movement
Occupy G8: Big Picture 01/27/12
Adbusters has called on 50,000 people from around the planet to occupy a summit by the G8 and NATO. Adbusters put a list of demands in their call to occupy the summit. Some occupy protesters didn't take well to the news that Adbusters spoke for the movement. They also blame Adbusters for taking credit for the occupation, even though it has already been in the works. Some occupiers hold to a commitment for the movement to remain leaderless and fear that Adbusters infringed on that.
Email this pageReal Unemployment: Brunch with Bernie 01/06/12
When Thom reads a recent unemployment report, Bernie acknowledges that it is good news, and the creation of 200, 000 jobs last month is a start; but when the media report that unemployment is down to 8.5%, they don't tell the whole story. Bernie says that that figure does not account for those who have given up looking for employment and those who work part time but would like to work full time. He says there are 24 million people who are still unemployed or underemployed.
Thomas Frank on Obama: DN! 01/03/12
Harper magazine columnist and best selling author Thomas Frank argues that President Obama needs to start talking about some of the rhetoric of the Occupy movement. He points out that Roosevelt kept bailing out the economy but opposed Wall Street and built the economy by "starting at the grassroots level" and rebuilding small financial institutions. Obama, in contrast, gave money to Wall Street.
Money, Politics, Iowa DN! 01/03/12
More than 12.5 million dollars will be spent on the election in Iowa; 2/3rd's of which by super pacs which allow individuals and corporations to drop unlimited amounts of money to a campaign. The occupy movement is protesting in Iowa to get money out of politics.
Santorum Loves Inequality: Big Picture 12/21/11
With the occupy movement shedding light on the growing income inequality in the U.S., politicians are faced with questions on the issue. Rick Santorum came out and boldly said he supports income inequality, and made a mockery of the issue.
Santorum's "Inequality": Big Picture 12/21/11
With the occupy movement shedding light on the growing income inequality in the U.S., politicians are faced with questions on the issue. Rick Santorum came out and boldly said he supports income inequality, and made a mockery of the issue.
GRITtv: Bill Fletcher, Jr.: From Uprising to Social Movement
"This could be the kind of social justice moment that many of us have been waiting for," says Bill Fletcher, Jr. of the Center for Labor Renewal. He points out that the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia are not just spreading to Libya, locked in a deadly struggle with its own dictator, but in Ohio, Wisconsin, and around the US. "People are picking up on the energy and the audacity of the democratic revolt," he notes. Bill joins Laura in studio to discuss the fight in Libya, the connections to labor uprisings in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana, and why progressives have an opportunity now that can't be let slide. Distributed by Tubemogul.
GRITtv: Feb. 24, 2011
"This could be the kind of social justice moment that many of us have been waiting for," says Bill Fletcher, Jr. of the Center for Labor Renewal. He points out that the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia are not just spreading to Libya, locked in a deadly struggle with its own dictator, but in Ohio, Wisconsin, and around the US. "People are picking up on the energy and the audacity of the democratic revolt," he notes. Bill joins Laura in studio to discuss the fight in Libya, the connections to labor uprisings in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana, and why progressives have an opportunity now that can't be let slide. Though Scott Walker has claimed that the fight in Madison is mostly outsiders being brought in by the unions, Madison residents know otherwise. Workers' rights are near and dear to the hearts of many people in Wisconsin, and not just those who are under threat of having their collective bargaining rights slashed. The Wisconsin firefighters are exempt from Walker's actions, but have been rallying in support of the workers, and Madison's Union Cab is a worker-owned collective, but they too have joined the protests. Mahlon Mitchell of the firefighters' union and Fred Schepartz of Union Cab joined Laura in Madison to discuss their reasons for joining the protests when their rights aren't being threatened. Finally, Wisconsin has long been a testing ground for conservatives to undercut progressive policies. Welfare reform was originated there, too, with Republican governor Tommy Thompson and the Bradley Foundation, who are also behind Scott Walker. Laura has some thoughts. Distributed by Tubemogul.
GRITtv: Billy Wimsatt: Please Don't Bomb the Suburbs
Billy Wimsatt made a splash when he was 21 with the book Bomb the Suburbs--the "bomb" of the title meaning graffiti, not weaponry. Sixteen years later, he's back with a new book, and a new strategy, though with no less enthusiasm and fire for change. Instead, he says, it's time "to play the game in a more sophisticated way--to win." Please Don't Bomb The Suburbs is "a midterm report on my generation" according to Wimsatt, and a manual for continuing to move forward. He joined Laura in studio recently to discuss social movements post-Obama, the hip-hop generation coming of age, and why he's optimistic for the future.
GRITtv: Oct. 19 2010
Peace talks between Israel and Palestine are "a calming pill. Kind of a time game," according to Micha Kurz, co-director of Grassroots Jerusalem and a founder of Breaking the Silence, an organization of former IDF soldiers speaking out about their experiences in the Occupied Territories. While the talks stall, settlement building continues, and settlement building, Kurz notes, becomes a "fact" that makes the idea of a Palestinian state less viable. What can be done to change these facts on the ground? Kurz returns to GRITtv as part of a tour of North America, talking about grassroots initiatives for change in Jerusalem and beyond. From our friends at ColorLines, we bring you a selection from their "Drop the I-Word" campaign. Billy Wimsatt made a splash when he was 21 with the book Bomb the Suburbs--the "bomb" of the title meaning graffiti, not weaponry. Sixteen years later, he's back with a new book, and a new strategy, though with no less enthusiasm and fire for change. Instead, he says, it's time "to play the game in a more sophisticated way—to win."Please Don't Bomb The Suburbs is "a midterm report on my generation" according to Wimsatt, and a manual for continuing to move forward. He joined Laura in studio recently to discuss social movements post-Obama, the hip-hop generation coming of age, and why he's optimistic for the future. Finally, the recently-passed Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act had as one of its strongest features the right for shareholders to vote on CEO pay for corporations for which they hold stock. But the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups want to take that away. Laura has some thoughts.
