UPDATE: Occupy the Corporations

UPDATE: Today Occupy Medford, in coordination with over 70 cities nationwide, participated in Shut Down The Corporations. This national day of action was directed at corporations who use their profits to buy off our representatives to pass corporate sponsored legislation. This is done through the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Today's protests focused on corporations who use ALEC to get their corporate agendas through state and national governments. 

In Medford, a group of about 25 people braved the snow and cold to protest in front of a Bank of America located in downtown Medford. A march was held from Vogel Plaza to the site of the protest, and following the march a group of protesters went inside to denounce Bank of America's rampant illegal foreclosures and their participation in ALEC. In response Bank of America locked their front door and did not allow anyone in for several hours, except for select customers through a back entrance.

Occupy Medford approves of these conditions and appreciates Bank of America's help in our efforts!

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While 70 cities nationwide set to stand up to corporate greed, local Medford, Ashland and Grants Pass Occupations to hold protest and march from Vogel Plaza at 11am on Wednesday February 29th.

 On February 29th at 11am, concerned citizens, students, and occupiers in over seventy cities across the nation, including Medford,  Ashland, and  Grants Pass are standing up to the corporations and legislators involved in American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The biggest corporations in America, including ExxonMobil, Bank of America, BP, Monsanto, Pfizer, and Wal-Mart use ALEC to buy off legislators and craft legislation that puts corporate profit over the well-being of ordinary people. Responding to a national call from Occupy Portland, this will be the Occupy Movement’s largest coordinated action this year and will confront ALEC corporations in the cities in which they do business throughout the nation.

The protest will be held at Vogel Plaza at 11 AM this Wed February 29th

At 12pm we will march to a national corporation that is sponsored by ALEC.

What is ALEC?

 ALEC  calls itself a non profit, but in reality acts as a  a tool for the corrupt to enact legislation beneficial to a minority of elite corporations. ALEC operates task forces that bring representatives from corporations together with lawmakers. Each ALEC task force is chaired by both elected officials and “private sector” members, writes Jesse Zwick of the Washington Independent they rig the system with dollars and access.  ALEC lobbyist work directly with legislators to draft and pass legislation that serves the interest of a the most powerful corporations at the expense of the people. ALEC propagates a wide range of “model legislation” that seeks to make it more difficult for people to hold corporations accountable in court; gut the rights and protections of workers and consumers; encumber health care reform; privatize and weaken the public education system; provide business tax cuts and corporate welfare; privatize and cut public services; erode regulations and environmental laws; create unnecessary voter ID requirements; endorse Citizens United; diminish campaign finance reform and permit greater corporate influence in elections.

If not us who?  If not now When?

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