Occupy All Streets
Victory: Activist Sue Obama, Judge Rules NDAA Unconstitutional In a stunning turnaround for an act of Congress, a judge ruled Wednesday that a counterterrorism provision of the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual defense appropriations bill, is unconstitutional. Federal district Judge Katherine B. Forrest issued an injunction against use of the provision on behalf of a group of journalists and activists who had filed suit in March, claiming it would chill free speech./p> In her decision published Wednesday, Forrest, in the Southern District of New York, ruled that Section 1021 of NDAA was facially unconstitutional — a rare finding — because of the potential that it could violate the 1st Amendment. “Plaintiffs have stated a more than plausible claim that the statute inappropriately encroaches on their rights under the First Amendment,” she wrote, addressing the constitutional challenge. Seven individuals, including Pulitzer Prize-winning former New York Times foreign correspondent Chris Hedges, MIT linguist Noam Chomsky and “Pentagon Papers” activist Daniel Ellsberg, had sued President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and a host of other government officials, stating they were forced to curtail some of their reporting and activist activities for fear of violating Section 1021. That section prohibits providing substantial support for terrorist groups, but gives little definition of what that means. Environmental activists were also poised to join the suit if it expanded. The suit demands that Congress cut or reform this section of the law, which allows the U.S. military to indefinitely detain without charges anyone — including U.S. citizens — who may have “substantially supported” terrorists or their “associated forces,” without defining what those terms mean. President Obama signed the bill on Dec 31, 2011, with a signing statement saying that the law was redundant of powers already provided to the government under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (passed after 9/11), and that these powers would not be used against U.S. citizens. The next administration may decide differently, however. Source

Victory: Activist Sue Obama, Judge Rules NDAA Unconstitutional

In a stunning turnaround for an act of Congress, a judge ruled Wednesday that a counterterrorism provision of the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual defense appropriations bill, is unconstitutional. Federal district Judge Katherine B. Forrest issued an injunction against use of the provision on behalf of a group of journalists and activists who had filed suit in March, claiming it would chill free speech./p>

In her decision published Wednesday, Forrest, in the Southern District of New York, ruled that Section 1021 of NDAA was facially unconstitutional — a rare finding — because of the potential that it could violate the 1st Amendment.

“Plaintiffs have stated a more than plausible claim that the statute inappropriately encroaches on their rights under the First Amendment,” she wrote, addressing the constitutional challenge.

Seven individuals, including Pulitzer Prize-winning former New York Times foreign correspondent Chris Hedges, MIT linguist Noam Chomsky and “Pentagon Papers” activist Daniel Ellsberg, had sued President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and a host of other government officials, stating they were forced to curtail some of their reporting and activist activities for fear of violating Section 1021. That section prohibits providing substantial support for terrorist groups, but gives little definition of what that means. Environmental activists were also poised to join the suit if it expanded.

The suit demands that Congress cut or reform this section of the law, which allows the U.S. military to indefinitely detain without charges anyone — including U.S. citizens — who may have “substantially supported” terrorists or their “associated forces,” without defining what those terms mean. President Obama signed the bill on Dec 31, 2011, with a signing statement saying that the law was redundant of powers already provided to the government under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (passed after 9/11), and that these powers would not be used against U.S. citizens. The next administration may decide differently, however.

Source

Posted 1 week ago
174 notes
Tagged: NDAA, NDAA 2012, Congress, Unconstitutional, Indefinite Detention, Obama, Barack Obama, .
Source: occupyallstreets
Study: Current Members Of Congress Speak At A 10th Grade Level A new study by the Sunlight Foundation found that Congress speaks at an average grade level of 10.6, equivalent to a sophomore in high school. That number is down from 2005, when Congress’ 11.5 speaking level was in line with a high school junior. Lee Drutman and his colleagues at Sunlight took every word members of Congress said on the House and Senate floors between January 1996 and April 2012 and put them through the Flesch-Kincaid test, a tool that equates higher grade levels with longer words and sentences. Drutman found that while Democrats used to speak at a lower level then Republicans, in the last seven years, that trend has flipped. The bottom ten on the list was dominated by freshman Republicans. Of the ten, all were Republicans and eight were freshman. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, a Republican freshman from South Carolina, found himself at the bottom of all 535 members of congress with a 7.9 grade level. Read More

Study: Current Members Of Congress Speak At A 10th Grade Level

A new study by the Sunlight Foundation found that Congress speaks at an average grade level of 10.6, equivalent to a sophomore in high school. That number is down from 2005, when Congress’ 11.5 speaking level was in line with a high school junior.

Lee Drutman and his colleagues at Sunlight took every word members of Congress said on the House and Senate floors between January 1996 and April 2012 and put them through the Flesch-Kincaid test, a tool that equates higher grade levels with longer words and sentences. Drutman found that while Democrats used to speak at a lower level then Republicans, in the last seven years, that trend has flipped.

The bottom ten on the list was dominated by freshman Republicans. Of the ten, all were Republicans and eight were freshman. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, a Republican freshman from South Carolina, found himself at the bottom of all 535 members of congress with a 7.9 grade level.

Read More

Posted 1 week ago
220 notes
Tagged: Study, Republicans, Intelligence, Politics, GOP, Democrats, Congress, .
Source: occupyallstreets

NDAA 2013: The House Approves Indefinite Detention of American Citizens, Pro-Government Propaganda, Gay Marriage Prohibition In The Military, etc.

Reauthorizing the indefinite detention of US citizens without charge might be the scariest provision in next year’s defense spending bill, but it certainly isn’t the only one worth worrying about.

An amendment tagged on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 would allow for the United States government to create and distribute pro-American propaganda within the country’s own borders under the alleged purpose of putting al-Qaeda’s attempts at persuading the world against Western ideals on ice. Former US representatives went out of there way to ensure their citizens that they’d be excluded from government-created media blasts, but two lawmakers currently serving the country are looking to change all that.

Congressmen Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced “The Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012” (H.R. 5736) last week during discussions for the NDAA 2013. It was voted on by the US House of Representatives to be included in next year’s defense spending bill, which was then voted on as a whole and approved. The amendment updates the antiquated Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 and Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1987, essentially clarifying that the US State Department and the Broadcasting Board of Governors may “prepare, disseminate and use public diplomacy information abroad,” but while also striking down a long-lasting ban on the domestic dissemination in America.

Source /NDAA 2013 Text

Posted 1 week ago
59 notes
Tagged: NDAA, NDAA 2013, Indefinite Detention, 4th Amendment, Obama, Obama Administration, Congress, Fascism, Propaganda, America, Gay Rights, Military, .
Source: occupyallstreets
House Approves Amendment To Prevent Same Sex Marriage The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved an amendment to the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill to prevent the Obama Administration from taking legal action against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) or state constitutional amendments prohibiting same sex marriage. “As many of us know, just last night the 30th state passed an amendment to amend its constitution to protect traditional marriage,” Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), who offered the amendment, said. “That would be North Carolina, and in my opinion it has become an easy target for the Administration.” The amendment was passed by a vote of 245-171. Huelskamp said the Obama Administration “in a very clear and flagrant violation of its responsibilities” had stopped enforcing DOMA. “I am offering an amendment to prohibit the Department of Justice from spending tax payer money to undermine the Defense of Marriage Act,” he explained. Source

House Approves Amendment To Prevent Same Sex Marriage

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved an amendment to the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill to prevent the Obama Administration from taking legal action against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) or state constitutional amendments prohibiting same sex marriage.

“As many of us know, just last night the 30th state passed an amendment to amend its constitution to protect traditional marriage,” Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), who offered the amendment, said. “That would be North Carolina, and in my opinion it has become an easy target for the Administration.”

The amendment was passed by a vote of 245-171.

Huelskamp said the Obama Administration “in a very clear and flagrant violation of its responsibilities” had stopped enforcing DOMA.

“I am offering an amendment to prohibit the Department of Justice from spending tax payer money to undermine the Defense of Marriage Act,” he explained.

Source

Posted 2 weeks ago
118 notes
Tagged: DOMA, Congress, Amendment, LGBT, Gay Rights, LGBTQ, Marriage Equality, Same Sex Marriage, Obama Administration, .
Source: occupyallstreets
Impeachment Bill Threatens Obama’s Presidency An American military attack on Syria could effectively lead to the impeachment of President Barack Obama. Congressmen say that any war without congressional authorization would be “unconstitutional”. Republican Representative Walter B. Jones Jr. has come up with the resolution demanding Obama’s impeachment in case his administration starts another military action without the approval of Congress. This came as a reaction to the American Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announcing that in order to carry out the offensive, the US military needs permission from the UN and NATO alone.  Jones’s resolution states that the prime authority to rule on the attack is the US Congress, but not international bodies be it NATO or UN.  “Expressing the sense of congress that the use of offensive military force by a president without prior and clear authorization of an Act of Congress constitutes an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor under Article II, Section 4 of the constitution,” Jones’s resolution said.  In an exchange which occurred at the session of the Senate Armed Services Committee, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said that in case Obama administration decides to strike Syria, it would merely “inform” Congress after the decision has been made.  “Our goal would be to seek international permission and we would come to the Congress and inform you and determine how best to approach this,” Panetta said. “Whether or not we would want to get permission from the Congress, I think those are issues I think we would have to discuss as we decide what to do here.” Responding to Panetta, Republican Senator Jeff Sessions said he was “breathless” to hear the statement. “I am all for having international support, but I am really baffled by the idea that somehow an international assembly provides a legal basis for the United States military to be deployed in combat,” Sessions said. “They can provide no legal authority. The only legal authority that is required to deploy the United States military is of the Congress and the president and the law and the constitution.” The Obama administration has allegedly started a fresh discussion on a possible military strike on Syria with its allies, the Washington Post reports. American officials have yet to confirm the report, saying that at this point they rule out military involvement in Syria’s internal conflict. There are reports that British and Qatari troops, as well as the CIA and Mossad, are already covertly involved with the Syrian conflict. Source

Impeachment Bill Threatens Obama’s Presidency

An American military attack on Syria could effectively lead to the impeachment of President Barack Obama. Congressmen say that any war without congressional authorization would be “unconstitutional”.

Republican Representative Walter B. Jones Jr. has come up with the resolution demanding Obama’s impeachment in case his administration starts another military action without the approval of Congress. This came as a reaction to the American Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announcing that in order to carry out the offensive, the US military needs permission from the UN and NATO alone. 

Jones’s resolution states that the prime authority to rule on the attack is the US Congress, but not international bodies be it NATO or UN. 

“Expressing the sense of congress that the use of offensive military force by a president without prior and clear authorization of an Act of Congress constitutes an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor under Article II, Section 4 of the constitution,” Jones’s resolution said. 

In an exchange which occurred at the session of the Senate Armed Services Committee, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said that in case Obama administration decides to strike Syria, it would merely “inform” Congress after the decision has been made. 

“Our goal would be to seek international permission and we would come to the Congress and inform you and determine how best to approach this,” Panetta said. “Whether or not we would want to get permission from the Congress, I think those are issues I think we would have to discuss as we decide what to do here.”

Responding to Panetta, Republican Senator Jeff Sessions said he was “breathless” to hear the statement.

“I am all for having international support, but I am really baffled by the idea that somehow an international assembly provides a legal basis for the United States military to be deployed in combat,” Sessions said. “They can provide no legal authority. The only legal authority that is required to deploy the United States military is of the Congress and the president and the law and the constitution.”

The Obama administration has allegedly started a fresh discussion on a possible military strike on Syria with its allies, the Washington Post reports. American officials have yet to confirm the report, saying that at this point they rule out military involvement in Syria’s internal conflict. There are reports that British and Qatari troops, as well as the CIA and Mossad, are already covertly involved with the Syrian conflict.

Source

Posted 2 months ago
55 notes
Tagged: Obama, Congress, Bill, Law, Military, Impeachment, Barack Obama, Obama Administration, Check And Balances, .
Source: occupyallstreets
Prosecutors Repeatedly Hid Evidence In Senator Steven’s Case Prosecutors in the corruption case involving the late Alaska Senator Ted Stevens repeatedly hid evidence that could have exonerated him, according to an investigative report released on Thursday that found misconduct by Justice Department lawyers. The prosecutors intentionally withheld and concealed information from Stevens’ defense lawyers that included witness statements, key details that could have undermined prosecutors’ star witnesses and allowed false testimony to be presented during his 2008 trial, the report said. It criticized the Justice Department’s failure to properly supervise the trial team and said prosecutors covered up information that their chief witness, Bill Allen, had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old prostitute. The report also zeroed in on the failure by prosecutors to reveal conflicting recollections by Allen about notes Stevens wrote saying he wanted to pay for improvements to his house that were at the center of the charges against him, and false statements made by Allen during the trial. Stevens’ main defense attorney, Brendan Sullivan, “was not aware when he gave his opening statement, and never learned during or after the trial, that the prosecutors possessed evidence that directly corroborated Senator Stevens’ defense,” the report said. Stevens, who died in a plane crash in 2010 and had been the longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history, had been charged in 2008 with seven counts of lying on a Senate disclosure form to conceal $250,000 in gifts - primarily the improvements to his Alaska home - from an Alaska oil executive and other friends. Read More

Prosecutors Repeatedly Hid Evidence In Senator Steven’s Case

Prosecutors in the corruption case involving the late Alaska Senator Ted Stevens repeatedly hid evidence that could have exonerated him, according to an investigative report released on Thursday that found misconduct by Justice Department lawyers.

The prosecutors intentionally withheld and concealed information from Stevens’ defense lawyers that included witness statements, key details that could have undermined prosecutors’ star witnesses and allowed false testimony to be presented during his 2008 trial, the report said.

It criticized the Justice Department’s failure to properly supervise the trial team and said prosecutors covered up information that their chief witness, Bill Allen, had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old prostitute.

The report also zeroed in on the failure by prosecutors to reveal conflicting recollections by Allen about notes Stevens wrote saying he wanted to pay for improvements to his house that were at the center of the charges against him, and false statements made by Allen during the trial.

Stevens’ main defense attorney, Brendan Sullivan, “was not aware when he gave his opening statement, and never learned during or after the trial, that the prosecutors possessed evidence that directly corroborated Senator Stevens’ defense,” the report said.

Stevens, who died in a plane crash in 2010 and had been the longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history, had been charged in 2008 with seven counts of lying on a Senate disclosure form to conceal $250,000 in gifts - primarily the improvements to his Alaska home - from an Alaska oil executive and other friends.

Read More

Posted 2 months ago
13 notes
Tagged: Senator Stevens, Corruption, Pedophelia, Government, Congress, Ted Stevens, Justice Department, Oil, .
Source: occupyallstreets

Rep. Joel Kleefisch caught committing voter fraud on video. Is this what democracy looks like?

Posted 3 months ago
27 notes
Tagged: Joel Kleefisch, Voter Fraud, Corruption, Congress, OWS, .
Source: occupyallstreets
Breaking: Congress Passes Payroll-Tax-Cut By A 293-132 Vote Congress quickly passed a deal to extend the payroll-tax-cut through year-end, continue unemployment benefits and avoid a steep cut in Medicare doctors’ fees, moving on from a fight that tied up legislators for months. By 293-132, the House voted to pass the measure. The Senate quickly followed with a 60-36 vote. The move avoided a tax increase on millions of Americans at the end of this month. Lawmakers can now head out of town for a week-long recess. The package was the product of negotiations between both parties and chambers, with a key concession from House Republicans, who agreed to extend the payroll-tax cut without finding a way to pay for it. Under the deal, the tax paid by workers to Social Security will remain at 4.2% instead of reverting to 6.2% on March 1. Republicans acknowledged they went along with the bill because appearing to oppose the payroll-tax cut in December was a political disaster. “We’re dumb, but we’re not stupid,” said Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.). “We didn’t want to repeat the debacle of last December.” Source

Breaking: Congress Passes Payroll-Tax-Cut By A 293-132 Vote

Congress quickly passed a deal to extend the payroll-tax-cut through year-end, continue unemployment benefits and avoid a steep cut in Medicare doctors’ fees, moving on from a fight that tied up legislators for months.

By 293-132, the House voted to pass the measure. The Senate quickly followed with a 60-36 vote. The move avoided a tax increase on millions of Americans at the end of this month. Lawmakers can now head out of town for a week-long recess.

The package was the product of negotiations between both parties and chambers, with a key concession from House Republicans, who agreed to extend the payroll-tax cut without finding a way to pay for it. Under the deal, the tax paid by workers to Social Security will remain at 4.2% instead of reverting to 6.2% on March 1.

Republicans acknowledged they went along with the bill because appearing to oppose the payroll-tax cut in December was a political disaster.

“We’re dumb, but we’re not stupid,” said Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.). “We didn’t want to repeat the debacle of last December.”

Source

Posted 3 months ago
29 notes
Tagged: Payroll Tax Cut, Congress, Medicare, Unemployment, .
Source: occupyallstreets
Breaking: Keystone XL Pipeline Bill Passes in US House of Representatives

The House of Representatives passed an energy bill on Thursday that would wrest control of a permit for the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline away from President Barack Obama, who has put the project on hold.

Senate leaders were still negotiating on Thursday whether to allow a vote on Keystone as part of debate on a highway funding legislation, said Senator John Hoeven, a Republican from North Dakota who has been a key advocate for the $7 billion Canada-to-Texas project.

Read More

Posted 3 months ago
31 notes
Tagged: Keystone, House of Representatives, Congress, .
Source: occupyallstreets
Why Washington is closer to Wall Street than Main Street.

MEMBER                           Max EST. Net Worth

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)————-$451.1 million

Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.)———-$435.4 million

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.)———$366.2 million

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.)————$294.9 million

Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.)————-$285.1 million

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)————-$283.1 million

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.)—————$231.2 million

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas)——$201.5 million

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.)——$136.2 million

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)——$108.1 million

Combined Net Worth                   $2.8 Billion

Congressional data from 2009. Family net worth data from 2007. Sources: Center for Responsive Politics; US Census; Edward Wolff, Bard College.

Source

Posted 3 months ago
39 notes
Tagged: Mother Jones, Congress, Wealth Inquality, Corruption, .
Source: occupyallstreets
Welfare Drug Testing Bill (Temporarily) Withdrawn After Amended To Include Testing Lawmakers A Republican member of the Indiana General Assembly withdrew his bill to create a pilot program for drug testing welfare applicants Friday after one of his Democratic colleagues amended the measure to require drug testing for lawmakers. “There was an amendment offered today that required drug testing for legislators as well and it passed, which led me to have to then withdraw the bill,” said Rep. Jud McMillin (R-Brookville), sponsor of the original welfare drug testing bill. In the past year Republican lawmakers have pursued welfare drug testing in more than 30 states and in Congress, and some bills have even targeted people who claim unemployment insurance and food stamps, despite scanty evidence the poor and jobless are disproportionately on drugs. Democrats in several states have countered with bills to require drug testing elected officials. Indiana state Rep. Ryan Dvorak (D-South Bend) introduced just such an amendment on Friday. “After it passed, Rep. McMillin got pretty upset and pulled his bill,” Dvorak said. “If anything, I think it points out some of the hypocrisy. … If we’re going to impose standards on drug testing, then it should apply to everybody who receives government money.” Source

Welfare Drug Testing Bill (Temporarily) Withdrawn After Amended To Include Testing Lawmakers

A Republican member of the Indiana General Assembly withdrew his bill to create a pilot program for drug testing welfare applicants Friday after one of his Democratic colleagues amended the measure to require drug testing for lawmakers.

“There was an amendment offered today that required drug testing for legislators as well and it passed, which led me to have to then withdraw the bill,” said Rep. Jud McMillin (R-Brookville), sponsor of the original welfare drug testing bill.

In the past year Republican lawmakers have pursued welfare drug testing in more than 30 states and in Congress, and some bills have even targeted people who claim unemployment insurance and food stamps, despite scanty evidence the poor and jobless are disproportionately on drugs. Democrats in several states have countered with bills to require drug testing elected officials. Indiana state Rep. Ryan Dvorak (D-South Bend) introduced just such an amendment on Friday.

“After it passed, Rep. McMillin got pretty upset and pulled his bill,” Dvorak said. “If anything, I think it points out some of the hypocrisy. … If we’re going to impose standards on drug testing, then it should apply to everybody who receives government money.”

Source

Posted 4 months ago
144 notes
Tagged: Congress, Drug Test, Corrupt, Welfare, .
Source: occupyallstreets
BREAKING: We need an uproar on Eric Cantor’s actions! He indefinitely postponed the majority-supported “Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act”.

STOCK Act

On December 7, 2011, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor indefinitely postponed a scheduled markup of the legislation. The bill currently has 235 co-sponsors- 153 Democrats and 82 Republicans. A bill needs 218 votes for passage by the House of Representatives.

This bill had enough support and co-sponsors to PASS had it finished going through the process and gone to voting, but Eric Cantor prevented any voting to occur by indefinitely postponing it.

Contact your representatives: 

http://www.opencongress.org/people/representatives

http://www.opencongress.org/people/senators

https://writerep.house.gov/

Write To Eric Cantor:

http://cantor.house.gov/contact

FYI: Eric Cantor’s democratic challenger, Wayne Powell is scheduled to do an IAmA tonight from 7-9 pm EST on Reddit.

Posted 4 months ago
28 notes
Tagged: STOCK Act, Insider Trading, Congress, Eric Cantor, .
Source: occupyallstreets
Who said the Anti-SOPA internet protests didn’t work?

Who said the Anti-SOPA internet protests didn’t work?

Posted 4 months ago
166 notes
Tagged: SOPA, PIPA, Congress, OpBlackout, .
Source: occupyallstreets

Join Occupy Congress for the Largest Occupy Protest on January 17th

Event Details

Date & Time of Event

January 17, 2012

Begins 9AM

Location of Event

United States Capitol Building, Washington, DC 20016

(West Front)

Transportation

Ride Buzz – Ride sharing finder

Mega Bus – Low cost travel service that has a stop in DC. Currently giving away 200,000 free trips with a coupon code.

Occupy Bus – Grassroots bus sharing effort

Road2Congress – Greyhound bus group traveling from the west coast through the southern states. Check their schedule and see if they are coming through your town.

Details by region

For people who live in the immediate Philly to D.C. corridor (Philly, Wilmington, Baltimore, or nearby towns): If you’re in need of a FREE ride-share with other protestors to D.C. OR if you can offer a FREE ride-share to D.C. please do the following: First, list yourself on our Ride Buzz page. Second, if you have not gotten any response by January 15th, please send an e-mail with your town/city name to OccupyCongressJ17@gmail.com and we may be able to pick you up. Otherwise, please come by bus which is extremely cheap.

For people who live in NY/NJ and NEW ENGLAND: The best way to get to DC is by bus, which is very cheap. We have confirmation of many, many people coming from NYC and Boston. If you live in or near Hartford, CT, they are trying to plan a solidarity event at the state capitol. The same may happen in Providence, RI, too. If you live in the New Haven, CT area, there are only a limited number of seats left on the Occupy Bus, so reserve now.

For people who live on the WEST COAST: There are groups of protestors coming to DC via bus. If you live in the L.A. or San Diego region, there’s a large group going on the Road2Congress.com. There are also plans in L.A. for a solidarity event at Congressman Becerra’s Office, and in Oakland at the City Council. Oregon is also planning solidarity events. Most people from the Pacific Northwest who are coming to DC are coming by flight.

For people who live in the SOUTHEAST and SOUTH-CENTRAL: In most cases, the best way to get to DC is by bus. We have multiple groups coming to D.C. from all different parts of Florida, including Miami. Get in touch with your local occupation to see if they have people going. For those who live in Tennessee, there is a planned protest at the state capitol. For those who live in Texas, there may be a solidarity action in Austin. For those who live in New Mexico, there will be a protest in Albuquerque. For those living in NC, SC, GA and VA, many people from here are busing to D.C.

For people who live in the PLAINS or MIDWEST: We encourage you to bus in. We are trying to organize solidarity events with Occupy Caucuses in Des Moines, Iowa and events in Chicago, IL, and Pierre, SD. Madison, WI may also have a solidarity event, too.

For CANADIANS and EUROPEANS: In Canada, we have buses available from Montreal, Quebec. There are solidarity protests happening at the Canadian Parliament on the days preceding #J17. In Europe, we have plans for a solidarity event in Oslo, Norway on #J17, and a major sister event in Spain shortly after #J17. Solidarity protests in London, likely, too.

For ANYONE not mentioned above: Please act in solidarity wherever you are. We have gotten solidarity support from Tahrir Square in Egypt, and from across the world. If you want to come to D.C. but can’t afford to, you can set up a We Pay account and we will Tweet out for supporters to help fund you.

Lodging Info

Tents

Can be set up at McPherson Square. If there’s not enough room for everyone, we will try setting tents up in a nearby over-flow park.

Churches

Churches may be able to help with some lodging. We are still planning this out.

Couch Surfing

Try various couch surfing websites to find people in the D.C. area who are willing to host for free or be a host yourself.

CouchSurfing.org

Couch Surfing on Twitter

Hostels

Hostelling International: Co-ed dorm room beds are $29/night for members.

Additional Information

Media/Press: The U.S. Capitol has special rules for commercial media and press. Please review the guidelines here: http://www.uscapitolpolice.gov/special_events.php. For Press inquiries, please e-mail Media@OccupyYourCongress.info.

Medical: Medics will attend the event to ensure the health and safety of everyone. If you would like to get involved with the Medic team, please e-mail Medical@OccupyYourCongress.info.

Legal: Legal observers and lawyers will also be present at the event. If you would like to get involved with the Legal team, please e-mail Legal@OccupyYourCongress.info.

Rest Areas: There will be Porta Potties on site.

You can visit the official Occupy Congress site for more information at: occupyyourcongress.info

Please Reblog and post on any social networking site, spread the info far and wide.

Posted 4 months ago
114 notes
Tagged: Occupy Congress, J17, OWS, Congress, Politics, Protest, .
Source: occupyallstreets
Just when you thought Congressional performance couldn’t get any worse

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just five percent (5%) of Likely Voters rate the job Congress is doing as good or excellent.  Sixty-eight percent (68%) view Congress’ job performance as poor.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Source

Posted 5 months ago
11 notes
Tagged: Congress, .
Source: occupyallstreets