Then prosecute them on that basis.
“May I assume that if they are prosecuted and it sticks that you will agree with me that they have violated and prostituted the First Amendment …”
I don’t believe there’s an applicable Federal of New York State charge that remotely resembles ‘violating and prostituting the First Amendment.’ Your purple prose is showing.
“….. or is every citizen free to violate another citizen’s rights ?”
If you or any citizen feel that your rights are being violated, you have the Constitutional right to petition the government for a redress of your grievances. That’s *another* First Amendment right.
You sure are whiny for a Marine. I thought y’all were tougher than that.
Adam
October 6th, 2011
3:03 pm
Jm: Fact: liberals destroyed the economy.
Proof that some people just don’t know that an OPINION is not the same as a fact.
Tom Middleton
October 6th, 2011
3:04 pm
Irony: “Ironic like the president preaching to “BUY AMERICAN” while he travels the country in his bus made in Canada? Got it!”
The bus was ordered under Bush, Irony. Hope you’re enjoying learning
Joe the Plutocrat
October 6th, 2011
3:05 pm
Irony, actually, no it’s not; once you graduate high school and think for yourself.
Jm
October 6th, 2011
3:05 pm
Came across this (unrelated) beauty: April 13 2011 9:01 am
Jay:”politically speaking, mitt Romney is a dead man walking”
“he has no chance whatsoever of becoming 45th president of the united states”
Too funny
md
October 6th, 2011
3:06 pm
“Unfortunately, your pistols and semi-automatic rifles will not stand up to tanks, F-18’s and modern artillery”
Hmmm…….yet the mighty russians and the mighty americans have yet to fully conquer a country such as Afghanistan………………………..
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
October 6th, 2011
3:06 pm
Well, I can’t figure out why the NYC cops ain’t on horseback and beating up these dirty happies. That’s what happens when there’s protests at meetings of the G-8 and party conventions. Sure, the Constitution talks about the right to assemble, but that don’t mean it’s a right. I mean, you can’t take everything at face value no more than you can take the right to be secure in your person and things as a guarantee they won’t wiretap the hell out of you.
Anyhow, I always thought Wall Street was where the Job Creators stayed or at least made money at. That leaves me all bumfuzzled again about why we’re allowing these scrungy hippies to picket there. I mean, they’re all but saying they’re against Trickle Down and everything else our country holds sacred. Next thing we know they’ll be calling for Tax Increases and then the skids will be greased.
I guess there’s alot of things I don’t understand about this world. And these Wall Street protests is one of them. A few good slaps and kicks upside the head would get them all back to work.
Speaking of work, I got to get humping again. The drunks don’t let a little something like it’s Wednesday night keep them from guzzling. All days are the same to drunks. Have a good p.m. everybody.
Trotsky Foxtrot
October 6th, 2011
3:06 pm
Irony: “I’m actually able to hate wall street AND obama at the same time!”
Ok, good. Then that moves you up one rung from the slack-jawed con-speak that pollutes these channels daily.
Still, let’s move this one step further and point out that the Wall St. protests represent a long overdue explosion of anger at the utter lack of a challenge to the power elite.
Let’s hope this one doesn’t get co-opted into an ideologically compromised and childish rant against “government”.
Irony
October 6th, 2011
3:06 pm
@Joe – I have to say I’m surprised. I didn’t peg you as a birther so that is a bit of a shock. I actually know obama was born here but I’ve heard about you folks who think he’s not. You do know he released his birth certificate, right?
Yes, i’ve seen a dollar bill a time or two, and I have seen the words on it. I actually agree with you – we are all individuals and personally accountable for our own lives, and not in some kind of populous category of people like most libs prefer to put everyone into. It’s refreshing to see we agree on that.
Joe Mama
October 6th, 2011
3:07 pm
1811 — “I’m betting if Joe Mama was working a hard job in Lower Manhattan and these knuckleheads had caused him to be late for work and miss a contract or something that he would not be so supportive.”
I’ve missed work in Washington before due to protests. It’s part of being an American. Adults recognize that and deal with it instead of peeing and moaning about being inconvenienced.
“You can demonstrate within the law without trampling on other citizen’s rights. Many groups in our history have chosen not to do that and that makes them “spoiled brat politcal trash”.
Whose rights are supposedly being trampled on, what rights and how, please?
Mick
October 6th, 2011
3:07 pm
The difference between steve jobs and the wall street banksters is that he actually made his fortune off of products that were sold. They, on the other hand, bundled up mortgages then sold and resold those instruments and figured out a way to make even more money when they knew it would collapse. Evil genius, I’ll say…money is the root of all evil or greed is good? You choose…
Kamchak
October 6th, 2011
3:08 pm
”politically speaking, mitt Romney is a dead man walking”
Yep.
“he has no chance whatsoever of becoming 45th president of the united states”
Yep, he won’t ever poll higher than mid 20s.
Irony
October 6th, 2011
3:09 pm
@Trotsky – we actually agree. I completely support those protesters who are out there to decry the elitists who have dragged the rest of us into economic hell. I have a MAJOR problem with how our tax dollars are being spent (bailouts, TARP, solyndra) and in that regard I stand with those protesters who are there for that reason. I do not stand with those who want to destroy capitalism, who feel they are entitled to getting everything for free, etc.
Midori
October 6th, 2011
3:10 pm
Jm
I’ll bet you’re really strong.
Takes a lot of strength constantly moving those goalposts
Kamchak
October 6th, 2011
3:11 pm
Psssst RC (R–spoi)
Today is Thursday.
Mr Sunshine
October 6th, 2011
3:13 pm
Perhaps if Obama had provided jobs LIKE HE SAID we wouldnt have as many malcontents. Nonetheless its certainly entertaining watching him thrash about…LMAO!!
Joe Mama
October 6th, 2011
3:13 pm
R. Convert — “and beating up these dirty happies.”
A Freudian sloop, uh, slip, wasn’t it?
Joe the Plutocrat
October 6th, 2011
3:14 pm
IRONY – n; expression in which what is meant is the opposite of what is said. seems to me Obama said “buy American” and he also meant “buy American”. again, if you buy a Stanley Hammer (US corporation), that is made in China, at a Home Depot (US corporation) that was built with financing from RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland), you’re gonna have some trouble with the “irony” box score at the end of the game. what is it you kids like to say? just sayin’