Tag Archive | "manhattan"

Elizabeth Warren holds her largest rally yet in NYC

Supporters wave posters at Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s rally in NYC.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren drew a crowd of roughly 20,000 at a rally in Washington Square Park Monday night, during which she called out government corruption and promised a return of power to the American people. It was her largest campaign event to date.

Warren tapped into the rally’s location near the historic site of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire to retell the history of the fire and the flood of legislative change that followed after 146 factory workers died due to the owners’ neglect. Warren used the anecdote to illustrate the nation’s capacity for “big, structural change,” her campaign’s tagline.

“Giant corporations have bought off our government,” Warren said sternly into the microphone, drawing out each word for emphasis. “That’s corruption plain and simple and we need to call it out for what it is.” Like many other moments that night, Warren’s statement was cut off by the deafening roar of cheers from those in attendance.

For Warren, calling out corporate corruption starts with limiting the ability of the powerful to use their wealth to influence Washington. In her speech, she called for an end to all government lobbying and said under her presidency, elected officials would not be allowed to run a business and own stock while serving in public office. 

“Take care of people’s business, or take care of your own business, but you can’t do both at the same time,” she said as the crowd, again, erupted in applause. Dozens of supporters waved light blue “I’m a Warren Democrat” posters in the air. One young girl, perched atop the neck of her mother to see Warren through the crowd, pumped her fist into the air in solidarity. 

As part of her plan to help working families, Warren reiterated her promise of universal health care under Medicare for All, and a strengthening of labor unions. As she spoke about her plan for a 2% wealth tax on the ultra-rich, the crowd chanted, “Two cents! Two cents!” referring to her proposal to tax two cents on every dollar after the individual’s first $50 million in income.

Warren also pledged various proposals aimed at America’s minorities. They included protection of Native American land, $50B in funding to historically black colleges and universities and closing the wage gap for women of color. 

“I feel like she was even stronger and more determined than I’ve heard her ever before, and people were obsessed with every word,” said Ceci Sturman, 23, who attended the event and saw Warren speak for the first time earlier this year. 

Sturman said she would like the Massachusetts Democrat to devote more time to issues of climate and health care. 

“The two-cent tax stuck out most to me because it was a very specific proposal/plan. Definitely something I want to learn more about. I look forward to learning more about the tax and her other plans,” said Nhi Diep, 23, who went to see Warren for the first time. 

The Senator’s speech was prefaced by an unexpected announcement—the endorsement of Warren for president by the Working Families Party (WFP). The move by the progressive political group sparked a reaction on Twitter, where some users expressed their dismay at the party for not backing Sen. Bernie Sanders, as it did in the 2016 presidential race. 

Warren stayed at the park taking selfies with those in attendance till just before midnight, nearly four hours after she finished her speech.

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Number of chain stores increase, WSJ

While the number of chain stores has gone down in Manhattan, the Bronx followed a city-wide trend, seen the number of chain stores increase by 3.8 percent, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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Total 74 Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested, NY Daily News

Yesterday, 74 Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested throughout the day at various marches and rallies in Times Square, Washington Square Park and Citibank. Twenty-four of those arrests came when demonstrators marched to the Citibank at 555 LaGuardia in a mass attempt to close their accounts

Thousands of Occupy Wall Street protesters marched their message through Manhattan Saturday – and stormed into a tense confrontation with the NYPD amid the bright lights of Times Square, the New York Daily News reports.

Police said 74 people in total were arrested by Saturday night as the throngs journeyed north from their Zuccotti Park base, stopping in Washington Square Park on their way to 42nd St.

Twenty-four of the arrests were made when demonstrators staged a sit-in at a Citibank branch in the West Village.

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Marble Hill’s Bronx vs. Manhattan status, City Hall

Marble Hill is a complicated place. By land mass, it sits in the Bronx. But by legislation, it’s actually part of Manhattan. City Hall news provides a history lesson about why the anomaly exists.

In 1895, city engineers wanted to connect the Hudson and East rivers to aid shipping efficacy, so they dug a canal beneath Marble Hill.In 1912 when Bronx County was created, and Marble Hill was part of it, reports City Hall.

But in 1984, a Marble Hill resident called in for jury duty in Manhattan tried to get out of it by claiming she was a Bronx County resident. The case never went anywhere, but the judge made the decision that Marble Hill was part of the Bronx. Afterward, then-assemblyman John Brian Murtagh sponsored a resolution making Marble Hill part of Manhattan, City Hall writes.

So, Marble Hill is part of Manhattan and New York County, but is physically part of the Bronx. It has a Bronx area code, zip code and services like sanitation, but elects its officials from Manhattan.

 

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