Brian Sonenstein

I think there’s a good chance that with enough support we could get some local media to start picking up this story. It would be enough to get some people talking about this case again, and as we near September’s court-martial, that’s exactly what we all need to be doing because the only thing that will complicate the governments plans is intense public scrutiny.

Tomorrow is May Day, and Occupy groups have spent months planning a general strike. Organizers are calling on people everywhere to show solidarity by abstaining from commerce, staying home from school and work, avoiding the bank, and other activities as part of a ‘day without the 99%.’ FDL will be covering activities here, at The Dissenter, and on a special May Day page. See the links for interactive maps and schedules of events.

Tonight at 8pm eastern, Occupy Supply will be hosting a free, online discussion titled, “Beyond Signs & Flyers: Media and Marketing for the Occupy Movement.” Guest presenters include Andrew Boyd, Adam Lansky and Morgan Burke-Beyers. You can register for tonight’s free session here.

In response to AARP’s narrow questionnaire and possible leanings toward supporting benefit cuts, Firedoglake has teamed up with CREDO Action, National Organization for Women, Social Security Works and other organizations to launch our own version of the AARP’s “You’ve Earned a Say” survey, slightly modified to be more precise and more inclusive of all views on the future of Social Security and Medicare. Please take a moment to take the survey.

Following the raid on Oaksterdam University earlier this week, in which federal agents from the IRS and DEA seized bank accounts, plants, computers and records from the industry training center, founder and Prop 19 sponsor Richard Lee announced today that he will be leaving the business.

I previously wrote about how the survey accompanying AARP’s “You’ve Earned a Say” listening tour does not provide members with an adequate opportunity to voice their opinions on the future of their Social Security and Medicare benefits.

If you’re an AARP member, it’s obvious why this is a problem, but if you’re not a member, consider the fact that AARP is the nation’s largest elderly advocate with over 40 million members. AARP’s insurance arm rakes in billions each year and they do quite well off kickbacks from business partners. AARP routinely meets with Washington elite, many of whom support benefit cuts, and spent $15 million on lobbying in 2011 alone – a particularly ‘light’ year for them if you look at their history.

This evening, well-known Social Security opponents will meet with AARP CEO Barry Rand for a private, off-the-record ‘salon’ known as the “E Street Exchange.” Whether or not you’re an AARP member or retired, you should be deeply concerned about these events, because what AARP eventually decides to do will set the tone for debate on Social Security and Medicare going forward. We can’t wait for the outcome of the E Street Exchange to act – we need to make our voices heard right now, and demand AARP end the back-room strategy sessions to prepare the weasel words and misleading data points to advance benefit cuts.

This past Wednesday, Occupy Supply hosted a webinar on Racism and the Occupy Movement – the latest installment in our online discussion series featuring journalist and editor of “Re-Defining Black Power” Joanne Griffith and Occupy Detroit media coordinator Lee Gaddies.

In my opinion this was one of the best presentations we’ve had and we were so fortunate to finally be able to work out the kinks and get a recording of the entire talk. We hope to continue to be able to provide recordings of our Occupy Supply webinars so that these conversations, ideas, and strategies can be shared for the benefit of the entire movement.

On both sides of the debate over the social safety net, we often see the term ‘strengthening Social Security’ tossed around.

This phrase means different things to different people. As the majority of Americans support expanding benefits, to them it likely means taking a strong position against any cuts or changes that negatively impact their benefits.

But to understand what that phrase means to Wall Street, the US Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable is a very different story.

We have been hoping to hold a webinar to analyze how Occupy can aid in struggles for racial justice and equality and how they can improve themselves to create a truly inclusive movement that is representative of the needs and concerns of communities of color. We know occupiers in places like Detroit have a lot of ideas and lessons they can share to the benefit of the movement, so we’re pleased to invite you to join our free online talk on Racism and the Occupy Movement with Lee Gaddies of Occupy Detroit and author and journalist Joanne Griffith this evening at 8pm eastern.