Jobs Protest on Sunrise Highway

Dozens of protesters gathered near near the Massapequa Post office on Sunrise Highway and Hicksville Road this past weekend to demand jobs and an end to to tax cuts and loopholes for the wealthy.

Members of MoveOn.org" and protesters from similarly aligned organizations like Long Island Pax Christi and Long Island Alliance For Peaceful Alternatives marched for about two hours Saturday.

"We're actually here because we're fed up with Congress doing absolutely nothing to fund jobs for America," said MoveOn's Lisa Oldendorp, a Massapequa resident.

"They're sitting and doing absolutely zero. America needs jobs."

Olendorp said the group supports President Obama's jobs bill and another jobs bill being pushed in the House of Representatives by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) or bills being proposed in the Senate.

 "But the Republicans keep doing nothing or filibustering it, so it goes nowhere," she said.

"We need jobs. America needs jobs. And it could be totally funded by the tax on millionaires.

The protest was organized by the "American Dream Movement" which grew out of the protests in Wisconsin over a law that eliminated collective bargaining rights for government workers in that state.

The demonstration was also held the same day as an "Occupy Wall Street" protest in Times Square, and similar rallies around the world.

Oldendorp also said that while the "Occupy Wall Street" gave  protest momentum, "MoveOn.org" has been participating in protests for several years. They have demonstrated in front of Rep.Peter King's  office on a monthly basis.

John Moore of Farmingdale a co-organizer for MoveOn in Nassau County said King is " capitulating to the Tea Party Republicans."

"He's an old-time Republican that's bowing down to the Tea Party. So he's saying that we shouldn't raise any taxes on anything, and that's wrong. If you don't raise the taxes on the rich millionaires who have had their taxes cut, and there's the biggest [income] disparity that we've had in about 40 years. He should realize that we have to get something to balance the budget."

A King spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment. After a recent protest he said he was "proud to be opposed and picketed by MoveOn.org."