January 2012

On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro will make history by becoming one of the very few, longstanding Occupy encampments in the country to peacefully and voluntarily transition to a new phase in its evolution.

Members of OCHC are planning a special day in celebration of the power and potential of the 99% movement. And they have invited the whole community. That means YOU!!

The day’s events will kick off at 3 p.m. with taking down tents and cleanup of the Peace and Justice Plaza, 179 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill. Press are welcome to attend. This will be followed by a press conference at 4:30 p.m., at which Occupiers will present plans for the future. A General Assembly will be held at 6 p.m. at the Plaza.

Following the General Assembly, OCHC will be hosting a dance party at the Plaza, starting at about 8 p.m.

OCHC’s immediate plans for its evolution include: a Plaza presence consisting of General Assemblies, teach-ins, outreach, discussion circles, and events; roving encampments; participation in Occupy the Courts on January 20; and continuing active support for The Chapel Hill Carrboro Human Rights Center.

President Obama’s power is growing.

Today’s’ presidential appointment of Richard Cordray to head the CFPB breaks the traditional recess appointment process. Generally the congress must be in recess for 3 days before the President can do this. This was even the administration position in an argument before the Supreme Court in 2010 to reaffirm the three day window the Clinton shortened from the historical ten day window. Interesting how things change….

And speaking of change…the complete silence from the Democrat party on the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act and the potential of indefinite detainment of citizens is a real change from the howling we heard under Bush…much less  the “audacity” of the Patriot act. The really interesting part is the absurdity of the president signing statement as a ruse to “protect” US citizens.

Alderman Dan Coleman plans to introduce a resolution against corporate personhood to the Carrboro Board of Aldermen. In an e-mail to his colleagues on the board, Coleman asked that the draft resolution be added to the board's January 17 agenda. The resolution responds to the 2010 US Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v Federal Election Commission, which essentially cleared the way for unlimited election spending by corporations and other groups.