Live-blogging OWS daily since October 1. Email: epic1934@aol.com. All times ET. See my e-book "40 Days That Shook the World: From Occupy Wall St. to Occupy Everywhere [1]." My very OWS-relevant "Journeys With Beethoven [2]" has just been published in print [3] and as e-book, my other books here. [4]
8:55 Great weekly roundup [5] from the Occupied Wall Street Journal on actions around U.S. and latest debate and backlash over tactics and divisions. Includes this: "The mainstream media is now portraying the movement as split over tactics and conflicted about the role of black bloc affinity groups in direct actions. While these issues – like every other issue – are continually debated within the movement, portrayals of Occupy as divisible were met with widespread backlash."
8:00 Full schedule of events [6]for "Occupy KochTown" Feb. 17-19 in, naturally, Wichita.
6:50 National Lawyers Guild [7]moves to quash subpoena for OWS Twitter user in New York.
4:15 Since this seems to be the Topic of the Day, here is an Infoshop guide [8], or as they call it, "Black Blocs for Dummies." Sample: "Isn't the black bloc just a bunch of young hooligans? Black blocs have been comprised of people of many different ages. While participants in black blocs tend to be young--reflecting the demographic of most protesters--there have been quite a few people over the age of 30 in black blocs. There have been reports of black bloc participants who are in their 50s and 60s."
4:00 From my assistant Elizabeth Whitman: "For those who want to join the growing movement for the greater good, The Green America blog [9] of GreenAmerica.org suggests ten reasons to break up with your mega-bank, including supporting local and small businesses and not funding climate change. What they call for echoes much of the changes or actions Occupiers have called for or rely on. They suggest some of the same empowerment tactics, such as switching from large commercial banks to credit unions."
3:55 Yes, there's now a Super Pac [10] sympathethic to staunchly anti-Super Pac OWS. And we're not talking about Stephen Colbert's...New documentary on how the banks Never Lose, you can watch all 48 minutes here [11].
2:40 Bill Moyers and Michael Winship latest to ask, Saul Alinsky Who [12]?
2:05 Article causing big stir in the ranks (or some of the ranks) today: Chris Hedges at Truthout [13] calling the Black Bloc the "cancer" within or around Occupy. He calls the faction "a gift from heaven to the security and surveillance state. The Occupy encampments in various cities were shut down precisely because they were nonviolent. They were shut down because the state realized the potential of their broad appeal even to those within the systems of power." Black Blocers "confuse acts of petty vandalism and a repellent cynicism with revolution."
1:30 A short history of American money [14], from fur to flat.
11:55 The book of David: David Brooks hailed it but David Frum hits it: [15] new bestseller from Charles Murray on "class" in America. "None of this information comes as news to anybody. Social observers have been making these points for years. The novelty of Coming Apart is Charles Murray's remarkable—and telltale—uncuriosity as to why any of this might be happening."
11:45 Republicans often claim small business owners are firmly in their camp on taxes. This may be true to some extent but new poll and report [16] find that vast majority say big business and millionaires not paying fair share.
11:25 Susie Cagle at The Atlantic online, on Occupy newspapers [17] in various cities--and their legal problems.
11:10 We've gotten requests from people who still have not seen the Chrysler ad (it's been taken down in spots), so here it is:
10:25 That Chrysler/Clint Eastwood Super Bowl ad (see my comment down below) had union signs from Wisconsin [18] edited out. But Democrats have hailed it, most recently, David Axelrod.... Fox & Friends suggests Obama's Labor Dept. "cooking the books [19]" on jobs to help Obama. Well, Krugman today did find down side in last week's report.
9:35 Email today from Occupy activists in LA: "In an unprecedented meeting, members of the Occupy Movement in LA on Monday afternoon will meet with Wells Fargo Executives to have a serious discussion about possible remedial measures the bank can take in the foreclosure-fraud crisis. Wells Fargo is America’s largest residential-mortgage originator. They originate 1 in 4 U.S. mortgages and service 1 in 6. Wells Fargo has agreed to have no less than six Senior Executives meet with seven foreclosure-focused activists."
9:30 Just launched new blog [20], "Roll Over, Beethoven," on Occupyer #1, and tied to my new book.
9:25 The Atlantic: Reports suggests U.S. drones target [21] rescuers and funeral parties, CIA silent.... Poll: 7 in 10 back [22]hiking taxes on those making from than a million a year....From the Daily Yonder: 4 years on, which rural counties [23] have recovered jobs?
8:50 OccupyPittsburgh eviction still coming tomorrow... Video of rioting [24] at UMass over...Super Bowl loss. .... U.S. closing embassy in Syria [25].
8:20 Paul Volcker on [26] Wall Street "excess," in New York magazine.... Congressional Black Caucus set to kick off [27] anit-voter suppresiion drive.
8:05 James Fallows IDs [28] these as the "stupidest" arguments for war with Iran, and from Harvard, no less.
From late Sunday
One powerful and lengthy commercial during the Super Bowl featured Clint Eastwood talking about Americans sticking together to come back from adversity -- such as everyone joining together to save the auto industry (with some stirring images on the screen)--while warning that the job was only "half done" (the ad aired at half time) and we need to do more. Some took it as practically a call for Obama's re-election. But: Eastwood is longtime Republican who most recently has extolled Ron Paul. And his party (and its candidates for president, including Paul) have ripped Obama's moves to save the car industry. And here's Eastwood recently in L.A. Times saying that HE opposed the stimulus [29]and still opposes bailing out "companies."
Boston Globe piece on Occupy in the nearby cities and suburbs [30], such as Somerville, Salem, Lowell. Less camping and publicity but carrying on.
Wash Post: Tax tips [31] for the 99%. .... Our own Dave Zirin tweets: "Protests now in Indy: Occupiers, IBEW, UFCW, CWA, gathered at Indy statehouse."... Skip Madonna, re-live when The Boss [32] rocked halftime. Clarence R.I.P.
Major piece at Salon on rough tactics used [33] to disloded OccupyDC folks yesterday..... Great NYT article warms heart of oil company owners-- gets heat to hard hit Mainers. [34]