Forum Post: IF you want to be representative of the 99% then you MUST ADDRESS THE POLITICIANS
Posted 13 years ago on Nov. 15, 2011, 10:58 p.m. EST by hchc
(3297)
from Tampa, FL
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
You cannot ignore Obama and the criminals and think the people are fine with that.
They are frustrated, they feel played. And everyone at OWS is too scared to put out a nation press release condeming both parties.
This is very very frustrating. Especially for those who are DYING for other options.
They are tired of the two parties, tired of the politicians, and looking for leadership.
OWS has that chance. But it is squandering it by not condeming the congress full of criminals in a professional, press release that is official language, that no one can misconstrue
Didn't the tea party get in the political arena, and what happened to them ?
They joined the Duopoly, which is the dumbest thing anyone could do. They had a shot, at real change they wanted, and they pussed out. They sold out. It will be the equivielant of us voting for Democrats in 2012 if nothing comes of this.
I see some of us want to repeat history...go to DC, get into politics, and we'll repeat that a million times; even if it isn't working..as if the need is to repeat the failure. Getting into politics at this point doesn't do a darn thing. It's not politics that will change things; it's the people coming forward, and mobilizing against the feudal lords.
Well the majority of the people in the country arent ready to get involved in mobilizing against feudal lords. They simply want options at the ballot box THAT ACUTALLY REPRESENT THEM.
As far as repeating history, the only way that will happen is if OWS gets something going, and then due to no one holding them accountable, they get to do whatever they want.
Politics and voting arent working because we have been voting for the same two scumbag parties for over a freakin century. Try innovating before you call democracy a failure.
Send OWS to Washington and it will be a repeat of the TEA Party...you don't walk into the enemy encampment, unless you have the power...OWS doesn't as yet. Fastest way to destroy OWS is have them work within the snakepit of the political arena. Their power needs to be with staying close to the people.
They will NEVER h.ave power until they declare both parties failures and are encouraging new ideas
We may have to do it without them. Occupy our government!
I know quite a few people in diff occs that are tired of the tip toeing around politics and forming off shoots to address the corruption in DC. Thing is, the banks have always been corrupted, i mean, they fund fuckin wars. The people in DC are the ones we have control over.
The corporations give the politicians billions of dollars in bribes, so how do we have control over them, when they're ignoring us, and virtually any protests in Washington ?
I agree. How are the offshoot groups forming? My local Occupy is completely chummy with MoveOn.
Thats a fuckin waste. You need to stop that shit asap. Check this out: http://www.facebook.com/occupycongressnow
I think that they are getting there, eventually this movement is going to have to go after the politicians. I think that they are in a way already. There is a hell of a lot to do in this movement. I can think of a thousand things to protest but it is at the risk of spreading the movement too thin not so good an idea.
None of the senators in my city respond to people. I can't even get an automated response. I still call all of them and email them all once a week. It's been 6 weeks and no response. I've been condemning Ben Nelson ever since his newest campaign of lies. Which thanks to Colbert I found out recently he illegally accepted 600 grand to make them. He played the semantics card and has yet to face any sort of punishment.
Same here, but the psyops = psychological operations, will be to move OWS out of the neighborhoods, away from the people, and drown it in the eternal sea, called politics. Addressing the politicians works for the 1% because it diverts the attention of the 99% onto their vassals which is a good thing for them. OWS will be tricked into entering the snake pit of politics where it can be killed as with the Tea Party. OWS needs to remain out of DC, and stick close to the people. We can always come on board different initiatives, as we did to support the unions.
We should bypass the 1% and use our numbers.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/occupy-congress-occupy-the-government-a-real-solut/
As far as I know this is the first time in history that humanity has collectively looked at the 1%, at the same time. I think your proposal is feasible when the movement is much much older. Sending it into the political arena in it's early stages invites co-optation. I've seen so many people, parties and movements enter congress never to be recognized again. The 1% would love for us to bypass them.
The movement has benefitted from not making demands, from having the media wonder what was going on.
If demands were to be made, these would be the ones I'd address to the politicians:
1 - An end to corporate personhood 2 - Publicly financed elections 3 - Reinstatement of Glass-Steagall and other appropriate regulations 4 - Return to a fiar, progressive tax system
"This is not a question of politics, of right or wrong. This is a question of intelligence. We must be smart. We enjoy popular support, for now. But to preserve America's good will, we must keep our demands narrow: end the corrupting influence of money in politics. That is something a majority of Americans can get behind. That is something a social movement can achieve. And then, and only then, can the other issues be successfully pursued." -theghostofthomassjefferson
or the 21 items on the list of grievances in The 99% Declaration?
It's the National General Assembly we all need to agree on FIRST. Not a demand to be met by any, just concensus that their should be a NGA. This will require a LEADERSHIP.
The first two are dumb. This needs to be the first demand we make before any other:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57323527/congress-trading-stock-on-inside-information/
The first two are aimed at getting corporate influence out of politics. Unlikely, certainly, but Bernie Sanders has already proposed an amendment to declare corporations non-persons. http://movetoamend.org/events/town-meeting-corporate-personhood-senator-bernie-sanders. Public financing of elections is widespread in Europe.
Insider trading is going to happen regardless, they have access to theupcoming laws and dealings because they are the ones who write them. Get a better quality person in there for starters. Going with two corrupted parties is the dumbest thing we could do.
definitely agree that the 2 party system is the problem, but i have no idea what your point is when you say "Insider trading is going to happen regardless" does that mean its illegality shouldn't happen?
Require them to invest in a Blind Trust, which is where you are legally disallowed to manipulate the specific stocks within the portfolio, all the fiduciary responsibility of the investment is taken care of by a 3rd party. This will work, and it will help remove money from politics.
If they try to manipulate their portfolio anyway then they will be subject to the full extent of the law.
I think its a good move, I just think the problem is deeper than that, and I can see the Dems saying "we passed it" and the Repubs doing their usual attacks, and then one year later we are in the same spot.
The problem is deeper, I am by no means saying that this should be the only goal, but if we want our congressmen's votes to no longer be inherently based on conflicted interests, then this is the best first step I can think of. Just think, going from dishonest public debates that do nothing but try to pay lip service to their base for votes, while all the real decisions were made with the goal of enriching their personal investments in mind, to a place where the public good is actually what gets decided about. It'd make everything more honest.
This is correct. OWS must get into the political arena and fight, otherwise there will be no growth in the movement, just people spinning their wheels while the greater public loses interest because there is nothing to hold their interest. There is a big fight to be had in DC and that's where the focus should be. Every congressperson and senator has to be held accountable and or voted out out out. OWS has to offer up representatives to take over house and senate seats, period. We have to work with the government structure that is in place, just get rid of the trash that's there.
Moving OWS out of the neighborhoods and urging them to get into the snake pit which is DC will advance the position of the 1% who control that arena, and will definitely co-opt, and corrupt the movement.
If I wanted to destroy OWS, sending them to DC at this early developmental stage in the movement is what I would urge..kinda like sending them into the snake pit, with no venon antidote. The power lies now at staying close to the people, not the government.
Anything sent into the political arena will be consumed by the power structure. It's like a black hole. DC needs to come much much later. The 1% want OWs away from the people, neighborhoods, and in their snake pit, where it can be destroyed like the Tea party, and every other party.
OWS doesn't need leadership. it was founded that way and will die that way.
It wont die. The KKK and hte Communist parties are still around..
There is no sqaundering. There sure as hell is a lot of pushing though.
There needs to be. Its been two months of fighting for parks, and the public perception isnt getting better.
Yeah, yipee! Our right to camp in the city parks is being well protected. Problem is, most people don't want to sleep in parks, they are hoping things don't get so bad that they have to sleep in parks.
The public perception? Did you think that the media conglomerates were going to be welcoming with open arms?
Im talking about the general public, not the media. The general public is still pretty apathetic because they dont see it as a viable third option or movement.
Let me repeat, I support 100%. I think its a great start. And Im sure it will end up where Im saying in a matter of time.
I disagree. For those people that are apathetic they are getting their information from the media.
The word of mouth from those that vistit isnt too great. Its not bad, but those that are involved in current events dont have a whole lot to brag about once leaving.
What I am hearing is that there is a lot of support by people that are not there and not visiting. There are those that do not go on line and do not have or take the opportunity to get any information from other sources. So, the information that they receive is minimal if you look at the newspaper coverage and your mainstream media.
The politicians don't care about the public; their masters the 1% and corporations, have bought and sold congress and the presidency. We now know how to occupy together, we have a global consciousness, and we need to first establish the velvet fist of OWS by economically taking down one of their corporate minions . In the post; It's Time To Flex Our Economic Muscle, I seriously propose we launch the economic arm of global OWS by boycotting Pepsi, which is presently being boycotted by pro-life groups because of using aborted fetal cells to develope a sweetner. Pepsi is ignoring the wishes of the public to cease the practice.
Politicians will come to OWS if we can launch a sucessful economic boycott of a transnational corporation, which impacts the bottom line. This is where they live. Right now OWS is seen as pitiful, vulnerable, easily manipulated...but if we can peacefully launch OWS as a economic force; then the politicians will take notice, and hear us.
Thing is, you wont have the force to change anything until it gets bigger. And it wont until you decide to call out the politicians. 1% of NYC coming down to support you would be 140,000 people.
Thats an insane amount. The 30% of the population is tired of the corporations too. But they realize until its a two pronged approach, nothing will come of it.
Time is our biggest enemy. WWIII is right around the corner. And so is massive hyper inflation.
Anotherwards, have a press release calling out the poiticians; and explaining how their treachery and deceit, their failure to represent the people's interest, has forced OWS to initiate a economic boycott on Pepsi as a representative of corporate greed and injustice. Combine both in one.
Yes, something. To call out all these corporations and not have one single official peep about the current president is not a movement. Its a political ploy being worked like magic.
Perhaps it's because I've lived awhile and have seen poiticians called out before in movements, that I'm not impressed by the act of calling out the lackeys, who will tell us what we want to hear, and then lie and betray us in the next breath. You're not going to get anywhere without showing that you can hurt them where they live...the bottom line.
The politicians have slapped OWS in the face, and when you call them out...then what; it won't change their loyalties to those who bank roll them. They'll tell you what you want to hear and nothing more. Call them out if you must, but by using our considerable potential, global economic clout to take down one of their corporate posessions. Take two birds down with one stone.
Im not saying call them out, hoping they change. Fuck em. Im saying call them out, declaring that we are about creating other avenues/platforms/parties/etc. Many in the public are wondering why we wont get political, why we wont call them out, and that leaves them to come to their own conclusions- mainly being that most of us are just going to vote Democrat again the next election. Which everyone knows leads to zero change.
Well you can focus on the vassals of the feudal lords; or focus on the 1% the lords.The vassals or politicians are there to divert our attentions away from their masters, so if that's where you want to focus, so be it; but it's been done a million times before, with no effect. We do like to repeat history though.
The tactic is to get OWS in the political arena and away from the people...and go the way of the Tea Party. After we call them out, then the next question is why won't OWS get in the snake pit of politics, so the movement can then be completely controlled co-opted and corrupted.