Forum Post: It's Time to Occupy the Voting Booth
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 22, 2011, 4:50 p.m. EST by MathiasAndrew
(6)
from Vallejo, CA
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
I support the Occupy movement. It has done a great job at creating awareness, World wide, about the inequalities that exist in our current political and economic systems.
But, to effect change by means of peaceful protests, there must be a political agenda. Ideas need to be discussed. Plans need to be made. Bills need to be created and laws need to be passed to complete the process.
This recent November election shows another drop in voter turnout. How can we change the current system if people don't vote? We want equality and fairness in the job markets. We want Government corruption to be exposed and punished. But, those things can not happen unless we use the power of the people to vote.
Unless there is a violent revolution which overthrows the entire political system and Government. It's not going to happen any other way.I would like to see the Occupy movement promote this idea below.
"It's time to occupy the voting booth."
The road to occupying the voting booth is clearly laid out in the 99% Declaration. There isn't much else to talk about at this time IMO.
OWS beats the drum of the 1st Amendment right of the people peaceably to assemble but yet when I mention the 1st Amendment right to petition the government for a redress of grievances I hear that that is not what OWS stands for, it's heirarchical, it's treasonous, or simply it's impossible. I appreciate that drafting that list is going to be a difficult task but I don't see how OWS is going to actually change anything if people don't use the right to petition as strongly as they've used the right to peaceably assemble.
I think OWS should morph into OLB, Occupy Liberty Bell or OIH Occupy Independence Hall. Have small peaceful assemblies all winter long in every congressional district spreading the word about the National General Assembly starting July 4th in Philadelphia. Ask the people of Philadelphia to invite their fellow Americans into their homes for the NGA and coordinate this all winter too. Have occasional "occupations" throughout the winter, growing in size as the spring approaches, the WE ARE THE 99% growing louder with each event. This keeps the light shining and the movement looks smart, smells like a rose. Imagine the city of Philadelphia's population doubling or tripling for four days in July 2012. Some ideas are just plain better than others.
NGA NOW all roads lead to Philadelphia https://sites.google.com/site/the99percentdeclaration/
agreed, but we need a new party and new people to run in that party.
http://occupythiswiki.org/wiki/THE_99%25_POLITICAL_PARTY
http://occupythiswiki.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.followthemoney.org/?gclid=CMbY87bB-qsCFUPt7Qod9HE8mQ
http://maplight.org/us-congress/guide/data/money?9gtype=search&9gkw=list%20of%20campaign%20donations&9gad=6213192521.1&9gag=1786513361&gclid=CP61oYbB-qsCFQFZ7AodcTF0jw
http://www.opensecrets.org/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/our-new-wiki/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/non-violence-evolution-by-paradigm-shift/
I agree with you. I see this as a perfect opportunity to get a new political party off the ground and running.
I believe a new political party that stems from this movement will have World wide support.
only 50% of voting eligible Americans even vote, and 75% of those habitually vote the D or the R, so it means only 12.5% of the total voting public is actually using their brains when they vote. Not very good.