About 15 people gathered Jan. 19 in Pritchard Park across from the Bank of America and Wells Fargo offices in downtown Asheville to protest Wall Street's involvement in the foreclosure crisis and to demand that President Barack Obama hold the big banks accountable by ordering a federal investigation into their practices
Referencing the president as he addressed the group, organizer Randy Bernard declared: "We sent you to Washington to fight for the 99 percent, not to coddle the 1 percent!"
The event was part of a national day of action organized by the MoveOn called “Yes He Can,” taking place across the country at Obama for America (OFA) campaign offices in all 50 states and at local offices of some of the biggest banks.
The rallies come "after state attorney generals have temporarily blocked a sweetheart deal that would have given broad immunity to the banks for their role in the housing crisis," according to a press release by the progressive activist group. "The president now has the power to decide whether or not to move forward with a full federal investigation that would finally hold the banks accountable," it continues.
Organizers also touted a Jan. 20 rally in the same park to protest the "Citizens United" 2010 Supreme Court decision that has led to unprecedented corporate spending by "Super Pacs" in this year's GOP presidential primary race. The event will start at 4:30 p.m., they said.
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Why take up the whole park?
By indy499
01/19/2012
The government caused the foreclosure crisis. Now the forcible occupiers want the government to look into the matter. That's rich.
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By Tim Peck
01/19/2012
Mr. Peck are you suggesting that the big banks and the geniuses who run them and Wall St. were completely clueless and utterly powerless to prevent themselves from going bankrupt while making record profits and record pay for the upper management? The government made me do it is your excuse for them? I wish the government would make me do something to get that stinking filthy rich..
Why in the face of this would you be so hell bent on allowing such incompetent managers complete free reign in the economy?
By Christopher C NC
01/20/2012
"Why in the face of this would you be so hell bent on allowing such incompetent managers complete free reign in the economy?"
I'm not hell bent on any such thing. I believe in a free market that allows incompetence to fail, not be bailed out by the government. Only the government can give incompetent managers free reign (too big to fail). Capitalism cannot do that. Only political cronysism can.
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By timothypeck
01/20/2012
So when the banks failed and all the money that Joe Six Pack thought he had in there, but was really loaned out in some odd algorithmic high finance derivative market to make the bankers and money managers rich vanishes into thin air because no one was regulating what they were doing, then what?
How you think Joe Six Pack is going to feel about free market failures then?
By Christopher C NC
01/20/2012
Didn't Obama push the stimulus and sign it? Wasn't it passed by a Democratic-controlled House and Senate? Didn't Wall St. largely support Obama's election in 2008? Weren't some very big banks bailed out? Aren't some bigwigs from these banks now in Obama's inner circle as advisers and czars? Why aren't these dumb-a** loonies protesting Obama? HE's the big criminal here. Bring HIM to justice!
By john5
01/20/2012
Why are you under the impression these people are not protesting Obama's policies you refer to?
By bill smith
01/22/2012
@bill smith--Oh, just a lucky guess.
By john5
01/27/2012
@John5-More like a demonstrably inaccurate assumption.
By bill smith
01/29/2012
"The president now has the power to decide whether or not to move forward with a full federal investigation that would finally hold the banks accountable..."
Yes, that would be welcome, and it is something the majority of people seem to support (a "full federal investigation...") but it won't happen. Know why? Here:
"U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer, head of the Justice Department’s criminal division, were partners for years at a Washington law firm that represented a Who’s Who of big banks and other companies at the center of alleged foreclosure fraud, a Reuters inquiry shows...
Reuters reported in December that under Holder and Breuer, the Justice Department hasn’t brought any criminal cases against big banks or other companies involved in mortgage servicing, even though copious evidence has surfaced of apparent criminal violations in foreclosure cases.
The evidence, including records from federal and state courts and local clerks’ offices around the country, shows widespread forgery, perjury, obstruction of justice, and illegal foreclosures on the homes of thousands of active-duty military personnel.
While Holder and Breuer were partners at Covington, the firm’s clients included the four largest U.S. banks - Bank of America, Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo & Co – as well as at least one other bank that is among the 10 largest mortgage servicers..."
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/20/analysis-holder-top-doj-lawyers-were-partners-with-big-banks/
But never fear, the DoJ will continue to conduct pre-dawn raids on medical cannabis users or those that threaten the profits of the entertainment industry. But go after their own? Won't happen.
By Dionysis
01/20/2012
So there's your liberal protest against Obama and sadly Dionysis is most likely correct. Chances of any prosecutions are slim to none.
By Christopher C NC
01/20/2012
Oh, and by the way, the pressure to hold these on-going criminal enterprises (mortgage lenders and banks) accountable has been coming from various states attorneys general. This administration, primarily through the DoJ, has been trying mightily to derail their efforts and force a 'get out of jail free', slap-on-the-wrist 'settlement' to protect these corporate criminals. For more detail on just who, when and where, go here:
http://www.nationofchange.org/mr-president-stop-protecting-bankers-these-state-law-enforcement-officials-1323700703
By Dionysis
01/20/2012
Even with the co-opted Obama administration and their toothless response, none of that makes this statement true:
"The government caused the foreclosure crisis."
Yes, we're pissed that there aren't consequences for the banksters. The people who "caused" the crisis are the financial institutions who took advantage of lax regulation in order to build a pipeline into the pockets of the middle class and then siphon the wealth out. Those who want to be able to do it again are spreading the notion that it was 'too much gubmint' that was at fault, when in fact it's the opposite. We need to return to the strict regulation and high taxes on the very wealthy that led to the prosperity and healthy growth of the 40s, 50s, and 60s.
By Barry Summers
01/20/2012
Amen to that!
By Dionysis
01/20/2012
"How you think Joe Six Pack is going to feel about free market failures then?"
The free market didn't fail. We don't have one. How can something fail that doesn't exist?
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By timothypeck
01/21/2012
Ah yes, without the government on their backs the bankers and masters of finance suddenly become angels among men.
By Christopher C NC
01/24/2012
@Chris-In fantastical aynrandia, this all makes sense.
By bill smith
01/29/2012