Forum Post: Band together under simple ideals all can agree with before it's too late
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 18, 2011, 10:42 a.m. EST by OnePeople
(103)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
If you don't unite under one front then you will remain divided and become broken up.
This isn't rocket science, if you want to be heard then you must all shout unison. making dozens of different lists of demand or ideologies isn't helping your cause. OWS is a market of free ideas, so use that market, produce solid ideas that everyone can stand behind. That the 99% will truly embrace, or lose your momentum forever.
Attacking corporations and saying they are the only problem isn't helping your cause. They are privy to the same basic human nature that we all are. They are no more evil then they are benevolent. No more self serving and greedy then they are selfless. No more feared than they are afraid. Afraid of the future, afraid of what the next set of rules and regulations or taxes might hold for them. And so they use their money to benefit themselves, to sway the future in their favor. It is not their fault for following human nature but ours for not yet standing up to them and saying loudly and firmly NO. We must cut the chords that bind Capitol Hill to Wall Street, and in doing so return the voice to the people.
And further attacking capitalism and saying it is the problem isn't helping your cause. Capitalism isn't something that was thought up one day and threw together to put the haves over the have nots, it's an expression of the basic human nature that arose from settling down, becoming farmers as opposed to hunter gatherers. It arose from thousands of years of farming, producing, trading, storing, and selling. Just as we humans have evolved capitalism has evolved, it is in almost every part of our lives today and in every government on the earth. The only places were capitalism is not present is in small tribes and communities, completely isolated from the world, traveling in their tribal region gathering and hunting and sharing with everyone in their communities. They have no money, no store of wealth, no ipods, no laptops, no tvs. Though they have each other and their own way of life. This is what communism is based off of, though done at a large scale it is prone to corruption and collapsing. It is not possible for large groups of people, having no direct connection with each other, to live this way. You cannot fault capitalism, it is basic to human nature, you can only fault those making the rules or abusing the system, and in doing so making sure to prevent the abuses in the future.
We have been noticed … and while we have the world’s attention let’s not squander the opportunity.
We now need to focus … focus on how government and fairness in this country can be returned and belong to everyone not just an elite governing few.
We need a position – a unifying theme – something that everyone will get behind … something that people can grasp and something that the 1% will understand.
If we wish to win.. and to win long term, we must settle on the most important change we wish to achieve. Preferably it is one that everyone who is not one of the 1% agrees with.
Very seldom are there situations where virtually everyone agrees the same change needs to happen. If we press a platform that is diverse then we will be opening ourselves to division within ourselves, and as result providing those who have every incentive for the current rules to stay unchanged - weak points for them to exploit.
Remember united we stand and divided we fall.
Does everyone believe Student Loans should be forgiven? No! Does everyone believe we should simply withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan? No! Does everyone oppose the NRA? No! Does everyone believe in a women’s right to choose? No! Should they? That is a different question. To have such debates and to be part of the debate we need first to get back the government of our country! We will not do this if we list many many demands. We will not move forward because we will be endlessly debating amongst ourselves. Save those debates for later – later until there can be a real debate - rather than simply rules and stances decreed by those who weigh everything with a single criterion – namely “what’s in it for me!”
Currently the 1% does not take us seriously – they have hunkered down and are waiting for this surge to fizzle and burn out. We too will likely tire if we do not have a understandable major goal - a shining beacon to carry forward.
Beware of those who were initially critical and deriding of us – and yet are now those who position themselves as our champions. I do not want to be lectured to as to how we need to act because we don’t understand the political process – especially by those who for years have been at the beck and call of the 1%. I don’t want headlines blaring forth our victory only to find whatever we thought we had achieved is whittled away in a legislative process.
The legislation that becomes law should be a law for the 100%.
I plead with everyone who is part of or considering to be part of this movement – put aside issues that divide us – adopt the incontrovertible single point and aim of what I believe we all demand. Let’s get our government back!
To start, let’s not wait until next year to hold a National Meeting, let’s challenge our elected representatives NOW! If Grover Norquist can require all Republicans to sign a pledge to never raise taxes – then we can ask and expect that every representative, every senator, every governor, every mayor, and in fact every elected official sign a pledge that they will not take money from any corporation, PAC, organization, and that they will only accept a maximum of $500.00 (the amount is not significant it could be $100 or $1,000) per individual. Let’s make sure that those who do not sign on to the pledge will not receive one vote the next time they run for office, and anyone who is elected and who has accepted monies from other than individuals will face a recall.
This will be the start – let’s have our elected officials declare – go on record – as to where they stand – let’s make them go public so we can create a bulletin of shame . Let’s also make it clear that any company, PAC, Union, organization and/or individual who in the past has donated (either transparently or otherwise) more than the threshold we agree on, that will now not sign our pledge to limit what they provide and to cease and desist lobbying – they too will be put onto the Wall of Shame and will suffer the isolation and of boycotts until they do sign on.
While we do all this we need to keep in mind that we live in a democracy – or at least wish to. In the society we live in we need to respect that we will have differences of opinion. We must make it clear that the expression of one’s views is still everyone’s right.
I will be the first to sign the pledge …. Will you join me .. and demand that every elected official declare themselves to be with us … or not .. and that they doo so publicly.
Yours truly,
Alex P
Gret post Alex, that would make the position of severing the chords between Capitol Hill and Wall Street much easier then having it go through congress and then undoubtedly the Supremem Court.
A petition requested of all Officials by all people, not to legislate the campaign contributions out of elections and in doing so have to go through all the legislative and court loopholes; but to simply not accept them. This is definitely something everyone of sound mind and body can stand for.
Well, I agree with Delarossi. It is very important to have a unifying message. We are a capitalistic country. That is one reason people of the world want to come here. Those who are willing to work hard can make money. I say CAN because some, even when they work hard, don't. We can all agree with that, I think. However, the problem, as I see it is that PERSONAL GREED, instead of profit for the stock holders, has become everything in the minds of the people on Walls Street and corporations. Golden Umbrellas, in my opinion, give CEOs no incentive to really do a good job for the company they work for. Give me that job and I would work hard to make sure the company makes a profit so the workers get their fair share for the hard work they put in to make the company profitable. Give me that job and I would do the same job to make sure the shares of stock go up so that there is at least a small profit for the stock holders. And, above all, give me that job and I would bring home the jobs from overseas and employ Americans. Yes, that would probably make profits and shares not as high, but in the long run, this country and the workers, including the CEO and the share holders would have more money to save and spend to move the economy along, causing more jobs to be made. And, that my friend is CAPITALISM. Get rid of the greed, bring home the jobs and put people to work and the wealth will be spread around, and the 1% won't need to worry about anything because they will still be the 1%. Oh, and then, there would be more taxes being paid out so there would be more revenue for the government to help the people of this country and still be able to balance the budget.
Concerning The Resource Based Economy: Is it so hard to extrapolate the trends of today? Where will we be 500 years from now? How about 10,000 years? Will we be here at all? We the people, have plundered this planet so much in the last century alone. Ecosystems and wild life have suffered and are going extinct every year. Resources are being depleted faster than consumerism can consume and landfills are becoming landmarks. While there are laws which fight to protect these very systems, all laws are for sale in the open market regardless of regulations. As Jacque would say, we've been given this beautiful gift, and we're lousing it up! I find that to be an understatement. While many innovations and achievements have come from this economic model, it has served its purpose and is now doing more harm than good. If we choose to continue this path, needless to say, I do not foresee the human race nor any other species surviving the next thousand years. A term coined "The death of birth". Technology is the vehicle which has accelerated so much destruction through its application via economic policy. Now is the time to utilize our knowledge and technology to realize a new way of life, a new standard of living. Not for the privileged, but for We The People. I have fully studied the resource based economy amongst dated social practices and theories of the past. I am part of this human race and I support this direction. All arguments I've seen against it have been driven by lack of awareness and traditional assumptions, and while some may dispute valid technical points, there's nothing which cannot eventually be agreed upon and worked out when understanding the values and principles. Thank you for reading and remember to consider the gravity of the situation.
There are at least for interwoven types of healthy economies -- subsistence, gift, exchange, and democratic participatory resource-based planning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vK-M_e0JoY
That was very informative. Thank you and take care on this journey.
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At the same time, savings decreased form 10% to ~ 0% and credit card debt grew to around $17,000 throwing off the equilibrium of wage vs the cost of living. Wages haven't really risen much in the last 30 years yet people keep buying more and more. Every citizen needs a lesson in personal finance. Perhaps taught to all freshman in HS. They need to know the setbacks of acquiring personal debt, paying interest, and not saving for the future or for rainy days. People need to cut back their debt and start saving once again. They need to ignore the advertisements, stop keeping up with the Joneses, and get their finances in order. Sure a cut back in spending will lead to a short business cycle recession, but as wages rise the spending will increase once again, followed by a business cylce expanision, and the majority of the population will be in much better shape with less debt and more savings. We are starting to see this happen now with more and more people saving once again. Hopefully the trend will continue.