Eureka! Occupiers buy corporate America

By my count, the DC protesters occupy over seventy brand name tents from companies such as Coleman and Eureka – both of which have parent companies traded on Wall Street. The Coleman Company, Inc., identifies itself as “a subsidiary of Jarden Corporation (NYSE:JAH),” while Eureka operates under the auspices of Johnson Outdoors, a NASDAQ company. Jarden opened today, on the New York Stock Exchange, at $31.80 per share. Johnson Outdoors opened today at $17.35 per share.

Johnson Outdoors, an American company, also sells products made by the Swedish company, Silva Production AB.The company spent over $150,000 on lobbyists in 2007, although that figure has fallen to zero this year.

Jarden, also an American based company, describes itself as “a leading provider of global consumer products with a portfolio of over 100 trusted, quality brands sold in more than 100 countries.”  Opensecrets.org does not record any lobbying expenditures by Jarden.

The Occupy McPherson Square crowd buys American products – President Obama should be pleased – albeit American products made by multinational corporations traded on Wall Street. They’re also environmentally conscious, having augmented their energy supply with solar panels and a Centurion generator. (Generac Power Company, Centurion’s parent company, is also traded on the New York Stock Exchange.)

The Occupy Wall Street protesters raise a very valid point in opposing the close relationship between corporate lobbyists and politicians, but they should acknowledge the aadvantages provided by corporations and that not all corporations engage in pay-to-play behaviour.

 Here’s the text of the above image taken at Occupy McPherson Square, with corporate-related photos below:

My favorite comes first. See the note: “I may not have a job but I do have an occupation.”

Here is a group of Coleman tents next to a Eureka tent (yellow and black):

Solar Panels:

The generator:

:

A Eureka tent: