Explaining Occupy Wall Street...

Since the Occupy movement began, I've heard many, many different explanations of what they're protesting and what they're trying to accomplish. I've had people call me every name in the book because I haven't researched their movement to figure out what the actual objectives are. 


So I posted a video asking members of the Occupy Wall Street (and everywhere else) movement to use the comments area to explain to the rest of us: 1) What exactly the Occupy movement is protesting against, and 2) what exactly they're trying to accomplish.

Click to watch

Now that it's been up for a few days, check out the comment section. There were a few thoughtful responses, but as I expected, nobody seems to have a clear vision what they're specifically trying to accomplish. Thankfully the movement is over, and when they hit the parks again next summer, maybe they'll have a realistic, articulated set of objectives...

CH2M Hill's Crony Stimulus: Where Are The Occupiers?

Our friends in the Occupy movement have been protesting big corporations' influence over government and how crony capitalism is destroying our country for the little guy. And two months of destroying our public parks, drumming in circles, crapping in buckets and vandalizing businesses hasn't changed a damn thing, has it?

So Occupiers: If you want to change things, maybe you should Occupy CH2M Hill.

According to a report released today by Accuracy in Media, CH2M Hill has received nearly $2 billion in stimulus funds (yes, that's right: more than triple the amount received by Solyndra). And why did they receive so much of our taxpayer dollars? How else? Lobbying and campaign contributions. Here you go:

• CH2M Hill, a consulting/engineering/construction firm, has operations in over 80 countries worldwide.
• The company has been awarded almost $2 billion in Federal funds, more than triple the amount received by Solyndra
• CH2M Hill was awarded $9.6 million to design Solyndra’s Freemont, California facility.
• In the 2008 election cycle, CH2M Hill donated $45,000 to Senator Barack Obama.
• In the 2010 cycle, 65 percent of all campaign contributions were made to Democrats.
• CH2M Hill spent $455,000 on progressive lobbyists in 2010.
• CH2M Hill hired and subsequently fired 1,350 employees after stimulus funding depleted.

Read the whole report, written by Rusty Weiss, at Accuracy in Media.

Why don't you Occupiers go after CH2M Hill? This is cronyism at its finest. And for those socialists among you who believe that the Stimulus Program saved us from the next Great Depression, think again.

Thankfully, winter is here, so the Occupy movement is all but over. But next spring when the sun comes out and you start up again, I'd suggest a more pointed attack, where you actually target the offenders themselves, rather than protest all the world's ills and hope your pithy signs and mic checks are actually going to change things.