Van Jones and Moveon.org, and perhaps others are up to something.
So far, it looks like something good.
The Promotions
On May 30, the
video of the supposed hack of the News Corp ticker on Times Square was posted on YouTube. It was soon exposed as a marketing hoax for the june23.org campaign.
Then on Monday, June 6, a flash mob was organized on Wall Street where the "We Are Being Lied To" flash cards were displayed.
Just in: our friends at the Other 98% campaign have organized a giant flash mob on Wall Street tomorrow, and are looking for more folks to join the show!
They're meeting downtown after work to let Wall Street know that we're tired of being lied to and that America is not broke.
[ snip ]
-Harry Waisbren, Job Party co-founder
http://www.jobparty.us/
http://unemployedworkersactiongroup.webs.com/...
And this is what happened:
MoveOn Civic Action & The Other 98% teamed up to keep the message going: We Are Being Lied To. The country isn't broke--so where is the money going? Go to JUNE23RD.org and find out
Produced by MoveOn Creative & The Other 98%
music by The Little Death
What's Up?
Both of these events were promotion for June 23rd, when they are staging some kind of dance party at "The Town Hall" in midtown Manhattan and announcements will be made about an anti-austerity campaign.
Sam Stein writes:
MoveOn Uses Fox News Hoaxes, Van Jones And The Roots In Anti-Austerity Campaign
On June 23rd, the organization, alongside former White House adviser Van Jones and The Roots, are launching what organizers are calling "Rebuild the Dream," an effort to move the political conversation away from austerity and towards job creation.
"This will be the largest economic campaign we have ever run," Justin Ruben, MoveOn's Executive Director said in an interview with The Huffington Post. "The goal here is to really change the debate and refocus it on the stuff that is necessary to create jobs and make the economy work for regular people ... It is unreal that with widespread misery across the country, Washington is focused on closing the deficit and giving tax breaks to millionaires."
[snip ]
"I think people will be really surprised by what gets announced on the 23rd and the aggressive campaign that will come out of it," Jones said... "We will be speaking to the main issue that America is not broke," he added. "The pie gets bigger every year -- it is just that the middle class's slices get smaller and smaller."
RebuildtheDream.com
When you go to the June23.org web site, you are redirected to the RebuildtheDream.com web site.
From the RebuildtheDream.com web site:
Our country needs a national movement to defend the American Dream itself.
— Van Jones, February 22, 2011
SPECIAL EVENT
Join Van Jones, MoveOn.org Civic Action, and special guests, The Roots and artist/DJ Shepard Fairey, for the Rebuild the Dream campaign launch event on Thursday, June 23rd at 8 PM Eastern time. We’ll livestream the event right here -- join us!
We grew up hearing about the American Dream. It’s the dream of a country where, if you work hard and play by the rules, you can live with dignity, provide for your family, and give your kids a better life. A country where we strive for greatness–and take care of each other when times get hard.
Right now the American Dream is under siege. Tens of millions of willing workers can’t find jobs. Millions of homeowners have lost their homes to foreclosure and millions more are underwater. Instead of investing in our shared future, politicians are giving tax breaks to the rich and then slashing vital services families depend on. Rather than expanding protections for the middle class during these difficult economic times, they’re trying to gut workers’ rights.
But a new movement is rising all across America to fight back.
It was born among the teachers, students, firefighters and nurses of Wisconsin who took over their Capitol to stop to Governor Walker’s power grab. Now it’s spreading as millions of other Americans–inspired by the events in Madison, Wisconsin–stand up to say “No” to right-wing attacks on the middle class.
Van Jones called this new wave of energy the “American Dream Movement.” It’s growing stronger by the day, and it’s not going away until Americans can find jobs, afford to go to college, retire with dignity, and secure a future for their children and their communities.
On Thursday, June 23rd, Van Jones will be joined by The Roots, artist/DJ Shepard Fairey, and other celebrity guests in New York City to kick off the movement to rebuild the American Dream. No matter where you live in America, you can join. We’ll be livestreaming the event on this page: www.rebuildthedream.com. Please spread the word to your friends, families and neighbors.
Van Jones at Netroots Nation
Van Jones will also be doing a keynote speech at Netroots Nation next week.
The American Dream Movement
Sat, 06/18/2011 - 12:00pm, General Session Hall A
Events like what’s happening in Wisconsin create a unique opportunity for progressives to fight back. The “slash and burn” agenda now dominating DC gives us an even more urgent reason to do so.
In February, Van Jones wrote about the need for a new hope-based national movement to defend the American Dream. He wrote: “Reinvigorated by the idealism and fighting spirit on display right now in America’s heartland, the movement for ‘hope and change’ has a rare, second chance. It can renew itself and become again a national force with which to be reckoned.”
How can the Netroots help spark this much-needed movement? What do we have to learn from the Tea Party? How do we unite—as workers, business leaders, veterans, young people, seniors, social justice advo- cates, environmentalists and community organizers? What is the role of a deeper patriotism in rebuilding the American Dream?
Keynote speaker: Van Jones
Introductory remarks from Rep. Jared Polis and Rep. Donna Edwards
http://www.netrootsnation.org/...
[Line breaks added]
Action
I don't know if this is strictly grassroots or if the Obama 2012 campaign is somehow involved, but so far this looks pretty good to me and I am willing to lend my efforts to it. I hope this is the real deal.
To join the movement, help them via social media or to donate to their cause, go sign up at RebuildtheDream.com