Friday, September 26, 2008

Foreclosure Notice

Mr. Robin Eublind and I have whipped up a Foreclosure Notice that some of you might want to print out and use in your neighborhood. It might be appropriate to post and/or paste onto the windows and/or doors of banks and financial institutions, the homes of their officers, or at your elected officials' offices. They could even be handouts to employees and toadies. Use them as you will. (Note that they might go well printed out onto full-page sticker stock, which one can purchase at Staples.)

Here's the link to the pdf.

Here's the text of it:

FORECLOSURE NOTICE
AN ACTION TO FORECLOSE THE DEED OF TRUST ON
THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN FILED BY THE PEOPLE
TO STOP THE SALE AND REINSTATE THE PUBLIC TRUST YOU MUST:

1. HALT THE GOVERNMENT’S BAILOUT OF WALL STREET’S INDULGENCES.

2. PUT HOMES, JOBS AND PENSIONS AHEAD OF CORPORATE PROFITS
AND BONUSES.

3. RESTORE FAITH IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE ECONOMY BY ACTING IN THE
GREATER GOOD OF THE ENTIRE NATION, RATHER THAN THE CORPORA-
TIONS AND THE WEALTHY.

4. RESTORE ALL AMOUNTS DUE TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION, INCLUD-
ING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PUBLIC EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, HOUSING,
JUSTICE, SOCIAL EQUALITY, THE ARTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
ACT IMMEDIATELY UPON THIS NOTICE TO PREVENT FURTHER LOSS
AND/OR SEIZURES BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE TAXPAYERS.

DATE:
SIGNED:

Authority: Real Property of the People, §7-105.1(d)(2)(vii)

Thursday, September 04, 2008

From the Belly



A kind woman with a fuzzy face outside the arena yesterday told me from her heart that to her the atmosphere was electric. I wasn't feeling it. Perhaps my polarity is a bit off. I thought the atmosphere, especially inside the place, was akin to a plumbers convention. Well, I take that back, judging from the plumbers I've known, the plumbers convention would probably have more ebullient atmosphere.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Enchanted



These characters were absolutely delightful. They had a light and playful energy about them and they interacted with us on a gentle and personal level at the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign rally in St. Paul yesterday. (If anyone knows who they are, please let me now.)

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Day Two - Tactics


Day one was as successful as any group like ours could expect. We were a tonic for the troops, we were some sand in the gears of the other side, and we got some pretty good media coverage, including a live interview with all six of us on AM 950 Minneapolis, and a mention in the Star-Ledger. Now what? There's another protest march planned by the Poor Peoples' Economic Human Rights Campaign, which would have a different emphasis, but we're thinking it might be better to shift our focus to what we do best, which is making the other side look silly. Stay tuned.

How the Real Boys Do It

While were were sharing half-price hors d'oeuvres and sake in the neighborhood, here's what the real lobyists were up to last night:

Monday, September 01, 2008

Four More Years!



I feel like a kid who's just come back from the carnival. My mind is still spinning and images of insanity are dancing in my head.

In fact, I AM a kid who's just come back from the carnival. After thoroughly taunting the lefty demonstrators marching on St. Paul for approximately four hours, we regrouped and headed for the Minnesota State Fair, where we mixed it up among funnel cakes and corn dogs against whatever party loyalists we encountered in their secure booths. The Obama booth, the Franken Booth, the McCain booth (hopping mad, this guy was). We created little internet spots at the CNN booth and went live on the local Air America station.

What's especially entertaining is when folk react savagely. A guy in a Bob Marley T-shirt asked me for one of our cards. He then made a show of going over to the trash bin, ripping up the card, spitting on it and tossing it out. Some adamant supports of Obama stick around long enough to understand where we're coming from. Sometimes they fool us, too. Like Ryan, who played football on the high school team that Jesse Ventura coached. We had him tagged as a drunken McCain supporter. Chomping on a piece of some sort of meat on a stick, he playfully goaded us, playing the role we expected him to play until we finally got his game.

It's been nearly four years since I've done a full day of politicking and demonstrating. The adrenalin rush is a gas. But the ups and downs and all the discord just wear on you. I'm exhausted. Exhilarated, but exhausted.

Day One, Morning One

Minneapolis is dead quiet at 7:30 AM. There's a breeze blowing through the streets and the birds are doing their early meet and greet. Andrew and I take a walk in the neighborhood of our gracious hosts. (We're being put up on the first floor of a kind family's home in town.) We've never been in Minneapolis for a convention, and these things are different every election year. I can sympathize with military commanders. What's the schedule? Where will they be? What will we be able to get away with? Should we do event-type things with themes, such as "Cheap Labor Day"? Or is it better to just set up in prominent places with our banners and our briefcase full of money and talk to the folks who come by? There's no way of knowing what's gonna work until we've given the new schtick a test drive on the streets in middle America. But first, it's time for a little yoga on the front lawn.