UT whiffs on Occupy, enjoy the action

[nadinbrzezinski]

The Citizen Ed Board at the Union-Tribune weighed in on the merits of the Occupy movement, agreeing with the the general grievance but admonishing folks to stop occupying and start taking ‘real’ action. For good measure, the editorial even throws in a false equivalence to the Tea Party movement (“the biggest Astroturf operation in history“), which has been driven and funded by the Koch Brothers, Dick Armey, and other legacy leaders from the same old establishment. But those are really just ancillary ‘get off my lawn!’ issues. What’s really troubling is this zillionth attempt to sell the canard that nobody is organizing or taking real action.

You want real action instead of talk? How about a national movement to close accounts at major banking houses and put that money in community banks and credit unions? Well, we’re in the midst of MoveOurMoney week, and Bank of America has already alerted its tellers to be ready for a flood of people trying to close their accounts on November 5th, dubbed Bank Transfer Day. The effort has mobilized major progressive institutions and even prodded lawmakers towards action against major banks. And for good measure, Bank of America has caved on its proposed debit card fee, joined by SunTrust and Regions Bank.

If that doesn’t do it for you, how about a large-scale general strike being organized around Occupy Oakland? The scene where police fractured the skull of a young veteran with a tear gas cannister is now ground zero for a general strike tomorrow bringing in veterans groups, major unions and their non-unionized counterparts. Oakland teachers, Berkeley teachers, auto workers, longshoremen, carpenters, even the Phillipine Airline Employees have stepped up in solidarity. The mayor issued a memo offering city employees the day off and encouraging them to participate, the Port of Oakland has issued a statement of solidarity, even the Oakland Police are expressing their support for the 99%. And building on that effort, a campaign to occupy vacant foreclosures is set to follow. Coalitions like this don’t materialize and take concerted action out of thin air.

http://twocathedrals.com/?p=1509

Oh and this is kind of a good step n