Unsolicited Drivel: The Rebuild the Dream Rally-Washington, DC 7-28-11

Washington, DC, always a city of unremarkable sandwiches that leave me starving on the way home and nearly ready to faint on the train, was the location yesterday for the first ever press conference and rally of The American Dream movement led by Van Jones, senior fellow at the Center For American Progress, and co-founder of numerous progressive non-profit organizations, including this current "rebuilding" movement. I had attended a house meeting for this group about two weeks ago and it was the first time I didn’t feel quite so alone in my struggles in this economy in years, so I was looking forward to seeing Van speak in person on the current stalemate in the debt ceiling crisis.

I arrived at the Capitol about an hour beforehand, fantasizing about having an opportunity to douse Speaker Boehner with my bottled water – as if I would ever have a chance to get close enough to him without having any interest in playing golf! And speaking of water, while our country is hurling toward the biggest economic calamity in my lifetime, I noticed we are paying workers to power-wash the sidewalks outside of the building. Aren’t we nearing a drought, too? *GROWL*

People slowly started to arrive. Liberals never seem to show up as early as the Tea Party at these events (perhaps because they have lives?), but show up they did and likely numbered over 300…although you may hear more like 500. Attendance is ALWAYS exaggerated no matter which party is hosting the event. I don’t think that’s a bad turnout on only 24 hours notice. Even better news is that the Tea Party rally the day before only had 40 attendees!

I overheard Rep. Keith Ellison (D. MN) being interviewed on camera. Ellison is the first Muslim member of congress and an African American - the Tea Party’s worst nightmare. Lex Luthor to their delusional Superman. Ellison didn't use the word "treason," but he indicated the way the Tea Party is unwilling to work to find a compromise with any other lawmakers who have a differing opinion is just that. He stated that they are “in violation of their duty to the American people.” Absolutely. I cannot remember a time when our government behaved so childishly and I admire that Ellison can sit in legislative session with them without his head exploding. You’re a better person that I am, sir!

Jones with his young grassroots activists.

Van Jones opened the press conference and announced that congress people and reps from labor unions, civil rights organizations, among others would speak. Planned Parenthood, dependent on Medicaid, had a large presence. 70 Organizations are affiliated with the Rebuild the Dream movement.

You can see their complete listing of speakers yesterday in their blog post here.

Tiffany Mellers. She fought our wars and only got a lousy t-shirt.

This is Tiffany Mellers. She’s a war veteran our country is “thanking” for her service by driving her into poverty. Like so many of us, she cannot find work and has children at home to feed. Not taking care of our troops is perhaps, in my opinion, our country’s greatest shame.

I also believe that another great shame that’s neck and neck with forgetting about our troops once they come home, is not taking care of our seniors. Rep. Jan Schakoswky (D. IL) was one of the several real firecracker congresswomen who spoke. She spoke on Social Security and Medicare and stated as far as the GOP was concerned we could rename Medicare “I don’t care!”

ASFCME arrives!

Both the reps from ASFCME (Ralph Randall), and AFGE (John Gage) spoke about mistreatment of government workers, from lax safety regulations at the FAA to pocket-depleting furloughs, among other atrocities while we don’t tax the rich their fair share. According to another speaker, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D.NY), currently the wealthiest Americans are paying less than 1% of GDP, while they were paying 6% in 1950!

Reverend Welton Gaddy spoke of disentangling God from politics and his colleagues were protesting inside the Capitol building as he spoke. He fully expected them to get arrested. He urged our lawmakers to practice “faith, justice and compassion” and stated, “Religion is not a theory. Quit your unpatriotic politics!”

John Gage of AFGE

Both AFGE’s John Gage and Rep. Nadler referred to the current debt ceiling crisis as “artificial” and “manufactured.” The congress people who spoke assured the crowd that they wouldn’t let us default (“not on our watch”) and would encourage President Obama to invoke the 14th Amendment - if necessary.

The basic message of the rally was that the GOP, and the Tea Party in particular, is holding the American people hostage with their extremist views - the views of the MINORITY. This country has to be run by the majority. It’s the only way to ensure democracy for all.

Naively, I fully expected to come home, flop on the sofa after a cold shower, flip on the news and hear there had been a debt ceiling vote. Later I heard the House delayed the vote last night. I'm guessing it's because their pizza didn't arrive in 30 minutes or less - because they really do want EVERYTHING for free!