Forum Post: Demands Needed! Put forth a list of demands to your local government. (before the end)

Steps the 99% Can Take Toward Ensuring a Fairer America and a Better World

1) Ban all corporate donations to the government. Make illegal any corporate campaign contributions, and ensure that political campaigns are funded solely by people.

2) Provide tax breaks when a company hires American employees, as well as funding their education to effectively do these jobs with an associated contract when receiving said education. Teach a person to fish.

3) Ban markets based on "differentials", or simply put, betting against a market to make money in the event that it fails. It's what Goldman Sachs did to our housing market and profited hugely off it (they also have been economically advising the last four presidents and Congress). If we bet against ourselves, it's a self-fulfilling prophesy.

4) Pass a new regulatory act based on precautionary principle--corporations should be prohibited from acting in ways that are reasonably likely to cause harm, even if definitive proof that such harm will occur does not exist. This act should encompass and expand upon our current regulatory system--The Clean Air Act, Civil Rights Act, etc. Deregulation caused by acts such as Clear Skies should be revoked and pre-existing regulations, where they fit our modern context, should be reinstated or expanded to ensure public health and our protection. Do not do unto others as you'd find hateful to yourself.

5) Strip away corporations' "personhood" rights--they are not people, nor should they be treated as such.

6) Pass laws that put a significantly low cap on the cost of higher education, and forgive students who are already carrying massive loan debt the difference. Tax corporations above a certain net profit level to pay this difference.

7) Ensure government investment in organizations that promote public good--e.g., investment in clean, safe and nearly limitless power technology like fusion, that can create new jobs and a new financial source that will make us an energy-independent nation. Like the postal service, this should be run by the people, for the people. Energy is power.

8) Double teacher pay. Encourage people to work within the educational system. Invest in science and science education. Our leaders of tomorrow need to be educated today.

9) Reinvest in the arts--our creativity not only makes for a better today, it inspires people to build a better tomorrow. Some of our greatest scientists were inspired by such classics as Jules Verne's and Isaac Asimov's works, for example. The arts help to expand our minds and worldviews, and have real impact on positive social change.

10) Space exploration should become a national priority once more. We should treat Mars and the asteroid belts, with their own abundant resources and land, as we did the Americas half a millennium ago. A new goverment-driven space race would promote new technologies that would increase the quality of life back home, just like exploring the Americas did for Europe centuries ago. The space race of the 60's helped inspire some of the most influential technology that exists today (computers, the internet, etc.), which has led to millions of jobs worldwide in the sectors that were created with this technology. There exist proposals today using current technology to establish a permanent settlement on Mars. How cool is that? We should take action.

11) Support small businesses and startups with tax incentives and breaks and small business loans to encourage innovation and competition in the marketplace. Set standards of practice to ensure that these businesses also follow the principles of this plan.

12) Pass an Equal Rights Amendment that encompasses equal rights under the law for all people. It's about time.

13) Encourage public forums at the local, state, and national level to discuss these and any other issues and solutions that might lead to a safer, more economically balanced and more equal United States of America.

14) Ask your local, state, and national representatives and candidates for office if they'll support this plan, and offer to support these people with your vote.

15) Encourage other countries to follow these tenets if they don't already, so we can ensure a level playing field that protects our jobs at home, human rights and our environment worldwide