Time for the jobless to march on Washington (a CNN op-ed)

Editor's note: Richard Striner, a history professor at Washington College, is the author of "Lincoln's Way: How Six Great Presidents Created American Power."

(CNN) -- It's time for the left to get off its duff and turn the tables on the radical right. And our history reveals that there's an excellent method for accomplishing precisely that: a great march of the unemployed on Washington.

Recent polls reveal that Americans are decisively more concerned about the crisis of unemployment than the issue of our national debt. But as many commentators have observed in recent weeks, the results of the midterm elections, with Republicans gaining control of the House, and the associated rise of the tea party have pushed an agenda of austerity in government spending ahead of using government resources to fight unemployment.

.......

A march of the unemployed might be the way to do it. And there's historical precedent for this idea, too -- not only in the still-remembered marches on the nation's capital that occurred in the 1960s, but also in the largely forgotten marches of the unemployed that occurred both in 1894 and (more consequentially) 1932.

The preparations would have to start soon if such an exercise in grass-roots activism is to stand a real chance of affecting our political balance of power next year. Is the left prepared to rise to the occasion?

I posted this article also to a related thread from 2009 -- which I doubt many will notice, so I'm posting it here.

Seems Arab spring has infected the whole world, emboldened even the most "obedient" civilians. Is the US oppressed jobless class ready to go?

A few years ago my husband particpated in a "run for the wall" ride put on by Bikers, who started on the west coast, picked up members as they went east, and conglomerated at the memorial to Vietnam, to rally at "Rolling Thunder" which is held annually at Memorial Day. By the time the thing was full-throttle there were about 800,000 bikes there. That isn't the number of people -- because many many had more than one rider....
that's a LOT of people...say, a million/

Could the unemployed amass such a protest? Who can organize it? I'd get in my little '89 Prelude (which is paid for) and trust it to get me there from the center of the country. But I would barely be able to afford the gas, and certainly can't afford a big campaign to get it started. Who will organize it?
I can help from here, but only on a piggy-bank budget.

What do you think, ATS?
EDIT TO ADD LINK:www.cnn.com...

Sadly I think not anymore... I would love to be proved wrong though

People might be unemployed, but you cant ask them to step away from the TV for a day or even 2... Especially with football season starting up! Thats madness! (end sarcasm)

Plus gas prices are keeping people local as well

reply to post by morder1


And the fact that they -- the unemployed -- just might do this may very well be one of the REASONS that gas prices are so high. So - it would certainly be a gutsy move for the unemployed to be willing to scrape together enough to contribute gas money, organize massively with "rides and riders" to carpool, and head there. Can you imagine the traffic? As we got east of, say, St Louis, and hundreds of thousands of cars, motorcyles, buses, what-have-you, all filled to capacty, decend on Capitol Hill?

I say it's doable. It'd be the experience of a lifetime.

Anyone?
ETA: 254 "people" on facebook recommend this as well....
so...

reply to post by wildtimes


Don't you see that it is all planned and staged to start something in this country. To give them reason to finish implementing their NWO agenda. The people are not stupid as some seem to think. They realize they are being made the fool if they walk into their trap. Al Gore stating we need our own Arab Spring. Al Gore the promoter of lies. NYC police getting ready for civil unrest. Thousands of police being prepared to patrol the streets and the list goes on. Most of us know they are getting ready for a false flag. I can't believe that anyone unless they are part of it would actually try to lead their fellow americans into their jaws.

reply to post by redrose123


Yes. Class warfare is the Democratic card in the current election cycle...pit the have nots against the rich. It will cause bitterness and distrust. This is the worst way to lead a party or a country. We need a leader who inspires peace, freedom and personal responsibility...oh yeah -there is one Ron Paul.

You can march, but know that change has come! The Middle class will be eliminated soon, and there may never be any way to turn back now.

But, since the unemployed and hopeless job seekers have nothing better to do, it would be impressive to see about 30 MILLION or so of them march on Washington, and dare them to try to stop them.

Ok who needs a car to do this? Buy a bike(get in shape) or scooter (cheap on gas). Chances are if in the midwest you could possibly even buy yourself a horse and feed and water for that kind of travel would be much cheaper than gas. Just make sure you stop to feed the horse and let it rest and let it have plenty of water. I'd go and I live pretty far, but I'd get a bike or a horse (both are available here). I maybe even walk if I couldn't scrape enough together to get a horse or bike. I would probably have to leave a week before the set date, and thankfully I do have the shoes for it. Just some ideas, I may be moving to philly soon anyway, in that case I'd just take a bus which isn't too expensive from there to DC (esp the chinese operated bus line). So that is my advice. I am ready to do something.

I say go for it. The idiots in congress as well as the jackwagon in the White House need to see what their over-regulation has done to the country.

reply to post by redrose123


Excuse me, rose, but WTH are you talking about?
It's BECAUSE the weak and oppressed are "shamed" into silence that it DOESN'T happen!!!

After I posted the OP I went on an errand, and was actually excited about something for a change, instead of dismally pessimistic and feeling helpless.
Hell yeah, I would be the organizer....I would go to every unemployment office in the country, with a bullhorn, and get the jobless to join me -- it worked in the 60s, too, ya know...
"Are you going to San Francisco".....
I was actually fantasizing about putting out the word nationally on craigslist, facebook, calling my local newspaper (which is also ignoring Ron Paul).....

The ONLY thing that will stop the madness is for the people to get LOUD and be visible. But no one's even willing to go to their local bank and pull out their money....let alone make a stink. And that's WHY things don't change.

How can you not see that? Leading into their "jaws"? What??
After all the flag-waving that civilians have a RIGHT to peaceful protest in other countries, they wouldn't DARE open fire on US citizens who use their right to speak to government.
Sigh. It's that kind of apathy, and fear, that will maintain the status quo.

Enjoy your football game (stupidest invention of man ever....and probably another manipulation to keep people home and lazy -- or spending $100s to go "tailgate" and watch a bunch of thugs who are completely overpaid knock each other around. I hate it.).

/soapbox

reply to post by ldyserenity

Thank you!! Unfortunately, because of the no-job thing, I had to sell (at a nominal re-homing fee) both of my darling horses earlier this year. I'm sure the guy who adopted them, who was also unemployed and felling trees for firewood to get by -- would allow me to saddle up and use one or the other.

It really deflates me to see this apathy and "no way" attitude. It's just stupid, IMO.

reply to post by beezzer


Thanks. Want to help?
Are you unemployed? If not, can you help notify your neighbors who are?

I'm not taking "that's dumb" for an answer. ... it isn't. It's called grassroots proactive freedom of speach and peaceful protest. It's still our right. For now.

reply to post by Fractured.Facade


Yeah, what you said. It would be VERY impressive.

I give you my "Applause!!" for that one. (it looks like a star. sigh).

reply to post by wildtimes


What am I talking about? It is as plan as the nose on ones facd they are promoting all of this not the people. They are openly calling for this themselves because up until now nothing has worked. Even if that were not the case has it worked anywhere else than Egypt? I never said don't do anything. I am simply saying don't prove them even more right than they already boast about when it comes to the American people being stupid. The one way to really hurt them without a confrontation is everyone stay home and do nothing, I mean nothing. A blue flu is hust what the doctor ordered.

Originally posted by wildtimes
reply to post by beezzer

 

Thanks. Want to help?
Are you unemployed? If not, can you help notify your neighbors who are?

I'm not taking "that's dumb" for an answer. ... it isn't. It's called grassroots proactive freedom of speach and peaceful protest. It's still our right. For now.

Bless you, but I'm stationed in Germany. I wouldn't be much help.

Anyone else see a catch 22 here? If you don't have the money to transport yourself out to the "marching area" how is one supposed to have a good march?

Someone else recently made a thread that asked why the young people of the united states didn't have marches like you suggest. The reason is we don't have the money just to go somewhere on a whim like we could have during the late 60's to early 70's. As of right now the youth of the nation cannot afford a house or even a non-beater car. Forget about trying to raise a family we couldn't possibly afford to raise children let alone support ourselves. People like to say there are "tons" of jobs out there but the truth is that pretty much the only ones available all pay the same. With the pay they give and the few hours we can get there is no chance in hell we could possibly survive on our own. Of course, a lot of people say "then join the military" but most of us don't want to get shot at and we don't wish to be pawns of some politician or private entity.

We want to live good honest lives, but with the debt based monetary system its just not ever going to be possible for us to survive. I guess some people on ats just don't realize how screwed my generation is (21 years old) and try to play everything off as if this is just run of the mill. Some people are lucky enough to not have to realize the truth of the current reality and unfortunately I am not one of those people.

And those at the top have gotten a lot smarter than they used to be and they don't really care if people march around, they only care about milking the system for every profitable penny it's worth and that is the plainly honest truth. I'm lucky my father snagged decent employment when he did otherwise this family would have considerable problems.

Well I guess that's it from me, chow

Elzon

Originally posted by Elzon
Anyone else see a catch 22 here? If you don't have the money to transport yourself out to the "marching area" how is one supposed to have a good march?

You can't see the beauty and irony in millions using some of their funds from government assistance checks to make it to these marches/protests?

Brought to Washington on a government check!

The largest welfare/unemployment funded protest in the history of the world?

reply to post by redrose123


Who the F is "they"? This was not a politician -- it was an independent columnist who mentioned it.

Okay....sit at home and do nothing. Yeah, that's great.
/sarc
That is exactly what they're counting on. No one will do anything. How does that help??? HOW ON EARTH does that help?
Again, WTF are you talking about??

reply to post by Elzon


Nicely put. My kids are your age, and I worry for them, too....if they don't want to come along, you can ride with me and my husband.

I already pointed out above the very things you are emphasizing...so - all the more gutsy for those who have NO MONEY to rally somehow to GET THERE.....
to scrape together enough to hitch a ride....

Go collect some aluminum cans -- take them to the nearest recycling center (locally it pays about $80/100 lbs)....
and go for it. Sell off some of your stuff. Mow a lawn. It's not that hard to come up with a few dollars. You in?

reply to post by Fractured.Facade


I think I'm falling in love with you.
jk.....
but. thanks. I can't believe how many here are just like...."oh, no way"...

Germany is going no nukes.
Jobs to take down the nuclear water steam turbine Tesla electrical generator plants.
And jobs to put up the latest in Tesla electrical plants.
Or are they too afraid to try the uber technology again.
Germany and Japan had to take over the world to be oil free cause they didn't
have any due to cartels having it all. They had their needs.
Tesla now and get the jobs on the way, marching just plays into the hands of
the cartels.
ED:
germany no nukes

no nukes