Here’s a video recap of our rally on the Capitol steps yesterday. In case you missed it, the rally relayed the message to Congress from a wide array of legislators and faith, labor, environmental, and women’s rights organizations that any debt deal has to be a fair deal for Americans, without any cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The energy of the crowd and the speakers was off the charts, so if you missed the live broadcast, you’ll want to watch it now!
Some media outlets attended the rally, and here’s what they had to say.
The Capitol Hill-based Roll Call:
In addition to phone calls and emails to Congress, MoveOn.org and the PCCC worked with other groups to organize events in Congressional districts around the country that they said drew more than 20,000. American Dream Movement members also gathered Thursday on Capitol Hill to demand that Democrats stand their ground against deep spending cuts.
Democratic Members, including Rep. Jan Schakowsky (Ill.), urged activists to fight to protect Social Security and other government benefits.
“We believe in a country where after you’ve worked your whole life, you get to retire in the knowledge that your financial and health security will be met,” she said.
NPR had a story about both progressive and rightwing response to the default crisis:
NAYLOR: Meanwhile, outside the Capitol, several hundred people turned out for a steamy noonday rally led by an assortment of progressive groups, from Planned Parenthood to MoveOn.org. A procession of Democratic lawmakers and other speakers made clear they were none too happy either with what was going on inside the Capitol.
John Gage, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said Congress had its priorities wrong.
JOHN GAGE: Here we are going into a debt crisis when we really have a jobs crisis.
The Nation’s media blogger noticed the difference in media coverage over the tiny Tea Party held nearby only a day before compared to the rally we held yesterday:
But then, Thursday’s American Dream rallyorganized by MoveOn, Rebuild the Dream, AFSCME, and AFGE, and featuring speakers like Van Jones, Rep. Keith Ellison, and Rep. Jan Schakowsky –clocked in an estimated 450-500 people (the permit’s limit), according to the coalition. Oddly, though, as of 24 hours later, Politico didn’t mention it. CNN.com, meanwhile, talked up the tea party rally both the day before it took place and afterward–when it spun the measly crowd (and its own pre-event notice) by writing: “Don’t be fooled by the tiny turnout at the tea party rally on Capitol Hill Wednesday. The conservative movement doesn’t much need rallies anymore. November 2010 changed all of that.”
No one has said it better. Please check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WINDtlPXmmE
I am living in Asia now (in retirement)while keeping up with the way our system is turned up on it’s ear by these special interest mama jammers. They have full and complete control of it ALL. But, we have the vote and that can be used to turn the Ocean liner ever so slowly.
The one evident thing about comparing the two economies, Asia & US of A is that Asia has moved ahead fast without all the restrictions and Lawyers. When they make up their mind to go forward with a project they do what it takes to get it done. Also these countries operate on a way lower standard than America’s in all aspects. That sorta straps our competitive effort, we have to adopt their methods of crappy throw it together efforts using Bamboo and fix it later, because the new game is being played out on their field. Our standards become way to restrictive and cumbersome to compete. The New World Order is using much lower specs than we are… My money would be on American work ethic and high Quality every time if we could somehow free up our industries and workers. Then we could regain our superiority and return to a power house with a viable middle class society.
Where is the Main Stream Media? If Thom Hartman had not mentioned that rallies being held by progressive groups for progressive causes are going on across this Nation, I never would have known action was being taken. I saw the video on the Emergency Deficit Rally held last week. Clearly, the progressives are active and taking to the streets, but one would never know it if one depended on the Main Stream Media. I never thought I’d agree with Sarah Palin about anything, but the Main Stream Media really is LAME.
With all the millions out of work (including myself) maybe it would be a good time for everyone to go to Washington and actually unite and show our frustration with whats going on?? Ain’t like we don’t have time. Count me in.
Not a debt problem, a revenue problem. Not enough people on the employment roles to handle the debt. The debt skyrocketed under Bush when he allowed the wealthy to pay less taxes, offered loopholes and then incentives to companies to take jobs overseas. BTW, President Obama tried to have that rescinded but it never got out of Congress. If more people worked, and the tax structure was fixed, we would not be in debt. Obama tried to fix the problem with the stimulus. That increase in debt has caused everyone to accuse him of this debt. It was Bush who incurred the most debt 3/4 of it.
It’s gonna take far more people on the ground and a far more intense and directly interruptive approach. If Washington is laughing behind closed doors, it’s time to pull them open.
What I would like to see this movement step into now, is the education and promotion of qualified citizen candidates to run for Congress in each and every district just as each and every district held a house meeting during the Rebuild the Dream weekend of July 25,26. I know Netroots Nation has begun this process and I’d like to see this actively reported on in the RTD website.
Wow! Nice to see that this group exists. We were starting to wondering where all the intelligent american voters had gone! All three parties do not HEAR the little guy, as money talks, and many are “owned” by others, be it corporations, billionaires, their own party, etc.. (yes, ALL parties). This movement, as long as it stays truthful, forcused, is funded FOR THE PEOPLE< BY THE PEOPLE ONLY, (ie no "koch' brothers.. PLEASE!) could make a difference. If this movement is the voice of sanity, lets keep it that way.. if this movement represents the "rest of america", lets keep it that way. The reason the tea party is mocked, is because of the many outrageous beliefs they have, which do not take into account ALL americans, the universal, fundamental meaning of being an american.. It not about gun freedom, not paying taxes, or "doing whatever the hell you want." That is not what it means to be an american. Its about fundamental rights, and equality FOR ALL. The tea party is not logical.. their movement is not compassionate based for ALL americans.. their movement is FEAR BASED… FEAR BASED.. The real crisis in this country, is the continuing exploitation and non-representation of the little guy.. the guy who does NOT have millions of dollars to buy a voice, the guy who worries about paying bills, wondering when he may be let go from his job, choosing between paying healthcare premium or mortgage this month, the Father and/or Mother who cannot find a job.. The parent/s who worry about where their next meal will come from, how are they going to pay for the new brakes. The economic divide between the have and have nots is growing larger every day.. and will continue as long as unemployment and misrepresentation occurs. How can my Senator, who is a millionaire, relate to me? When I am buying dented cereal boxes to save money?? Do they even know what that is like? Do they know what it is like to be unemployed, or fill out paper work for food stamps? Not by choice, but by do or die? Do they care? Really? This movement is for the forgotten folk… the ones who are seen, but not heard… the ones who cannot buy their way into Washington. It is about time for us..
Now that the contrived debt crisis is out of the way, let’s get back to the real crisis of the lack of jobs in this country.
American is seeing first hand how corporate interests and cruel hearts can destroy the American Dream. In Arizona, we’ve seen the effects and it is getting worse year by year.
Count me in. I’m so sick of the tea-party claiming to be for America and then destroying everything this country as fought to create. It’s time the people of our country stand in unity against this fear mongering lead by the rich dressed in “grass roots” clothing. Let’s start rebuilding this country for all people and for everyone’s sake show the tea-party what real grassroots activism is.
Okay, I know, I know. But I would have wished the title could have been “Take Back the American Dream.” I know the aim is to “invite” but still, the population you are after has been pushed, trammeled and shoved into silence. Those are active verbs aptly describing the manner in which our rights and interests have been corrupted by this small but testy group of Tea Partiers. “Restore” is more benign than I would have wished, not sufficiently reflecting the dismay and horror which middle America is experiencing. Yes, one doesn’t want to alienate the middle American voters, but I would offer that they, of whichever party, are far more ready to take a decisive step forward into the fray than one might imagine. I hate to come in soft when this opportunity is such a muscular one. Ah well.
Okay, I know, I know. But I would have wished the title could have been “Take Back the American Dream.” I know the aim is to “invite” but still, the population you are after has been pushed, trammeled and shoved into silence. Those are active verbs aptly describing the manner in which our rights and interests have been corrupted by this small but testy group of Tea Partiers. “Rebuild” is more benign than I would have wished, not sufficiently reflecting the dismay and horror which middle America is experiencing. Yes, one doesn’t want to alienate the middle American voters, but I would offer that they, of whichever party, are far more ready to take a decisive step forward into the fray than one might imagine. I hate to come in soft when this opportunity is such a muscular one. Ah well. Oops
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