Global
On Thursday, OccupyWashingtonDC.org teamed up with the Backbone Campaign, National People's Action, and the New Economy Working Group in a march from Freedom Plaza to the Federal Housing Finance Administration (FHFA).
The demand they brought, along with giant props including a foreclosed house under water, was for a correction. The 1%, they said, inflated house values and made off with ill-gotten gains, but those left with underwater mortgages when the house values were brought back down have suffered. The demand is for mortgage values to be adjusted to match the current market values of houses.
"People in power know that the real solution to the continuing collapse of the housing market is universal principal reduction of American mortgages to real market value," said Bill Moyer of the Backbone Campaign. "It's time those with the power find the backbone to stand up to the banks and Institutions that hold these mortgages and insist they stop drowning America with false solutions, inaction and greed."
The demand they brought, along with giant props including a foreclosed house under water, was for a correction. The 1%, they said, inflated house values and made off with ill-gotten gains, but those left with underwater mortgages when the house values were brought back down have suffered. The demand is for mortgage values to be adjusted to match the current market values of houses.
"People in power know that the real solution to the continuing collapse of the housing market is universal principal reduction of American mortgages to real market value," said Bill Moyer of the Backbone Campaign. "It's time those with the power find the backbone to stand up to the banks and Institutions that hold these mortgages and insist they stop drowning America with false solutions, inaction and greed."
[Based on a tip from some guy floating in the Caspian Sea in Central Asia, we take off for Baku, Azerbaijan, the "Islamic Republic of BP." Stopping in London, the deathly ill MI6 double-agent Leslie the Bagman lays out the history of the coup d'etat, hooker-bait and the $30 million "sweetener" paid by Lord Browne to the oil nation's "president"—and suggests we find his old spy-mate, Natasha.
In the middle of this Byzantine maze, I'm looking for the real reason for the Deepwater Horizon explosion, not the bullshit seen on CNN. I get the goods, film it, get arrested for filming it, get film confiscated ...except for the film in the little Austin Powers camera-in-a-pen that has to find its way out of the country.]
From Chapter 2: "Lady Baba-land."
But we're not leaving.
That's when we find out the Security Ministry called our hotel and told them to seize our passports. Our passports with the visa stamps that allowed us in and, more importantly, allow us out.
In the middle of this Byzantine maze, I'm looking for the real reason for the Deepwater Horizon explosion, not the bullshit seen on CNN. I get the goods, film it, get arrested for filming it, get film confiscated ...except for the film in the little Austin Powers camera-in-a-pen that has to find its way out of the country.]
From Chapter 2: "Lady Baba-land."
But we're not leaving.
That's when we find out the Security Ministry called our hotel and told them to seize our passports. Our passports with the visa stamps that allowed us in and, more importantly, allow us out.
The Occupy movement has done something amazing, getting Americans to start questioning our economic divides. It's created spaces for people to come together, voice their discontents and dreams, creatively challenge destructive greed. It's created powerful political theater, engaged community, an alternative to silence and powerlessness.
Chalk one up for everyday people. By defeating Issue 2, we beat back Governor Kasich’s Koch-funded massive attack on social and labor relations. It’s a major win, worthy of celebrating, but only for a couple days. Then, we MUST go back to organizing.
That’s because of three facts of political life. One is, power can not be bottled for later use: Use it, or lose it. Another is, Koch’s inherited billions can be saved for later use: That’s what banks and accountants are for. Finally, as the late US Senator, Everett Dirkson memorably observed: “A billion here and a billion there, and pretty soon you’ve got BIG MONEY.”
When people say, as Governor Kasich did when I asked him a question at a press conference last Spring, “corporations and unions… and unions”, they are listing very different entities. Unions don’t have billions to buy banks, accountants and elections with, but corporations do. So, it’s our shoe leather, tenacity and enthusiasm against their billions.
That’s because of three facts of political life. One is, power can not be bottled for later use: Use it, or lose it. Another is, Koch’s inherited billions can be saved for later use: That’s what banks and accountants are for. Finally, as the late US Senator, Everett Dirkson memorably observed: “A billion here and a billion there, and pretty soon you’ve got BIG MONEY.”
When people say, as Governor Kasich did when I asked him a question at a press conference last Spring, “corporations and unions… and unions”, they are listing very different entities. Unions don’t have billions to buy banks, accountants and elections with, but corporations do. So, it’s our shoe leather, tenacity and enthusiasm against their billions.
We drew an unmistakable line in the sand yesterday.
Whatever our opponents thought they knew, they now know is very, very incorrect. Our message was delivered clearly and emphatically: "We did not and will not turn our backs on the people who watch ours."
Issue 2/Senate bill 5 was crushed 61% - 39% thanks to hardworking volunteers, voters, and contributors like you who defended Ohio's everyday heroes against shameless and extreme partisan attacks. We didn't start this fight, and it doesn't have to be this way moving forward.
Last night was a time to reflect upon and celebrate the fruits of our hard work, from petition gathering to rejecting SB5, but now we must lay the groundwork for what lies ahead. It's time to come together and focus our legislators on something worthwhile: protecting and creating good-paying jobs for all Ohioans.
You can get started really easily by using our SB5 tool to find out whether your legislator stood with or against you on Issue 2/SB5.
Click here to find where your representative stood and to send them a message.
Whatever our opponents thought they knew, they now know is very, very incorrect. Our message was delivered clearly and emphatically: "We did not and will not turn our backs on the people who watch ours."
Issue 2/Senate bill 5 was crushed 61% - 39% thanks to hardworking volunteers, voters, and contributors like you who defended Ohio's everyday heroes against shameless and extreme partisan attacks. We didn't start this fight, and it doesn't have to be this way moving forward.
Last night was a time to reflect upon and celebrate the fruits of our hard work, from petition gathering to rejecting SB5, but now we must lay the groundwork for what lies ahead. It's time to come together and focus our legislators on something worthwhile: protecting and creating good-paying jobs for all Ohioans.
You can get started really easily by using our SB5 tool to find out whether your legislator stood with or against you on Issue 2/SB5.
Click here to find where your representative stood and to send them a message.
Vultures' Picnic, Chapter 10 - Fukushima, Texas(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();
PRESS RELEASE: COLUMBUS COALITION FOR RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT TO FILE INITIATIVE PETITION TO REVISE CITY CHARTER AND REFORM COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL, SETS NOVEMBER 16TH DATE FOR PUBLIC MEETING AT OHIO HISTORICAL CENTER
November 7, 2011
A newly-formed organization named “Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government” announces it will be filing an initiative petition on November 8th, to revise the Columbus City Charter tomorrow, and in so doing, reform Columbus City Council.
November 7, 2011
A newly-formed organization named “Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government” announces it will be filing an initiative petition on November 8th, to revise the Columbus City Charter tomorrow, and in so doing, reform Columbus City Council.
The Green, Libertarian, Socialist, Constitution and American Elect Parties are all designated as official parties on the ballot for the 2012 presidential election in Ohio. On October 18, 2011 the Federal District Court in Columbus ordered Secretary of State John Husted to recognize the Libertarian Party, As a result of that order, Husted issued Directive 2011-38 on November 1, 2011 which placed the four other minor parties on the Ohio ballot.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit found Ohio’s minor party election laws unconstitutional in September 2006. In the case Libertarian Party of Ohio v. Blackwell, the court held that both Ohio’s laws involving minor party formation as well as ballot access were unconstitutionally restrictive.
In 2008, in the Green Party of Ohio v. Brunner, then Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner entered into a consent decree with the Green Party that allowed both the Green and the Constitution Party on the ballot. The federal judge set as a standard that the minor parties had to show a “modicum” of support in Ohio to stay on the ballot. The judge set the standard at 1% of the statewide vote.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit found Ohio’s minor party election laws unconstitutional in September 2006. In the case Libertarian Party of Ohio v. Blackwell, the court held that both Ohio’s laws involving minor party formation as well as ballot access were unconstitutionally restrictive.
In 2008, in the Green Party of Ohio v. Brunner, then Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner entered into a consent decree with the Green Party that allowed both the Green and the Constitution Party on the ballot. The federal judge set as a standard that the minor parties had to show a “modicum” of support in Ohio to stay on the ballot. The judge set the standard at 1% of the statewide vote.
When you VOTE on Election Day, November 8, 2011 -- let us know if you have any problems at the polling site! We have attorneys and video the vote volunteers standing by. Let us know if you were made to vote provisionally or prevented from voting. Did anything go wrong with the voting machines?
Call 614-253-2571.
Call 614-253-2571.
Tuesday's most important vote is the repeal of Ohio's vicious anti-labor Issue 2.
Polls show the repeal winning by 25% or more. But will it---like the 2004 presidential election---be stolen by the 1% intent on crushing working people and stealing huge sums of money?
Like Wisconsin's millionaire assault on the bargaining rights of public unions, the thoroughly bought Ohio legislature has passed a draconian law aimed at crippling the organizing ability of working people.
The attack has the loud, persistent support of Wall Street's hand-picked Governor John Kasich, who made millions as a Foxist commentator and Lehman bond dealer. Among other things, Kasich helped pawn $400 million in Lehman's junk bonds onto the Ohio teacher's pension fund, making him a multi-millionaire. Control of that money would be directly affected by the outcome of this referendum.
The legislature's original passage of the anti-labor bill drew thousands of demonstrators to the statehouse lawn and key locations throughout the Buckeye State. The pre-occupy rallies got ardent support from progressive, union and working people across Ohio's political spectrum.
Polls show the repeal winning by 25% or more. But will it---like the 2004 presidential election---be stolen by the 1% intent on crushing working people and stealing huge sums of money?
Like Wisconsin's millionaire assault on the bargaining rights of public unions, the thoroughly bought Ohio legislature has passed a draconian law aimed at crippling the organizing ability of working people.
The attack has the loud, persistent support of Wall Street's hand-picked Governor John Kasich, who made millions as a Foxist commentator and Lehman bond dealer. Among other things, Kasich helped pawn $400 million in Lehman's junk bonds onto the Ohio teacher's pension fund, making him a multi-millionaire. Control of that money would be directly affected by the outcome of this referendum.
The legislature's original passage of the anti-labor bill drew thousands of demonstrators to the statehouse lawn and key locations throughout the Buckeye State. The pre-occupy rallies got ardent support from progressive, union and working people across Ohio's political spectrum.