“Occupy Now” Moves into Philadelphia
By John Freeman
October 6, 2011 Philadelphia, PA - After nearly two weeks of planning and two public meetings, the grass roots members of Occupy Philadelphia claimed their first piece of Pennsylvania real estate. Occupy Philadelphia officially staked out their territory this morning at City Hall within earshot of the Mayor. As of 11:00 am early estimates put the fledgling occupation at around 500 participants.
Following in the footsteps of the activists, students, union members, and the curious occupying Wall St., the Philly movement has taken hold. I have more questions than answers at this point. Are they really here to stay until we see some radical change in the way the government operates in this country? Floating around the internet are lists of grievances or demands that they hope are addressed. Are they too ambitious? Is their focus too broad? Will it grow? What do they hope to achieve? Time will tell.
Media personality and sympathizer, Dylan Ratigan’s recent “mic-check” rant at Occupy Wall St., rightly encouraged the protestors to narrow their focus on the cause of the problems that we face today; simply put, the collusion between the financial sector and our federal government. He correctly articulates that our government is owned by both parties. I will take his position one step further. He uses the term “financial sector.” He should have been a little more specific. The real culprit behind the economic collapse, the decline of the dollar, the endless militarism abroad, and the ultimate beneficiaries of the congressional bailouts were largely the member banks of the privately held Federal Reserve System.
It is the Federal Reserve and its member banks that own both parties in Washington. It was former Goldman Sachs chief, then Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, in concert with then New York Fed hit man, now Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who orchestrated and forced the bailouts. Behind closed doors, Paulson threatened Congress martial law for non-compliance.
With its digital money creation, the Federal Reserve is the enabler of congressional deficit spending that funds the Military Industrial Complex abroad and the ever expanding domestic police state, all while we suffer at home. The Fed allows Washington to prop up and support brutal dictators around the globe, and murder 10’s of thousands of people of color, in the name of “spreading democracy” or “humanitarian assistance.” Most members of Congress and the executive branch are complicit in this deceit and oppression.
It’s time for the occupiers to laser focus their energy and intentions on those that are behind the problems that face society. Forget Wall St. as a whole. Strike the root. The Fed is the problem. They murder abroad, we suffer at home. The Fed owns Wall St. and Washington. Occupy the Fed. End the Fed. End the Wars. End the oppression. End the economic slavery.
“There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.”
" Henry David Thoreau