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For several years now we have witnessed eruptions of civil unrest in such places as France, England and Greece where people protest what they view as unfair economic and political treatment. Whether it is the spreading disappearance of the middle class leading to a polarization of wealth and non-wealth, rising numbers of impoverished immigrants, or the taking away of government benefits from the masses, the feelings of desperation, anger and hostility have been intensifying. Rioting and looting has occurred.
Could it happen here, in the USA? Some think it has already started. The October 3 edition of the Orange County Register reports on a tent city of protestors that has sprung up in the Wall Street area of New York City. According to the Register there is not yet a cohesive target of these protests but rather an array of concerns, from corporate greed to social inequality to global climate change.
A march across the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday by protestors led to the arrest of 700. Similar movements are reported to have sprung up in various other U.S. cities – Boston and Los Angeles for instance.
The media has been reporting from some time what we all know – the level of satisfaction and hopefulness in the U.S. has been dropping, and the levels of frustration and anger are rising. Are these so-far relatively peaceful protests the opening shots of a coming contagion of civil unrest?
How is your level of happiness and satisfaction these days? And that of your neighbors?
Let’s talk about the Greek protests. I was actually the last car out of Athens with police escort as the first wave of protestors shut down the City Center. They were protesting the fact that they were not receiving their ordinary pay increases – only problem is that the pay levels in the largely socialistic country had risen to the point that they were no longer sustainable. The only solution appears to be if other countries are willing to step in and bail them out. The disconnect that occurs when people think they are “owed” was forseen more than two millenia ago when Aristotle commented that “democracy will collapse the moment the majority realize that they can vote themselves unlimited treasure from the public coffers.”
“only problem is that the pay levels in the largely socialistic country had risen to the point that they were no longer sustainable”…….. Hmmmm
What are you talking about GW?
Our supper liberal Nelson knows better than you and he told us that everything will be a OK only if he and is left liberal socialist cronies can put hands on the Corporate and Banking wealth.
I should add that Obama agree with Nelson.
Ironically, Obama and Nelson are both brainwashed by christian Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
So Nelson is definitely not anti-Christian.
That corporate and banking wealth is heavily invested in Greek bonds – guess who gets bailed out again – the banks and the rich.
But maybe the demonstrators are just angry bond holders – can you spot Warren in the photo?
Nobody in America is going to be protesting for pay increases. They are going to be protesting the pay increases of Corporate and Political Goons. Bring on the civil unrest. They do not have enough jails for everybody at the same time!
as either mao or andy warhol once said “the revolution will be televised” so stay tuned to msnbc for the “vast impact” these three hundred or so unemployed college professors will have on the process
First time I tried to use the “like” button on the Juice. You said it perfectly willie
Kind of like when a hundred or so African-Americans decided to sit at lunch counters that they weren’t allowed to sit at.
Yes, anon that is exactly the same. Folks sitting out lunch counters where they are prohibited from sitting because of racist and discriminatory practices is EXACTLY the same as a bunch of whiney entitled non tax payers sprouting propaganda about how tough their life is – I see the parallel.
No, it’s the same as a hundred or so people realizing that changes need to be made and having that seed of change blossom into real, positive, meaningful reform. Their desire for change is no less authentic just because YOU disagree with the goal.
But then, you knew that’s what I meant. So your coyness is really quite laughable.
Yeah, and they forgot to get up!
This whole, sad, case african american crap, is SOOOOOO old. The fact is that African Americans have more problems now than they ever did back then. They did not ahave the amount of violence in their own communities, they did not have 88% fatherless homes and they did not have over 60% if not more drop out rate from schools.
Yes, they were treated like crap here, but today in EVERY african country they are being murdered either by other tribes, or killed by dictators.
That was Gil Scott-Heron. A real artist, not to be confused with Andy Warhol.
Pagan.
P.S. He said “the revolution will NOT be televised.”
Pagan.
Hmmm. More points of agreement!
You’ll be surprised. Life is no longer simple, right and left, black and white.
Let’s just say that fine art and fine music can bridge gaps.
this protest in ny last week did any one cath these people . first they all looked like something out of a hippie berkley rally . none had jobs . and none could anwser what type of gov they wanted . they just shouted out yelled n scream . of yeah one girl with a headband on wanted commi rule .
“the revolution will be televised”…… Hmmmm
I can’t see anything on the TV and hearing only the crickets.
The unrest is because if you feed, house and educate people for free, they are always going to expect it. Now that the government realizes that there are too many losers, to feed, house and educate, they are cutting back, hence the losers are bloody mad!
The only unrest in California will come from area’s like Santa Ana and Los Angles, were like France and Greece people thought that other people had to pay for their kids and house their family and eat and eat until their kids can’t even walk to school anymore….Well fight and scream and thats ok cause we can out run ya thanks to the fact that we work and won’t don’t have a Cal Fresh Card!
Once again Michelle quinn comes through with usual heaping plate of hate.
Excuse me Jose but your comment has noting informative nor topical.
However, it contains only hate because you are left liberal moron mongoloid who would ton see truth even if tattooed on your retina.
Hate is a stupid emotion that leads to idiots like la raza and the taliban. I am justing stating a fact.
Your “Q” is lower-case here. Do you really type your name in fresh every time you post?
I am just stating a fact.
I can clearly spot the most ignorant of the bunch here. Never mind Lesbian, latina obsessed michelle quinn, it appears to be Geoff willis and maybe Willie deville. Willie deville if you have an actual intelligent opinion, speak it. Tony Bushala seems to have a head above the shoulders. I was at the L.A. protest today. It was not a group of any identifiable demographic. It was a mix of absolutely every one. Stay tuned. The revolution will be televised, and blogged and you tubed and emailed and telephoned and discussed everywhere. The major corporate media will hide and avoid it to a certain point until they find it in their best interest to communicate public news. Stay tuned. P.S. I am employed and I stepped out from my job today to do something far more important.
I have seen this many times before where people get fired up for a “cause” and then lose all objectivity regardless of the worthiness of the cause. Yes, it is frustrating that the economy has tanked because banks extended too many loans to people trying to buy houses they couldn’t afford and then defaulted. Unfortunately both “guilty” sides (the lenders and the borrowers) have been given relief at the expense of all of us who were responsible in our borrowing and spending. The folks are right to be upset, I am not exactly sure (and if you read the articles, neither are the protestors) what they want as an outcome.
Much UNLIKE the Arab Spring which had a simple and noble goal of freedom from dictatorship, the goal here is nebulous and uncertain making these protests little more than a teenager yelling at his parents that life is unfair.
In both cases, the goal is restructuring society — and it’s not “simple” in any of these countries, ours included.
Your categorically deeming “borrowers” as just as guilty as lenders — confused, bamboozled, and in a relatively few cases corrupt, but not out to suck the blood out of the system and leave others to bury the corpse — is ignorant.
The outcome people want is: not to passively endure the looting of our society by its richest and least patriotic segment. Details, as always, to come.
Who are the “people” that want this outcome? The outcome that I want is for everyone to take responsibility for their actions whatever their wealth. There was plenty of wrongdoing to go around causing this economic decline at every level of wealth.
The people in question: the 99% who are not the highest wage earners.
So a lender outright lies to you, or tells you things about how rules routinely get bent that match what you read in the papers and see on TV (and that don’t seem to be punished despite their brazenness, and you say that people who bought houses they turned out not being able to afford are not taking responsibility for their actions?
I think that the people who are “not taking responsibility for their actions” are those who gamed the system, sloughed off bankrupt entities like lizard skin after looting them, and are still living high on the hog because they can use the threat of high-priced legal talent to ward off the people who would want to punish them. (The latter is the equivalent of cops who go after pot smokers because going after meth labs is troublesome and dangerous.)
You know what? As a capitalist, you should be right with me on this, because these bastards are ruining capitalism.
And that is why we are having “civil unrest.”
And you and junior and Quinn, just keeping sticking up for the top 1%, see where it gets you. The rest of us have a world to change here…
Greg, are you saying that banks “tricked” people into coming into their offices and asking for loans? That the people did not understand that it was unlikely they could afford what they, the borrower, were trying to buy? This is not to take responsibility away from the corporations that participated in this, but there is responsibility on both sides. And by the way, the people is all people, not just the ones you like.
Fer cryin’ out loud, Geoff, educate yourself about the subprime crisis.
Here’s a keyword to look up for an example: “Toussie.” One of Bush’s pardons.
What you walked out to smoke a fat one? 🙂 And come on, I have never said anything about lesbians or gay men; in fact, I offen have been asked if a swing the other way, cause I have more ba*** than most men. And is far as Latina’s are concerned, it’s Mexico and a lot of Mexicans that come here and expect Americans and other immigrants to educate, house, feed them and their kids because for Some reason they think that humanit owes them something. Cubans ect. I don’t have a beef with!!!
Civil unrest.
Think about it, the government and its public utility partners can quail civil unrest with a few flips of a switch. Turn off your water, gas, electric, were would you be?
No water to drink, no toilets, no showers and baths.
No gas to cook, heat water, heat space.
No electricity, no cell phones or internet, no TV or lights.
No food.
Are you prepared?
Cook, it’s not going to get to that point. More like civil disobedience not Molotov cocktails.
Geoff, the Egyptians and Libyans did not know what new government they needed. They just new that the old system had to go. This country just needs to make sure the food supply does not dry up. or it will get messy. The survivalists say that if it get’s really ugly, that you probably won’t want to be a part of this planet at all.
At the L.A. protest, restaurants were donating food, like 20 pizzas at a time. An Army travels on it’s stomach. Sympathy is the vehicle.
double indemnity – are you somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert?
would that be a good thing or a bad thing? I think I have some Top Ramen and some canned Vegetable juice. No gun. I am screwed.
We need to get us some guns, 2Xind.
Stay tuned for MY Wall St piece, “Make Way for the REAL Tea Party!” I’ll try to have it done for tomorrow…
Not even close….Watch as a bunch of thugs reveal themselves for what they are!
NYC is going to left in a mess and we are going to see the end (finally) of Union control. I can’t wait to see the idiots act like idiots!
And by the way, Wall Street is a leftist hole, that is now going to get a taste of what THEY have created!
sure, quinn, sure…
Can’t you render her comments in a light gray color?
Mr. Diamond, even in light grey, it makes more sense than any comment you would ever make, bold, red and under scored!
Plonk or Plonker :0)
Had a laugh today watching the idiots with their bell bottoms and reliving a time when humanity lost its mind and drugs became the new in and of course they are still there. dumbo’s!
I’m willing to see the “light gray” theory tested.
You can’t cover up the truth oh, great and awesome constitutionalist, but ya, can see bullS** a mile away in black or white!
I am willing to test the theory out with the immediate words above!
Ps. Get rid of your bell bottoms and join the rest of us in the now!
Hey! It works!
Now why were we doing this again? So that you have to squint to read Quinn and get an even bigger headache?
I asked for a light gray, but the lavender is festive. It’s like a clown suit for the text!
Yeah, just so it’s still readable, if one must read it, but less intrusive.
Maybe you can sell people personalized commenting colors!
Read “Fear and Loathing”
Tomorrow, I mean today is going to be huge. Have you seen the list of unions that are joining the march In NYC? Let’s hope the unions don’t blow it for the fast majority that don’t even have the luxury of fighting to keep some pension. Either way, It sounds like Oct 5th might be a game changer. F*** 911. The real patriots are alive and awake now. American Awakening.
double indemnity says: The real patriots are alive and awake now. American Awakening.
…. So is this the beginning of the end?
Favorite quote of the day about the Occupy Wall Street protests, “Yes, let’s take advice about how to run the government from people that borrowed $150,000 to study interpretive dance.”
Yeah, keep looking down your nose at people.
Names, please.
There’s lots of writing about by people who have been at these rallies. I don’t recall any quotes about interpretive dance other than in critics’ fever dreams.
We’re expecting that type of caricatured attitude from the right, the media, and the establishment in general.
We sure can’t complain! I remember how we mocked the OLD Tea Party! (the 2009-10 one)
The members of the tea party did not look like they were straight of the set of GOLD FINGER 1970’s!
YEAH, BABY!
Total wankers, sorry, TOTAL!
Goldfinger was released in 1964. (Wait — why am I bothering?)
Have another cold beer, Mitey Quinn, and tell us how bad drugs are.
Cause, I am the complete opposite of YOU…Thats why you are bothering! The left can’t understand why MOST people will not join their collectiveness! I am no drone!
Drugs are not bad, people are bad when they misuse them! And I am, like most, sick and tired of this generation of drug abusers and losers in general. A population that thinks success is evil and sitting on your ass is an entitlement. And I will have that cold beer this weekend, when I HAVE FINISHED MY WORK!
Yes indeed, Mitey, you’re the opposite of me: you are extremely certain about things of which you know nothing.
That interpretive dance kid could only have been a trust fund child of a Wall Street Broker or Russian Mafioso. New York going off today 2:00 student walk outs 4:00 Unions joining march. Let’s hope the true conscience has not already been polluted. Either way, Great Day for America. If it were not raining, L.A. would be going off as well.
Yes, this “protest” is being fueled by unions and local governments that are literally feeding the mob. Real social conscious demonstration there.
“Why” “put” protest “in” “quotes”? “Do” “you” “think” “it’s” “not” “a” protest?
Unions were late-comers to this party, but at least when they showed up they bought gifts. Do you know how it was being “fueled” — mostly meaning “fed” — before now? It’s an interesting story, Geoff. You should read about it — before you write any more declarative sentences.
Some great insights on the protests by one of Sullivan’s readers;
http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2011/10/who-is-behind-occupy-wall-street-ctd.html
American Worker’s Party Union joins protest against Bankers — the pogrom is near!
The Justice Department and New York’s attorney general filed separate civil lawsuits late Tuesday alleging that BNY Mellon systematically overcharged investors for currency trades, defrauding or misleading them in a decade-long scheme. The suits seek a total of more than $2 billion in damages from the bank.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204294504576613312015217494.html
Follow this closely Nelson to see how the union pension funds got lost.
Isn’t that your line of work, Stanley – currency trading? Can you explain this story better to us lay people? Without getting all crazy?
Although I am in FX this is different FX more like tourist changing money to buy something from other country so it is fairly simple.
If some pension fund (i.e. CalPERS) want to invest in Europe they must do that in EUR (Euro) so they must exchange USD (dollar) into the EUR.
So they will use BNY Mellon to exchange funds. However, there is no legally set time when the bank must execute the exchange.
As you know the exchange rate is changing every second. See http://www.xe.com/
The rule is that BNY Mellon must execute the order before the end of trading day so they will hold funds to unethically benefit from change and than bill CalPERS for a difference and packet the money.
That is usual practice done to tourists but it is pennies vs. 100M transaction when you may be billed for 1M difference.
You my buy something on credit card in Mexico believing that $1=17 pesos and than receive bill from credit card Bank billing you on $1=15 pesos.
So they will make about $0.12 on your purchase because your dollar will become only about $0.88 by unethically holding your transaction against you or the merchant in Mexico or both.
I did point it out to you because it involves OC County funds too, and you hate banks, and if OC have elected or pointed crony idiots like Bustamante who is fucking around instead of watching how the transaction is executed you may lose 100ts of millions per year or two.
Besides, it is record lawsuit ($2B) filed yesterday by NY Attorney General about ripping of clients like CalPERS
I have offered to Pulido to keep eye on such things, probono, but no one knows what is going on and what I am talking about, definitely Police Chief as Manager is clueless, so they trust brokers who too will scam them.
That is my story Vern….. you can’t help liberal moron mongoloids if they will not take your advise and rather hate banks!
Here is the way in which we hate banks:
We want them to be strictly regulated, so they can make a reasonable profit at what they do, without deceiving the rest of us and ripping us off.
That’s not really such a seething hate.
Unfortunately regulations do not work.
Only competition does.
Why do we allow MEGA Banks or any MEGA mergers.
Than Obama takes 700B to save them because they are too big to fall
Let them bankrupt….. same goes for GMC
Fena Mae and Freddie Mac are two examples how the leftist liberals aide and abide this banking fraud.
I should add that the USA Banks are regulated – big time.
The only reason someone would be ripped off, is that the idiot signed the dotted line…..You assume the guy with the loan docs are evil geniuses and the loanee is a moron. You could be right about the last part!
What happened with the banks is they got carried away giving every idiot a loan to get that big mansion. The banks lost and the 50’s/60’s generation made out like bandits when they sold their completely paid for homes for major bucks! We aren’t being robbed by banks, we are being robbed by old folk!
Vern, but Michele M. does not like to regulate business. She is very independent. Sorry Michele, the invitation is still open, “Occupy U.S.A.” now haven’t you heard.
I am unaware of that but if she does not like to regulate business she is definitely ahead of you guys.
Fiala= always begging to be regulated.
Hey, well done Vern, my favorite colour:) love it’
And Diamond (James diamond) I know like most liberals elitists you think you know more, but this chick can very say I know more than most, cause I have lived and learned more than most from a hard but worthwhile life.
As sort of an update – the news today (Oct. 6) reported that unions have joined the movement in NY City and yesterday there was aparently a confrontation with the police. So, things may be escalating.
We know, old man, we know … we’re living it…
http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2011/10/make-way-for-the-real-tea-party/
It’s not going to escalate, their pot is going to run out!
The truth is, like in Ireland when we would throw multail cocktails at the peelers, it was because we were bored. The peelers were too. So bottom line is that in America there are a lot of lazy bums bored.
This is not the TEA PARTY this is a PARTY!!!!!
You know, accusing you of projection, given this comment, is barely even fun. Try and pose more of a challenge.
Ok it’s a hunch, given I have know the difference between really fighting for something or just being bored!
Have you seen the bloomin crowd in question? They are just a bunch of party animals, without a real reason for a party. All the 2000 era hippies need to connect somehow to their beloved 60’s era and now’s this is their big chance. Kids lost in time, I suppose, cause they are bored with this era… Other words spoiled brats, without a cause!
I see that you’ve done some research. Show your work.
O.K. michelle. We are remembering that one.
Old is a relative term —-
I dont need to do research on the obvious! But of course time (a week) will reveal the fact that these people are mad that they are bored! But I think it is good that imstead of listening to the propaganda of NPR and moveon.org, they can listen to the idiots around them and wonder why, know ones knows why the hell they are there and worse of all the dope is running out!