Forum Post: OWS needs an agenda!
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 12, 2011, 3:51 p.m. EST by czemerdj
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I think the OWS is great and I am glad people are finally waking up and doing something about what is going on. However, I believe that the movement needs a purpose as there is no published agenda or goal. The main goal that I think needs to happen is to get money out of politics. OWS needs to group with campaign fund restructuring groups. End the lobbying system. Second, join organizations together to end corporate personhood. Lastly, use democracy to fix this issue. Have Occupy members from every state select worthy people to run for politicians and flip congress in 2012. Get professors and scientists and smart moral people back in government. These Occupy people can clearly organize so why not have a handful of coordinated people organize hundreds in their state to support moral people for government who can make these changes.
We are the 99%
First off good job everyone I commend all of you for making a stand. I realize that you prefer to have a no leadership movement but the fact is you need leadership. You need one solidary voice to speak out and organize a movement as important as this, without leadership you will have too many demands and the press(your avenue to change) will screw it up and you’ll never get anywhere. During the 1960’s the hippies rallied together wanting peace, love and change they lacked leadership and eventually gave up; began working for the man then became the man, come to think about it some of those idealists are the ones ruining this great country.
Who are the brains behind this influential movement?! Who is updating this site?? I think they could help organize this forum for starters.
Quite true, and although I'm all in favor of taking down today's ineffective and inefficient Top 10% Management Group of Business & Government, there's only one way to do it – by fighting bankers as bankers ourselves. Consequently, I have posted a 1-page Summary of the Strategic Legal Policies, Organizational Operating Structures, and Tactical Investment Procedures necessary to do this at:
http://getsatisfaction.com/americanselect/topics/on_strategic_legal_policy_organizational_operational_structures_tactical_investment_procedures
Join
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/StrategicInternationalSystems/
if you want to support a Presidential Candidate – myself – at AmericansElect.org in support of the above bank-focused platform.
it should be against ..the corupt democrats/ republicans..who been running the country since it originated... who let all these forieners take over american jobs .. take a look around..all the gas stations , deli's ..taxi;s..ect
The moment that the movement decides on a specific agenda, it will alienate some percentage of its participants. Schrödinger's cat has the luxury of being both alive and dead -- until you actually look to see if it's alive or dead. Then it has to be one or the other. The illusion of unity can last only as long as there are no specifics. Once there are specifics, people within the movement will disagree with those specifics. Obviously, since nobody around here seems to agree on anything at all. Accomplishing anything won't be possible without getting specific, which means that any ideas about accomplishing things through unity are not realistic.
This should be a large part of the agenda:
http://occupywallst.org/forum/matt-taibbi-supports-ows-here-is-his-suggested-pla/
It's funny, when you look at the people that the founding fathers wanted in positions of power -- they never really imagined career politicians. They wanted representation of the people by the people. Not representation by those with enough power to be politically powerful.
Heck some of them even decried the notion of electing lawyers to office because all they do is talk and argue semantics. We've transcended even that. It's a shame.
In response to eric1, if there is no ability for corporations to "buy" candidates by campaign contributions we might be able to get a handle on some pressing issues.
Also, on the topic of personhood and corps, did you know that originally corps were founded for a limited time to accomplish a function? How did they get to be persons. I ask if corporations are persons, are sharholders slave holders?
First off good job everyone I commend all of you for making a stand. I realize that you prefer to have a no leadership movement but the fact is you need leadership. You need one solidary voice to speak out and organize a movement as important as this, without leadership you will have too many demands and the press(your avenue to change) will screw it up and you’ll never get anywhere. During the 1960’s the hippies rallied together wanting peace, love and change they lacked leadership and eventually gave up; began working for the man then became the man, come to think about it some of those idealists are the ones ruining this great country.
Separation of Corporations and State
Many many people here feel the same way! Shout it out! The root cause of so many of our problems is the money in the political system. We need to change the system. 1% buys their representation, 99% are left with the scraps. Hopefully we can create enough public pressure for Congress to end corp personhood and pass election reform. There is already a bill for it - Fair Elections Now Act.
Nice thoughts, but 2 problems right off the bat. Unfortunately many good, well intentioned people get corrupted once inside the Beltway. Read Breach of Trust: How Washington D.C. Makes Outsiders Insiders by CURRENT Oklahoma Senator Dr. Tom Coburn. Secondly, I believe we still have massive vote rigging going on. See the sites below: http://www.blackboxvoting.org http://www.votetrustusa.org http://www.verifiedvoting.org
In addition, corporate personhood isn't as bad as you might think. Most corporations make under 1 million a year. Of course, it's a different story with the big conglomerates. Those are the main problems. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. See http://www.upwardspiral2011.org
Getting back to an agenda, I believe the main problem lies with the big banks. They control the executive and legislative branches for the most part and most of their power resides in New York City and Washington D.C. The KEY is to diffuse the power of the banks. Numerous good suggestions have been made here at this forum to that effect. My solution is below:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NationalConstitutionalConvention06
I like your proposal. I believe however in coupling your call for a Constitutional Convention and other political pressures with economic pressure on the Banks.
I think that, United, the 99% need to refuse the Credit System and bring the Banks to their knees so they will relinquish control of the Government back to the People. We need to stop paying our mortgages, car loans, insurance, medical bills, student loans, etc. We need to pull our money out of the Stockmarket, bonds, 401k's, etc. We need to show the Banks that We stand against their corrupt system of Capitalist Governance and that we want our Democratic Republic back. We do this not to get rid of Capitalism, or to punish the wealthy with new taxes, or to bring in any kind of Socialism. In fact we do this to remove Socialism for the wealthy 1% and have them return to the Capitalistic economy we live in. But, Capitalism is not our system of Government. So We the People have to rise up and fight this Financial Revolution.
No question about it Geoff. Boycotting and speaking with our pocketbooks is the KEY.
I agree that getting money out of politics should be one of two primary goals. The second primary goal is making representatives actually represent the people. And a third goal that we may need see politicians cannot act like their constituents is: Politicians MUST work together.
Agree!