As labor unions from coast-to-coast continue to lend their support to protesters behind the Occupy Wall Street movement, demonstrators finally found a pal in a presidential candidate — former Republican governor of Louisiana Buddy Roemer.
While most GOP contenders have remained mum on the movement, Roemer’s camp released a statement today in which it reveals that the Republican candidate is offering full support to the people aligned to the protests sweeping the nation. If the mainstream media’s reluctance to report on Roemer’s presidential run thus far is any indication, however, you won’t hear much about it. Though he has talked to the press on a possible run since January of this year, Roemer has been absent from every major televised GOP debate so far. He formally declares his intentions in July 21 by announcing his candidacy at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.In a statement released Wednesday this week, Roemer wrote bluntly of his support for those rallying against corporate greed, big business and Wall Street. “As I continue touring college campuses throughout New Hampshire, I am reminded of all the young Americans currently taking part in the Occupy Wall Street movement. Please know that I stand by you,” he said.“It is Main Street that creates the majority of jobs in America; it is Main Street that sends our brave young men and women to war; it is Main Street that hurts when another manufacturing plant closes only to be re-opened in China; it is Main Street that is being foreclosed on; and it is Main Street that is suffering while the greed of Wall Street continues to hurt our middle-class,” added Roemer. The candidate concludes his statement, “Wall Street grew to be a source of capital for growing companies. It has become something else: A facilitator for greed and for the selling of American jobs. Enough already.”On the Main Streets of America, however, Occupy Wall Street protesters are saying that they aren’t ready to give up yet, even if law enforcement from across the United States is acting as if they’ve had enough with the demonstrations.Police in Seattle, Washington forcefully removed protesters from the city’s Westlake Park on Wednesday after around 100 protesters had accumulated in demonstration since first gathering there during the weekend. Seattle mayor Mike McGinn said on Tuesday that he would also lend his support to the protesters, but that they could not erect tents in the city park.“No one group can use a park to the exclusion of others, no matter how worthy the cause,” said McGinn in a statement. Rallies of “cops, pigs, murderers” and “police are tools of Wall Street” met law enforcement as they attempted to curb the demonstrations. At least 10 people were arrested, reports the Seattle Times.Meanwhile, protests continue today in Lower Manhattan, Washington DC and across the country.Journalist Luke Rudkowski caught up with RT today live from New York, where he has been documenting the drama in the Big Apple as cops there continue to punish protesters. Last night he witnessed law enforcement once again going after Occupy Wall Street demonstrators. "I don't even have to say that they're overreacting," said Rudkowski. "You just have to look at the video and see."Rudkowski added that protesters and journalists alike are being treated like "dangerous terrorists," but that isn't going to stop them anytime soon. "They are using tactics to try to squash us, but that's only going to make us stronger," he said."For every person that is arrested, two more people will come out to Occupy Wall Street," he added.