This photo shows the arrest of Representive Liz Malia on 6/14/12 in Jamaica PlainWhat was occuring was an Eviction Blockage organized by City Life Vida Unida, similar to actions all over the state and the country that aim to keep homeowners in their homes, and force mediation.
Photo by Jeff Stone. In fact, the goal was an “Eviction Free Zone”.
Photo by Jeff Stone. In fact, Occupy Boston protesters, some of whom have previously allowed themselves to be arrested in other circumstances as a matter of civil disobedience were present, and have been trained in civil disobedience.
Occupy Boston protesters stood with the homeowner (or sat) and six others were arrested along with Representative Malia. (Not necessarily those locking arms in the photo below, photo credit unknown):
These Occupy Boston protesters, all folks I know, put it on the line today for the working class. This election, and this economic disaster are far worse for the working classes and folks like the homeowner who received today’s eviction defense than for the college educated middle class, or those who “lost wealth”. The vast number of Americans are one paycheck, one health disaster away from homelessness and destitution. I applaud Rep. Malia’s courage, but who speaks for them in the current election? Who is addressing the reality that only 14% of the teenagers who want summer jobs can find them – when it was 60% in my day (because college graduates and desperate 60 year olds are flipping burgers and pouring coffee).
No new taxes means no future for today’s teens. Hello! Anyone listening? We get what we pay for and if we don’t invest in the future, than the future will look like Detroit, Michigan. The dialog must be about having the fortitude to build for the future rather than sucking our children’s future dry, and substituting austerity for vision.
AmberPaw says
As Rep. Malia said, Ms. Gordon is a good soul and a long time constituent, and Rep. Malia was willing to be arrested to call attention to the bank and its lawfirms refusal to come to the table.
centralmassdad says
it isn’t a bank, but a trustee and servicer of a bond fund, and is legally prevented from modifying the mortgages it holds with the assent of the bondholders– a New Deal era rule that stands unchanged.
One might almost think that Democrats decided they had more to gain by using the foreclosure crisis as an opportunity to enact other things their special interests wanted, than by actually addressing the problem.
Patrick says
http://www.universalhub.com/2012/six-arrested-jp-foreclosure-protest-including-stat#comment-227442
liveandletlive says
advertising to get homeowners to do it. Such a shame that the banks got bailed out over that and the consumers didn’t. Pretty unbelievable.
farnkoff says
I applaud Malia and the protesters for taking a stand against these invulnerable, and increasingly malevolent, entities who seem to run the country.
liveandletlive says
and we all know that’s what really matters. As a matter of fact, there has been so much panic about the market teetering these last few weeks that they are ready to print more money so those wealthy investors, paying the 15% capital gains tax, can keep their wallets nice and fat. Of course, none of that money will trickle down to the people who really need it. I wonder how much longer this is going to continue.
I really am just so FED UP.
SomervilleTom says
I’m not sure about the impact of increased inflation on wealthy investors, but it helps consumers and hurts banks and lenders. That’s because consumers spend or borrow money that is worth more, dollar for dollar, when used than when paid back. Mortgages written before any inflation begins will look very attractive to homeowners and very unappealing to the lenders who service them.
I therefore think that the government is actually hurting consumers and helping banks by keeping the inflation rate too low. I think it would be better for the 99% — and therefore the economy and therefore the national debt — if the inflation rate were to climb by 2-3%.
liveandletlive says
inflation isn’t high enough???? Which inflation rate are you going by? How much higher does the cost of living have to go before you are satisfied that the consumer has been helped enough? How has the low dollar helped with purchasing power here in the United States?
SomervilleTom says
The best way to help the consumer (and the 99%) is to ramp up employment. The current national inflation rate, according to the BLS, is 1.7%. Meanwhile, again according to the BLS, the national unemployment rate is essentially unchanged from April at 8.2%.
Allowing the inflation rate to climb to 3-4% will spur private-sector spending that will help all of us. This will happen for two reasons: (1) it will reduce the real value of private-sector debt accrued during the crash, improving private-sector balance sheets and promoting private-sector recovery, and (2) it will reduce the incentive of other parts of the private sector to hang onto the cash they are currently hoarding.
The feds should be stepping on the gas, and instead they are slamming on the brakes — out of fear of inflation.
liveandletlive says
right?
The only inflation rate that matters in today’s hostile economic climate is the cost of food, energy and healthcare. I think you are a spot out of touch with what is really going on. Should President Obama include your theory in his campaign speeches and confirm to the electorate that higher prices for basic needs are good for us? Sure, somervilletom, I’ll take that one out with me for my next discussion with an independent voter as they put back the fresh broccoli because they can’t afford it. It ought to help a lot.
SomervilleTom says
Prices for food at home are stable or declining slightly. Prices for energy are declining more significantly (4.3% in May, with a 6.8% decrease in gasoline). Inflation is down, unemployment is too high. Tell me again about who is “out of touch with what is really going on”.
I think a better way to allow those independent voters to buy the fresh broccoli they want is to provide more jobs at higher wages. Meanwhile, an independent voter who thinks that the GOP healthcare proposals will reduce rising healthcare costs isn’t paying attention.
liveandletlive says
If they continue, then the cost of other goods and services should drop as well. However, this is so recent that it’s barely registered yet, and if the Fed does another QE, I think it’s very possible that the price of gas will go up and up again. That’s why it’s important NOT TO DO another round of money printing. I really don’t give those stats a whole lot of credibility. They may have a use somewhere, but gauging the true cost of living isn’t one of them.
SomervilleTom says
I quoted the stats in response to your assertions about the inflation rate. I interpreted your comments to mean that you feel that the inflation rate is too high. I offered evidence that it is, in fact, very low. I offered an argument (courtesy of Paul Krugman) that in fact the inflation rate is so low that it is impeding job creation.
I get that working people and the middle class are suffering, as am I. I’m suggesting that “keeping prices low” by encouraging the private sector to avoid hiring is like re-plastering the wet spot on the ceiling rather than patching the hole in the roof above it. It might help the symptoms, but it probably makes the cause worse.
liveandletlive says
Gas prices are currently dropping, but that is a recent phenomenon. Gas prices are still ridiculously high, and still a burden to consumers. Inflation is still a problem for household budgets in this country.
Keeping prices high and the dollar low is not encouraging the private sector to hire. It is however keeping the stock market up, which is not the same thing as investing in the Main St. economy. If you don’t get that yet, you have a lot of work to do.
SomervilleTom says
When I offered evidence that inflation is NOT a problem for household budgets, you rejected the evidence (but offered none of your own).
I don’t know that there is a relationship between “high prices” and “low dollars” (as in exchange rates with other currencies), I don’t know “high prices” and “low dollars” are keeping the stock market up, you haven’t presented evidence that prices are high, and you haven’t addressed my fundamental point — that low inflation effectively discourages companies from hiring.
Meanwhile, does this exchange have anything to do with this morning’s arrest of Rep. Malia?
liveandletlive says
and some of them lose their homes because they are just breaking even every month and one more increase on anything starts them on the downward spiral of having to choose to pay for groceries or pay their mortgage or buy gas or buy heating oil.
I don’t need stats to tell me I am paying more every month for everything. I see it written in our checkbook. That’s all the proof I need.
SomervilleTom says
I don’t dispute your contention that life is hard for too many homeowners.
I suggest, instead, that by focusing on keeping inflation so low, the fed makes life much harder for many more Americans. As painful as a 1-2% increase in inflation might be, I suggest that the benefits of increased jobs and increased private-sector spending will more than compensate.
I further suggest that you DO need statistics to understand how national economic policy affects more than just your household. Your own experience, as valid as I agree it is, is not necessarily representative of the nation as a whole.
liveandletlive says
If you say so. Let me take your language to the streets and see how the Main St. folks feel about it. I’ll tell them that this is what the Dems think, so look forward to higher prices if they win.
centralmassdad says
And specifically, why things like gas and food prices have nothing to do with it.
Yglesias on Inflation
liveandletlive says
they just won’t vote at all.
centralmassdad says
Not something I write every day.
Generally, when I read an irrational diatribe against inflation, it is followed by an irrational advocacy of the gold standard and a request to donate or support Ron Paul.
As has been pointed out quite often to the goldbugs here and elsewhere, inflation has been at historic lows since 2007, and for much of that time we have been perilously close to outright deflation.
Gas and food prices have risen and fallen, and that makes me as sad as anyone else, but in reality, there is nothing the government can do– certainly not with monetary policy– that will have ANY effect on those prices. Indeed, inflationary monetary policy would tend to increase prices of things other than gas and food (such as your labor)— because monetary policy has very little effect on those prices.
Tom’s point is that one of the significant things other than gasoline that ALSO would not be affected are many/most mortgage payments. Since the monthly mortgage payment is for many/most a rather significant chunk of the monthly budget, it would be a pretty good thing for them if (i) their incomes rise a bit with inflation, but (ii) their mortgage payment does not. That would tend to put a lot more money into “discretionary spending” which would be something like “just what the doctor ordered” for this stagnating recovery, and would take a lot of real estate out of the “distressed” category to boot.
liveandletlive says
People are losing their jobs and getting rehired at a far lower rate of pay with the same mortgage payment. Add that to increased costs of basic needs and it a forclosure just waiting to happen. You aren’t looking at the whole picture.
centralmassdad says
rather than none, which is what we have had for several years now
centralmassdad says
I think this is exactly right. Especially considering that a fair amount of the crucial consumer debt– home mortgages– has a fixed interest rate or at least a fixed interval of adjustment.
And more so because we have been flirting for several years now with a deflationary environment, which is not so much “painful” as “catastrophic” and “threatening to continuance of civil society.”
liveandletlive says
n/t
thinkliberally says
Wish she were my state rep
dave-from-hvad says
This issue will probably decide this presidential election. Yet, is there really a decision for voters to make? Do the Democrats, other than a few committed souls like Rep. Malia, really care any more than the Republicans about the plight of the working and middle class?
Corporate money and influence has permeated both political parties, from the presidency on down. And the electorate is conveniently apathetic. To me, Elizabeth Warren’s candidacy is a small sign of hope in all of this. But will voters open their eyes to this, and will more people in the political arena take a real stand, in addition to Rep. Malia and Elizabeth Warren?
michaelhoran says
Wow .Occupy linking arms with a mainstream politician, and engaging in truly pragmatic fashion?
This is cheering on a few fronts. Much of Occupy’s “direct action” really isn’t–it’s simple statement-making involving one form of NVCD or another. That they’re pairing up with CL/VU is terrific. The latter is one of the most effective organizations in town–I’ve been to a few of their foreclosure actions over the past few years, ones at which no one got arrested, because no one had to–the banks wound up caving in every instance before that was required. If Occupy can continue to put bodies in the streets for meaningful stuff like this, they’ll start building a respectable resume.
And when elected officials such as Ms Malia put their bodies on the line, they can’t help but gain the respect of many of the skeptics in Occupy and similarly disenfranchised-feeling folks. Whom, I can’t help but hope, will consider returning the favor and supporting candidates with guts. Of course there’s much more to it than obtaining the approval of the rabble; elected leaders who engage on this level ensure that the action gets press, they lend additional gravitas, and they demonstrate a genuine bond with their constituents –in fact, they act, not simply as “officials,” but as leaders.
I’ve been urging my many discontented friends to get behind those Democrats who really do represent them; and as I’ve indicated hereon, there’s a vast army of really passionate and energetic and largely young people out there, occupiers and Green-sympathizers and so on, who could really be a force to be reckoned with if a) they’re willing to go engage in mainstream politics and b) they find, as amberpaw, says, candidates who truly “speak for them” and whose actions, like Ms. Malia’s, demonstrae that thier committment goes beyond mere words.
centralmassdad says
And more likely to have an actual impact than all of the camping out last summer.
I do not understand how it is that a right-wing populist movement, the tea party, has been able to exercise such enormous influence at almost every level of government, while the Occupy movement, before this post at least, seems to have largely fizzled.
michaelhoran says
5 minute clip here
judy-meredith says
Thank you Amberpaw for this wonderful post.
from my take on Realcclout in part:
…..I can’t wait to see her CORI report, because it won’t be simple trespassing. She and the other civil disobediencers (I made that word up) were read the “Riot Act” by a no doubt very polite and very bored looking police officer.
Today’s “riot act”, is part of our general laws defining crimes against the public peace, and is a direct decedent from a statute passed in Massachusetts at the urging of Sam Adams of all people, to permit Sheriffs to shoot to kill all of those rebellious farmers during the Shays Rebellion. Passed by the Massachusetts State Legislature in the fall of 1786, the act forbade all gatherings of more than 12 armed persons and empowered sheriffs to kill rioters.
The back story on this for me anyway is that Luke Day, on of the leaders in Shay’s Rebellion was my great great great great great Grand Uncle. They never shot him down, but they put him in prison and when he finally got out his health was destroyed and he was sued many times for not paying his mortgage. He died a poor man, but a brave and stubborn one to the end.