Occupy movement plans Capitol foreclosure rally

The Occupy movement, perhaps more than ever, is still getting a bad rap.

Leading the charge lately is comedian and TV host Bill Maher, who’s repeatedly trashed the movement for not complementing liberalism the way tea partiers complement right-leaning politics.

Consider this recent Real Time With Bill Maher rant: “Instead of organizing interstate hootenannies, maybe it’s time for Occupy Wall Street to actually participate in the American political process. That means boring stuff, like canvassing neighborhoods, raising money, running candidates for office, manning phone banks.

“And making a baby with John Edwards.”

Joking aside, Maher obviously was unaware that Sacramento County saw two Occupy candidates run for supervisor this past election cycle—one of them raking in nearly 30 percent of the vote in his race.

It’s also worth noting that movement does not boast such wealthy benefactors as the Koch Brothers, whose financiering of the tea party during its nascent days was instrumental in establishing its political grassroots infrastructure.

Yet Occupy is far from flat-lining. Witness this Monday, June 25, when organizers say more than 1,000 statewide occupiers will converge on the Capitol grounds to demand a moratorium on home foreclosures in California. The event, called Rally for Homes begins at 10 a.m., ends at 3 p.m. and will include a protest march, plus teach-ins. And even lobbying efforts.

Occupy Sacramento activist Bob Saunders said despite setbacks, he’s still motivated. “The more legislators we meet with and the more they say we’ll never find an author for a bill for a foreclosure moratorium,” he said, “the more we feel that’s what we need. It’s the only thing that’s going to stop the hemorrhaging.”

Find out more about this Monday’s protest at www.rallyforhomes.com. And be sure to send a photo from the rally to Bill Maher.