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Forum Post: OWS still has no effect

Posted 12 years ago on June 1, 2012, 4:59 p.m. EST by JamesJames (2)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

I have to admit, it certainly does sound like you are leaderless. The website subject matter is all over the map. in my humble opinion, that merely dilutes your effectiveness. I enjoy the overall in your face style. It reminds me of the Black Panthers or the Hells Angels or Malcom X. So tell me folks, what good did they do? MLK did some good. And he led the movement. You all have a great, significant following. if you point all your resources on one thing, you can be more effective, i believe, so I would suggest one thing for your consideration: Start the petition drive in every state that you can, to get a new law adopted in every state. And what is that law? Make all legal fees non-deductible for tax purposes. Sure, thats not as exciting as pitching tents and chatting in front of cameras, but it is exactly what OWS should do. And my name is JAMES.

17 Comments

17 Comments


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[-] 3 points by ogoj11 (263) 12 years ago

Hi James, Petitioning and begging is more polite, less effective. Listen to this: If we ever accomplish anything, we won't get credit for it. Just as MLK was given credit for Civil Rights, some acceptably main stream figure will be given credit for any reforms. But you can be sure, that no reforms will be forthcoming, unless we show some intensity, some in-the-street determination. Your passive suggestion is like self-neutering.

[-] 3 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

MLK did it
anti-Vietnam war movement did it
TP did it


why cant OWS do it -
transition to political power
an amendment to overturn citizens united & corporate personhood

[-] 1 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

not the point
its not a matter of SAVING money
its a matter of the people controlling the government

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

yes and people control the government by knowing those that control industry

a few 100 bad campaign ads wont change that

[-] 1 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

but you won't have exxon fracking in your neighboorhood if exxon can't buy congress
you wont have rediculous anti-dug laws if the prison companies can't but congress
ETC.........................................

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

blocking citizens united won't get congress out of exons back pocket

[-] 1 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

Overturning CU by constitutional amendment and ending corporate personhood will.
My guess is that 90% of money going into politics in the last 100 years has been CORRUPTING
My guess is that 90% of money going into politics in the last 100 years has been LEGAL


If you make it ILLEGAL - things will change.

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

as I understood

CU ruled that anonymous campaign funding is consider free speech

I'm not sure how speech is allowed to be anonymous

.

blocking citizen united won't stop

  • insider trading
  • companies from corrupting congressman staff members by offering them jobs with excessive wages after their congress person is out of office
  • the elite from dressing the politicians at harvard
[-] 2 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

If you look at our OWS web site
http://corporationsarenotpeople.webuda.com
you will find your issues 1 & 3 have nothing to do with this
your issue #2:
If we can force the corrupting money out of politics, we CAN elect people who will stop the revolving door.


I believe insider trading is, in most cases already illegal and I don't know what dressing harvard is

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

k .

[-] 1 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

Let me ask you one simple question.

What was your "effect" at 1 year of age?

"Sometimes we do get three clear victories, but because it took a while or because no one was sure what victory consisted of, hardly anyone realizes a celebration is in order, or sometimes even notices. We get more victories than anyone imagines, but they are usually indirect, incomplete, slow to arrive, and situations where our influence can be assumed but not proven -- and yet each of them is worth counting."

I'm thinking it was less than this.

http://www.alternet.org/occupy-your-victories-occupy-wall-streets-first-anniversary

Happy Bday Occupy!!!

[-] 1 points by JesseHeffran (3903) 12 years ago

That is clever. I suppose with all the corporate litigation going on, your remedy might pay down the debt.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2010/09/22/the-only-good-legal-fees-are-tax-deductible-legal-fees/

[-] 1 points by jph (2652) 12 years ago

Hay James, how does making legal fees non-deductible help the situation?

[-] 2 points by JamesJames (2) 12 years ago

Making legal fees non deductible means taxpayers like you and I do not subsidize legal costs incurred by corporations, and not just corporations on Wall Street. Right now, If Goldman Sachs, for example, spends $50 million on Court costs defending itself against claims related to subprime mortgage fraud, or credit swap fraud, etc, given they have about a 30% tax rate, then taxpayers like you and I subsidize 30% x $50 million = $15 million. This $15 million cost is either funded by higher deficits or higher taxes. In my humble opinion, thats bad for Americans. A singular goal like this, as I stated, would provide focus for OWS. Higher legal costs would encourage corporations to negotiate instead of litigate. Higher legal costs would reduce the number of attorneys in our country, probably causing them to get real jobs as engineers, etc instead of just being paid to argue. Lower corporate legal costs would make the country's products less expensive and more competitive for all since these costs would not have to be recovered via product prices. Of course, practically all of our congressmen are attorneys. Pushing through this legislation would represent political power for OWS, and OWS would thereby get some respect from those in power. Right now, I would guess OWS is not even getting the time of day from politicians.

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

cash flashes blast exposed eyes

reeling from the wheeling and dealing

distracted tracking the stacking chips

vision on derision deferred

[Removed]

[-] -2 points by roboProg (-56) 12 years ago

This site is all that ows has left to cling onto