On December 5th through the 9th I will be Occupying Congress.
I want to ask our "representatives" some questions that they will never be asked on Fox News.
Like why can't our Congress get a jobs bill going, but they can fast-track through a bill that destroys freedom on the internet?
Apparently, in response to the internet driven Occupy Wall Street protests, Wall Street said "JUMP!" and this is the Senate's way of saying "how high?"
I want to shove these offensive bills like the internet crushing, free speech restricting PIPA and SOPA under their noses. I want to ask our congress how these draconian corporatist bills got fast tracked when we can't even get a jobs bill off the ground, let alone a medicare for all style public option or ending the disastrous Bush tax cuts for the rich.
Basically, I want to go to Congress and hold some feet to the fire. God knows our corrupt corporate media isn't doing the job, so if we want this done right, we're going to have to do it ourselves.
I use quotations on the word "representatives" because many of our congressmen do not represent We The People, they represent the special interests who fund their election campaigns.
I want to ask Senators Levin and McCain, among others, what in their right minds are they thinking as they support a provision in S. 1867, the National Defense Authorization Act bill, that would allow US military to arrest Americans without charge or trial. This move would be a direct attack on the heart of the Bill of Rights and our Constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties.
I want to take Rep Deutch's (D-FL) OCCUPIED Act, which was offered over a week ago, and I want to put it in the face of every congressman and congressional staffer I can find so I can ask them, "Whose side are you on, We The People's or Corporations?"
Grover Norquist has his lobbyist approved pledge, I say We The People start our own, only our pledge should be something that the lobbyists hate, and the OCCUPIED Act is exactly that.
The OCCUPIED Act reads as such . . .
In one of the greatest signs yet that the 99 Percenters are having an impact, Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, . . . introduced an amendment that would ban corporate money in politics and end corporate personhood once and for all.
Deutch’s amendment, called the Outlawing Corporate Cash Undermining the Public Interest in our Elections and Democracy (OCCUPIED) Amendment, would overturn the Citizens United decision, re-establishing the right of Congress and the states to regulate campaign finance laws, and to effectively outlaw the ability of for-profit corporations to contribute to campaign spending.
thinkprogress.org
I'm bringing a camera crew, a bunch of Occupiers from Liberty Square in New York City, a couple thousand other friends who will be there in solidarity with the SEIU and other working class folk who are fed up with this out of touch corrupt Congress and it's pandering to the wealthiest 1% and corporate special interests, and I'm going to interview as many congress members and their staffers as I can find. I will be polite and cordial as I always try to be on camera, but I will be asking them some tough questions, namely; whose side are you on, We The People, or your corporate special interest campaign financiers?
I'm going to look for Senator Franken and ask him some tough questions.
I'm going to look for Paul Ryan and Eric Cantor and ask them some tough questions.
I'm going to ask every member of congress and congressional staffer I can find some tough but fair questions.
I'm going to bring cameras with me and a livestream so we can put everything up on the free internet while we still have one.
I'm going to Congress. Who's coming with me?
You can follow me on twitter (while you still can!) @JesseLaGreca