Just as Obama originally encouraged and has continued to be supportive of the increasingly troubling and destructive Occupy movement, many of his fellow Democrats are following suit.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s (I) decision to evict Occupy Wall Street protesters from a Lower Manhattan park is a blow to free speech, several House Democrats said.
Even the Washington Post is now pointing out the many disturbing crimes linked to the movement, including multiple deaths. As it’s done from the start, Big Government has continued to track same, the rap sheet currently totals over 250 significant incidents. Yet, Democrats like Charlie Rangel, Jerry Nadler, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, along with many other prominent Democrats in Congress continue to side with what the Post suggested is more an “infestation,” than it is an occupation.
Several liberals have criticized local governments in other parts of the country for clashes with the Occupy Wall Street movement. Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee (Calif.), for example, criticized police in Oakland for using excessive force against demonstrators there. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D) agreed that New York City has a responsibility “to protect the health and safety of protesters and the community.” But the New York liberal, who represents Lower Manhattan, said the police have to balance those concerns with the “core First Amendment rights of protesters.”
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said he was reluctant to comment on actions happening outside of his district, but voiced more general concerns that such moves could infringe on First Amendment protections.
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