The 1% Have Addresses. The 99% Have Messages
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 15, 2011, 11:43 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
Life sure is tough for those at the top and it must get awfully lonely. Working day and night to ravage the global economy through neoliberal policy is a thankless job. The following website lists the names of many powerful financial executives and it's time we all sent them a warm thank you for the hard work they've been doing ;)
No more rich people in office. we need poor or middle class representatives in government. No more Bloombergs, Rick Scotts or Bushes.
This is part of the reason why i think we should fund political campaigns with tax dollars. It would allow the average person to be able to run for office. In our current system, if you are not very wealthy you don't have much of a chance.
(side note) When i say the average person i mean people who are qualified, God help us all if i were ever elected president. =)
Why are you dumber than Obama?
Obama is a big liar. If you haven't noticed that -- God help us.
Right. Like in 2008, when McCain committed to run only on taxpayer dollars and Obama, realizing he had the contribution advantage opted out?
Been there, done that.
Its bribes not contributions. Please wake up.
You left out a bit, such as Mr. McCains caluculation that 1) making Obama look like a supplucant to corporate dollars would reduce the size of his victory over McCain also Senator McCain knew that he would never raise as much money as Obama because of the shamefull and pathetic presidency of the well meaning, likeable but incompetent Mr. Bush. thus his "commitment" was as much of a gimmick as nominating that Joke from Alaska as a running mate.
Oh lord. Could you be a more fair-weather friend of campaign finance reform? Of course McCain was going to get his ass handed to him with Bush having a popularity rating around zero. Of course keeping Obama limited to public money would have hampered his margin of victory.
Does that change the fact the campaign finance reform McCain was asking Obama to comply with was authored by both McCain and the liberal Mr. Feingold when Bush's popularity was above 70? Does that change the fact that Obama promised to run the most transparent and ethical campaign and government ever, as well as made a pledge to run on public money only?
If you think politicians should only stick to the terms campaign finance reform when it is politically beneficial to them, then you think exactly like Obama and 90% of the rest of the politicians. For this very reason, most campaign finance reform initiatives are dead on arrival.
The fact that Mc Cain had nothing more to offer than the same old worn out obsolete trickle-down, de-regulation, anti-taxation, war-mongering, environmentally polluting, unsustainable infinite growth, imperialist ideology that has been played out ever since Reagan's first presidency wouldn't have helped McCain or ANY republican for that matter, then, now or ever, no matter what election reforms took place. It is pathetic that "the people," continue to be bought through candidates who are bought and paid for by corporations. Occupy Wall Street is a wake-up call to those morons who keep voting for those kinds of candidates. If people no longer feel like they can improve American life through the process, they will take to the streets. The process has done little to justify its efficacy. Small wonder, as the Republicans have abused the democratic process to usher in an era of fascism. Think, America nearly joined the Nazi's at war ... until the plot the overthrow the president was foiled. These people have not gone away.
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You are clueless.
I have beaten my head against the same wall millions of times. Nothing get's through and sometimes I get a headache. It is difficult to have candidates with the intellectual goods to do an effective job when to do so the majority public has to have the intellectual goods to identify such a person and put him or her into office. That is why Thomas Jefferson insisted upon education. An anti-intellectual climate is not the sort in which to nurture a healthy democracy. It is one in which fascism bears fruits of all kinds.
Job boom plan for America
For the protest to guarantee winning the next election the plan needs to be force the multinationals to buy all their supplies made by American workers. Prevent any imports from China and known slave states from being unloaded. The 13th amendment abolished slavery. Having slave made goods in America is unconstitutional.
Unions should have their own pay scale. Any workers who don't want to join the union will need to negotiate their own pension, their own wages, their own health care.
End all tax deductions or tax credits and use a sales tax to collect taxes so even criminals will pay their taxes. Eliminate the entire IRS which would save $400 billion annually.
To refuse to vote for that platform would be stupid and insane.
"To refuse to vote for that platform would be stupid and insane."
You do understand that the statement above is completely dictatorial, don't you? If you want corperations to buy America only, why wouldn't Canadians or Germans not want the same? Who would American companies sell their goods to if everyone took this position?
As for slave labour, I can't argue with you too much here except to say, a living wage is what's important. If cars are being made in Mexico for 80% less wages and benefits than in U.S & Canada, this is not good for the Mexican worker either. To me, the issue is about workers, where ever they are.
Concerning Unions, your statement describes the facts on the ground today, I'm not sure how this is a good thing.
On taxes, do you really want to end all tax deductions? Even for students and people on fixed incomes? No or low tax is a tax deduction. Companies who invest in their workers by way of training or retraining should be given a tax break. Companies who give students experience by way of training programs should get a tax break.
How exactly would you collect your new sales tax if you abolish your tax collection agency?
Slaves are forced to work. Slaves picking cotton were fed. Being fed is pay. No one including you would work every day of the week for 14 hours and housed in a dorm on a wood board for a bed. The fact they they are paid $70 per week is no different than feeding slaves picking cotton.
Your argument is intentionally false because I distinctly exclude only slave made goods which is the precise purpose of the 13eh amendment. There is no intention of boycotting trade.
Tax deductions will always result in bribes so absolutely, tax deductions are a huge mistake that will only make prices based on the value of the objects involved including education, homes, etc.
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We have never been there or done that.
What i am talking about is complete campaign reform where campaigns are funded by tax dollars and donations from any one are made illegal. Other people have come up with some very in depth ideas on how to do this. Free airtime for candidates is one of the best ideas i have heard.
This is just my opinion, we need to completely take the money and special interest groups out of Washington. If we don't, every thing the OWS movement may accomplish will just be undone. New rules will be made to keep the game rigged in favor of the elite. We have to shift the power back to the people. Anything less is a failure in my mind.
exactly. It's time that well educated, not so rich, people have a chance to participate in the process of representing the people. Enough of these rich, sociopaths getting all the power.
Well said ! =)
It astounds me that spending so much money on elections has any effect. Corporate funded politics is sooo transparent, I can smell the stench of their candidates for miles. They could spend billions to try to win me over and they NEVER will. The ideology they advertised during the Reagan campaign was clearly wrong and has proven itself disastrous. I couldn't believe that the majority of Americans were so stupid as to go along with their stupidity for more than three decades. I observed in dismay as they took this country down the tubes and even now it appears that so many Americans have been so stupid it has given rise to the cynicism that they can spend more money and win the public over, again??? There appear to be "regular" people out there who are incapable of either learning from their mistakes or being educated. The corrupt elite could spend billions and will never win my vote because the one thing they can't do is speak to my intellect, much less buy my vote or my body, or my soul. I would be wary of those of "the people" who were and still are easily bought. I can not say only the poor have virtue and the rich none because I have seen evil and goodness in both and I have seen the goodness in both express themselves on OWS. It is very important for OWS to stick to the issues that have presented themselves on the signs. OWS does not need to buy slogans; it's power is in its willingness to express real human needs: housing, health care, education, student loan debt, jobs, anti-imperialist war, and the protection of the very air and water that sustains life, which apparently the top 1%, so blinded by their gambling sickness, has forgotten they too can't live without.
Absolutely. Don't change one word. The OWS protest needs to adopt this to eliminate bribery.
Right. Just like we've made bribes of our officials illegal, yet they participate in gains from private enterprise projects that they advocate for with their legislative agenda. Politicians spend a career advocating for the causes of companies that lobby them, and then when voted out of office a cushy job awaits them with that company, or with some other company or lobbying organization by proxy.
Giving taxpayer dollars to would be politicians is subsidizing corruption, and solves nothing. You want to get money out of politics, solve the quid pro quo relationships that exist between our governance and the politicians, before you advocate for the idea of gifting these crooks taxpayer money.
It won't happen. Charlie Rangle evaded taxes on half a million dollars from an undeclared residence in the Caribbean. You or I would have gone to jail, but his penalty? A rebuke on the floor of congress. They will not police themselves regardless of what laws we put on the books, or how many taxpayer dollars we stupidly give them to not be corrupt.
You are left with one option. VOTE THEM OUT.
All this is an academic grand debate. I think we need to look at the practical workable solution of like minded collaborative and cooperative communities standing together for protection and perpetuity. Across the country we have all kinds of fine models of healthy communities that need our support and protection. So we in turn can go and do likewise.
We are the strength of the this nation and we must stand up Banter and Platitude are pase. Let us get to the doing. At the grass roots. Strong vibrant healthy communities can bring corruption to its knees.
What we have here is the forum to voice. And voice is the center of action. Let us all regard personal views as sacred trust to which we have been made steward and return regard and respect in consideration.
Thanks much for any help you can give to make me the best me I can be.
What?
Never mind.
Correct.
Charge the entire Congress for bribery. Bribery needs to be the key issue of the OWS protest. The word is "BRIBE".
This is why i said we need to remove lobbyists and special interest groups also.
I'm not naive, i know we are not going to fix every little problem. This is how ever a start to ending the government / corporate love fest.
Why argue about it ?
Because arguments are what make the marketplace of ideas. No argument, no exchange of ideas, and no changing of opinions. This is of particular importance to you, since 65% of Americans still vote center right on economic issues. If you really think a more socialist society is a more just society, you have way more people to convince than I do. Welcome to the market.
I don't care to change your mind. That's what you just don't get, i gave you my point of view and all you want to do is argue and claim it's wrong. Maybe it is, maybe it's not. What you fail to realize is that It's no longer about what you want or what i want. It's about what we all want.
Vacuous nonsensical meaningless babble like this adds nothing to the conversation. Of course its about what we all want. What if we all want to be rich, can we? What if we all want to be dictators, can we? Is it even possible for us to all want the same thing? Of course not.
If you have beliefs that you think are based on factual and reasonable arguments, you should be trying to convince me and everyone else. Float your ideas in the marketplace and see how they fare. There is such a thing as ideas that suck, you know.
I'd like nobody to keep getting screwed for the benefit of the privileged who pays off with bribes for favors.
Squandering %750 billion of more weapons gives most of that money to their weapons friends.
When they take Americans for suckers, they hit the mother load.
Am i ever going to convince you that you are wrong ? Do you think you will convince me that I'm wrong ?
I didn't even explain what i was talking about. I just mentioned an idea and vaguely mentioned some possibilities and you went off. Why should i bother trying to change your mind? why should i bother trying to change any ones mind ? If you like the idea, great support it. If you don't like it then don't support it. Why argue about it ?
You're too arrogant to ever admit being wrong. You would rather be wrong than to learn the truth. That's why America is so fucked up. ARROGANCE
lol, now i get it... Ron Paul 2012 ?
Another topic change. How quaint. I accept it as an acknowledgement you have nothing left in the tank. By the way, I'm not particularly a fan of Ron Paul, but like most of America, I'd vote for him if it meant getting Obama and the Chicago culture of corruption out of the federal government.
You do realize, Ron Lawl believes in Laissez faire capitalism as well as social darwinism. How do these two thing jive with a working class revolution?
Republicans will never nominate Ron Paul. You know nothing about politics and neither does Ron Paul. He could be on the ballot as the Libertarian candidate. But he's too stupid to do that.
We need our own candidate. Ron Paul is wasting the money he raises to win the Republican nomination.
You can accept and acknowledge what ever you like. I don't care to change your mind. That's what you just don't get, i gave you my point of view and all you want to do is argue and claim it's wrong. Maybe it is, maybe it's not. What you fail to realize is that It's no longer about what you want or what i want. It's about what we all want.
Do you even know what the OWS movement is about ? lol Why are we out there protesting ?
What, you ran out of steam on your current line of argument, so now you want to argue about what OWS is protesting? Fine. I'll bite.
Lets see, is OWS a pro-socialism movement? If so, welcome to the wonderful world of marginalizing yourself for stupid and incorrect solutions to the problems we face.
Is OWS a anti-capitalist movement? Same answer as above.
Is OWS a wealth redistribution movement? Same answer as above, though the myriad of complaints about income inequality give credence to this particular mantra.
Is OWS an anti-corruption movement? If so, welcome to the nexus where 99% of the rest of the nation could find agreement with you. I would once again direct you back to my comments about effective solutions to corruption, vs trying to cure corruption with socialism.
In specific answer to your question, OWS is about many things since there are many people with many different belief systems in that crowd(note the ocean of Ron Paul supporters). Perhaps the only people who are glaringly absent are black people. I'm sure you have something in your mind that you think every last person out there agrees with you about, for which I would refer you to some smelling salts.
By the way, noticed you are from one the most corrupt cities in our nation. Had Blagovich not caused trouble for Obama, nobody in your city would have even given a crap he tried to sell a US Senate seat to the highest bidder. Part of the problem, not the solution.
Write a book titled -- How To Guarantee losing an election.
lol, now i get it... Ron Paul 2012 ?
Poor little child. We will drag you kicking and screaming into the new world, like it or not.
That's another separate problem that needs to be addressed
No . It is the issue. Its like Obama raising the tax rate on the rich who don't pay their taxes in the first place. Raising the rate does nothing to people who don't pay taxes. Adding more anti-corruption laws does nothing to people who are above the existing laws.
Politicians will not be held accountable to additional laws, even assuming you could get them to create those laws in the first place. Short of a revolution, the only way to make them accountable is we the people to vote them out of office in favor of new people. When those people prove themselves to be corrupt, we vote them out as well.
At some point, we will arrive at a group of people who will both create anti-corruption laws and abide by them.
Right. Exactly right.
Do you even know what the OWS movement is about ? lol Why are we out there protesting ?
I'm not sure what your last comment means
Read my comment above. You want to abolish All special interest money, including union money. Good. You aren't a hypocrite. My question was, and is, how are you going to get congress to enforce laws meant to keep congress in check, when congress doesn't enforce the existing laws on the book against itself right now (Re: Rangle).
How are we doing it now ? That's another separate problem that needs to be addressed. I will how ever say, once the money and lobbyists/special interest groups are out of Washington, the incentive to ignore the laws and the people diminishes.
Prosecute them the minute we win the election. Let's begin to choose leaders and candidates to run. Then we need to campaign from a nice place by using the internet -- forums and blogs.`
If you are against unions or any other special interest buying our politicians, how do you expect those who create the laws to enforce the laws against themselves, when all historic evidence shows that they wont?
I'm not even sure what your last comment means. lol Seems like you are talking about 2 completely different things then putting them together to make your point.
So you are anti-union? You don't think workers should be able to lobby for better pay, and better working conditions?
No i am not but i am anti union buying our politicians.
Kucinich is a man who when he was a boy was forced to sleep with his family in his car. HE was the best candidate and elites resorted to fraud and deception to keep him from winning.
thats the republican mo
One of the main goals of OWS should be to galvanize support for EXTREME campaign finance reform. The kind of finance reform that doesn't consider major donations "speech", but rather considers them a form of anti-competitive conduct. The same basic antitrust principles that guide the federal government and the courts to mitigate mergers between major corporations should be the same principles that prevent a few major corporations from merging with candidates to form the ultimate monopoly.
It is an outrage that one has to be wealthy to run for office. I know many brilliant Sociologists and Anthropologists who would make terrific representatives of the people. They are not rich and they are not sociopaths like the ones we are forced to "choose" from.
Oh man, the puppets and lobbyists in DC aren't gonna like that one bit! Expect some monster rhetoric coming from that bunch. They might even call us antiAmerican and terrorists. Can you say pot meet kettle? Their robbery spree can be considered antiAmerican and terroristic to anyone with half a brain.
yeah, ok, is this what this is about? really? While there are some really educated poor people, and some really stupid (Out of touch) rich people... in general have you seen what the poor/middle class of america believes in? In general it's progaganda, fear based beliefs. So, fine get a a poor or middle class guy in office... only to find out he hates gays, believes in a real world antichrist, demands we all pray to Jesus in school and "come back to basics." After all, that's your "moral majority" right there. is that really what you want? Is your answer really in simply picking someone based on their bank account?
In Plato's "Republic," the Guardians were not allowed to touch gold & silver. Plato also considered democracy, mob rule, one level above tyranny. Solution is to abolish money and establish technocracy.
Just because it was written by Plato doesn't mean it is Gospel. Plato's Republic is a book, if it were actually applied, it would be a totalitarian regime where you'd have to get permission from your leader to use the bathroom. Stay away from "total solutions." Democratic open societies are works in progress, messy, piecemeal work, maintenance work, about honesty, integrity and maximizing freedom with justice and equality for all. If we were meant to be above everything, we would have been born birds.
What U wrote is just Ur opinion, I agree with Plato. Referendums or plebiscites are okay.
Plato said as much about needing permissions. Please, do you really believe that we should attempt to actualize such an allegory for the soul in the real world? with real people? It's rank totalitarianism
Plato was right about democracy. If we have a strong Constitution, the technocrats can implement it.
What do you mean by implicate it? You mean criminalize it? And what do you mean by technocrats? Do you mean tekne? Please give an example of a contemporary version of a technocrat. I am having a hard time responding because I am not sure what some of your terms mean. Thanks.
I am a fan of Plato and love the allegory of the cave and all that. And I know it was a vote of the people that condemned Socrates to death. But it is a mistake in my opinion to transfer a metaphysical philosophical work to the political realm undigested.
People love to hate Karl Popper, but have you read his treatment of this topic in his book "The Open Society and its Enemies?"
I made a typo by writing "implicate," I meant implement.
I think you'll find the article in Wikipedia on technocracy very interesting. I found out about it because there was a Canadian organization that believed in it that also believed, more or less (as I recall) in eliminating money. I can't remember their name . . . I found out about it 20-years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technocracy
The article on the technocracy Movement mentions Edward Bellamy who's book, "Looking Backward" was a catalyst for the populist movement in the 1880s. They advocated eliminating money and had the most votes for a third-party candidate proportional to electors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technocracy_movement
Here's a quote from Looking Backwards: "I had visited a world incomparably more affluent than this, in which money was unknown and without conceivable use. . . . These exchanges money effected -- how equitably, might be seen in a walk from the tenement house districts to the Back Bay [Boston] -- at a cost of an army of men taken from productive labor to manage it, with constant ruinous breakdowns of its machinery, and a generally debauching influence on mankind which had justified its description, from ancient time as the "root of all evil." — Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward, 1888. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looking_Backward
I know of Karl Popper from college days but don't remember anything about him.
Here's a poll on one of the technocracy websites where they ask if money should be used, by far, most of those polled seek to abolish money: http://www.technocracy.org/component/poll/1-nomoneypoll
I did some research on technocracy after reading your first post on it and did not find references to a money-less society. What I read about experts running society is not something I agreed with. I think ordinary people should never be eliminated from the heart of government of any kind, including democracies. Although I definitely support better standards and quality of education in this country. Citizens are not very well educated.
This debate comes up in discussions of jury trials as well, in the context of whether we should have expert juries on trials where there is complicated data to present. I am against it there too, and luckily, most people in that debate are.
But I haven 't seen your material and will look at the references you provided.
Top 10 wealthiest people in congress
1- (R) Michael McCaul - $294 mil
2- (R) Darrel Issa -$220 mil
3- (D) John Kerry -$193 mil
4- (D) Jay Rockefeller -$81 mil
5- (D) Mark Warner -$76mil
6- (D) Jared Polis - $65mil
7- (D) Frank Lautenberg -$55mil
8- (D) Richard Blumenthal - $52mil
9- (D) Dianne Feinstein - $45mil
10- (R) Vern Buchanan - $44mil
I see a trend.
.... That's insane!!!! No one in congress should be millionaires! They have no idea what it's like to be a hard working citizen that way, and so they can't listen to us or make decisions that benefit us! We need congressional term limits, salary limits, a no-gift policy, and the same health care that everyone else gets.
Incorrect. There is no reason why a millionaire shouldn't be in Congress or in this government. The rich will have different outlooks and different experiences of what it's like in America that need representation.
It's that they shouldn't be profiteering off their office.
Get the two right.
there are many in America who are far above this list. People at the top make near these amounts yearly. The top .1% have been wealthy for decades or hundreds of years. I think some are embarrased about the last 20 years. it automatically accumulates in their accounts. Where does this accumulation come from? the general accounts of the other 99.9%. Just my opinion, don't mean to exaggerate.
McCaul is married to Linda (Mays) McCaul, the daughter of Clear Channel Communications CEO and founder Lowry Mays. It seems that much of McCaul's wealth comes from the Mays side of the family.
Alan Greenspan is married to MSNBC anchorwoman Andrea Mitchel. Its an incestuous little bunch.
No doubt. Here's the list Forbes just released of the Wealthiest Americans-
http://www.forbes.com/forbes-400/gallery
Can someone who can count tell me how many of them are Wall Street Bankers?
wow so few bankers...
so many business, real estate, tech, retail types.
EXACTLY my point. These 400 people represent THE wealthiest 1% in America. They've been researched and vetted inside out and all media would agree that this is the definitive list.
There are "hedge fund" managers and "financiers" on that list-people like George Soros and John Paulsen who BOTH made their fortunes shorting the economy (speculating in the Stock market/financial market) but people here call George Soros a hero!
So why.......WHY is Occupy Wall Street NOT attacking the actual 1% who own the most $$$$ in America? Why are they on Wall Street at all when the CEOs and Banks on Wall Street don't make up the vast majority of the actual 1%?????
the thing about hedge fund managers is that a lot of them have their own wealth fully invested in their own creation!! when LTCM exploded two decades ago several of their fund managers lost completely all of their wealth. in order to get where they are they had to take huge risks with their own money, and the government will never bail them out because they are private investments for rich people who ought to be aware of the risks. they aren't systemically important financial houses. for every hedge fund manager you see in this list, there are thousands of them who try and blow up and disappear into anonymity.
because ... the banks are powerful corporate entities in a "corporatocracy," * that's why. One would never try to correct the balance of corporate influence on government without including banks. It would be absurd. It's totally appropriate to focus on banks and on those among the Forbes 400 who oppose tax reform or who profit from the worst, most unjust regulations, or who call on government to advance the pettiest of their interests, interests that may be counter to the interests of the American people and sound foreign and domestic policies and laws.
Without this much corporatocracy and without banking, not a single member of the Forbes 400 would be that rich. It would be nuts to leave banks out of any scrutiny of a country that has become so nearly a corporatocracy as you can have in this country without simply putting government in corporate hands. The scales have leaned way too far to one end, to an extreme.
I am taking my money out of a large profit breathing dragon and putting it in a bank that invests its profits back into my community because yes, that matters and no making the world safe for cheap exports doesn't. It is making us all poorer and making our nation weaker, not stronger. So, it is totally appropriate to Occupy Wall Street. The largest financial market in the world runs amok every day on that street in that one building.
I recommend that Wall Street stop insulting and abusing the disenfranchised, newly poor middle class, stop calling us a mob at Liberty Square, and start facing the fact that the gravy train that has been the American Consumer is O V E R. We don't want any more TVs. And American Empire building as we've known is done. Forget it. Figure it out. There needs to be a major shift in the way we do Capitalism.
Wall Street can bury its nose all day long in Ayn Rand novels, but it's not going to get Wall Street out of this one.
because ... the banks are powerful corporate entities in a "corporatocracy," * that's why. One would never try to correct the balance of corporate influence on government without including banks. It would be absurd. It's totally appropriate to focus on banks and on those among the Forbes 400 who oppose tax reform or who profit from the worst, most unjust regulations, or who call on government to advance the pettiest of their interests, interests that may be counter to the interests of the American people and sound foreign and domestic policies and laws.
Without this much corporatocracy and without banking, not a single member of the Forbes 400 would be that rich. It would be nuts to leave banks out of any scrutiny of a country that has become so nearly a corporatocracy as you can have in this country without simply putting government in corporate hands. The scales have leaned way too far to one end, to an extreme.
Tommog123- how odd is it that one cannot reply directly to your posts...
George Soros made 1 billion dollars "breaking the bank of England". (He's worth 22Billion today...so his "fortune" didn't come from this one event) Who were the innocent English people who were hurt financially when he did that? You cannot point fingers at the evil Wall Street investors here who "hurt so many innocent people" without including Soros (who also manipulates the US stock market) and not be a hypocrite.
New York Times columnist Paul Krugman is critical of Soros's effect on financial markets.
Krugman, Paul (1999). The accidental theorist: and other dispatches from the dismal science. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. p. 160
What is wrong with making money from shorting? If something is over valued it should go down?! Why do people not understand this? When Oil was at $150 a barrel you moaned at speculators driving it there. It was speculators that drove it down to $40 also.
And by the way Soros didnt make his fortune shorting stocks, it was the British Pound
You do see one. They'd be better off having fun with their money than trying to serve people that bitch about them because of their wealth. BTW John Kerry's WIFE has the Money NOT John Kerry, and that wealth was created by Heinz Catsup, every try putting chinese ducksauce on a burger? Tasts like crap! It is naive to think that "poor or middle class" people would not potentially be corrupted by bribes and perks if they wielded power, the reason that rich congressmen exist is because they cannot be bought. There is a reason for the saying every man/woman has his/her price.
100% with you on that. Out with the old rats, in with the new rats. The king is dead, long live the king. The only difference between poor people in congress and rich people in congress is that the poor people can be bought for less, so lets table that argument and state an obvious fact.
The people who represent us, rich or poor, are more loyal to their special interests than they are the general well being of the US citizens.
Their wealth is not the problem, but it may very well be a symptom of the problem. Most people who can manage to get elected to public office are practically guaranteed to wind up wealthy, even if they were poor when they got there.
Agreed. That's why we need electoral reform which limits campaign contributions.
Your point is?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demarchy
exactly. people with a long history of success should give up their comfy, well-paying, sinecure, jobs so that people without the track record can have opportunities to exercise some of their ability. no more successful and wealthy people leading us in commerce, business, and foreign affairs! the poor shall inherit their places!
Yeah, these "successful" rich people have done wonders for the USA since 1981 haven't they!
Wealth is not the issue. We need ethical people in office and they are harder to identify. We could, however, stop electing quite so many lawyers and political scientists.
Wealth is not the issue until you start thinking about what wealth is.
Am I wealthy if I live in a town where the water became so polluted 50 years ago that the wells shut down and property owners had to pay to install city water with piping and a treatment center in town? Is that town richer or poorer than it was 50 years ago, before that?
We are being forced to look at what wealth is because wealth produced from an expanding American empire seems to have reached a certain exhaustion and left us, somehow, poor and not just poor in money, poor in lots of ways. The richest Americans are poorer here now than the Richest Americans in the Gilded Age or the richest Americans during the Great Depression. This nation is in fact poorer than ever. A shift in approach could change all that.
Mitt Romney wants to fix it by sending the Texas Rangers to China to enforce music copyrights. As one NYT reader commented, "It's so last century"
And this for companies who, unlike last century, have sent every last job overseas and who could barely be described as American at all except for a piece of paper in the corporate recording office of the state of Delaware.
We need to hem in and get our priorities straight, not make ourselves even poorer.
Former Conn. Senator Chris Dodd's response to the real estate bubble was to get a sweetheart mortgage for his own house from Countrywide Home Loans.
This is what we've come to.
Do these kinds of politicians need votes or psychiatrists?
They have Wall-Street-Itis.
Occupying Wall Street is absolutely appropriate and wealth IS the issue. The questions are, what is wealth? How best to be secure? How to live beside and help our neighbor countries? How to be fair at home and abroad? How to do that and remain strong? How to be productive and innovative, provide for ourselves and be respected abroad?
There is no way that integrity led us to students buried under hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt and no job and no health care. Not possible. There is no way integrity led us to cortisone induced, overweight, yet poorly nourished parents laboring in low paying service jobs while Tim Geithner runs around fretting over "consumer" confidence, as if the American consumer is what Americans aspire to be anymore or should aspire to be.
The occupiers are criticized from dozens of angles. But the reason we are protesting everywhere is because we can't survive and we know it is not anything we are doing wrong or could do differently and we know it doesn't have to be this way. We know it is this way because people have been doing wrong. We need to be treated with respect and we will not give up until we are, in the form of reforms.
This movement has been the missing ingredient to forcibly untie the hands of power from the minds of thieves. This movement is essential to America's future.
Wall Street has crowned a hundred years of corporate interests at the helm of foreign and domestic economic policy by baring its teeth at interests that lay at the heart of America's security and welfare and indeed, America's wealth. The gig is up.
Your questions about what wealth IS sounds like the introductory lecture for my course in entrepreneurship ;-) I agree with you 100%.
Unity! Yeh!
I think what we need are no politicians at all. We have the infrastructure in place to eliminate them all. We should simply have a jury trial for each and every government action. If we select 12 citizens at random, from a randomly selected zip code, all kept secret untill afterwards and have them debate the issue until they come to a consensus, summon experts for testimony, have a judge make sure everything is somewhat fair, etc. Every court house in America does this. Whats that u say? "The court system is already over loaded". Well the first order of buisiness should be to clean up the mess the politicians have made of the justice system. Get all those conflicting, overlapping rules and regulations off the books. Get rid of the traffic cams, ticket quotas for the cops, corperately owned and opperated prisons, federal kickbacks to local law enforcement and local governments for criminal convictions, etc. Well then they'd have plenty of time.
ever watch the untouchables? It shows how ANYONE can be "got to" including members of a Jury.Want to referm politics? Simple NO PRIVATE DOLLARS from ANY source to fund election campaigns. Each person stupid enough to pursue a political career will be given a set amount based upon the population based upon his/her total registered voters (regardless of party btw) e.g. say 2 dollars for every peron thus 16 million for each mayoral candiate for NYC 200 million for the presidency (yes I know there are more people in the US but not all of them are registered voters) then voila a level playing field or conversely if corporations want to contribute they contribute to the "kitty" and the funds are distributed equally. Now Please tear apart my plan at will.
I read a sci-fi novel once that described the political system on a human colony planet. Each politician, upon entering office, had to wear a medallion linked to a public, electronic voting system. The medallions contained a small but powerful explosive charge. All news outlets were required by law to tell the truth, no bullshittery. Faux News guys wouldn't have liked it there.
Too many negative votes over positive, and BOOM, goodbye asshole. A brutal but effective way to keep 'em honest.
There's three kinds of politician these days.
-Complete and utter assholes who don't care who or what they fuck up
-Spineless patsys who are easily bought off
-And the rare honest ones that actually want to do some good. (They wind up getting outnumbered and ripped to shreds by the former two.)
Naturally, the banksters and CEOs back the first two.
seems good to me at first read
Vote independent. George Washington (though a horrible soldier and general) correctly stated that two-party politics will never work.
You really need to look at history. Though Washigton made some tactical errors he was still very much responsible for the victory of the American Continental Army. Please read 1776 and John Adams by David McCullough or George Washigton A Life by Ron Chernow. He was revered by his troups and feared by his adversaries. Please do not try to rewrite history.
Yeah. For a "horrible soldier", he kicked Brit ass very hard indeed.
Damn straight! He was an amazing and brilliant man, soldier, general and president. Not too many men would have the sense of self and wisdom to refuse a crown offered to them. He was one in a million.
I'm rewriting nothing. I didn't state he had no part in American Independence. But he was a horrible soldier.
Try these:
Bishop, Jim. The Birth of the United States. New York: Morrow, 1976.
Lossing, Benson. Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Aledo, Texas: WallBuilder Press, 1995.
My point remains the same. Washington knew that two-party politics would destroy the American political system.
"Horrible generals" don't win wars. GW won both the AR and the French and Indian War. Remember?
i hope everybody in america is out to support you all . if the 99% turn out the 1% dont stand a chance . good luck from everybody in the united kingdom ..
I don't support them. Their rhetoric looks like the French Revolution.
I don't support the revolutionaries either. This reminds of the "Red October" with the 99% who overthrew the 1%.
Have you read the OWS daily newspaper? It's hardly Jean-Paul Marat.
Have some cake. We'll let you operate the guillotine. ;)
Should the French have starved instead?
Her point was that the French Revolution was a bloody senseless mess.
And? What should the French have done? Asked nicely for the rich to stop hoarding the wealth? Write their representatives?
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS when you start shifting wealth to a tiny minority. Eventually the majority gets pissed and revolts. If the rich don't want that, they need to do something different. Sorry. That's reality.
Sheesh, you have to read the history of the French Revolution. It wasn't like the American Revolution. The revolutionaries turned on each other, they slaughtered each other. Leading the charge was an insane French journalist named Marat, calling for blood every day. They shed blood gratuitously. It was nuts.
No one is questioning the ideals of the French Revolution. Saying something reminds you of the French Revolution in the context it was used here is shorthand for saying someone said something that freaked her out along the lines of some blood-thirstiness and she didn't want to be associated with it.
OWS does not resemble the French Revolution. No revolution wants to resemble the French Revolution.
OK...I guess my point is that if you don't want the french revolution, the wealthy minority had better do something. Because when you shift wealth like you've seen in this country, you end up with something like the french revolution. The american revolution didn't happen because of gross disparity of wealth - it happened because the white folks over here didn't want to be taxed or controlled by the mother states. Oranges and apples.
I hear you.
Anyway, it was hyperbole. They drew a parallel between the rhetoric of Occupy the Board Room and the French Revolution.
I just watched this very long hearing in congress with bernanke and he was asked over and over again about the great disparity of wealth in this country and although he expressed some obligatory concern about it he clearly is not particularly fired up over it or feels it's his job to address it.
OWS is necessary. We have to keep the heat on them.
The rich love to harp on the French Revolution. It is their deepest fear.
Agreed. The thing they never bring up, though, is that the revolters in France really were revolting against something - it's not like they were sitting around having a swell time with decent jobs and plenty of food, and suddenly were like, "hey, let's go decapitate the rich!" It was a condition where a tiny minority were living like kings (or actually WERE kings) and the majority had nothing. And that's what we're moving toward in this country. If rich americans don't want it to go down that way, they need to stop insisting on their "right" to have everything while so many have nothing. It doesn't end well for anyone...
They want to keep running from the reality that to have so much more you ultimately muscle it out of someone. There is never this much disparity or wealth without force somewhere. We need to live within our means and needs, and start caring about limits on greed. I know our national security depends on it and preventing hunger in our neighbor's house depends on it too.
Quality of life is a non variable in every economic formula. It isn't even measured.
Even now with a limping global economy the US doesn't want to face how we actually got here.
Best suggestion I have heard is as follows: Congressional Reform Act of 2011
No more rich people in office. For the people by the people. The masses are no longer represented in Washington.
In response to Occupy Wall Street. This needs to be spread ! http://www.thevenusproject.com/en/component/content/article/245-response-to-occupy-wall-street
Wonder how many of them gave financial contributions to obama? He received the LARGEST amount of Wall Street dollars than ANY other candidate EVER. yeehaw!! I hope you guys march on the White House! That'd be AWESOME! I'd even come for that!!
Yeah, Mr. 'change' got a lot of pocket change so we got no change. They call that fair? We call it BULLSHIT!
this is a great idea.. i just wrote my banker, lets see if he writes back.... and who invented compound interest? lets great rid of that along with foreclosures...
[Deleted]
Bank of America is now charging its customers $5 a month to use their debit cards? Huh? The debit cards save BOA millions of dollars because they can hire fewer low-paid tellers when people access their ATM machines with the debit cards. So...customers are saving them money and they reward those customers by charging them $5 in addition to all of the other nickel and dime fees that banks dream of for providing little or no service and little to no interest.
Unless you consider 1% interest on savings real interest while they charge 19% or more when they lend you money via credit cards.
I refuse to speak to telephone robots anymore. I simply don't reply or give wrong answers until the robot is forced to switch me over to the lone "real" employee whom I can discuss my account with. The banks make enough money to hire real people to answer their telephones--they'd just rather spend the money on another Lexus for the CEO.
Don't patronize SHITTY BANK (CITI) or other banks that keep oppressing the middle class by socking them with rocketing interest rates on loans --put your money in the small local banks or credit unions.
We need to come up with a list for every state, what fees the bank has. So that people can make a better choise and see what the the best and the cheapest is.
already exists on several websites. Try Bankrate.com, something like that. Small local banks, mutual banks, credit unions. The way to go
i hope everybody in america is out to support you all . if the 99% turn out the 1% dont stand a chance . good luck from everybody in the united kingdom ..
A Country where 1% of the people makes decisions for the other 99% is not a democracy.
An organization assuming, without permission or authorization, that it represents 99% of the people is not a democracy either.
Emails? Give us home addresses instead.
Support and solidarity from Argentina,
that's a nice email DDOS disruption, although some subject line tactic needs to be employed to force the recipient to have to open every message.
Also, the full dataset(email, phone, home address, etc) could be easily put in a pastebin, just like Goldman Sachs CEO data was.
Here is some relevant analysis to consider in order to take this to the next level:
"Traditional non-violent protest is dead as a means of reversing bad organizational behavior. It's easily ignored/overlooked in a media saturated environment and the methods of controlling and marginalizing it have become widely practiced/tolerated (from "free speech zones" to non-lethal weapons to crowdsourced identification of protesters). Further, shame doesn't work anymore as a means of dissuasion. Given these impediments, the revival of protest means rethinking how it is used as a coercive tool. It means going beyond attrition (boycotts, physical damage, etc.) and moral suasion (signage, marches, etc.) and into the realm of systemic disruption. Here's one approach.
In most large traditional organizations, whether they be corporations or bureaucracies, decision making is dominated by a small number of very powerful people protected by a phalanx of senior specialists. They are not democracies. Yet, in modern western societies, this elite group and their specialists are able to dissociate themselves from jobs when it comes to their private lives. They live unencumbered within our impersonal society. This window of vulnerability creates a yawning opportunity for innovative forms of disruptive non-violent protest.
One that pierces the organizational and societal veil of anonymity for these individuals by turning them into systempunkts (vulnerable nodes within the targeted organization's network that would cause the most damage if disrupted). Essentially, if you can successfully deter/coerce individual decision makers in this decision making group, you will win (and quickly).
Early work on this type of protest can be seen in the work of 4Chan's Anonymous and China's human flesh search engine. Both of these open source movements have shown to be surprisingly powerful at targeting single individuals (and poor at disrupting organizations).
By using thousands of contributers, they are able to gather intelligence information on an individual (and their family). In short, learn everything about the target down to bank account numbers. This then enables the movement to target the individual and their family with:
-Stalking and harassment. In the street, at a restaurant, or at school. -Identity theft. From financial to professional. Publication of private information. -Denial of communication. Flood phones, e-mail accounts, voice-mail, etc. "
http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2010/06/coercive-games.html
"Here's some more global guerrilla thinking in regards to coercing organizational hierarchies.
The more you focus on a single person in the senior decision making group, the more effective the coercion is. Blanket coercion is weaker since it allows the consequences to be shared by a group. Think aggressive, amorphous mass vs. single individual. Objective: connect decision making within corporate hierarchies with personal consequence.
Shame (public pressure) and guilt (traditional morality) are useless as tools for regulating behavior within the modern context. A market-based morality dominates in the commercial sector: if you make money doing something, it is good to do. Within non-commercial organizations the vulnerability is more often the concept of a career. Career advancement and continuity dominates all thinking. Methods of correction: Taint the career. Destroy the value derived from financial rewards. Focus on bounding the hierarchy's decision making processes. It's much more difficult to force an active decision (new action) than to deter a decision.
The most senior decision maker isn't likely the best target. Target those nearby since the risk/reward ratio is more favorable to successful coercion.
Limited goals that are binary, specific, and well defined are much more likely to be successful than amorphous goals. It will not only attract more participants, it is easier to achieve through coercion.
Success breeds replication. "
http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2010/06/journal-more-thoughts-on-coercing-organizational-hierarchies.html
Jesus, that could have come out right out of Monsanto Corp's playbook. Or come to think of it, the play books of almost any corporation only, with more resources, they do even more and seem to have a knack at getting government help to do it.
But count me out. I believe in nonviolent, ethical protests. I understand your frustration but I am never going to sell out
Bonus track:
" The Corporate Systempunkt
The corporation is a particularly bad organization for warfare. It is much too centralized. The institution of the CEO is a particular weakness (a systempunkt in global guerrilla lingo). The CEO's network centrality makes him/her a single point of failure for the entire corporate organism. Here are some of the ways this damage can flow through a company:
-Psychological trauma. We've already seen the results of this trauma at work on corporate decision making in Iraq. Ongoing assaults on corporate employees have caused numerous corporate withdrawals (over a large number of nationalities, which implies that corporate behavior in this regard is relatively universal). Assaults on CEOs ups the psychological ante: it pierces the flimsy veil between corporate behavior and the personal security of senior executives. The result is a greater level of risk adverse behavior within the target company and companies on the edge of involvement.
-Financial trauma. The departure of the CEO from a public company can create substantial market volatility in the company's stock (see this Fed study for more) for up to two years after the event. NOTE: This volatility offers the incentive of rapid financial gains to guerillas with the foreknowledge of attacks through leveraged investments in options and derivatives -- remember, in this crazy new world micro-finance and warfare are closely connected.
-Organizational trauma. The financial trauma (see above) is symptomatic of the organizational chaos a company goes through when a CEO rapidly departs. The pyramidal organizational networks of most corporations demonstrate a major vulnerability to the loss of its central decision maker. This is particularly true in a small entrepreneurial company like Equipment Express. Even after a new CEO is selected, he/she can be relied upon to change strategic plans, roil the ranks of senior management, and generally slow down decision making in the short-term.
What's Next?
Frankly, a CEO is an excellent strategic target as well as a tactical target. As a rule of thumb, I would consider all CEOs that reside/work within a nation-state at war with non-state guerrillas at risk. Under almost all measures of this new method of warfare, CEOs are better targets than government or military officials.
Remember, in this flat world, it is easy to pull up a CEO's name, address, credit history, and even a satellite photo of his/her home from a Cyber Cafe in Peshawar.
"
http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2005/04/piercing_the_co.html
You could just collect dirt on them. That's what the lawyer's do when they do battle. Who do you think outed Elliot Spitzer? A clerk who found some funny money transfers? I doubt it.
But again, count me out. I don't want to be like them
Our non-centralized, consensus based and cloud networked communication between occupation cells and support is working pretty damn effectively so far. OWS is seen by the corporate opposition as the central command, but aahh, is it really?
If they managed to silence OWS and kick them from the park, they'd have failed to silence the movement as a whole. The movement could and would immediately react to bring the noise back, and increase the pressure. Remember what happened when Bloomberg threatened to boot OWS: Instant overwhelming backlash from the movement forced him to capitulate.
They can't attack a single, centralized "leader", because there isn't one. We took a page from Anon's playbook.
if you read the actual disclaimer at the bottom, they say why they legally can't do that.
Who said anything about "legally?" They think they're above the law, so why should we honor it?
You know, you make those of us trying to actually change things look bad, so just be quiet.
Bad, or ineffective? You won't change anything if you play by their rules. They've long since rigged the system.
Who is playing by their rules? Their rules are no good either. Some of us want to play by THE rules.
I really do understand your frustration, really really do, but I believe in it still. To me it's the whole point.
And we do need some old fashioned speeches. The lack of amplified sound is difficult. I don't want the movement to take refuge in the shadows. If the movement fails it simply indicates a lack of will. The people always have the power, no matter what.
Bloomberg - the mayor of NY is worth billions or at least 1B. Is he a 1%? I think so. He is only the mayor because of his money and connections. He is a piece of shit.
Bloomberg - the mayor of NY is worth billions or at least 1B. Is he a 1%? I think so. He is only the mayor because of his money and connections. He is a piece of shit.
If history has proved anything it's that things will only get worse before they get better, I have great respect to those in the protest, however things will get violent after people realize that these corporate clowns aren't gonna lossen their grip, they will stop at nothing to make sure they have control of the system, and that means that innocent people will die at their hands, people need to get arms and fight for whats right, being vocal about the situation is only a step to getting things done, but the end will only be reached when blood is shed, and I sure as hell am not letting pricks like bernake and others win
If history has proved anything it's that things will only get worse before they get better, I have great respect to those in the protest, however things will get violent after people realize that these corporate clowns aren't gonna lossen their grip, they will stop at nothing to make sure they have control of the system, and that means that innocent people will die at their hands, people need to get arms and fight for whats right, being vocal about the situation is only a step to getting things done, but the end will only be reached when blood is shed, and I sure as hell am not letting pricks like bernake and others win
Protesters should in the White House. Obama and the Democrats have continued the worse policies of Bush. They have increased the use of predatory drones, increasing the number of civilian deaths, invaded Libya and caused the deaths of 50,000 Libyan civilians..and given NATO a reported $2 MILLION a day to decimate the Libyan infrastructure, sent drones to Yemen, Somali, and given them to Uganda...along with sending US military "advisers" to that country (remember how the US involvement in the Vietnam war started?). Last month more US military returning from Iraq and Afghanistan committed suicide than were killed in battle.
The 1% is totally unnecessary. Think about it. We do all the work. We clean, construct, babysit, cook, work on machines, go to wars, fly the airplanes, heal patients, teach in schools, work on farms, raise the cattle, Drive the public transport systems, plant trees, cut trees, serve food, serve in bars. Might I ask what do the 1 % do besides sit on their ass and shuffle money around from one industry to another.....That's not productive at all.
Everybody around the world gather together, post your discussion, photos, comments, thoughts, and ideas together.
Wiki Occupy Wall Street
http://www.wikioccupywallst.org
bump for great justice
This is a very one sided list. It only lists US corporations. There are many non-US financial institutions that should be in in the same group: UBS, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, BNP, Credit Agricole, Barclays,... the list goes on.. These firms all have major operations in NYC.
Believe me, we not only don't vote for the Boards of these firms, but they have an easier time circumventing US law, since they are not incorporated in the US.
http://www.vault.com/wps/portal/usa/rankings/individual?rankingId1=162&rankingId2=-1&rankings=1®ionId=0&rankingYear=2012
Last night I watched Barney Frank on the Rachel Maddow Show. The point was made that targeting, lobbying and voting are essential ways to make a difference. My question is: how does the collective regard voting?
Here is an summary by Karen Ocamb of what was discussed. "Maddow balked: the Tea Party protesters made a difference. Yes, but what THEY did, Frank noted, was pick targets, lobby and vote. Frank said the demonstrators have the right to do whatever they want – but they will only make a real difference in Congress and the machinations on Wall Street (regarding regulations) if they VOTE!"
....I LOVE this Information!!!....Thank You OWS Board Room!!
If we really are the 99% then why are we protesting to the '1%'. Surely we don't need them to make the change?
(212) 387-7270 If everybody with a laptop goes to google and gets a google number for FREE you can call this number which is the branch that kidnapped their customers and had them arrested. If everybody does this it will tie up the branch's phone lines, rendering them useless. This won't take much time and you don't need to use your cell phone, unless you want to actually talk to the people inside and ask them about their actions.
How about putting pressure on the Southern Poverty Law Center, which ostensibly monitors hate groups, to declare the NYPD a hate group?
No one can do what they have done without an authoritarian ideology in place to dispel feelings of guilt. These cops are no better than Skinheads.
Or just look to their masters at the Bilderberg group, at least a few of whom are former Nazi-sympathizers.
Get rid of the unions!!!!
So... I don't get it. I first heard of the movement on FB, with the police abuses in NYC. So concerned about police abuse, I wanted to see what the protest was about. I've spent the last hour trying to figure it out, and still have no clue. All I get is vague ideas like "DEMOCRACY NOT CORPORATOCRACY" - but what specifically is wanted here? It really comes off to me, as people needing something to fight, they have decided the evil of today is corporations - so peaceful occupations occur to voice this. But what is the nuts and bolts of what this is about? What are the terms, the demands, the list of changes needed? Is this a movement for Marxism? Socialism? Worker based government? I'm not trying to offend, I really don't know. I clicked on "about" and saw no real answer to any of these questions. At least with a legalize Pot protest, I get the idea of what's being wanted. I just don't see what people really want here. Yes wealth isn't equally distributed. So what's the game plan? Marx had a game plan. Das Capital was that game plan. I don't see a plan here. Just the protest headlines of axioms and slogans.
ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE IDEA...let people live their lives!! if you disagree, work toward policy change.. this is wrong!!!!!!!!! and is akin to a lynch mob!
the main danger is to underestimate the enemy. th enemy is the global fascist elite behind the 911 INSIDE JOB and the ORGANISED subprime fraud. they have bought arable land around the equator and sold us into slavery of a debt ridden future for our grandchildren. the use the horror story of christianity to keep us in our place. child protection will destroy christianity just as surely womens liberation will destroy islam. both are total BULLSHIT AND BOLLOCKS. they FAKED terrorist attack to justify a christian muslim war, the bush crusade. they have divided man against man. there are NO HEROES killing afghanis in afghanistan. The christians and muslims must unite to defeat the enemy. the immediate enemy we all face around the world are the hated police. keep exposing their violence, their brutalisation of a PEACEFUL PROTEST until they can no longer cope with their public image, ignorant bullies, freemason thugs, fascist stooges until they have a PSYCHOPATHIC BREAKDOWN.
I don't get it? Why is there such a discrimination against "rich" people? At what point do we draw the line against what is rich and what is poor? If a guy had $50,000 and his neighbor had $900,000, would the latter be rich and the former be poor? I think we fail to neglect that people who make $250,000 or more a year in this country is a mixed bag. Just like those who are poor are a mixed bag. The poor include individuals who are drug and alcohol addicts who can't get their life straight. The poor also include the single mother of 4 who works three jobs to feed her family. The rich include wealthy billionaires, but also the community doctor who put himself through school and has thousands of dollars of loans to pay back. Wake up and smell the stereotyping and discrimination already!
I might suggest for those interested in this project, also checking with The Yes Men and their Yes Lab project forum.
From my long experience in dealing with governments in more than a dozen of them I assure you that if you slash more than half of government officials or the so-called public dis-service and throw them to the streets you will definitely get better, effective and efficient administrations.
I am sure they are the source of corruption and corporate greed support. I have never seen in my long life any government department or an office functioning properly. They are excesses, idles, and the antithesis of innovation, ethics and productivity.
People must have regular and uninterrupted access to monitor what are going on in any government office, low or high, including the judiciary, the police, the security, and the military.
When you deal personally with a successful private business you feel your power as a valued customer even if it was unethical business. But when I personally deal with any government office I feel their arrogance and wickedness; I wish I could spit on their faces.
The public service anywhere in the world is ten times it’s optimal size, and they are very good in employing the failures and the dishonest for life.
To Occupy Wall Street and bring social, political, and economic justice people must axe useless officials first.
Fall of Capitalism/Secularism PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ECONOMIC MODEL As the capitalist, acting as promoter/administrator, invests a minimal/nominal amount of his own in the business (obtaining major funding at concessional interest rates) but is entitled to retain full profit and be liable, in the case of loss, only to the extent of his share holding, the underlying system is inherently oppressive and unjust. It is, therefore, time to introduce a new ECONOMIC MODEL for replacing the secular codes of capitalism which, due to its irrational structure, stands grounded since the very beginning of the 21st century.
The banks secure deposits from the general public against promise to pay interest at fixed rates without guaranteeing the face value of the pertinent currency prevailing in the international market at the time the money was deposited. In case, therefore, of devaluation of currency, the depositors lose the net worth of their deposits to the extent of devaluation. As happened with the US $, while 87 cents of a $ were equal to one Euro in 2001, $ 1.4925 is equal to one Euro today. Practically, thus the $ has lost 58.29% of original worth. All this is a result of credit based economy and loan based investment.
As far as the war on terror is concerned, its real cost has been passed on to the countries with US Dollar - based reserves or currencies but, interestingly, the currencies of most European NATO members were, in the year 2000, delinked from the Dollar by floating the Euro as a common EU currency.
www.suprasystem.org
http://front.moveon.org/which-corporations-are-the-biggest-freeloaders/
Making money out of more money is not even work. Investment bankers don't do real work, it's us that do.
I can throw away 1 million e-mails with a click
if we want to thanks these people,
it should be done on public web space
Excellent idea: these are the people who make America "the greatest country on Earth" which is, after all, the ultimate goal! How about mailing them homemade cookies?
A sugestion.... The media is asking what we want, I think we should ask that congress stop getting payed until they start working for the people that pay them,,,,,, No employer would put up with a do nothing staff, why in the world do the American people have to pay great salaries to a do nothing congress! No meaninful wall street reform ,,,, No one held accountable for the crash of our economy. We need to DEMAND that there pay checks are not payed, maybe then, they would see what what we the people are going through. Oh Ya, Mabe they will ask for unemployment compensation. LOL
tell them we want to survive
A sugestion.... The media is asking what we want, I think we should ask that congress stop getting payed until they start working for the people that pay them,,,,,, No employer would put up with a do nothing staff, why in the world do the American people have to pay great salaries to a do nothing congress! No meaninful wall street reform ,,,, No one held accountable for the crash of our economy. We need to DEMAND that there pay checks are not payed, maybe then, they would see what what we the people are going through. Oh Ya, Mabe they will ask for unemployment compensation. LOL
Is there any focus at all on offshoring and outsourcing? 50,000 Americans lost their jobs at a prominent large computer maker in the USA since '05, and thousands of Canadians. Now they are disbanding other company's US based I/T departments and replacing them with Bangalore-based employees and contractors. The company pays about 2% in US Corporate taxes. We live in constant threats of job loss, after having pensions frozen in '07. We must realize this is NOT just about banks and Wall Street.
The opponents (mostly but not all republican) want to say this is "class warfare". This is a trick phrase to make the people watching think you are just envious troublemakers. The correct description is excessive out of site anti-democratic inequality. Excessive accumulation at the top .1% of society is dangerous and could actually lead to a dictator who might have political leanings. The president now wants a billion dollars and the politicians compete and talk about how much money they have collected as if the office is for sale. That's the problem. It looks to the 99.9% of us that it really is for sale. Along with all the congressional and senatorial seats. We have no lobbyist.
Let us make our voice clear that they be heard. We have no funds to squander on vice and sedation. Out of our non sedated pain we must roar. First being clean of mind and healthy of body we can come with all our unbridled energy to the task at hand.
Protest is our American Right and Liberty. We must and will not abuse it, our minds, or bodies. We will be fit soldiers for the battle before us. We must encourage and embolden ourselves to our very best. The better me that I can be the better fighter I will be.
GIVE Occupy The Board Room its own tab on top of the Menu Bar!
Suggest you go back and read Michael Moore's 'Stupid White Men' if you're at all unsure about who is greasing the wheels for the 1%. Got to say I was surprised by the blatant corruption peddled by the wealthy government officials. Wealthy people can't be bought? What rock have you been hiding under?
HI all,
If you really desire a strategy that will punish Wall Street and those financial institutions who consider themselves elite, all you have to do is launch a boycott of all publicly traded companies, i.e. stop buying all goods and services from companies listed on the Stock exchanges.
This WILL hit Wall street, fund managers, investment bankers and bonus millionaires where it hurts them the most, in their wallets. A very simple yet very effective strategy that will add significant potency to your cause.
You have a lot more support globally than just the folks turning up to demonstrate, so keep up the good work.
COMC
Two million American software engineers and electrical engineers have been displaced by low cost foreign labor imported under the H1-B guest worker visa program over the past 10 years. Many are over 40 or 50 and have never successfully returned to permanent work due to age discrimination (employers refuse to hire employees who will make their health insurance premiums rise). Foreign workers who replace them send their money home instead of investing it 100% back into the American economy.
Cancel all existing H1-B visas and 1.2 million Americans can get back to work immediately. Look up U.C. Davis professor Norm Matloff's work, and testimony to our crooks in Congress, for more information.
Dianne Feinstein (D - CA) should be representing her fired and now unemployed constituents, but instead she is one of the primary recipients of lobbyist cash from Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Microsoft, and other big supporters of H1-B cheap labor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akm3nYN8aG8&feature=player_embedded#!
You're obviously all idiots with 0 understanding of economics. The election of people like you to political office is what got us where we're at. Not Wall Street. Go occupy a job and shut up.
You're obviously all idiots with 0 understanding of economics. The election of people like you to political office is what got us where we're at. Not Wall Street. Go occupy a job and shut up.
I think every protester needs to know this fact (link below):
From a dailymail.co.uk article printed on Oct 15th 2011 (YESTERDAY!!)
"Meet Americas 10 highest paid bosses"- quote
"The numbers, while staggering, may not be the most shocking aspect of the list: geography is.
None of the top 10 earning CEOs are from Wall Street, or even the financial sector. Three are from healthcare companies(McKesson, Express Scripts and UnitedHealth Group), two from fashion houses (Ralph Lauren and Coach), one from real estate (Vornado Realty), one from entertainment (Disney), one from internet travel (Priceline.com), one from advertising (Omnicom Group) and one from oil and gas (Ultra Petroleum)."
DID YOU CATCH THAT? NONE of the top paid CEO's are from WALL STREET OR EVEN THE FINANCIAL SECTOR! So why did your organizers choose Wall Street in the first place?????
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2049405/Meet-Americas-10-highest-paid-bosses-Forbes-list-wealthiest-CEOs.html#ixzz1ayBhM4oq
[Deleted]
Wall Street trading did not cause the economic meltdown. Not all privately owned companies were even involved in the meltdown. That you are so eager to attack a "symbol" rather than flesh and blood criminals is telling.
[Deleted]
Do you see a difference between mistakes and crimes? If so, what is the difference?
Does intent matter in determining the level of someone's guilt or not?
You differentiated between the pimp's house (WS) and the John's house (WH). Are they identical? Let's see:
*If there were no Johns, there could be no hookers, and therefore would be no pimps.
*If there were no pimps, there would still be hookers and johns.
Clearly Johns are more important to the situation than the pimps are. They are the cause, and pimps and hookers are effects.
The problem with your metaphor, and thus your protest, is that there has always been and will always be someone who wants to screw someone, somewhere. Some people might get it for free, and some have to pay a price for it. And you could kill all the hookers and pimps in this world, but you'd only be eradicating the effects-not the cause.
[Deleted]
Abusive ad hominem.
Netwonian? Not familiar.
Straw man argument.
I'm not out of my league, you are out of facts.
[Deleted]
Were you talking about the word Newtonian? Then you should have spelled the word Newtonian. Doesn't your league require spelling ability? Oh...and Newton studied physics right? How does the study of physics apply to my analysis of pimps?
I didn't say WS had nothing to do with the meltdown, I said Wall Street did not "cause" the meltdown. Did the protesters apply for and get permission to represent everyone that is not a billionaire? I missed that memo....
A straw man argument is one where you attempt to discredit your opponent by making false assertions about them or their motives. But you know this because you do it frequently.
For example, insinuating that I have a problem with your metaphors and your protest because it "messes up my freedom to screw someone, anyone for any gain I want". Or in another reply where you insinuated that I am surely monitored in my workplace in one breath and called me a "bottlewasher" in the next. Since you do not have the slightest idea of what kind of a person I am or where I work or what I do-I can only assume that making things up about me must benefit your position somehow.
Oh...and the assumption you made about me being a kid is also incorrect.
[Deleted]
I came on board to present facts that people like you either aren't aware of or choose to ignore. That you don't like that and choose to respond with immature, logically flawed arguments is not my problem. If you really wanted constructive dialogue-you'd welcome the facts because they are essential to any cause that declares it's purpose is to improve society.
You just want to be right, even when you're not.
With no scapegoat there is no redemption. Jesus was one, innocent he died for all sinners. So Wall Street must as well. So we can be One With Soundness. At-One-Ment.
Did you just compare Wall Street to Jesus Christ? I've got news for you. Destroying Wall Street has no power to absolve anyone of anything. It cannot redeem anyone.
Two of you need to join us.
This topic is, indeed, insightful. Let's find out who has a lot of money and start pointing fingers. I feel more intelligent already... On the opposite end, let's all just call those in poverty lazy or ignorant. I hope the so-called "99%" on this board don't really represent the real 99%.
If the list does not include ALL of the names of EVERY powerful financial executive-AND evidence proving that they are indeed guilty of committing crimes, then the integrity of your list is suspect and would appear to have an agenda OTHER than that of complete truth, fairness, and justice.
Fairness and Justice. Out of Fortune 500 10 are Pharmaceutical earning 40 Billion a year with 10 million in salary and another 10 million in stock to one CEO. Then another 35 Billion to share for the 490 other of the Fortune 500.
Can their be any better target than those who prey on our health for their own. If ever their was a predator. Banks with all of their abuse do not come close. Banks are just much more easy to steal from.
Exactly my point. This movement isn't moving against the real predators. They are moving against a patsy the predators pointed them to.
[Deleted]
I would not take money from someone to voice my opinion.
And shouldn't someone who is rational and logical think in a concrete and literal manner? It's hard to to conquer anything that is merely a symbol, or hold it accountable.
[Deleted]
If no one would benefit from the collapse of Wall Street-then bringing it down is stupid. If everyone, everywhere would suffer equally from it's collapse, then what on earth are you doing?
If someone WOULD benefit from the collapse of Wall Street-more than they were harmed by it-who would those people be? In what ways would/could they come out on top from something like this?
[Deleted]
Insults! The best indication that your opponent has nothing else left.
I don't even live in New York, much less for on Wall Street etc. I'm actually self employed and do with my time what I wish to. You should try it.
[Deleted]
The insult? If I dismiss all of the sentences that contain insults, there's nothing to respond to.
What a great idea. You know, we're having a party over here, us 99%. The 1% might be feeling a little bit lonely. I mean, truth is they are rather unpopular.
With all due respect, since when should a person be excluded on the basis of financial success? Take a man like Senator Frank Lautenberg. He supported a lot of legislation that has improved transportation, in terms of safety and quality of service. For example, NJ boasts the most technologically advanced and perhaps the safest trains, currently in service on the NEC or anywhere, in the USA, if I am correct. The Comet 5 trains are technological marvels. He voted against entrenched oil company interests and voted in support of alternative energy. NJ is one of the most populous states in the Union and possibly the most densely populated State in the Union, per square mile. In point of fact, NJ is more densely populated than India, per square mile. The man must be doing something right that everyone wants to live in NJ.
You don't have to be a Republican or a Democrat to know that there are good things that Democrats and Republicans have done in the past, including Senator Lautenberg; things your followers would desire. There is no reason why an American, a WW2 veteran, should be excluded from participating in the US Senate, simply because he became a financial success. A movement to create high paying careers, in the USA, can not be hostile to success, but must embrace and advance success. Rather, it makes more sense to suggest that, "Hey, Senator Frank Lautenberg, I admire your success and I want to be a success. I am not looking for a hand out, but an opportunity to participate in and create wealth, for myself and my family. Lets work together to come up with a plan that will enrich Wall Street and Main Street." Let us not scapegoat Senator Lautenberg or his other colleagues on your list. They are not bad people, simply because they figured out how to succeed before you did or I did. If you want to make success a crime, then you really ought to rethink your movement, because punishing success is not going to create high paying careers in the USA.
You would be totally welcome at Liberty Square if that's your concern. Plenty of investment bankers support this movement.
Thank you for the invite. It makes great good sense that I-Bankers would support the opportunity to create vast wealth off of harnessing the two most highly educated and/ or skilled generations of Americans in US history. I-Bankers will help our Nation create the high paying careers and help us achieve the diversification of commercial enterprise development we will need to get off the ground. The more I listen to posters, the more I see that there are some ultra radical types, racists and what not, but there is a tremendously talented core of people, perfectly trainable and willing to work hard to help re-imagine our economy, to help us be the envy of the World. Thank you again.
[Deleted]
This is the life I seek, what is more, Eidos. No, greed did not sink our dreams, it is a want of greed. Wall Street is not nearly greedy enough. The crime is to settle on job killing efficiencies and outsourcing, while not making tremendous wealth harnessing the two most highly educated and/ or skilled generation in US history, including me, including you. We must convince Wall Street to be more ambitious and far more greedy. Wall Street must help us create the high paying careers, the diverse commercial enterprises that will help Americans settle down and make babies, help attract the World to our shores. Wall Street would settle on growing China and India and let this Nation go to ruin? It is their want of greed and ambition, that is their great crime.
p.s. It is a great good thing to screw your neighbor! We need to grow the population! =)
[Deleted]
Oh, I am sure that there are very attractive and intelligent women in the protest movement. I am not interested in posing as a protestor. I am on the side of the rich. I want to optimize their wealth in a corporation, after all. =) I simply do not see our interests and their interest as mutually exclusive. There is much too much hospitality toward the rich and why? I had resentment, at first. I was envious, jealous of their success and my lack of opportunity, my lack of wealth and success, yet in the end, I seek to be what they are, not to be poor or angry at the rich. I seek to be rich. I seek to advance, under the mentorship of a great Capitalist and to be a great Capitalist. In time, some of your,"Hot chicks of OWS," will come to appreciate the pragmatism of this view, they will seek out a man, not unlike me, if not me. They will embrace the seduction of Capitalism and part with their childish idealism and reckless flirtations with Marxist Socialism.
[Deleted]
lol I hope so. I am an MBA and I would be a terrible MBA, if you enjoyed my company. =) Still, if you have a good idea regarding creating high paying careers, please send it my way, as I am in contact with a CEO and he is working on an initiative to create jobs.
[Deleted]
I am not cruising for women, on the board. What gave you that very strange idea Eidos? How am I embarrassing you? Which of my beliefs are bizarre and how so?
I have too much to learn if we are here to punish success. I have three urban buildings with eight units so that I do not have to live next to crack vendors. I can not afford to rent any apartments since the tenant stock is so dismal. I am here to hear voice my own and others. To find solutions that are workable in cooperation.
I am all for success of healthy vibrant communities where children can grow safe and happy learning principles of successful living. The determinations of 1% to keep the rest of us at bay is the critical concern to which we must all address and the name of that is not success it is criminal and obscene abuse of privilege with no social responsibility.
http://www.change.org/petitions/pay-congress-what-middle-class-americans-earn
I would add no LAWYERS should ever be elected representatives. They need to be technicians in back rooms where they can do the least harm.
Check out ALEC. The 'American Legislative Exchange Council' writes legislation and dictates the votes of 'our' representatives.
We want what Roosevelt suggested...and other countries successfully adopted...our second bill of rights... A decent wage Adequate home and a decent living Medical care A good education Economic protection during sickness, accident, old age or unemployment
There is no more Upward Mobility...even if we work two jobs...the middle class is being raped by corporations..financial system...right wing think tanks that implore or politicians to sign pledges forcing them to vote against their constituents...Super Pacs and 501-C4's that allow the super rich and powerful to launder money and corrupt our political systems
We want what Roosevelt suggested...and other countries successfully adopted...our second bill of rights... A decent wage Adequate home and a decent living Medical care A good education Economic protection during sickness, accident, old age or unemployment
There is no more Upward Mobility...even if we work two jobs...the middle class is being raped by corporations..financial system...right wing think tanks that implore or politicians to sign pledges forcing them to vote against their constituents...Super Pacs and 501-C4's that allow the super rich and powerful to launder money and corrupt our political systems
Best suggestion I have heard is as follows: Congressional Reform Act of 2011
We want what Roosevelt suggested...and other countries successfully adopted...our second bill of rights... A decent wage Adequate home and a decent living Medical care A good education Economic protection during sickness, accident, old age or unemployment
There is no more Upward Mobility...even if we work two jobs...the middle class is being raped by corporations..financial system...right wing think tanks that implore or politicians to sign pledges forcing them to vote against their constituents...Super Pacs and 501-C4's that allow the super rich and powerful to launder money and corrupt our political systems
Solidarity- Rhythm Corps The perfect song for Occupy Wallstreet.
Solidarity- Rhythm Corps The perfect song for Occupy Wallstreet.
This is a wonderful plan. I agree with one poster who said the top executive is not necessarily the best one to pick for your target it was written by Javier. In addition to the list, I think it would be interesting to see what each executive took in total from us last year. Salaries, bonuses, perks, etc. Just one total figure per executive would probably make my mind explode!
Do you think if all the us military in afghanistan start a protest in Kandahar and Kabul all the Taliban will finally lay down their weapons and bombs?
List of Demands should be created. Many demands have been said already. I want to add:
Lobbing should be punishable to both parties.
Limit serving time for US senators.
If we demand and get all corporate and bankster influence out of politics, then it's a cornerstone victory. With all the lobbyists gone, we'd have We the People telling them what to do instead of soulless suits with stolen money.
You'd better make that ALL lobbyists period. Not for profits have lobbyists, as do environmental groups and all kinds of hucksters from everywhere. The ONLY people politicians should be giving any time to is their constituents. PERIOD.
I'll agree about abolishing lobbyists from scammers and snake oil salesmen. But, how can we weed out the weasels from those orgs that actually want to affect some good?
Yeah, tough call. If we can't be sure who's the punk and who isn't, then ok, they all get the boot.
thanks for this!
OWS, join Obama Supporters Videos/ Song! I believe Barack Obama will be known as the M.L.K. of our day & will continue to bring the world together to progress it like never before. In my own way, I want to play a big part in this major place in our history. People need help all around the world. There's one song for everyone & everything! For Obama 2012, I'm inviting Occupy Wall Street to be in my Obama Supporters Videos/ Song of celebrities, people of places named after Obama & Obama supporters posting a video of themselves singing the chorus of Obama For The World (world's Obama tribute song)! ITunes! For Obama's change & America's freedom! 50% of the sales will go to OWS protesters & Obama For America. Just video everyone in every Wall Street Occupy protest singing (in unison) the chorus of Obama For The World. You will eventually have to support Obama for 2012. The Republicans sure aren't going to support your causes. You're the answer to the Tea Party! Now answer back, singing Obama For The World! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=KaAeSaj-xJc http://nycga.cc/donate https://donate.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/2012/davidking http://www.tunecore.com/music/david-king
The US is not a Capitalist society, the US is a Corruptionist Society! It's long past time to stop the corruption and shameful corporate greed! Corrupt politicians are bought and paid for by corporate america. We are the people, we are the 99%, and we will be heard!
Please. You've picked a nifty slogan (99%) that rebrands Richard Nixon's "the silent majority". If a majority (far less than 99%) were behind you, then you might actually have a chance of accomplishig something --- after you figure out how to codify the changes you'd like so that they can be passed as laws ... after you get enough people elected who support your agenda.
Recommend for everybody the book
"From Dictatorship to Democracy" by Gene Sharp Available for free download from http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations/org/FDTD.pdf
This book was written by the professor in political science (U. Mass.), an expert in nonviolent resistance. Though the book was written to assist the fight against dictatorships in the developing countries, most of the methods discussed in that book are applicable for the struggle against dictatorship of the corporations and financial institutions in the United States. The methods discussed in that book will allow You to avoid unnecessary legal risks and maximize public support.
Why aren't you at work?! This is the problem, you are taking your day off to complain about the people who are at work every day. Who spent years dedicated to their education? Who then worked hard to climb their respective corporate ladders to make the money that they are making?
And if you hate the banking system so much, then don't use it! Put your cash under your mattress, it is a service that you should pay for!
The first and the foremost important thing we should demand is a modification of the election process. As of now, in the congress and in the government there is NO any representatives of the "99%". Even the democrats are members of the "elite" 1%-class (Do You beleive they will ever approve any really "anti-elite" law ?). And this situation is not occasional: with modern system only the candidates heavily sponsored by large corporations have chances to win.
We MUST request that private sponsoring of election campaign should be completely banned and that all candidates should get equal chances. This will open the door for the true representatives of 99% to the White House.
Hey mels, if you don't feel represented than that's your fault - for not working to get someone who you thinks agrees with your opinions elected. But guess what? If a majority disagree with you (current situation), you're not going to get anyone elected. This is called tyranny of the majority and is reflective of democracy in action.
The "1%" is part of the "99%" there is no 100th percentile, like there is no 0th percentile, so these rich people you are inditing are part of this 99% group.
You don't seem to know that percent is not the same as percentile.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXNiS7xolxc&feature=related
http://theunionlegion.blogspot.com/
I've signed on for a pen pal. His name is Joe. He works for Bank of America. We'll see....
It's Time to GET MONEY OUT of politics:
http://www.getmoneyout.com/
(Buffalo, NY) Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, challenged Andy Cuomo to come clean today about why he is refusing to talk about the rebate of the state’s Stock Transfer Tax.
New York State presently collects a very small tax on each stock transfer, but then rebates the tax, now in excess of $16 billion annually, back to Wall Street speculators. The tax is hardly noticeable for anyone who invests in Wall Street, primarily hitting those who treat the Stock Market as a casino, making hundreds of trades daily.
“Why is Mr. Cuomo, the anointed front runner, hiding the Stock Transfer Tax from the public when it is an obvious way to bridge the state budget deficit? Why does he rule out higher taxes on the rich when they have more money than ever? Why he won’t make them pay their fair share? They’ll still be rich after paying their fair share. All the politicians in Albany act like we’re out of money and debate over what services to cut, all the while refusing to tell New Yorkers about the $16 billion they hand back to Wall Street speculators,” said Hawkins, a member of the Teamsters Union who unloads trucks for UPS in Syracuse.
Main problem is systems, that don't support the 99% peoples... Those system create by politicians, bankers and big business peoples....therefore, best practical action is stop doing business with those... It is simple, then they will start to thinking about our action... Life is business... Business is all about calculation.
Original: http://www.futureofcapitalism.com/2010/09/david-koch-funds-andrew-cuomo
The Democratic candidate for governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, has been receiving campaign contributions from a surprising source, state campaign finance records show: Julia and David Koch, the businessman-philanthropist caricatured in a recent New Yorker piece (see our commentary here) as a corporate polluter who has secretly poured tens of millions of dollars into anti-Obama causes.
The contributions from Mr. Koch and his wife Julia to the Cuomo campaign total $74,900, according to the campaign finance records. David Koch made three separate gifts: $25,000 on July 10, 2010; $18,000 on November 16, 2009; and $6,900 on November 30, 2009. Julia Koch made two donations: $15,000 on July 10, 2010, and $10,000 on January 4, 2010. (UPDATE: The total figure is $87K)
We asked spokesmen for the Cuomo campaign and for Mr. Koch yesterday morning whether they had any explanation to offer for the contributions. They haven’t yet provided one.
Lets get money out of politics and put the 99% back in control where it belongs:
http://www.getmoneyout.com/
The Western media is biased. It has the tendency of covering up serious matters happening in the US and Europe. We hardly see in the West dominated media any of the protests occurring daily in many cities of the US. This is a clear indicator of economic decline there. Many of the countries in Europe are in serious economic problem after several decades of economic prosperity. Most of the earth’s limited resources have been exploited by them ( the less than 0.1% in my opinion) while the rest of the world was struggling to come out of stark man-made poverty. Africa and Middle East’s resources were exploited by putting in power ruthless renegade despots and monarchs.
Greed can be self destructive. While more than half of the world and 99.99% eked out a living the 0.1% of the West and the rest indulged in extravagant exercises to satiate their greed. But now times have changed. China and India and part of Asia have made great strides. Their hunger for energy too has grown and this is going to be unstoppable even if the West presses for cut in carbon emissions now. The West has to blame herself since it has shown the way.
Poverty in the US is appalling in many states and cities including LA, Washington, DC and New York city. In many places the homeless are no better off than the beggars in Dhaka’s streets. The corporate structure in the US is heavily tilted in favor of the less than 0.1 percent (1% is a misnomer!) super elite filthy rich class. They have monopoly over most businesses including oil and energy, heavy machinery, finances, entertainment, armaments, automobile and international organizations like the World Bank and IMF.
The World Bank and IMF are used as arms to keep a tight rein on the extent to which a developing country can progress. Loans and grants are manipulated to delay development works in poor countries.
Time has come for a new order in global economy. China and India must take the lead. These two emerging super economic giants and other countries like Brazil should take the lead in helping regional countries and the rest of the world with mega loans and reform prescriptions to develop their infrastructure.
There should also be a currency basket of ten countries to choose from.
I agree. Very true. Thank you
all we have to say is "Hey, we know. Get your shit together, or we will be after you next." Put them on notice, that their current way of doing business is defunct, that we see through the BS, and if they continue that way, there will be consequences.Why do these companies get to profit off of our work, at a rate irrespective of what they actually do. Why do I have to give up my rights when I enter the workplace? You know, you can get fired for belittling your boss on Myspace/Facebook? How is that freedom of speech? I can ridicule my President, but not my boss? wtf?
We began as ants on Wall Street, nothing more to CEOs than a bothersome, insignific, but now we are an idea, particles of which are turning up… EVERYWHERE!!!
Brilliant!
find companies around you that outsource:
http://www.workingamerica.org/jobtracker/index.cfm
But if we send them a bunch of Thank You Emails their over worked and underpaid secretaries, who pay more in taxes then they do, will be stuck in the office sorting threw them instead of out on the streets supporting the Occupy movements. =(
House of Representatives - POLITICS Rep. Jesse Jackson Calls on Government to Hire All Unemployed Americans for $40,000 Eachand bail out all the states and cities facing budget crises.
Yes, guaranteed basic income, but the government and private industry have a habit of occupying people in tedious, counter productive work that makes little sense for the well being of society as a whole. Access to resources and freedom from debt!
http://www.teaoccupyunited.com Common Ground can be found!
holy CRAP you guys are idiots. just scrolling through these posts is like reading a comic strip.
Got nothing constructive to say? Then please shut up.
You came to troll anyway. Please shut up and leave.
But before you leave, please take advantage of the special offer at the door. FREE BRAIN! Guaranteed to be 100% purged of Faux News lies and brainwashing, and loaded with the TRUTH of all that's wrong with the corporate and bankster hijacked world! Get it while it's hot!
it`s time ,you Paunchy Americans kill each other like dogs for a piece of bone.
it`s time ,you Paunchy Americans kill each other like dogs for a piece of bone.
Very interesting that so many of the names are Jewish...even though they compose approximately 2% of the world population. It makes you realize how corrupt the system is. Power + $ + Greed = Control of the masses.
God Bless the brave people around the world! Keep it PEACEFUL! Let the thugs for Wall Street do the violence. God Bless all of you! - Oldfart in Oregon
I mean honestly you guys are pathetic... instead of harassing people because their successful, go get a job! maybe you then you wont be so miserable all the time the 1% is what keeps this country running not the degenerates that sit around in parks and complain about the "terrible bankers who destroyed their lives".. this whole 99% thing is just crap the economy is what it is and you cannot blame anyone else but yourself for the mistakes that you've done.. I mean maybe instead of sitting in parks and yelling at people go find a job volunteer do whatever just stop this charade.
by sitting back and doing nothing, we lose everything. Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom, and these people are being vigilant for you lazy armchair schmucks, who like to read some shit then act like you done anything to actually earn your place in life. A lot of people have jobs and still agree with everything that is going on. My wife works for Chase as a low level Cash rep, I work for Kaiser Permanente, and currently enjoy a nice income.
How much money you have doesn't matter. Its not about money redistribution. Most of us don't want their shit, materialism is bad too, part of the problem. We just want to be treated fairly for our time worked, and compensated appropriately, not be wage slaves that are thrown under the bus every time some shit goes down.
I reiterate. Show us these jobs you're talking about.
ok how about this, Im a college undergraduate and two weeks ago I applied for a job and got the internship. Its not my dream job and the payment is not that great either, but its better than doing nothing and complaining all day..
So, you think tens of millions of people would rather complain all day than get a job that could actually support their families. You think tens of millions of people could, not just survive on, but flourish on jobs like you have now. Jobs that are rare considering there's over 10% unemployment. 10% unemployment that is NOT voluntary. Is this right? 150 million people (in this country alone) should be satisfied with low-wage employment (if its available) that satisfy the bank accounts of 400 people and their corporations.
Yeah I agree with you things could be better in this country.. however thats not a reason to go and leash off on the few successful people in this country. I mean they do pay most of the taxes for this country, the unemployment rate is high these days but this will change for the better. Not everyone can have the great job at wall st people need to accept that, If you compare yourself with other countries the usa still has the best labour wages of all we have unions etc. so the low wage employment your talking about is actually bs cuz people here still make a good amount of money and live rather nicely, the 400 people who have huge bank accounts doesn't concern you, they worked for their money no one gave it to them your just jealous that you dont have their jobs and make millions...
"Few successful people"? Let me guess, you're one of those deluded by the idea that you're going to be rich one day so you'll play devil's advocate for now. Yes, best labor wages ... which is why jobs are constantly being tossed overseas. And no, I'm not jealous, I'm outraged. Unlike you, I can see the vast income gap and think its ridiculous. There is no need whatsoever a person should have to work two full-time jobs to feed their family and own a meager home when they have a college degree. Sorry, you're wrong.
yes I hope to be rich one day everyone does and whatever happens happens.. yeah theres an income gap because certain people have better jobs, you think if the ceo of whatever would be sitting around in parks and complaining how miserable everything there is they would be where there now? besides thats not for you to decide how much a person has to work to support their families.
No, its up to the world's population. Hope is one thing, delusion of actually getting there is another, no matter what your skill level may be.
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3220
http://www.cbo.gov/publications/collections/tax/2009/average_after-tax_income.pdf
Take a look at average household income (which includes the top 1%, so not including them would drop that rate significantly) and the top 1%.
16th october 2011 Bank Bosses Day Surprize! We are here to declare the 16th of october as a starting day of " FILL THE SOCKS" - coordinate action taken by a people in order to give the lesson to the banking sector. we shall never be used by the ruling system as a shield to protect their wealth again! therefore since the october 16th 2011 people who are fighting for our freedom begin to withdraw the money from theirs banking deposits and convert them from virtual to the fresh printed dollar bills. the action starts immediately and last until the simple people will gain back their rights. all people who are unhappy with the status quo of corporatocracy are well welcome! this is the first announcement . help us spread the news - media somehow try not to see the occupy wall street properly - this action will open their eyes - just the risk of banking runs creates attention, and the need to coordinate policy with us - working class - 99% of the society. soon you will hear about the project everywhere. and you can create and add to it by yourself feel free to share this post with your friends, feel free to modify it and post it everywhere. this is people for people project.
amazing. truly inspiring. do you folks protesting have enough dollar bills to fill a sock? I am hopeful that your idea is meant as sarcasm, but am just not sure...
Will you not harp on about you neoliberal stuff unless it is agreed to as a part of this movement by GAs?? Stop trying to insert words in other people's mouths without asking them first!
I certainly do not toe to the silly idea of blaming "neoliberalism" and it has counterproductive implications to give the idea that that is what this movement is about.
Who runs this website anyway??
If this movement is not against the tenets of neoliberalism then it is useless. What part(s) of neoliberal ideology do you support? What is your understanding of what it is?
Neo liberalism is a somewhat complex academic reference, but it is hardly inappropriate to use the phrase, as it offers as close a description of current economic trends: that neo-liberalization is "a political project...to restore the power of economic elites." This is from Julian Brash's "Bloomberg's Way:Class and Governance in the Luxury City" p. 9. Whether one enjoys a phrase or not does not detract from its value, meaning and intent. Neoconservative was used quite readily this past decade, when the obvious fascistic kitch of patriotism was the order of the day...the latter is for the small minded while the former is, given its liberal nature, still up for negotiation, as economic elites are not the same as brutish elites who garner power strictly by means of government and warfare. That is a reference to Dick Cheney and his peon ilk, as well as The Third Reich. Instead of shutting down dialogue and use of phrases, it is perfectly valid to ask someone what they mean when they use a phrase that is foreign or objectionable.
Ladies, Gentlemen,
( hope my English is good enough for you to understand )
1
You are fighting for the right goals! No doubt about it. To fight against the worldwide financial structure is absolutely needed. BUT
2
The situation of today is a little bit more complicated! The debt of gouvernments are result and not the reason for the horrible problems in the world. BECAUSE
3
The real problem started in June 1992, located in Rio de Janeiro! The real problem has to be named: AGENDA 21, based on UN resolution 44/228 of 22 December 1989! "1.3. Agenda 21 addresses the pressing problems of today and also aims at preparing the world for the challenges of the next century." Please keep in mind: this is a proceeding for the next 100 years!
4
The Agenda 21 ist sailing under a false flag: they are talking about reducing/solving poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy ... but - please read, understand and ask for the consequence of the Agenda 21: a) transfer of workplaces from developed countries to undeveloped countries b) elimination of all customs worlwide.
5
USA has lost a lot of workplaces; they are to be found in Mexico and Asia. Well paid work is lost a) families do not have enough income for their living standard b) governments do not have enough income tax for their expenses, higher depth is needed - with all consequences of the financial sector.
6
I am not arguing that there are no problems in the word related to poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy - but the solution, more than 150 governments have signed, is WRONG. The Agenda 21 is the real reason for our nowadays problems.
Link: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/english/Agenda21.pdf
We want what Roosevelt suggested...and other countries successfully adopted...our second bill of rights... A decent wage Adequate home and a decent living Medical care A good education Economic protection during sickness, accident, old age or unemployment
There is no more Upward Mobility...even if we work two jobs...the middle class is being raped by corporations..financial system...right wing think tanks that implore or politicians to sign pledges forcing them to vote against their constituents...Super Pacs and 501-C4's that allow the super rich and powerful to launder money and corrupt our political systems
this is awful and doesn't do anything but satisfy a need to yell at someone. they are people at work. disagree with what they do or not, they do not make the policies that allow for a corrupt system. Its not a democrat or republican issue. Its not the rich somehow cheating. They are playing by the rules. This is a human issue that needs to be addressed in our legislation.
send your hate mail - won't do a damn bit of good except anger or worse frighten people you don't even know. And place a stain on this movement.
Aw, but they do make the policies. The big corporations are all in bed with our politicians. Our politicians accept the big hand-outs that these big corps give in order to achieve the desired outcome, policies that favor their business practices for deception with the intention of massive profits.
so we want to blame company men instead of our public servants who actually have the power to change the laws so that this practice is reigned in? we need to focus on what will help fix this problem, not form hate lists and personal agendas.
Your reasoning is flawed. The wall street executives are not children. It should not be necessary to tell them "don't destroy our economy simply for your own personal gain". Isn't that the entire premise of Republican Party lines? Less government involvement, no Big Brother, smaller legislative footprints because people (and the market) can govern itself to serve its own benefit. The 1% did not serve the market. They served their own interest. The fault lies with them.
well good luck with that. i'm interested in real solutions not punishing the bad guy. when you want to talk about that, i'm here.
yes
The policies that were created to "allow for a corrupt system" were instituted based on lobbyists employed by big business. When you make the rules say "I always win", of course you play by those rules.
the rules are created by our public servants. focus on THEM. their job is to represent us. the corporate execs jobs are to represent their boards. we are looking to fix the problem, so lets do it where it can be fixed, in our legislation.
And the $8T of taxpayer money given the banks ... do we just suck it up and let it go? Both groups should be targeted by this movement. Get the money back and vote independent.
target the banks if you want, but its wasted energy. You want change, focus your energy where its most effective. You want to be angry and yell at people, thats on you, but they don't have to change because you are angry, and won't. And if you do find a way to hurt the banks, you won't get any thanks from me because when a bank falls it hurts a lot of people.
don't misunderstand me. The ability to have money dictate policy is our central problem. But that ability is granted to them by our government, by our legislation and by our supreme court. They are the ones who are suppose to be working for us, they need to be held accountable, they need to receive demands to change the rules. That is one of the purposes of government.
You people have nothing better to do than sit on your dead ass and complain about others who have worked their entire lives to get where they are..Grow up GET A JOB, and become a PRODUCTIVE member of society and use your head for more than holding your ears on your head. Wall Street didn't do this.. the banks didn't do this.. Brany Frank, Chris Dodd, Nancy Pelosi Harry Reid, President I want to take your money and give it to someone else Obama and the REST of the Current Democrats did that.. If you put your time into something constructive, you might actually be better off and someone your parents could be proud of.
Show us where the jobs are that you're talking about.
Show us, give us...that's not how it works. You have to go out and FIND a job. There are plenty of jobs out there, but people aren't willing to gain the necessary skills to get a job. Also, look at all the new companies that are popping up. Groupon got started in November 2008, arguably the eye of the storm of the collapse, and have now grown to employ more than 7000 people. So really, what's your excuse.
Groupon! Groupon is about to implode.
this is not something you can blame on the Useless masses that the current regime likes to blame. It not just about a bunch of under worked college grads getting out of Mom and Dad's place to bitch about shit. This is about those of us who do what we "are told" and got jobs, and still get screwed by companies that have no oversight, are allowed to raise fees, change contracts, and all together do whatever they can, without anyone else getting a say. We are fed up with the BS rhetoric that just vote and it will all be made better. In County now removing most of the Social/Economic support that we had build up over the last few years, and currently dehumanizing Pregnant women( check out he latest Womens health bill that just passed, allowing the denial of medical care to pregnant women due to differences in opinion, even when the woman and child might die anyway) is it any wonder why we are fed up? Look at the issues the Republicans and Democrats keep bringing up. Gay marriage. Abortion Rights, stupid shit that wastes our time. Give gays the right to be miserable in marriage like the rest of us, and quit telling women they cant get abortions, who the F* cares if a woman wants to abort? None of our business. And yet the important shit, like banking reform, elimination of Fractional Reserve banking, elimination of corporate personhood, elimination of the idea that its okay for fascism to be the model for business.
Dub? Who do you think you are? If you lost your job, it was likely by the sound of it, that you were loud and abrasive, and just don't care about the rules in someone else's home. Yes, I said home.. That business when it started was at one time someone's home, their heart, an idea that they thought of and worked on and gave years of blood sweat and tears to, and nurtured it and loved it, to the point that it could stand on its own. So where do you think that you have a right to walk into some place that is willing to pay you for your time to be there and tell them that they have to change to fit you? Do you want a job? Probably not.. you want to push your agenda off on everyone else and then blame them when your ideas don't work. You don't like things??? Awww poor baby, life isn't a guarantee that you get what you want. The Consitution doesn't warrant you you will be happy, it says you have a right to pursue happiness. God doesn't warrant that you will be happy, in fact He says that you will have sorrows, and you will have to toil all the days of your life. Yes some people have the fortunate births that they get things given to them easily, but that is just that, an accident of chance. As to your ignorant belief that murder is ok, fine, you have the right to have that opinion, you also have the right to go view a video of an ultrasound of a baby that was being, and maybe, just maybe it might change your mind. What if it were your mother who had such a low opinion of life and decided that you didn't deserve the chance to live?? You are here because she loved you enough to nurture you and care for you and raise you into the ungrateful individual you are. If a man kills a pregnant woman and the baby dies he is charged with 2 counts of murder, but a young kid who doesn't know any better can go out and kill her child and its ok??? Seriously? How do you sleep with yourself at night sir? and another thing, marriage is a Christian Rite.. and in the bible, and the torah, it states that marriage is between a Man and a Woman, not two women or two men, or same sex anything, no animals, or fish or anything else.. a man and a woman, simple and easy to understand, hard to misinterpret. The reason this country is the way it is is because of self involved kids like you who have no direction. God Bless you.
im perfectly employed, and, sorry, but most Corporate CEO have nothing to do with and product being made, or service provided. GOD has nothing to do with our society, and how it should/shouldnt run itself. Murder is perpetrated every day by the US abroad, in efforts to fight Verbs. IE Terror, Drugs etc. U are not a woman, so stop telling them what to do with their lives, Get over the fact that you cant actually create any life and move on, let women chose for themselves.Marriages is a civil reward. Any religious connotation is purely your own. Who cares what 1500 + year old books that may or may not be true say. Live now, not then.
Im married, own a house, and am perfectly happy atm. I want my kids, when i have them, to have a future. You should too.
Smoke screen issues - abortion, gay marriage, gun laws - indeed waste of time! Nice post JDub!
Conservative GMA, Most of us are grown up, with degrees and can't find a job. Democrats and Republicans alike are swayed to the interests of the corporations that fund their campaigns. Interests of Big Money are held above the interests of "We the People".
yes, unfortunately alot of the elected officials are swayed by big money and big power.. that is why it is critical that you watch your elected official closely, and if they aren't cutting the mustard, and you think you can do better, run for their office. You might not get it, but at least then you can say you actually tried to make a difference in your community. And having a degree doesn't guarantee a job, it just guarantees that you have massive debt to pay off. I want to offer you a challenge.. step out of your comfort zone.. go volunteer somewhere to help others who are worse off than you are, talk to the people in charge there, it is highly likely that they will know someone who has a lead that you can benefit from.. you never know, you might open up avenues that you never new existed, or find a totally different career path that has nothing to do with what you went to school for.. take that minimum wage job at mickey d's to at least pay your cell bill and put gas in your car, and talk to people. It may actually take you having to move to a different part of the country to find a job in your chosen field.. but you will never know unless you take an active part in your life to change what you don't like. God Bless you
this person is nothing but an ankle-biter. just ignore the ignorant.
have a heart attack call 911 and then tell me when I show up to your house that I am ignorant. Have a Blessed Day! :)
I had a great job - my own business for over 20 years, until the economic collapse. My business is ravaged, there are no jobs.
I am one of those "You People", but I am grown up - 47 years old - and I have always been a productive member of society - paying taxes, supporting my local communities through my successful small business.
No more, my beautiful small business cannot sustain this dead economic climate. My clients have been laid off, their spouses have been laid off. I suggest that ConservativeGMA get out from in front of Fox News on the TV and go and talk to folks in your local community who are suffering and in constant turmoil on a daily basis. It's all around and it's real.
I can totally understand your grief in regards to loosing your business.. my husband and I also had a small business that was doing very well until the cost of diesel rose virtually overnight to over 4 dollars a gallon. At 2 we made the decision to sell our equipment and go back to work. Standing in front of Fox wont do anyone any good, nor will it pay your bills. I look for other options whether its hunting for meat in our freezer, growing our own garden, clipping coupons, or working extra shifts. I am sure that you have skills that would be valuable to an employer, but right now you are so angry about your loss that you can't see the opportunities right in front of your face. 47 doesn't mean your grown up, I have known people that weren't grown up at 70, and people that were grown up at 12. If it means you go out and pick up cans, or take a 9.00 an hour deadend job until things open back up, you do what you have to do to make sure that your family survives. It isn't up to me to pay your bills, or Joe Schmo, or the federal government, nor is it the Wall St Execs. Its up to you.. they are your bills, so figure out how to pay them.. standing in the park with a bunch of people who want to bring back Woodstock does nothing but waste Your time. Use your contacts who you established during your business years.. call them up, ask them if they know of any opportunities, or if they have a job. Their are things that you can do to empower yourself, rather than blame other people. Its all about perception ma'am, and right now yours is just a bit skewed. I see people every day who are suffering and in crisis that literally is life and death. If they see me show up, they don't care what color I am, or what gender I am, all they care about is that their family member, or themselves get the best care that they can get.
If you have no opportunities in your immediate area, consider finding some place and volunteering.. Yes I said give away your time.. Reason is, alot of the people that volunteer to feed the hungry, or clothe the poor, or shuttle elderly to a doctor's appointment are often in a position to know a friend who knows a friend who needs someone with your particular skills. But honestly no one is going to want to hire you when you are so blatantly angry with everyone you come into contact with that you blame for your own downfall. Get creative, go in a different direction, go to church and if your really feeling especially lonely have a conversation with God. you might actually get an answer back. God Bless you, and have a Blessed Day.
My deepest sympathy for your hurt, but it's not "all around", it sounds like when I was down much deeper than you are, many years ago, and it seems like you were up much higher then. Now I'm up and you're down. So? I didn't join a rally to blame the world, I stuck with the basics, succeeded and am still working my way through but that's life. Now things are reversed. So exactly what is your beef, who is it with, and why should I care now?
Where do you work? What is your intrinsic contribution to society? How do you measure it? What makes you or anyone entitled to what they have? Were yo sitting on your behind when you wrote this accusative message?