October 27, 2013

Rally Report: Stop Watching Us. (Photodump Warning)

First, please do not hotlink these photos outside of this thread. If you do, I reserve the right to make you look silly.

I went to the Stop Watching Us rally yesterday and came home bummed about the turnout which was about 1000 people by my own estimation.

It looks larger in the video:

When I got home last night about 8 or so, I'm greeted on DU by this thread. It's hard not to respond in kind here, but more on that guy later.

Photos, captions and commentary:


I arrived at Union Station just as the march was leaving.



The cops were informing the driver of this van that they can't simply circle the pickup lanes indefinitely.

Having missed the main march, I walked a more direct route to the Capitol reflecting pool and got some photos of the arrival:










The 4th on a banner


A photo of some of the crowd with the Capitol in the background.

Then on to signs...


A prior President weighs in.


Many (including me) were showing support for Ed Snowden.


Blowback, indeed.


A rare sight on DU, the first posted photo of Hoot with a bonus you get to see his pal too.


This guy was pretty cool to talk to. I mentioned that I was a little disappointed with the turnout, and he said it's cool dude, you're here, I'm here, this is early in the fight.


I like the framing here with the dish and the shrouded Washington Monument. Good message too!


Succinct and to the point!


I didn't have the heart to correct his spelling.


He did ok on the flip side, and really had a pretty good elevator speech.


This guy has it about right!


This guy had a long history of being harassed.


There were a few variations on this theme.

Then there was this guy, who according to some here on DU, apparently invalidated everything that this rally was about and I suppose I'm supposed to retire in shame or something:


Note the wide berth people are giving this small group of LeRouchies whom I laughed at many times in Farragut Square for holding the same sign.

All in all I was disappointed with the turnout, but the apathy I saw here leading up to the event was reflected, I suppose. I am impressed that such a broad coalition came together and I encourage everyone to call congress right fucking now and ask your rep to cosponsor H.R.2818!

Maybe I should have dressed for the occasion:

October 13, 2013

The shutdown thing that really sticks in my craw

Is that all this havoc wreaked by the Koch fueled TeaBaggers apparently has been done legally.

Unless and until the DOJ, or the Senate conducts an investigation into the collusion of funding organizations threatening to support primary candidates and actually discovers something illegal, we are just screwed.

They worked the system into a position of incredible leverage. All I can think of is they are fomenting an environment conducive to rioting. They are literally taking food from the mouths of the people, which historically has never ended well, and now they are in congress crowing their achievements.

The House has the authority of removing members, but I don't see how that maneuver could work with the current alignment. Even if you could convince enough moderate R reps to go for it, could it even be brought to the floor? Is is a privileged issue?

The only thing I'm pretty certain of at this point is that this will not end well.

October 7, 2013

42, 18, 6, 217, 2

42: Number of votes conducted to Repeal Obamacare.

18: Number of requests for budget conference nominees refused by the House.

6: Number of votes in the house to micromanage funding via CR. Actually there are more, but Thomas is behind due to the shutdown.

217: Number of aye votes for a clean CR.

2: Number of people at the root of this mess, waiting for the orange harvest report before they make their move.

BTW, If anyone is guilty of Sedition, it would be those 2 guys. They gained their influence the old fashioned way: They bought it.