Forum Post: One demand idea: Overthrow Wall St. / End the Corporate Regime / seriously, get corporations out of government
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 6, 2011, 11:52 p.m. EST by another1forfreedom
(26)
from Ithaca, NY
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
"Wall St." can be seen as a dictator (/Mubarak/Ghadafi). It's been running the country for decades, unelected, unaccountable via campaign financing, lobbying, corporate personhood, etc. I can envision a package of specific reform laws of sorts under a "single demand" banner of ending corporate influence over government (or perhaps a catchy, succinct phrase like "Overthrow Wall St.).
Of course the economic system itself needs changing, in a big way. However, what did our brothers and sisters in the Middle East do? Simply ask for and get regime change. More needs to and is happening there, but it's a first step. A first step here could be a "regime change" in terms of how Wall St. runs our government, since from a certain perspective, there is a single corporate funded regime that's held political power in the U.S. for (countless?) decades.
http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsnl13Nmql1qldsiio1_r2_250.jpg
I am not an economist, and don't pretend to be, but all we hearare complaints. If you or others have solutions, we need to hear them.
I agree that wallstreet should be kept out of the government, but how is the demise of capitalism going to strengthen this once great country? Who is going to create all these jobs that we need to put people back to work? The federal government? And how will we pay for that? You better start learning to speak Chinese.
I don't think we need to demand an end or significant change to capitalism itself at this point, but can accomplish alot by simply getting Wall St./corporate influence out of the government. I think it is, however, a bigger, more difficult question to tackle of how to change the economic system itself. I think we should be thinking about that too, and that it doesn't mean government creates all jobs, or that we'll get taken over by China, but my ideas on that are more complicated than I want to write about right now...
For years the oil companies have controlled our government, suppressed development of technology, poisoned & lied to their own workers & the American people, all in the name of the mighty dollar. The only way to stop such entities is for enough people care enough to take time, self educate & understand what is truly going on. Most Americans have never heard of a derivative and haven't the attention span to even try to comprehend. But I for 1...will not sit down...and I will not shut up.
That's a hell of a demand. Wall Street isn't just CEOs and fat-cats, it's the livelihoods of most of America. Investments, mutual funds, retirements - everyone has a piece of Wall Street. If you really want to change the political routine, blame the politicians who allowed financial regulations to be repealed, and blame Americans for not pressuring their representatives to pass campaign finance reform.
I realize I made a somewhat confusing statement "overthrow Wall St." - what I really mean is get the corporate influence that Wall St. represents out of the government, not grind Wall St. to a halt and abolish its existence (though maybe someday...). Another way I'm visualizing it: "Wall St." is kind of "in charge" of the government - and they need to step down from their power. And what that means exactly is pressuring politicians to make the necessary changes, which is of course our job, and which I think can be wrapped into the momentum of this movement.
I think so, too. Wall Street isn't really "in charge". They're just filling the void that we used to fill, back when we cared. On a side note, I'd really like this movement to move forward from sitting in NY to actually making a concerted effort to pressure politicians. But I'm patient.
Yeah, we can basically take the power back - and I think that the occupying is and can play a big role in applying pressure to politicians and/or motivating people to do so in other ways.
Here's where we might disagree. I'm not sure why the "occupation", when everyone could be directing their efforts into writing letters, collecting funds, and supporting volunteers. It's a good media story, true, but something's gotta come afterwards.
And some regime change our "brothers" got...
Jews, Christians, Atheists, other Muslims murdered in the streets because of their differing beliefs.
People imprisoned without due process.
Radical bloodthirsty gangs taking positions of government leadership.
Sounds like we should emulate them.
Ok, to clarify, I think the Egyptian case specifically is what we should draw most lessons from. Of course, there have been alot of big problems that have occurred post-Mubarak - revolution a messy process. But what I think many people have been inspired by is the sheer fact that in ~19 days a dictator was displaced in the most populous Middle Eastern country, and a process of revolutionary change was initiated. Main lessons I learned: focus on a specific demand; stay non-violent; hold the space; outsmart the oppostion; persist.
Except in this case, the establishment is much more numerous and powerful than the 20-something liberal art students wearing Che Guevera t-shirts shouting about socialism and "corporate zombies" (my personal favorite). Additionally, the establishment also possesses most of the country's brainpower and capital. Finally, most conservatives are pro-corporations, and because most Americans consider themselves conservative, or "independent leaning conservative", I sincerely doubt that any kind of political action can result from this movement.
I think the sentiment of this budding movement is felt much widely beyond the stereotypical image you portray. If it wasn't, then why would so many people be talking about it? Why would so many unions and orgs endorse what's happening? Why would you yourself feel so moved as to write your feelings on this forum? In response to your point about power: the biggest power is people power, proof of that is throughout history, not only events this year. About conservatives: I think when it comes down to it alot of conservatives would agree with simple things like campaign finance reform, honestly. And I question how many Americans are hardcore corporation-backing conservatives. Even the Tea Party was strongly against the bailout, for example.
That's what we said about the Tea Party. They just have to focus their efforts - I'm just not sure what on.