The New York Transit Workers Union, which represents 200,000 people has voted to join the Wall Street Protest tommorrow at 4 PM.
A Massive Union Just Voted To Side With The Wall Street Protesters
The TWU has four main divisions: Railroad; Gaming; Airline; Transit; and Utility, University and Service. The Union has 114 autonomous locals representing over 200,000 members and retirees in 22 states around the country.
Occupy Wall Street has been picking up some decent support from unions in the past few days. Yesterday we reported that the Teamsters Union declared their support for protestors, and we also found out that the United Pilots Union had members at the protest demonstrating in uniform.
Today we learned the Industrial Workers of the World put a message of support on their website as well.
UPDATE: Verizon union workers have joined the protestors in NYC.
This is what it’s going to take. The more people who join, the louder the collective voice. It will take time, but eventually someone who needs to will listen. Sitting back and not speaking out in this way or any other will eventually destroy this country.
There are no excuses left. Either you join the revolt taking place on Wall Street and in the financial districts of other cities across the country or you stand on the wrong side of history.
To be declared innocent in a country where the rule of law means nothing, where we have undergone a corporate coup, where the poor and working men and women are reduced to joblessness and hunger, where war, financial speculation and internal surveillance are the only real business of the state, where even habeas corpus no longer exists, where you, as a citizen, are nothing more than a commodity to corporate systems of power, one to be used and discarded, is to be complicit in this radical evil. To stand on the sidelines and say “I am innocent” is to bear the mark of Cain; it is to do nothing to reach out and help the weak, the oppressed and the suffering, to save the planet. To be innocent in times like these is to be a criminal.
Choose. But choose fast. The state and corporate forces are determined to crush this. They are not going to wait for you. They are terrified this will spread.
The only word these corporations know is more. They are disemboweling every last social service program funded by the taxpayers, from education to Social Security, because they want that money themselves. Let the sick die. Let the poor go hungry. Let families be tossed in the street. Let the unemployed rot. Let children in the inner city or rural wastelands learn nothing and live in misery and fear. Let the students finish school with no jobs and no prospects of jobs. Let the prison system, the largest in the industrial world, expand to swallow up all potential dissenters. Let torture continue. Let teachers, police, firefighters, postal employees and social workers join the ranks of the unemployed. Let the roads, bridges, dams, levees, power grids, rail lines, subways, bus services, schools and libraries crumble or close. Let the rising temperatures of the planet, the freak weather patterns, the hurricanes, the droughts, the flooding, the tornadoes, the melting polar ice caps, the poisoned water systems, the polluted air increase until the species dies.
Those on the streets around Wall Street are the physical embodiment of hope. They know that hope has a cost, that it is not easy or comfortable, that it requires self-sacrifice and discomfort and finally faith. They sleep on concrete every night. Their clothes are soiled. They have eaten more bagels and peanut butter than they ever thought possible. They have tasted fear, been beaten, gone to jail, been blinded by pepper spray, cried, hugged each other, laughed, sung, talked too long in general assemblies, seen their chants drift upward to the office towers above them, wondered if it is worth it, if anyone cares, if they will win. But as long as they remain steadfast they point the way out of the corporate labyrinth. This is what it means to be alive. They are the best among us.
Obama’s Supreme Court Petition on Health Care Reform Provides an Out on Constitutionality Decision
The Obama administration Wednesday petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to decide on the constitutionality of health care reform’s insurance mandate. But the petition suggests that the justices may not even get to that decision.
While most of the petition defends the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, it also asks the Supreme Court to decide whether the 26 Republican attorneys general who are challenging the insurance requirement can even sue due to a little-known tax law called the Anti-Injunction Act.
A group of House Democrats alleging that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas violated ethics rules by failing to report his wife’s income called for a federal investigation into the matter today.
Since President Barack Obama announced last month that he would sign an executive order allowing states to op out of mandatory participation of NCB over 50% of the country is already on board. This is a victory for educators, students, parents and taxpayers. NCB is almost universally recognized as bad policy, and our nation will be much better off without it.
Majority of states lining up to ditch No Child Left Behind
Griffin saw the surgeon this morning and was released to return to work! The surgeon was so pleased, he called Griffin “a walking advertisement.” We saw the x-rays of the straight legs and we all three just sat there beaming about our success! The surgeon got it started 6 weeks ago, and the patient and caregiver kept it going!
Fantastic news, fnord. Please accept my congratulations on a job very well done by all. The only question I have is whether Griffin will miss the folks in black leather and with whips he has become accustomed to seeing over the recent past. 🙂
We are living in a “pox-on-both-your-houses” moment. Congressional approval is at an all-time low. More than 40 percent of Americans believe that both Republican and Democrat policies are moving the country in the wrong direction, while Tea Party approval has sunk to the mid-20s. Despite widespread dissatisfaction with President Obama, even Republicans acknowledge the weakness of their 2012 field—giving rise to persistent fantasies about a Chris Christie candidacy. In reaction to D.C.’s division and dysfunction, a record number of Americans now identify as independent voters while a majority says it’s time for a third party.
We are a country that innovates its way out of problems. And there is an innovative alternative emerging. It’s called Americans Elect and it promises to hold an open online presidential nomination contest in June of 2012 and then put a bipartisan presidential ticket on the ballot in all 50 states. It’s so crazy, it just might work.
NationofChange: Bernie Sanders and Keith Olbermann on Wall Street protests. KO says, “The possibility exists that together they might be synthesizing something this country seemingly has not had in decades: An active, motivative left collation to counter the right-wing.”
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
The New York Transit Workers Union, which represents 200,000 people has voted to join the Wall Street Protest tommorrow at 4 PM.
A Massive Union Just Voted To Side With The Wall Street Protesters
The TWU has four main divisions: Railroad; Gaming; Airline; Transit; and Utility, University and Service. The Union has 114 autonomous locals representing over 200,000 members and retirees in 22 states around the country.
Occupy Wall Street has been picking up some decent support from unions in the past few days. Yesterday we reported that the Teamsters Union declared their support for protestors, and we also found out that the United Pilots Union had members at the protest demonstrating in uniform.
Today we learned the Industrial Workers of the World put a message of support on their website as well.
UPDATE: Verizon union workers have joined the protestors in NYC.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/a-massive-union-just-voted-to-side-with-the-wall-street-protesters-2011-9#ixzz1ZR79BC7k
This is what it’s going to take. The more people who join, the louder the collective voice. It will take time, but eventually someone who needs to will listen. Sitting back and not speaking out in this way or any other will eventually destroy this country.
The Best Among Us
There are no excuses left. Either you join the revolt taking place on Wall Street and in the financial districts of other cities across the country or you stand on the wrong side of history.
To be declared innocent in a country where the rule of law means nothing, where we have undergone a corporate coup, where the poor and working men and women are reduced to joblessness and hunger, where war, financial speculation and internal surveillance are the only real business of the state, where even habeas corpus no longer exists, where you, as a citizen, are nothing more than a commodity to corporate systems of power, one to be used and discarded, is to be complicit in this radical evil. To stand on the sidelines and say “I am innocent” is to bear the mark of Cain; it is to do nothing to reach out and help the weak, the oppressed and the suffering, to save the planet. To be innocent in times like these is to be a criminal.
Choose. But choose fast. The state and corporate forces are determined to crush this. They are not going to wait for you. They are terrified this will spread.
The only word these corporations know is more. They are disemboweling every last social service program funded by the taxpayers, from education to Social Security, because they want that money themselves. Let the sick die. Let the poor go hungry. Let families be tossed in the street. Let the unemployed rot. Let children in the inner city or rural wastelands learn nothing and live in misery and fear. Let the students finish school with no jobs and no prospects of jobs. Let the prison system, the largest in the industrial world, expand to swallow up all potential dissenters. Let torture continue. Let teachers, police, firefighters, postal employees and social workers join the ranks of the unemployed. Let the roads, bridges, dams, levees, power grids, rail lines, subways, bus services, schools and libraries crumble or close. Let the rising temperatures of the planet, the freak weather patterns, the hurricanes, the droughts, the flooding, the tornadoes, the melting polar ice caps, the poisoned water systems, the polluted air increase until the species dies.
Those on the streets around Wall Street are the physical embodiment of hope. They know that hope has a cost, that it is not easy or comfortable, that it requires self-sacrifice and discomfort and finally faith. They sleep on concrete every night. Their clothes are soiled. They have eaten more bagels and peanut butter than they ever thought possible. They have tasted fear, been beaten, gone to jail, been blinded by pepper spray, cried, hugged each other, laughed, sung, talked too long in general assemblies, seen their chants drift upward to the office towers above them, wondered if it is worth it, if anyone cares, if they will win. But as long as they remain steadfast they point the way out of the corporate labyrinth. This is what it means to be alive. They are the best among us.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_best_among_us_20110929/
Wow. Said so much better than I tried above.
Obama’s Supreme Court Petition on Health Care Reform Provides an Out on Constitutionality Decision
The Obama administration Wednesday petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to decide on the constitutionality of health care reform’s insurance mandate. But the petition suggests that the justices may not even get to that decision.
While most of the petition defends the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, it also asks the Supreme Court to decide whether the 26 Republican attorneys general who are challenging the insurance requirement can even sue due to a little-known tax law called the Anti-Injunction Act.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/222206/20110929/supreme-court-health-care-reform-obama-petition.htm
Democrats Call for Inquiry of Clarence Thomas
A group of House Democrats alleging that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas violated ethics rules by failing to report his wife’s income called for a federal investigation into the matter today.
http://www.rollcall.com/news/democrats_call_for_inquiry_of_clarence_thomas-209072-1.html?pos=hftxt
Today not only is separation of church and state at risk but we need to make sure we get separation of corporation and state!
Since President Barack Obama announced last month that he would sign an executive order allowing states to op out of mandatory participation of NCB over 50% of the country is already on board. This is a victory for educators, students, parents and taxpayers. NCB is almost universally recognized as bad policy, and our nation will be much better off without it.
Majority of states lining up to ditch No Child Left Behind
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44693695/ns/today-education_nation/#.ToXz381FY76
Griffin saw the surgeon this morning and was released to return to work! The surgeon was so pleased, he called Griffin “a walking advertisement.” We saw the x-rays of the straight legs and we all three just sat there beaming about our success! The surgeon got it started 6 weeks ago, and the patient and caregiver kept it going!
WOO HOO, fnord and Griffin!!!!!!
Glad to hear everything is great.
Fantastic news, fnord. Please accept my congratulations on a job very well done by all. The only question I have is whether Griffin will miss the folks in black leather and with whips he has become accustomed to seeing over the recent past. 🙂
Anyone who’s been to PT will recognize 617’s description.
Congratulations on an amazing recovery.
And…Cusick is DA BOMB! Best Doctor Ever!
2012’s New Contenders
We are living in a “pox-on-both-your-houses” moment. Congressional approval is at an all-time low. More than 40 percent of Americans believe that both Republican and Democrat policies are moving the country in the wrong direction, while Tea Party approval has sunk to the mid-20s. Despite widespread dissatisfaction with President Obama, even Republicans acknowledge the weakness of their 2012 field—giving rise to persistent fantasies about a Chris Christie candidacy. In reaction to D.C.’s division and dysfunction, a record number of Americans now identify as independent voters while a majority says it’s time for a third party.
We are a country that innovates its way out of problems. And there is an innovative alternative emerging. It’s called Americans Elect and it promises to hold an open online presidential nomination contest in June of 2012 and then put a bipartisan presidential ticket on the ballot in all 50 states. It’s so crazy, it just might work.
Just because ‘Christ’ is in Chris Christie’s name, it doesn’t mean he is. 😉
GOP should be GAC. Get A Clue.
NationofChange: Bernie Sanders and Keith Olbermann on Wall Street protests. KO says, “The possibility exists that together they might be synthesizing something this country seemingly has not had in decades: An active, motivative left collation to counter the right-wing.”
watch it…