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Forum Post: OWS Needs Direction! 10 Core Ideas All OWS Members Can Rally Around

Posted 12 years ago on Feb. 4, 2012, 2:59 p.m. EST by DavidGilbert (64) from Tampa, FL
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

  1. A constitutional amendment reversing the Supreme Court's bizarre rulings that under the First Amendment money is speech and corporations are people.

  2. Real campaign finance reform with public financing of federal elections.

  3. End gerrymandering by politicians and turn over redistricting to citizen committees.

  4. Reduce financial risks to society by breaking up the biggest banks. Reenact Glass-Steagall. Abolish credit default swaps. Derivatives must be traded on transparent exchanges. Ban "flash" trading.

  5. A ten-year federal program that creates over 30 million jobs rebuilding America that includes new infrastructure, a new national power grid and clean energy initiatives. Pay for it by taxing all Wall St. financial transactions at 1% raises $400 billion a year.

  6. To create a living wage will require generous tax credits for low earners, a higher minimum wage, and guaranteed health care so that wages are not consumed by medical costs. Pay for it by ending the war in Afghanistan and reducing military spending.

  7. Create a progressive federal tax code where the marginal tax rate is raised to 50 percent on income between $500,000 and $5 million, 60 percent on income between $5 million and $15 million, and 70 percent on income over $15 million. There should be a 2 percent annual surtax on all fortunes over $7 million. The estate tax should be 55 percent and kicks in after $5 million. Capital gains should be taxed at 35 percent. End the home mortgage deduction on first homes over $1 million. End the home mortgage deduction on all second homes. Corporations should be taxed by a variable amount based on the percentage of their payroll going to US workers. Eliminate corporate loopholes, unfair tax breaks, exemptions and deductions, subsidies, end offshore tax haven abuse.

  8. Create better schools by properly compensating effective teachers. We should draw teachers from the top 10 percent of college graduates. Teachers should study education at government expense and receive strong professional support throughout their careers. Advocate universal prekindergarten, full-day kindergarten and extending the school day and school year.

  9. Protect the environment by STRICTLY enforcing the Clean Air Act.

  10. Enhance personal freedoms by repealing the Patriot Act.

38 Comments

38 Comments


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[-] 2 points by epa1nter (4650) from Rutherford, NJ 12 years ago

Good list.

I would add one more: Prohibit all legislators from taking jobs at any company that has been effected by legislation they voted on for 5 years after leaving office. This includes joining lobbying firms that are hired by said companies.

Prohibit all regulators of specific industries from taking jobs in those industries upon leaving the government for a minimum of 5 years.

[-] 1 points by freewriterguy (882) 12 years ago

ya like what happened when enron planted execs in the energy oversight commitee, ill tell you what if this country ends up going thru a revolution i think these people who broke this moral code should be held accountable. some things are just common sense.

[-] 1 points by epa1nter (4650) from Rutherford, NJ 12 years ago

Industry capture of regulators and legislators happened at far more places than Enron. The Gulf oil spill. Banking regulations (or their repeal). Indeed, even now with the Dodd/Frank bill, it is an open invitation for banks to write their own regulations. The problem is ubiquitous, extending to nearly every aspect of government and business.

In other words, the "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" way of doing business has to end in Washington. Election finance reform is certainly important, but unless this changes, too, money will remain the driving force of politics. The paydays must stop.

[-] 1 points by freewriterguy (882) 12 years ago
  1. Abolish government requirements to pay for our right to own a gun, (this is already anti-constitutional actually but who really supports the constitution in government today) carry a gun, or drive a car and especially to pay for the right to build a home to live in. Its none of the governments GD business!
[-] 1 points by freewriterguy (882) 12 years ago

8 A. Education should be completely restructured because much if not all of it is archaic and rarely results in our children being able to pay their bills. For example if education was beneficial, our graduates would actually be able to perform a job when they enter the workforce, but instead when they are hired, they have to be trained, proving that education is a waste of their time and money.

  1. We the people have the right to pay our taxes to whatever group or organization we choose whom we feel best represents us.
[-] 1 points by Quark (236) 12 years ago

Hear, hear! I love these ideas.

[-] 1 points by DavidGilbert (64) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

Quark, you show excellent taste

[-] 1 points by elf3 (4203) 12 years ago

all good ideas but zzzz - I we all know each others arguments and ideas by now - many at the protests and on this site have taken a strict left wing stance and done damage stuck by it while alienating centrists - I am left my significant other is right but we both agree on the protest - which is to protest the corporitization of our nation and we both understand right from wrong - bringing in sub-topics is just to vast and confusing. We are in fact fighting corporations trying to argue with them and get them on board will not be effective - you need the little guy the ruffians, the workers of this country on board we know class warfare and let's face it these are the people we need - this is about economic injustice we're really not trying to appeal to those who have it. Politics means far far more to those who have no way to get their voices heard. People who are comfortable don't really have their head in this game it's not at the top of the list as it is for us working class. We are the fight - why appeal or reason with the other side - that's pointless. We also have to concentrate on damage control from those who have hurt the movement with their agenda and plants. I think by now we all also know the problem at hand but we're fighting people with more resoures than us - the media !! how can we be heard without being demonized ? Perhaps it's time to start advertising on television ads and billboards - bumper stickers ... is there a fund?

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

I'm wearing my 99% dog tag

[-] 1 points by BradB (2693) from Washington, DC 12 years ago

maybe we could add a "Social Reserve Bank" to the mix

http://www.occupywallst.org/forum/we-need-to-create-our-own-bank/

[-] 2 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

I agree

the people need greater control of the money

there is more to society than material wealth

[-] 1 points by ZenDogTroll (13032) from South Burlington, VT 12 years ago

sounds like a plan to me

[-] 1 points by DavidGilbert (64) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

solid ideas

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

Public Healthcare

Unaired Fox News Interview with "Occupy Wall Street" Protestor

NO WAR

direct democracy (the elite can't lobby everybody by pay off

[-] 1 points by DavidGilbert (64) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

that's what i'm saying!

[-] 1 points by LetsGetReal (1420) from Grants, NM 12 years ago

We have to get #1 & #2 first. Without that, the rest won't happen.

[-] 1 points by DavidGilbert (64) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

i agree. the list is prioritized

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[-] 0 points by smartcapitalist (143) 12 years ago
  1. Corporations (or NGOs even) are not natural persons.

  2. Abolish CDS? With all due respect to your intelligence, CDS are a very important way for companies and investors to manage their risks. And with all due respect to your general knowledge, there are exchange traded derivatives.

  3. Wall St financial transaction tax cannot and will not be imposed because for one it will increase systemic risk and for another other countries, who would also end up paying this tax, would object. I am sure that's just a slight oversight that your otherwise intellectually fertile mind made. Never mind.

  4. Superpowers can hardly ever hope to reduce military spending. Sorry, that's the price you pay for being Uncle Sam

  5. Only 70%, how about 100%. I mean the CEOs (and other CXOs) sure have no right over their earnings. And since CEO earnings are usually directly linked to the company performance, CEO would have no incentive to work that much hard once their bonus get beyond $15million.

  6. Great idea. The top 10% of college grads would usually make anywhere from $70k to $120k right out of college. How do you suggest the govt pay those kind of salaries?

[-] 0 points by DavidGilbert (64) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

elf - it would help if you were a little more sophisticated. what do you think this list represents? a repudiation of the corporate state!

[-] 2 points by elf3 (4203) 12 years ago

it would help if you were a realist - the media isn't reading your list to anyone - and the average American isn't on here - only us emotionally emphatic politically obsessively inclined people are here - our numbers need to grow to include people not quite so sophisticated as yourself David - or this movement will die and these ideas will dissipate with it

[-] 1 points by DavidGilbert (64) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

elf - movements like this will only grow in intensity as America's standard of living continues to deteriorate. try to be more positive.

[-] 1 points by elf3 (4203) 12 years ago

so you're telling me to get positive while hoping for decline and disaster to get things moving that's a self-fulfilling prophecy and some of us don't want things to get to that point - I'd like to prevent that - I'm about being pro-active not reactive !!

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[-] 1 points by LetsGetReal (1420) from Grants, NM 12 years ago

We have to get # 1 in order to get #2. Otherwise, any meaningful campaign finance reform legislation will be declared unconstitutional.

[-] 1 points by DavidGilbert (64) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

right on

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[-] 1 points by LetsGetReal (1420) from Grants, NM 12 years ago

The problem is that even with a ban on direct campaign contributions, the Supreme Court's ruling that contributing money is a form of free speech still stands. Without contributing a dime to a candidate, wealthy donors can profoundly influence elections and legislation though 'issue ads' while hiding their identities via PACs.

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[-] 1 points by LetsGetReal (1420) from Grants, NM 12 years ago

How does Canada get around that problem?

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[-] 1 points by LetsGetReal (1420) from Grants, NM 12 years ago

Ha ha. Maybe Canada simply doesn't have as many as*holes as the US, eh?

Or maybe Canadians are simply too polite to spend money on political ads.

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[-] 1 points by LetsGetReal (1420) from Grants, NM 12 years ago

Ok, yeah, we have to stop the unlimited spending on political ads and we'll have to amend to do it because our Supreme court says that is a form of free speech protected by the constitution. Ughh. It's hard, but doable.

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[-] 0 points by Jflynn1964 (-206) 12 years ago

Why are you participating if you are Canadian?

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[-] 0 points by Jflynn1964 (-206) 12 years ago

No I don't know that most moderators on this board are Canadian.

I completely disagree with you and your comment regarding the US. The US has saved to many people to even talk about. So I don't even know where to start with your comments. Canada is a great country and a great place to live but as to why you want to influence events in the US is beyond me.

[-] 1 points by DavidGilbert (64) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

i'll have to look at Canada's system