"Occupy" targets courts over campaign funding

NEW YORK - Protesters plan to "occupy" courthouses in more than 100 cities across the U.S. on Friday to protest a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that removed most limits on corporate and labor spending in federal elections.

The grassroots coalition, called Move to Amend, said the protest will kick off petition drives to gain support for a constitutional amendment that would overturn Citizens United v. FEC, a 2010 court ruling that allowed private groups to spend huge amounts on political campaigns with few restrictions. Occupy Wall Street activists are joining the protest.

"The courts created the idea that the corporation is a person with constitutional rights," said David Cobb, an Occupy the Courts organizer. "It's the justification for the whole corporate takeover of our government."

Activists plan to rattle S.F. financial district

A last-minute court dispute left the status of the protest in New York City unclear. A judge on Thursday ruled that demonstrators do not have a First Amendment right to protest in front of a Manhattan federal courthouse.

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Protesters had filed a lawsuit asking the judge to overturn the government's rejection of their permit application. The permit had been denied on grounds that the courthouse poses unique security concerns.

In light of the ruling, protesters did not announce whether the event would be moved to another location.

[sandiegopete]

The Occupy movement is a direct result of the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. F.E.C. That decision clearly stated that control of the country rests with the largest corporations. The middle class is now fighting for its life. The middle class is experiencing a downward trend in average and median pay and to make up for the lost income is drawing down savings. At the same time the upper class is increasing income and savings. When the middle class has exhausted its savings the upper class will find it very difficult to control the lower classes' dissatisfaction and that is when the real change in our system will come. Like pigs at a trough,the upper class is so busy gobbling up all the money that they can't see the backlash comming.

[Jaylah54]

Anybody bothered to stop and think that maybe the lower turnout at these events has dropped off because IT'S FREAKIN' JANUARY AND IT'S COLD OUTSIDE IN MOST PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY!! And that, when things warm up again in the spring, the turnout will improve.

Remember, they didn't call it the Arab Winter.

[Mac_Donald09]

I guess the world doesn't need saving unless its 70 degrees and sunny huh?

[Jaylah54]

While I've always supported the Occupy groups in their grievances, I've also always felt they were "occupying" the wrong people.

Humans are human. And being human, "self" will almost always come first. If someone were to offer me a job paying 100 times more than the average for that type of position paid, you bet I'd take it! I wouldn't turn down the job because it "wasn't fair" to every body else in that type of job. Even if it really wasn't fair.

So don't expect occupying Wall Street to accomplish anything. It's the folks up on Capitol Hill (president, legislators and supreme court justices) that are making the rules that not only allow, but also encourage, this kind of disparity.

(For those with their heads still up their backsides, the "Occupy" movement has never asked for "free stuff" or anything not earned. It's not like they think billionaires should hand out their money to them.)

We need to be protesting outside the Capitol building, outside the White House, and outside the Supreme Court building, as well as other courthouses.

It is THE GOVERNMENT (not private wealth) that belongs to 100% of the American people, and not just the 1%. It's time we took it back, and camping out next to the New York stock exchange accomplishes nothing.

[sandiegopete]

You have it wrong. The lobbyists control Congress, not the other way around. Those members of the House and Senate do not get elected or re-elected without the approval of the wealthiest individuals and corporations. It is very difficult to get that fact across to the general public when the vast resources of the upper class propaganda machine distributes misinformation.

[mjlewis6]

The OCCUPY movement is hitting on the real issues, and they are correct to target not only the financial institutions and congress' cozy relationship impacting the 99% of Americans...but the third branch of our government that also 'goes along with the idea that corporations are people with the same rights as individuals.

Several states have been pushing insane laws to elevate the punishment to execution for prisoners who are convicted of causing the death of a police or search dog... are likely no different than the Supreme Court recognizing an "artificial person" as a corporation. But unlike the former case, there is no "EXECUTION" of a corporation...perhaps the whole management team and boards of directors will be subject to the punishment?

That would be a whole new approach of jeopardy for corporations to be INCARCERATED or EXECUTED for crimes of fraud, manslaughter or murder.... but then...it is for money, and we know who the money party is, right?

[credibility2]

That more and more of these types are rising up wherever and whenever is a direct result of our nation having had too prolonged a socialist and welfare state mentality. The diminished mentality of these types is based on anything anyone doesn't like or agree with is now a cause and a right for occupation, protest, disruption, disdain for prevailing traditions, rules, laws and polices and general disrespect for the vast majority. These anarchists are a minority and must be dealt with immediately to eradicate them from a society based on the rule of order and law.

[Toddwest]

"society based on the rule of order and law" hahaha! Best bs I've heard all day.

[wdrussell1]

Anybody who is not rich and supports citizens united is a fool.