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Forum Post: Just FIVE percent

Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 22, 2011, 1:39 a.m. EST by Krankie (140)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

We all want to change the system, but how do we affect that change. The corporates are laughing their asses off at us - there is NO WAY they will change just because a few thousand crackheads (as they like to paint us) are camping out in the cold. The politicians are a pathetic joke - they are incapable of doing anything their corporate masters don't like (and I mean DOING things - not just empty campaign rhetoric). So, it is up to us. How do we change them? By starving them of the ONLY THING THEY CARE ABOUT - MONEY. If you could shift just FIVE PERCENT of your spending and savings away from the corporations and move that to local businesses, you would support your friends and neighbors, create local jobs, AND get the attention of the criminals that are "running" (in reality, they are feeding on them like vampires) our corporations. We MUST HAVE a positive message if we are to grow - and what more positive message can you have than "support your friends and neighbors"? Do you know any local business that has offshored its jobs? Do you know any corporation that hasn't? The CEOs don't give a damn about your words, but they are leeches, feeding off your dollars - remove the dollars and the leeches will die off. If you really want to save America, and not just blow off steam, every one of us needs to take some action that will make a difference. Real change starts with every one of us - it is not just a campaign slogan.....

29 Comments

29 Comments


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[-] 1 points by Krankie (140) 13 years ago

Hi chigirl. I am also getting frustrated that this is just turning into somewhere to disgruntled people to air their grievances. If this doesn't change, we are going to lose whatever popular support we may have. And thank you for your support for my idea. My local shopkeepers have never offshored a job to India. They don't keep me on hold for 10 minutes when I phone them with a question. They don't live in mansions while they pay their staff minimum wage. They actually care whether I bring my business back to them in the future. How can anyone, in either the Tea Party or OWS say that it is a bad thing for Americans to support their neighbors, instead of some faceless bureaucracy with a procurement office in China and call center in India?

[-] 1 points by chigrl (94) 13 years ago

I am totally not in support of this movement, mostly because of the aimless ranting and lack of ideas, but this is something I could support. Something everyone personally can do to make their world better. If there were more rational, positive ideas like this you might actually get somewhere.

[-] 1 points by jamesvapor (221) 13 years ago

revolution starts with one persons voice and a message. If it's the right message no one will disagree not even "them". to keep it going you will need resource management. can't move a tank or build a baby hospital without the right resources.

[-] 1 points by AnEndToLobbyists (7) 13 years ago

To affect permanent change, you must remove the corporations control of the government. Make no mistake they control the seats of power and can therefore weather any financial storm. Only an end to governement corruption will make a lasting difference. Outlaw lobbies, and the corporations loose control; we get our representation back.

[-] 1 points by Krankie (140) 13 years ago

I couldn't agree more. However the main reason the corporates own the politicians (and let's not be naive and think it is only the politicians in Washington that they own), is because they have so much money. How many politicians do you think your corner grocer owns? :-) If we can shift some of the money away from the corporations, we would loosen their grip. And, MAYBE, then we can get some decent laws passed in this country. But as long as the corporates own the politicians, who do you think is going to change the laws? THAT is why they are so complacent, and so dismissive of OWS - they have the money, and the money lets them own the power, so how can anything change?

[-] 1 points by classicliberal (312) 13 years ago

But in too many cases, the government has been made to mandate their corporate master's products. In too many cases we have no choice but to buy their goods.

[-] 1 points by Keepitsimple (110) 13 years ago

As of last week, I'm now using cash for my purchases. I'm pulling my money out of Chase Bank and going local. This is a start and i will continue to add more. I've helped at OWS/San Francisco and OWS Ashland, OR. I figure that if I support OWS, I better walk my talk. Thanks everyone!

[-] 1 points by Krankie (140) 13 years ago

Keepitsimple. It feels nice to know that you are actually doing something to make a difference, rather than just complaining, doesn't it? You should tell your friends and colleagues about how your actions are helping the local shopkeepers, and maybe contributing toward a job position for one of their kids. And, from me, thank YOU for trying to make a difference.

[-] 1 points by AergerII (24) 13 years ago

Don't local people work for the corporations also?

[-] 1 points by Krankie (140) 13 years ago

I work for a corporate. I love my job. I used to be SO PROUD of the company that I work for - they treated people with respect, and the world was a better place because of its existence. Now I am ashamed of the way my company behaves - EVERYTHING that happens in the company is for the enrichment of the executives. The problem is not the corporations, it is the people that are running most of them these days. I don't want to bring down the companys, I want to drive out the scum that are destroying them. But as long as those companys continue to make record profits (by investing 0 in their future, and focusing on nothing but reducing costs), the executives will be protected. So, if we want to drive them out, the only way to do that is by showing that their behavior is driving away the company's revenue.

[-] 1 points by Mcc (542) 13 years ago

Yes, but small business creates more jobs 'dollar for dollar' then big business. Small business shares more profit with the little guy. This suggestion is a good one.

[-] 1 points by Krankie (140) 13 years ago

Mcc - thank you. AND, it is a POSITIVE suggestion. How can anyone, left or right, disagree with supporting local businesses? We need to offer positive ideas (not just complaining all the time) and we need ideas that have mass appeal - I think this meets both those requirements.

[-] 1 points by AergerII (24) 13 years ago

I support the best product forn the best price. If that happens to come from a small business, then great. But I will not pay more for the same and neither will most Americans. That is fairly simple economics.

[-] 1 points by Krankie (140) 13 years ago

Aergeril, thank you for replying, but I am saddened by your attitude. The logical conclusion of that philosophy is that all jobs will migrate to whichever country will do it for the least money. Do you think that America would have ever become the world leader that it used to be if everyone had the same "I only care about me" attitude? Does the word United (in United States of America) not mean anything to you? Do you do your job for the lowest wage in the world? Because if you don't, then your job is also at risk from people that have the same attitude as you. I would have thought that most Americans still have some patriotism left in them, but maybe I am wrong.

[-] 1 points by AergerII (24) 13 years ago

Its about equilibrium between product quality and product price. America is about individualism, not collectivism. Individualism leads to competition which leads to better results. Collectivism leads to complacency. Unions have unfairly extorted money from businesses making our products less competitive. China has prevented their currency from appreciating, making them more competitive. It should theoretically be cheaper to produce a product here rather than ship it from around the world. By the way, isn't the increase in minimum wage a battle cry of the "movement." How will this make us more competitive?

[-] 1 points by Krankie (140) 13 years ago

Aergeril, have you ever visited China? I have. And I can tell you that I would not want to live there. But if "Americans" like you keep buying the cheapest, without regard for the implications of their action, that is how America is going to end up. Can YOU tell me how lowering the minimum wage is going to help anyone other than the employers?

The corporation that I work for never had unions. The company treated its staff with respect, and applied the same rules to the executives that were applied to the staff. Now, the company takes every opportunity to move money from the staff to the executives. As a result, morale is in the toilet, no one is motivated, people will not bend over backwards to help the company any more, the best and brightest are leaving, no smart young people want to join the company, and no one is motivated to save costs, because no matter how little we spend, it will never be enough for the executives. Now go and tell me how unions have destroyed my company? If companies treated their staff with respect, there would be no need for unions. But as long as companies exploit every opportunity to shaft their employees, what protection do the employees have, other than their union? If you want to work for the wages that American companies are paying their Chinese employees, be my guest.

[-] 1 points by Mcc (542) 13 years ago

Hell yea! Somebody spread this word. It's vital. We give them less of our money starting now!

[-] 1 points by Krankie (140) 13 years ago

Mcc, thank you for your support. Now, will you help spread the word? Talk to your friends and colleagues about this idea. And promote it in the forums here at OWS. Everyone only needs a very small change in their behavior, but we need a lot of people to do this to make a difference...

Maybe we could come up with a list of ways that people can start supporting local businesses instead? For example, I was wondering how do I stop JPMC from making so much money from my credit card - after all, there is no way to have a credit card that is NOT run by a corporate (even my local credit union card is run by Visa). And then I thought "DUH! Just pay cash instead! I take my spending away from the bank, AND I save the merchant the commission that he would have had to pay on my purchase". It is only a small change - just 5% of what I spend on my credit card every month. It isn't that hard. We just to get people using their brains again.....

[-] 1 points by Mcc (542) 13 years ago

I saved your post. I'll repost it every now and then with your permission.

[-] 1 points by Krankie (140) 13 years ago

Yes, of course. But I am sure that you will have many much better suggestions of your own, so please help get the word out in any way you can.

On a related topic - do you know of any good Web site that advertises the existance of made in America products? I would like to start trying to get people to make a conscious effort to buy American, but you are fighting against the tide. Maybe people would spend more of their money on American products if it wasn't so hard to do so. And maybe we could promote that idea through the OWS web site. I think there is a lot of potential revenue for any company that taps into the latent wish of Americans to support their countrymen - too bad that no company seems to have bought into that yet... Imagine a supermarket that clearly marked all products that are made in America, and showed how much of your purchase was for made in America products? They would certainly have my business....

[-] 1 points by Keepitsimple (110) 13 years ago

If you buy new stuff, banks corporations are mostly involved. I suggest buying used as much as possible and pay cash or barter. If it needs fixing, find a local person to fix. This employs local folks. Some things that you NEVER have to buy new are: cars, computers, clothing, furniture, rakes, shovels, appliances. Grow your own food if possible and support farmers markets. Please ad to the list. Craigslist and yard sales are great.

[-] 1 points by Mcc (542) 13 years ago

I don't know of a site but I do the same thing. I live in one of the poorer states so I look for items produced in the same tri-state region.