Forum Post: Articulating the overall demand

I want to suggest a simple and powerful way to articulate the overall demand: WE SEEK GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE - WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

This language doesn't belong to any individual in the movement, but belongs to ALL Americans! It's language that virtually all Americans will resonate with, deeply and profoundly. There would be no end of inspiring answers to the question of "What would this look like?" ...as this language also encompasses, I believe, all the changes & possible solutions we would seek! Government of/by/for the people, with liberty and justice for all, would include (in no particular order) an end to corporate personhood, campaign finance reform, accountability to the rule of law at all levels, re-institution and protection of our civil liberties, racial justice in the criminal justice system and elsewhere, a genuine response to the climate crisis, fair taxation, budget priorities in line with Americans' actual values and needs (including ending tragic and needless wars), investment in green energy infrastructure and other jobs programs, strengthening of the tools of democracy (election day a holiday, IRV, automatic voter registration at birth, paper ballots), a health care system that works for all... etc etc etc! It all falls under this umbrella.

Using this frame will cast the Occupy protesters as the true patriots; it can galvanize the whole movement as something like the American Revolution 2.0. The American experiment is not over! We can still work together towards these ideals for our country that all Americans have held since childhood. WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN. Isn't this what we want?

I would like to see some leader out there take this up and run with it. GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE - WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. Plaster this statement everywhere, get it in the news. (It is from the Gettysburg Address and the Pledge of Allegiance, in case the source of its 'vague familiarity' doesn't arise right away....) I am on the sidelines of the movement, for the most part unable to be physically present at Occupy events (though so grateful to those of you who've stood up). Plus, I have no idea how you do this! OWS leaders out there: Any takers?