Forum Post: As election approaches, wealth inequality fades away.
Posted 8 years ago on Sept. 22, 2016, 9:17 a.m. EST by factsrfun
(8342)
from Phoenix, AZ
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Not actual wealth inequality, it is greater than ever, but discussion of has given way to police killings, which is a big deal, but still the fact that the GOP work to make the rich richer and money more powerful, is not even being discussed nor does it appear to be an issue at all in this election. Indeed if OWS had not been so unwilling to participate in elections and politics it might not have been so, we might have changed something, but no, we will twilled our thumbs while the rich get richer.
Thanx for a good point - well made! Further to which, I append herewith ...
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/09/why-so-few-american-economists-are-studying-inequality/499253/ by Alana Semuels
and this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM 4 years old BUT still apt!
Not sure about how ''indeed'', you are curmudgeonly blaming OWS tho' ...
ad iudicium ...
I remember when every network was sticking microphones in the face of anybody walking through the park, no one pointed out the simple truth of the Republican Party, that they work to make the rich richer and money more powerful and it must be stopped. No they did this wishy washy weak shit that gave people no way to act, no way to actually stop the concentration of wealth, there were many who came out against OWS seeing this obvious truth and acting on it, instead of taking the moment to do something the founders of OWS just used the moment to make wealth inequality the norm, like climate change.
Re.OWS, did you get your information from Corporate owned MSM? Do you think that they'd broadcast any cogent replies to their oft fork-tongued questions? Do you think that those early occupiers'd simply single out "the Republican Party" - when they were desperately trying NOT to be portrayed as partisan &/or co-opted by Dems & DNC - who are/were No Less Responsible for USA's 99%'s plight?
I too disagreed with the early "Consensus Of All" approach but OWS were very far from "wishy washy" in US terms - where let's face the facts .. people are conditioned to be conservative; keep consuming & comply!!! However I'm at a total fkn loss howTF "OWS just used the moment to make wealth inequality the norm, like climate change"!! You seem to want to accuse early OWS of being both powerless and very powerful .. all at the same time!
Maybe see http://www.nycga.net/resources/documents/declaration/ -but do please consider:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/oct/13/liberal-media-bias-working-class-americans
ad iudicium ...
failure of the leaders/founders of OWS to take any sort of stand resulted in the movement fading away, it was so afraid of losing the support of Republicans to call them out on their policies of making the rich richer, if Americans are so stupid they don't see that and don't make a choice based on that it will never change, just get worse, the rich have the money they have a Party and yes every year they gain more and more power over both Parties but flushing ballots down a toilet and letting the racist GOP to win is no solution, if people can't see the obvious and be willing to act on it we are all screwed
And yet - we now have
This
Opposites attract Nehalem voters in upcoming mayoral election by Ann Powers for the Tillamook Headlight Herald (source link)
Occupy Wall Street co-creator Micah White is running against incumbent William Dillard, Jr. in the upcoming Nehalem mayoral election, Nov. 8.
And like many opponents, the two have very different ideas on achieving community unity – along with very different backgrounds.
Dillard was raised in Nehalem, graduated from Neah-Kah-Nie High School and completed one year of community college at Chemeketa in Salem. He currently works for the phone company, has served on the Nehalem City Council since 2003, was a local firefighter for 14 years and was appointed mayor last May.
He and his wife, Nancy, have three children – two in college and one in high school.
Dillard, whose father was also mayor in Nehalem for many years, takes a more laid back, if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it approach. He advocates maintaining the status quo.
“I’d like to see it stay the same,” he said.
White moved to Nehalem from Berkeley in 2012 with his wife and collaborator, Chiara Ricciardone. The young couple now has a one-year-old son, Zia, but first met at Swarthmore College where they earned their bachelors degrees in 2005, with MAs to follow.
White earned his PhD from European Graduate School in Switzerland and Ricciardone is currently finishing up her doctorate, which she’ll receive from UC-Berkeley.
The Occupy Wall Street movement helped raised the social consciousness of Americans and brought attention to the disparity of wealth between the classes. Although White said Occupy did not meet its ultimate goal of getting money out of politics, it did raise awareness to the need for a true democracy.
He brings the lessons of what he calls Occupy’s “constructive failure” to Nehalem, his formation of the Nehalem People’s Association (NPA), his campaign for mayor and encourages others to run for elected office as well.
In his book, The End of Protest: A New Playbook for Revolution, White writes:
“The rural uprising begins when revolutionary activists distribute ourselves into pre-existing micro-cities in Cascadia, ensuring that in each place there are enough of us to sway every local election. And we embrace the hard work of self-governance. We aspire to master city administration.”
He noted that the Nehalem City Council seems to be “friends appointing friends” and lacks imagination on how to spend the city’s generous timber revenue for the common good.
“I’m concerned because the majority of our city council (four out of five) were not elected by voters, they were appointed to their current positions,” he explained. “And the fifth councilor was selected after an uncontested election. Fortunately, these are good people, good neighbors and friends of us all. I applaud them for their service. They’ve done their best. But that does not make them the best leaders for Nehalem.”
Dillard doesn't mind the friends approach and has no problem with reserving the timber money as a kind of rainy-day fund.
“When you’ve lived here long enough, everyone is a friend,” he said. “I’d like to have 10 years in reserve. We can build a city hall with no impact to the tax base because of the timber harvest. We can also upgrade the water system with no substantial impact to taxes.”
White said if elected, he pledges to be “responsive, welcoming and positive” by holding the NPA’s open community gatherings prior to each city council meeting, maintain a community newsletter, develop a Vision Committee to work on a 100-year plan for the city, and give residents the information and the power over the decisions being made by their council.
Dillard said residents already have the opportunity to voice their opinions at city council meetings and sees no reason to change that structure – too much.
“Sometimes we don’t talk enough,” he said. “(The public) is allowed to speak if they plan ahead and get on the agenda – then they’re on the agenda.”
Dillard added if he was re-elected, he has no major changes in store.
“There’s nothing new on my plate right now,” he explained. “I’ll be here, I’ve been here, I’ll always be here.”
For more information about White, go to micahmwhite.com. To learn more about Nehalem People’s Association, visit PeopleOfNehalem.org.
Share link: http://www.tillamookheadlightherald.com/news/polarization-at-the-polls-opposites-attract-nehalem-voters-in-upcoming/article_660c9912-7f6b-11e6-82ba-5b8e91b46b9d.html
Never the less the failure in 2011 to identify the GOP as the footmen of the rich prevented real change when the message had 80% support among the people. Forced into the media by the many in the park. Something happen it brought the cameras but when they were turned on, people had nothing useful to say. it was as big a loss and disappointment as Bernie, we came so close to doing something. Now the GOP is stronger than ever and the wealth inequality will grow faster than ever I don't see things getting any better only worst. As things get worst the right gets stronger and the rich get richer it has become self feeding.
Well .. ''if Americans are so stupid they don't see that'' - Oligarchy's Ultimatum between a Crooked Liar and a Lying Crook is a HUGE joke at the 99%'s expense, then - wtf is there to say?! But hold on there!
You seem to want to blame OWS for something. I do not agree with you but right now - I feel the same about Bernie Sanders, so I get what animates you! I'll end by recommending this very recent BBC doc. about this election and I really think this will interest you:
''BBC Panorama; Paxman on Trump v Clinton: Divided America'' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evxHjcOkBuU [17th October 2016] - then maybe consider:
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2016/10/this-election-circus-is-a-disservice-to-the-people.html
multum in parvo ...
it is more about seeing what went wrong than laying "blame"
"What went wrong", was and is ... what has been going wrong For 40 years!!! A Corporate Co-option, Control and Corruption of JFK/RFK's Democratic Party by The Worst Aspects and Manifestations of USA's Oligarchy!! Hellary Rotten Clinton was The Bankers' Bitch and Dems were GOP-Lite & almost everybody, could see that - so, yes let's apportion ''blame'' as without that .. it will be more of the fkn same next time!
ad iudicium ...
idiots like you dropping the ball from June to november is what gave us drumpf you are responsible as the DNC and their dirty tricks.
Does ''dropping the ball'' in your world, mean working for Hellary Rotten Clinton?!!! How come we leftists ''are responsible" for Drumpf?!! Do you accept that you are responsible for MadDog McCain in Arizona?! Suggestion for you frf ... give up the day time drinking - asap ;-)
spero meliora...
traitors and bastards, the fish will rot from the head
http://www.salon.com/2016/12/25/no-middle-class-no-republic-gop-plans-to-destroy-americas-safety-net-will-also-kill-democracy_partner/
Haiti and the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola showed the long-term consequences of man-made policies. The location and climate factors for both countries are nearly identical but their people's wealth and prosperity as measured by per-capita GDP have switched places. Haiti is now nearly or is the poorest country in the western hemisphere as measured by per-capita GDP.
The diminished Middle Class was not and will not be able to block the exploitative policies by the wealthy and powerful to kill the environment leading to long-term secular decline in the standard of living for all. The U.S. achieved its unique position as a great and wealthy country because it had created the biggest, though not the wealthiest per capita but still way up there, Middle Class.
Haiti was very wealthy and prosperous relative to the Dominican Republic but policies stemming from great wealth inequality allowed environmental collapse. Now it is vastly poorer than the Dominican Republic. Maximal exploitation for short-term profits(hired M.B.A.s[e.g., by Steve Jobs for Apple] are often business killers for this very reason - they eat the "seed corn," too, to make the measured numbers better for bonuses; badwill matters) means very low future profits, if any. Sustainability pays off in the long term. Aiming for self-sufficiency while being open to ideas(with a touch of youthful "Left Coast" rebelliousness against the northeastern U.S. parental "Yankeedom") created the world-famous (and -envied) Silicon-e V-alley for Cali-fornica via the death of Leland Stanford Jr. from typhoid and the subsequent Love(爱的奇绩：破鏡從圓, 有情人终成奍屬。) via "The Farm"(十年樹木,百年樹人) for all of California's children (similarly, I myself would have lived and died next to the open-sewer drainage and neighborhood dumps if the previous tragedies had not struck around me at and before my time, for Love's transcendence over utter despair to become possible[reptiles invented eggs, and mammals invented milk and motherly care became widespread]). Haiti's fish rotted from its head.
In the U.S., we chose the man but he is so cloistered that he may not see the costs coming due to bad policies. Our infrastructure's falling into disrepair is likely a symptom of the wealthy and powerful having no interest to pay for fixing it, eventually hampering any chance of achieving higher economic growth. "It takes a village." Man counts.