Barely a week old, the Occupy Vegas movement took to the streets of Sands Boulevard Tuesday afternoon to protest the Western Republican GOP debate. When I had first arrived at press check-in, it looked mostly like a gathering of the local SEIU chapter, but when I saw Slate reporter Dave Weigel in the mix of protesters, I figured I should also check out the local color (mostly union purple and gold, for those of you at home keeping score).
I did manage to find a handful of people that were not associated with the SEIU chapter. Howard, from Las Vegas, was there with his family to protest against big business. I asked him if he felt the media’s portrayal of the Occupy movement being related to the Tea Party was a fair comparison. He stated, “The Tea Party is a very different movement. I think that they’re against the bailouts for the big banks and the financial industry. That may be where we have common ground, but other than that, there is no common ground.”
With over 700 arrests at one protest in New York, I think most Tea Partiers would agree.
Of course the TEA party is against bailouts of anything. Even bailouts of individuals might qualify at some point since we all have to take drug tests and gather up our 1099-MISC or W-2′s (wage slave markers!). People that plead from the politicians for food stamps so they can live in their section 8 home and care for their family with Medicaid don’t even get a 1099-GOV. It would seem there is a serious divide in the country–those that work, get drug tested, have all their financial transactions reported and those that don’t do any of them but receive thousands in ‘income, redistributed’. It is past time for government to do the same thing we allow them to do to us. 1099-GOV 1099-GOV 1099-GOV
You’re almost correct Senator. There is one group of welfare recipients that get their little 1099GOV slips each year. And that’s those of us who are merely between jobs and collecting TEMPORARY government benefits prior to us being employed again. It’s only the guys and gals (and their corresponding kiddies) who have chosen a career of government welfare payments that don’t have to report their earnings each year.
I suppose Barry & friends don’t want us workers to get out of the habit of paying our taxes. Those other folks, he’s not worried about them so much.
Jeffy’s right. Unemployment benefits are taxed, even if the person receiving them doesn’t realize. My recollection is that there is no withholding done, though, so it would be a big, unpleasant surprise to the recipient at tax time.
Alexia Garcia do you have a boyfriend, you are too pretty to be a republican.