Occupy Movement Confronts "Public Debate" of GOP Primary Pt. 1

An Occupier from New Hampshire is identified and stared down by Rick Santorum's security force

BURLINGTON: This weekend a group of Vermonters and others from around the country journeyed to the series camps and locations that make up Occupy the Primary in an effort to both confront the GOP candidates about their positions, as well as highlight the tragic farse that the corporate funded election system has created and continues to perpetrate upon the American people.

The first action of the weekend for Vermonters was to "bird-dog" (the asking of probing and pointed questions about candidates posititions) the former Senator Rick Santorum as he spoke to supporters in the town of Hollis, NH. Despite being out of the legislature for some time Santorum still managed to provide the Occupiers (who had discreetly sprinkled themselves throughout the crowd) with all the necessary evidence of his inadequacy for any public office.

After articulating his preposterously boot-strapping position that all that is required of Americans to avoid the affects of hard times is to graduate high school and have a traditional hetero-sexual marriage. This act of "boot-strapping" (that of perpetuating the myth that anybody can pull themselves up by their boot-straps, therefore, if you're poor it's your own fault) was not lost on the Occupiers who asked about his stripping away of social support programs, the NDAA, and his position on going to war with Iran. In response, Santorum fumbled and shuffled through his various platitudes with so little skill that after making what sounded (to him) like a strong point he had to ask the audience to clap for him.

Shortly after his remarks he was interrupted by the echoes of "MIC CHECK!-MIC CHECK!" that has become one of the hallmarks of the Occupy movement. They were summarily escorted off the premises by police and security personnel and threatened with arrest.

A Burlington Occupier Mic-Checks former Senator Rick Santorum while being conronted by his personal security force

Another member of Occupy Burlington addresses the national media about getting money out of politics

With Santorum throughly informed of Occupy's presence, the Vermonters moved on to the St. Anselm College campus to rally and hold a mock funeral for the "Death of the American Dream" outside the candidates' debate hall.

Occupiers light candles and hold vigil for the Death of the American Dream outside S. Anselm's College

An Occupier from Providence, Rhode Island captures the scene via smartphone

Occupiers prepare to move up the road toward the designated "free speech zone" as defined by the Police

Occupiers sing and chant by candle-light as they are confronted by GOP supporters

Occupiers kneel at a draped casked as they mourn for the American Dream

For more photographs by Dylan Kelley visit his photogaphy blog here.