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Jim Lo Scalzo / EPA
Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor addresses the Value Voters Summit in Washington, DC, Friday. The Value Voters Summit, sponsored by the Family Research Council, is an annual gathering of the religious right; it provides Republican politicians and presidential candidates an opportunity to display their conservative bona fides.
The second-ranking House Republican castigated "Occupy Wall Street" protesters on Friday, just as Democrats begin cozying up to the weeks-old demonstrations.
House GOP Leader Eric Cantor decried the protests that started several weeks ago in New York, and have spread to major cities across the country. Cantor said in a speech at the Values Voters Summit in Washington that he is "increasingly concerned" about the "growing mobs" represented at the protests.
Cantor's remarks, some of the harshest by a Republican toward the "Occupy" demonstrators, comes amidst a growing political divide over the protests. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi backed the demonstrations, saying, "God bless them for their spontaneity." And other Democrats have been even more open in their embrace of the movement, which has also attracted support from organized labor.
Organizers behind the movement, which expresses outrage toward the conduct of corporate America and seeks campaign finance reform, have hoped it develops into an analogue for the Tea Party on the left, which has helped fuel a Republican political resurgence over the past two years.
"Some in Washington have actually condoned the pitting of Americans against Americans," Cantor said of the protests after accusing the Obama administration's policies of being an "assault on many of our nation's bedrock principles."
Other political leaders have been more coy in their approach toward the demonstrations; President Obama nodded toward the protests as a sign of broader frustration over the state of the economy.
As for Republicans, Mitt Romney accused the protesters of engaging in "class warfare," but has otherwise stayed silent about the demonstrations. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich called them the "Obama demonstrations," while Texas Rep. Ron Paul encouraged the protests.
"If they were demonstrating peacefully ... and making a point, and arguing our case, and drawing attention to the Fed–I would say, good!" he told the libertarian magazine Reason.
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If you are OK with Tea Party protesters you also have to be OK with Occupy Wall Street protesters. Both parties are allowed to express their opinion.
what's the saying? something like 'first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win'? sure is appropriate. Go 'Occupy Wall St'!
mr cantor is at best confused. it is unfortunate that this represents political leadership in the u.s. in 2011. he has a much better understanding of bailouts than he does of the working class in america.
Welcome to the American Spring.
Yes!
Ah!
It is okay for people in Egypt to protest injustice but not good in America. Is
that Mr. Cantor's opinion? Mr. Cantor: You were sent to Congress to work for
the American people not just big business. Maybe you better get to work and
stop your "lolly gaggling" obstructionist ways. It is possible you may be looking for a new job in 2013.
Funny... never heard Cantor "blast" the teabagger mobs, especially the ones who shouted at and spit at democratic US comgressmen!!
This is just the beginning. What do the greedy corporate warmongers think, that the people of this country will just take it? The worse it gets the more discourse there will be. The masses will storm the gates of the ivory towers and take back what has been stolen from them, and the advocates of the plan to turn this country into a 3rd world country with only rich and poor (no middle class) will be thrown from power, forced to either leave this country, or lose everything they have. The media blackout of this is proof that the media can not be trusted, we will create our own media, the truth will travel from mouth to mouth, presented on the Internet, we will not be censored. A sleeping giant is awakening, and those few who's god is greed have much to worry about.
Yea well, a lot of noise with no substance - they should be protesting all of the Politicians that get their big money from Wall Street. Until the special interests are removed, ALL of the politicians will continue to vote in favor of the so called fat cats.
If Cantor is starting to whine, Wall Street and the corporate thugs are getting scared. "Let them eat cake" just doesn't fly anymore. Good for "Occupy."
right wing republican america has for thirty years replaced fairness, justice, equality, compassion with what they really worship, greed. their ship is sinking fast.
Anyone who thinks that it is wrong to voice one's opinions especially by peaceful means should leave now. It seems our oppressors have draped themselves in the flag now. I can not think of anything more unAmerican that wanting to stifle the voices of the citizens. Time to remove the "mob" from Washington.
The one good thing about Eric Cantor is just how truly insignificant he is. Of course that is also the source of his problem.He is that little child shouting Mommy Mommy look what I did and no one is looking.
Yeah, where is a child beater when you need one!
Just humor people. I don't condone hitting children or any human. An Eric Cantor on the other hand...
I laugh when I hear them calling this class warfare. Peaceful protest that aren't even blocking traffic. Give it a couple more months of republican intransigence and the rich won't even want to leave their houses. Washington has been engaging in a class war for decades with their deregulation and tax & trade polices that have allowed the rich to get richer while sending all our jobs over seas. That's class warfare.
And when there are no jobs left the real war will start. Cantor might want to read up on the French revolution and clue his masters into it because "Let'um eat cake!" is not something the unemployed want to hear!
If the GOP/TP gets into the President's Office expect retaliation from the "Brown Shirts/SS" or whatever you want to call them. Remember that back in the mid 50's and into the 60's, there was a sudden jump into the Republican Party of Segregationists, Klan members, Neo-Nazis, Neo-Facists, and zealot Evangelical Fundamentalists into the Republican Party.
I think the top GOP gridlock should be more concerend with his future when he runs to be elected again.You can easily tell that Cantor was a spoiled brat that was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and knows nothing about real people. Its rich derlicks like this that has ruined americas political system and if he stays around long enough I predict that he is going to see demostrations much bigger than the ones we are seeing now. This guy is self centered and cares only about his politics and prestige while sucking up continueously to his wealthy lobbist.
Cantor's afraid that they may come after HIM next. Funny though, when Tea Party members carried guns outside Obama rallies...he had no concern for the public safety (if it'd have been outside a McCain rally, he'd have called for martial law). Given that the Republican-led House hasn't done a damned thing to create jobs since they took control...Cantor and the Great Pumpki...er, Speaker of the House SHOULD be worried. They've engaged in class warfare for the last three years...now people are finally waking up to that fact.
That's the greedy culture we have in Washington and more importantly in corporate America.
"How much can I grab for me and F%^K everyone else or the future!"
Then many of them call them self Christians. I wish I could believe that dogma. Then at least I could believe that they were all going to burn in hell for their Greed & Gluttony. Obviously they don't believe it either or they wouldn't act this way. So they are lairs as well but we already know that.
Yes, the average American in middle America is worried about a couple those student in NYC sitting around on Wall Street banging drums and getting arrested. As one commentator point out, they get 30,000 people in Central Park for a free concert from a unknown band. Do you really think average Americans relate to college students and union activists in NYC. Please
What is an average American?
Of course, Mr. Cantor is concerned. He's afraid he may look out his living room window to find they have moved from Wall Street to his front lawn.
This is WAR!Â
Canto is a declared 1 percenter!Â
Hog tie his robber baron arce and lets put him in jail where criminals belong!
Time for occupy Eric Cantor's house.
I think that is a great idea! Not just his house. All of them!
Hope he can handle all the poop! Figuratively and literally!
Well said, workhorse. Those who lack the will and determination to succeed on their own merits can never achieve, therefore they castigate those who have. Government is not responsible for nor can create jobs. Posters here who believe that government can are deceiving themselves or have simply been blinded by political propaganda. Government can only make an environment that is more suitable to productivity, the jobs will be created by those who are willing to fill the needs of consumers.
Total B.S
That's some fantasy world you live in Major. The government sure made it possible for corporations to make more money buy sending all our jobs over seas.
So I guess government policy can only destroy jobs? Get real!
Cantor is a total jerk, the biggest corporate shill in Congress. His entire reelection campaign fund is made up of BRIBES from corporations. he FIRMLY still believes in Trickle Down Economics and that the preservation of Upper Class weatlh is PARAMOUNT. I say its class warfare and just what in the **** are tyou gonna DO about it pal? Whine as we shove taxes up your butt?
Why as American's are we pitting one against the other. That has never been the American Way. But when you have people in Congress we all need to come together and impeach the entire congress and get rid of them. Both Parties. But stop and think of Republican canidates, you have Perry who is another yahoo from Texas, would be like another Bush, then you Have Bachman, who cannot get anything straight, how she stays in office, is beyond me, But let's start a grass roots effort, to impeach and put everyone in congress out. Lets make sure that Gingrich does not make it to be President, the man is smart, but nuts, But Mr. Cantor, are you ever going to get a surprise, the people in Virginia are going to throw you out when it comes your turn to be elected, they feel you have made Virginia a laughing stock, for all your tomfoolery.
Cantor and his party received a lot of money from wall street operatives for election campaigns, why wouldn't he be upset when you attack the people he sold out to? He knows who his allegiance is to, the banks and billionares. Just curious though as to what specific price was it that he sold out for?
May I remind you libs of Solyndra (500,000,000 for what exactly?, GE (who paid no taxes last year).
Um, that program started under Bush. Which I can at least give him credit from because it was a fairly successful program.
Oh, and both sides are fully owned and it's not by the people.
No, Brian, it didn't, that's just what Obama was trying to say. Turns out, ole' buddy, Bush put a stop to money for Solyndra and Obama's administration went forward with giving them money. There are emails to prove it. Might want to learn your facts before posting.
What I find rather telling about the media is with the Tea Party, they're called angry extremists, yet with these bunch of lowlifes, they're just concerned citizens. Give me a break! Every day the mainstream media loses even more credibility as they spew their lying propaganda!
The tea party are a bunch of posers, they are far right wing extremeists posing as a grass roots movement. They are ultra conservative republicans masquarading as a movement. They are jealous and afraid of the 99% because we can all see that the 99% are the real thing... The GOTP will belittle, and demonize the 99% just like they have done with anyone who disagrees with them, just like they have done with the President of the United States... The tea part is over and the GOP is sinking fast...
We'll the fact that 51% of them didn't even know what GOP stands for kind of says it all. "We don't have to know what we stand for, just who's paying for it!"
It must be nice to be white, rich, have health care for life, a job, and no sense of the real world!!! It must smell to have your head so far up the A$$ of the people who own you! Cantor while having more ba!!s than some politicians is still just a patsy! Vote all the crooks in Washington OUT until these morons start to actually solve the problems they were sent there to solve!
Jealous much?
Funny thing is I'm almost all of those things! Just not a narcissistic A-Hole like Cantor or a wannabe follower like you!
What happened "Fights" did you have to go get a dictionary to look up the N word I used...? C'mon use that Junior High Education let's have a discussion! Always so bored with the morons that post they give up so easy!!! Fights = lame.
Actually, no, I have a life and things to do in the real world.
Eric Cantor SHOULD be concerned ! If this gets out of control poor Eric may lose his head.
okwhynot
Eric Cantor SHOULD be concerned ! If this gets out of control poor Eric may lose his head.
The Kantor does have a tendency to pop off.