Forum Post: Possible Demands, feedback please
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 15, 2011, 3:06 p.m. EST by Cicero
(407)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
- Reinstate Posse Comitatus Act (I have another thread here about it)
- Repeal Citizens United (take our elections back from big business) (rigorous campaign finance reform)
- Reinstate the Glass–Steagall Act to its original form.
- Create a program to help unemployed college grads defer student loan debt until they can obtain gainful employment. (with a two year limit)
- Extend unemployment benefits for six more months once they expire. (perhaps further if the economy warrants it)
- Repeal the Bush era tax cuts in favor of a more equitable system
- Create a committee made up of government, homeowners and banks to make suggestions on how to keep foreclosures from continuing.
- Allow people who are "upside down" in their mortgage to refinance at the current value of their home.
- Pass a Jobs bill to get Americans back to work
- Go back to sound money which means end the fed giving the Treasury the power to coin money or at least force the Fed return to a gold and silver standard.
- Institute an ad valorem (value added) tax on all non-American manufactured goods (even 1 or 2% would raise revenue and help American companies be more competitive domestically)
- Audit the Federal Reserve Bank
- Repeal the 17th amendment, or alter it to make senators still directly elected but accountable to their respective state legislatures.
- Repeal the Patriot Act
- NO MORE QUANTITATIVE EASING
I have a revised list in a new thread. Please comment on that thread!!
1-16 100% Agreement with you. Also please add:
Term limits for House and Senate lets get new blood in there already. Shorten senate term to four years.
Install program to get professional and working class people into political positions. (We need economists not career politicians in times of a economic crisis). Lets get corrupt career politicians out of office.
A standard no confidence vote (the you are fired or not vote) for all political seats. This sends a strong sign to politicians that they have to stop ..... around with the American peoples time and do their job.
can be and should be achieved through the democratic process instead of a mandate. As I said before we would also limit the terms of the few (in theory) politicians with integrity. I like Henry Clay, who knows how our history would have been different if he had only been allowed to serve a few terms.
Again good idea but should happen through the democratic process
That's a characteristic of a Parliamentary system not a Presidential one. I don't think that would work.
Thanks
Oh I forgot...term limits. Smiles!
I respectfully disagree...
we don't need term limits we need a population of informed voters that way we don't have to worry about corrupt career politicians they would be self-defeating and not get reelected. The other side is we would also be limiting the terms of the few honest and dedicated congress persons with integrity.
Term limits would only treat the symptom not the illness
5,8,9,11 are no good.
This does not help our cause, you are playing into the hand of the media which would like to characterize us pot smoking hippies.
Either you are naive, or you are a poser trying to make us look bad from within. Either way grow up! I am not taking a stance on drugs one way or the other but this type of language doesn't help our cause.
I want more legalization of marijuanna, I dont know what you want, but i want mroe weed. I want everyone to smoek weed. I want weed to be given away for free. It's such BS that we have to buy weed underground. Dude, MOST people in american are happy about weed.f They need weed. they trust weed. You should smoke some weed and maybe you wont hassle our good time, dude.
Do what you do but don't characterize the movement as a bunch of pot heads.
That doesn't help anyone.
Yes it does.
I can understand number 3, 4, 5, 6, and 13. They are do-able.
However, the rest requires me to do more research before I can give an educated assessment.
Suggest this will reduce corporate greed and balance compensation...
Responsible Enterprise Law Balanced Compensation & Common Sense for Publicly Funded Enterprises
Definition of a PFE: An enterprise which is not 100% privately owned and funded exclusively by its legal owners will be known as a Publicly Funded Enterprise (PFE). For example, all enterprises traded on stock markets, banking and investment institutions which hold investor funds are PFE's.
Primary Leadership Responsibly: A PFE's leadership has a primary responsibility to its investors and employees. An investor is defined as anyone providing investment funds in anticipation of a fair gain. An employee anticipates fair compensation for providing time and/or expertise. The PFE's leadership must also preserve the investors principle investment (funds) and employees compensation. Upon imminent failure the PFE must return 100% of principle investment (funds) or owed compensation. As such leadership of PFE's must avoid failure, advance the PFE against its competition, and put the investors and employee's interests first. Products or services produced by the PFE become simply the means by which the PFE accomplishes its prime responsibility.
Balanced Compensation: PFE's must structure their compensation to maintain a fair earnings balance between providing gains on investments (funds) and its compensation for employees and leadership for their time and/or expertise. To assure balance the PFE must establish and maintain an employee compensation ratio limit. Example: The compensation of the highest earner must not exceed 10 times the compensation of the lowest earner. While a 10:1 limit is used in this example, the actual ratio might differ to allow leadership to robustly meet the Primary Responsibly above.
NOTE: These rules are necessary to deter PFE owners and their leaderships from squandering earnings. Earnings should be distributed in a balanced manner which is fair to owners, investors, leadership, employees and healthy reinvestment in the PFE.
Definition of a PE: An enterprise that is 100% privately owned and funded by its legal owners is a Private Enterprise (PE). PE's are exempt from the Primary Leadership Responsibility and Balanced Compensation rules above. However a PFE following the responsible leadership and balanced compensation rules will become healthier and more competitive. As such PE's will ultimately adopt similar rules to remain competitive. Finally, compensation ratios in excess of 20:1 will cause higher taxation of the PE's leadership and owners.
Amend to separate business from government.
Church and state separation, and now business and state separation
We fought communism for years because we believe that the Government shouldn't control the business sector...
We all know it works better if the Business sector controls the government.
Eliminate the Electoral College!
We can get them out using the structures already built into the system we just have to convince the American people to vote them out.
In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men the great difficulty lies in this: You must first enable the government to control the governed, and in the next place, oblige it to control itself. -Alexander Hamilton
The problem is when we vote in new people they too are susceptible to the same corruption.
I have a new theory that continuous new blood will flush out old corruption over time! I also don't know if you noticed but we have politicians that do the same thing OVER AND OVER AGAIN in the hopes that something will change. If we had new people in we would have new ideas maybe even sane ideas and bi partisanship.
BTW Herman Cain's 9-9-9 proposal would disproportionately place the tax burden on the middle class.
I like all of these. I would add:
1) We must remove all patent rights to patent life. Any life.
2) A national "annual" voting holiday. For election and policy voting. I believe that there are some things that are voted on by the federal government that should be directly voted on by the people.
3)No one who has ever served on a corporate Board or any other high level position should be either allowed to run for political office, Administration due to bias.
4)Enforce the labeling or ban genetically altered food.
5) Enforce that corporation are not people and are not protected by the 14th amendment.
6) Give the power back to the state and local government.
This merely food for thought. Do with it as you will.
Thank you
(EDIT)
I also believe, if it is possible, to have a Free radio and television station that election are broadcasted on. I which would also be use to create transparency in our government. This maybe wishful thinking.
I like number 6 and number 2 what does everyone else think??
I Just don't understand why they would not have a national voting holiday. You would think they would want you to make it out to vote. Or, maybe that is what they want since we are such a busy society.
Referendums happen on the state level all the time. The sad truth is that they usually only do it when they fear that deciding one way or the other will hurt their chances at re-election.
Same thing with the new "super" committee, if they do it this way only a few are deciding to cut grandma's pension so the majority can say I didn't vote for that.
I just want to make a suggestion, Drape your self in American flags, Chant USA, Long Live People of USA and then march down the street all to way to the Wall Street and Headquarters of Big Banks (Bank of America, Goldman etc). no doubt cops will try and stop you and arrest you bust just wave the flag and chant USA. There are only two choices either they will allow you to pass (highly unlikely) or they will stop and arrest you in any event it will be a major public reaction fiasco for the wall street and the big bankers as story will be Americans arrested for chanting USA.. What do you think about this tactic?
Please God #14.
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
I don't know how well a Reagan quote will do here but it seemed fitting!!!
Its not about parties there have been good and bad deeds and Ideals coming from both parties throughout our history it just seems in the last decade or so we are getting a disproportionate amount of the latter.
agreed.
Wow, C- Dare we dream?
I like the way u think! Heading out to Occupy Charleston, now...check back later. Cheers!
we dare, we dare my friend
I have a 2 year old son and I am truly fearful with the direction our nation is heading. Economically and politically we are paralyzed. The affronts to our freedoms and liberties are appalling.
We used to have the freedoms of speech and assembly. Now we have those freedoms but only in designated "free speech zones" and only if we get a permit first.
I am reminded of the Orwellian story Animal Farm, when the pigs slowly changed the rules for their benefit while the other animals were sleeping!!
I've been watching the coverage of the Occupy movement. I applaud the major focus of the movement but feel that the majority of the current actions have been effective at getting publicity. But I feel that the marching and the sit-ins will not get Wall Street, Corporate America, and our politicians to make any changes to the status-quo. From what I gather the majority of the protesters want better accountability from executives when their management hurts a company's balance sheet. They also want corporate America to stop lobbying the government to get preferential treatment with taxes and legislation that favors their business practices.
If we as the 99% want anything to change, the answer (I feel) is not to get the government to pass legislation to make the changes we want. The answer is to withdraw our support as consumers from the companies that have business practices we disagree with and to deny them our patronage until they change those business practices to our liking. A movement has started where the organizers are asking people to withdraw their funds from the big banks and deposit them in the community banks and credit unions. This movement has the right idea! If we truly are the 99% what would happen if we withheld our purchasing power from selective companies. If we don't like how Company A sells widgets and we no longer buy their widgets because they won't make those widgets in America, then we buy widgets from Company B only. Company A would see it's profits plunge and would than be willing to change it's practices to regain it's customer base. Many companies that the masses are upset with have chosen to take their jobs overseas, downsize their workforce, use temporary employees in order to lower their expenses, and pile fees on top of services to boost profits. You have to give them a choice they can't refuse. They must choose to bring jobs back to America, increase wages that they have lowered, return benefits that have been eliminated etc... even if it means lower profits. Lower profits are still profits, and it is far better than no profits at all. The choice you must give them is to show loyalty to America's consumer base by respecting it's employees and keeping the jobs within this country even at the expense of lower profits or have it's consumer base stop purchasing their products and utilizing their services or risk them going out of business. If we truly are the 99%, we need to show corporate America and Washington that this country is controlled by the almighty dollar and it is it's people who control the flow of money.
A pragmatic approach, i like it but its like all of the viral emails about not buying gas on a particular day...
I hear you. But I'm not advocating the suspension of any purchases. Just a switch from one company to another. The company that the masses agree to stop buying from will have to adopt the practices of the company we are doing business if they want to stay in business. Right now we just complain but still reward these companies with our hard earned money. Why should they change their business practices if we still give them our money. We're the ones making them rich...
I really like what what y'all had to offer...super great ideas...I especially like the nationwide website idea. As long as there is increase in the free facilities available so everyone has the chance to vote. Maybe it's just me but I think a 75% tax rate on anyone is unfair. I love what Ceciro had to offer but have a lot research to do before I actually understand a few of them...thanks for education! I like unicorn's # 4 a lot.
Just to add a few while we have the Attention...why not?
-cut congressional Pensions instead of Medicare & Social Security Many of them lined their pockets while in office & continue receive quite a stipend. -ban lobbyists
I have to agree.
I'm uncomfortable with 10, which would seem to contradict 9 for example. My understanding is that without the Fed's ability to buy securities on the market that sort of Keynesian program would be difficult to finance. Transparency for the Fed, seems like as far as we can go with what passes for a consensus here.
Agreed, it is probably too late to go back to a silver or gold standard. I read somewhere that there isn't even enough gold in the world to back the currencies of the world today because they have printed so much.
Take back our food from the corporations.
I like #15 that is part of the problem. Once elected senators do whatever they want without regard to the desires of their constituents. I once contacted my senator about a particular issue. He (most likely a staff member) responded that he didn't agree with me. When I am pretty sure a majority of the people in my state did agree with me. He doesn't represent the people of my state he represents himself!!
Number 1 should be a 75% tax rate for anyone making over 250k a year. Period. That includes long term capital gains as well.
That's absurd cost of living varies throughout the nation in Alabama making $250,000 per annum is probably wealthy but a person living in NYC making $250,000 a year with 2 kids isn't wealthy. Just my thoughts. But after your 75% tax that family would have $62,000 not much for a 4 person family in NYC
This is the kind of Class warfare rhetoric that we get so much criticism for.
I added two items #14 and #15 what do you guys think??
Here's my dream:
Today Congress we are here to start the wheels of governing turning in a different direction. It’s pretty obvious to me and the American people that our voice has been lost in the rambling of lobbyist's hard cash throughout the Halls of Justice.
So we are here to take back our government and restore its fundamental principals to the American people. That this government is for the people, and by the people, and not by the rich anymore.
Here’s how we plan on accomplishing this. First, ladies and gentlemen of the US Congress, we are setting up a nationwide interactive website devoted to understanding (if possible) why you vote on a particular issue, and if that vote benefits the American people the most, or one of your campaign contributors? After every vote in Congress, the American people can now see what you are thinking, or not. How? These results will be broadcasted nightly on all of the major networks and on the web.
Secondly, to maintain an even playing filed, we will next enact campaign contribution limits on a maximum of $100 for any person or corporation or so forth; so hopefully now we have an even playing field, which now the lawmaker will hopefully pick what’s right for the American people, verse big business!
Next, it gets better, we are introducing a bill that would require all lawmakers to take a lie detector test if they are asked why they voted on a particular bill.
I’m sorry to say Congress that it has come down to this, but when you deal with children, sometimes you are forced to act according.
Thanks you for your time.
I have to be honest.
Historically countries that print their way out of debt have faced periods of hyperinflation until their currency becomes worthless. Our currency is devalued enough. Think Argentina, Zimbabwe, Nazi Germany.
Look at it this way, global demand for gasoline has dropped signifigantly due to the global recession. yet gas prices are relatively stable. Gas should be $2 a gallon in this economy but we have printed so much money that the savings created by a decrease in demand was eaten up by monetary inflation.
We don't have liquidity because banks aren't lending. There is enough money to go around but they won't lend it. The bailouts were supposed to get lending going again. Instead banks are hoarding their currency.
To which school of economic thought do you identify with?
I am in the school of thought that says that we need the correct amount of liquidity, not too much and not too little. I think we both want to get to the correct amount of liquidity but we may disagree about where we are right now. I feel there is not enough, you feel there is too much. My evidence for saying there is not enough is the unemployment rate.
Also quantitative easing is unfair to those who have saved. My grandmother probably has $60,000 in the bank. Her and my grandfather scrimped and saved for years. Now the government is simply going to print more and more money. So that her buying power will greatly diminish. She could have bought ten nice automobiles in 1970 with that money now it will buy two. She is punished by the "silent" tax that is inflation through the printing of money.
By putting her money in the bank your Grandmother has removed it from the economy. Inflation appropriately penalizes hoarding money. If everyone saved every dime and did not spend or invest it the economy would completely stop. Unemployment would go to 100%. Saving money is great micro-economically, but is equally bad macro-economically. An individual should save money. A society should reward spending and investing money, not saving it. It might seem like a contradiction, but in fact it is an appropriate counter-balance.
You think my grandparents saved all of their income for 60 years? No they saved ten percent or less. Inflation is a silent tax and to make a poilicy of it is borderline criminal.
You say the FED can pull money out if the economy gets overinflated by selling bonds. That is a lie the person who bought the bond would get their money back plus interest when the bond matures.
If the government prints money and puts it in circulation the only way to get it back permanently would be to raise taxes then destroy the currency as it is collected or seize the assets of individuals. What politician is going to run on that platform? Once they print the money its here to stay.
Resources are scarce by definition, that's why they are resources, the more money there is in an economy chasing a finite amount of resources the higher those commodities become.
You argue against a gold and or silver standard. I can get a gallon of gas for 1 dime. I have in my coin collection a 1940's mercury head dime it has over a three dollars worth of silver in it. That is inflation in 1940 a silver dime bought a gallon of gas, today it will still buy a gallon of gas. Take your copper/nickel dime and try to get a gallon of gas.
You say that gold and silver fluctuate too much to back a currency but it worked for centuries. Plus even if a silver dime depreciated because of a drop in the price of silver it would still be worth a lot more than a copper/nickel dime!
I still think we need to worry about unemployment first, inflation second, but I have to admit that your example of the silver dime still being able to buy a gallon of gas is great!
Your right!! Unemployment is definitely the most important issue in the short term. I just don't want to see too much money printed and see us end up not tomorrow but 5 years from now with a highly devalued currency.
heres the issue that I foresee, we may need liquidity now because people are hoarding their money. So we can print more and since those that have it aren't spending it there won't be too much inflation. But what happens when the economy rebounds and this money comes out of hiding to begin chasing a finite amount of goods and service. The answer is Inflation. How much inflation? Harder to answer but there is enough currency in existence the problem is that those that have most of it aren't spending it thus it isn't making it into circulation.
In my opinion inflation was over-suppressed for many decades. Over-suppression of inflation has always been considered "erring on the safe side" by the Fed. If we create enough liquidity to lower unemployment to the ideal 5% and some inflation results, I think that would be a correction. If it gets out of hand the Fed can suck money out of the economy as needed by selling bonds. I think that the Fed should have a primary goal of maintaining a productive economy, and concerns about price stability should be at most a secondary goal.
The banking system is based on an infinite growth paradigm facilitated by fractional reserve banking.
The main charter of the Fed is to keep unemployment low, but what good is a job if bread costs $20 a loaf?
When looking at inflationary costs keep in mind inflationary wages. The reason inflation is bad is not because people wouldn't be able to afford things, because that would not be the case because they would make more wages. The reason inflation is bad is solely because too much would be destabilizing. Inflation is not all bad. In the following situations it would be a correction: when savings rates are excessive; when unemployment is too high; when debt levels are too high. I think today we have a perfect storm of all of those factors that would say that a little inflation right now would be a necessary correction.
Inflation is bearable if wages grow at the same pace but traditionally that has never been the case
When making demands as a group, it is a mistake to identify with any particular politician or political party. If you do that, you cannot claim you are the 99% by definition. Make your demands but keep them politically neutral or you will be associated, whether you like it or not, with a political party. The Democratic Party, for example, is already trying to hijack OWS as its activist wing. There are many Independents and Republicans who would be offended by such a party affiliation. Certainly, OWS understands this.
Thanks for the feedback!!
My pleasure.
I agree with this! This is what Sophocracy is all about. Visit http://www.sophocracy.com and you'll find rational, non-sophomoric and respectable ideas around which OWS can coaslesce and which the majority would support. THEN, we'll we be able to effect MEANINGFUL CHANGE in this country.
You don't go far enough. You're trying to tinker with THEIR system. It needs to be broken and rebuilt on solid principles - the US constitution does this but has been grossly amended, abused and ignored.
And you miss the main objective of the movement.
Occupy.
Do. Not. Go. Home.
Peace.
See my post "in order to form a more perfect union..collapse the system". You are absolutely right, THEIR system needs to be broken and then rebuilt by the 99%.
thanks will do.
That just isn't a political reality, the Arab Spring was violent in many cases, but we must embrace non-violence. Besides under current law if the protests did erupt into violence the government could declare martial law and jail every protester.
Change must come in a manner that ensures law and order. We can't just scrap a system that has been in effect for decades.
I agree with you. I was thinking about Gandhi and what he achieved. His movement broke a system of colonial rule and replaced it with a people-driven-democracy.
so true, we need some MLK jr's, some Gandi's and some Jeffersons today. Maybe a little Jackson too
Be the change you wanna see in the world, right ; )
I've noticed over the last two days I've been on this site that most of the ideas focus almost exclusively on changes here in the United States. I understand many of these ideas, if implemented, would have a ripple effect that would benefit those in other countries. We have the support of countless people around the world. I think the short list, when finalized, should definitely include ideas that would directly benefit them. Not only is it the right thing but it would go a long way toward changing the misconceptions a lot of them have about the American people. The tentacles of our government run far and wide. Worldwide. They wanted a global economy. They want a world government. Let's make this global.
Item by item my response
My Thoughts:
Here's my take on #8 T he sub-prime mortgage crisis had two groups of losers. Those who invested in Mortgage Backed Securities and those with mortgages on properties that were overvalued.
We bailed the banks out of their mistake so their fine but the homeowner is screwed. They owe $250,000 on a house that is now worth $100,000. The characteristics of their houses haven't changed, it is the market that has changed. So many of them walked off and left their house and mortgage.
This has had a snowball effect more foreclosures cause housing prices to fall even more. The larger the number of foreclosed properties there are on any given street drives down the values of those living on the street who are still paying their mortgages.
We can't punish one of the two parties responsible and bailout the other. Besides it not an issue of "they made a mistake let them live with it" its an issue of these foreclosures are having a drastic effect on the economy.
This economy is absolutely screwed up. Whether we know it or not, we are in a depression being masked by the FED, I don't agree one second that the bank bailouts were the right thing to do. Every single one of them that were in dire straights, should have been left alone. Fail? so what. Another entity would have bought their assets at auction, and we possibly could have been on our way to a real recovery.
On the take of the homeowner who bought a $250K house that is worth $100K: They made a mistake, and now they gotta do one of 2 things. Either stay in the house and wait out this depression, or walk away, and move, and become a renter. Its not a life and death decision. It happens every day, and has happened for many decades. people can recover from their mistakes. I have been down that road. I recovered. So can everyone else. IMHO
The housing market is the single largest asset market in America it accounts for 15% off our GDP down from 18.5% in 2005. Nothing will fix the economy if it doesn't strengthen the housing market. And to strengthen the market we must prevent even more foreclosures dragging down an already depressed market.
I respectfully disagree, I firmly believe we must allow the housing correction to run its FULL cyclical course
On what basis do you disagree? I believe this because it is the basis of modern economic theory as posited by the economist John Maynard Keynes!
So you don't believe in governmental use of fiscal and monetary policy to "smooth" out the multiplier effects of a recession?
But wait.... you are in favor of QE3???
As far as Citizens United I am referring the the Supreme Court case which held that money was a form of protected speech and gave corporations the right to spend endlessly on campaigns. It extended individual liberties granted to individuals by the constitution to corporations.
Its such a hot issue I figured most would get the reference, I'll amend it to include Campaign Finance Reform
Thanks for the Feedback
Let's create a poll with questions like these to see the percentage of people in the movement that support these ideas. This will give us a unified identity and voice.
Repeal all free trade agreements
Economically speaking there are gains from trade in a free society otherwise if a party did not gain from the trade they would not do it. Some countries have comparative advantages in the production of a good or service. If we went back to protectionism and tariffs the middle and lower classes would suffer because it would increase the prices of any goods subject to the tariff.
Most economists agree that the problem isn't really free trade agreements but the undervalued Chinese Yuan its the second largest economy in the world yet the Yuan is only worth 16 American pennies.
Since their currency is weak in relation to ours that means we can buy their goods at a much lower price than would be possible if the currency was actually valued in such a way as to represent the strength of the Chinese Economy.
We treat China like the newest western capitalist powerhouse but they are a communist nation. Their largest corporation is still state owned.
Never identify with any politician or elected official by name. For example, delete the word "Obama" from "Obama's Jobs Bill". There are many in his own party who take exception to his bill. Just say "Pass a Jobs Bill and do it soon". Delete "Repeal Bush Era Tax Cuts" for the same reason. Instead, reform and simplify the tax code while protecting those in economic need. As a minimum, reduce the rate of increase of federal spending. Add Matt Taibbi's five platform proposals to the list .
First amendment: let them say what they think. Good, bad or ugly.
I think 2 and 6 should have the greatest priority. 4 already exists; I just received temporary deferment because of financial hardship. It covers the interest for six months. Payment plans for student loans are also very flexible and work with variable incomes.
As for 7, we simply cannot allow banks to approve loans with no money down and no financial stability in their applicants. Switzerland has a 22% homeowner rate and the US is around 60%. Americans believe we are entitled to things we can't afford; from individuals to the whole country and our government, that is why we are failing right now.
I really like what you have here all together. Keep it up. I am with you!
Thanks for the insights!!! I know that 4 exists but I'd like to see it broadened because 6 months may not be enough in some cases and I'd like to see a mechanism in place to prevent default in the long term or we could see a student loan bubble in the future!!
Best Regards
Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty. - George Washington
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&pli=1&formkey=dFlNNHJTRlZwMWs5ZjlhTWN0NlZReHc6MQ#gid=0
or here
http://blog.richardkentgates.com
The duty of government is to leave commerce to its own capital and credit as well as all other branches of business, protecting all in their legal pursuits, granting exclusive privileges to none. - Jackson
I weep for the liberty of my country when I see at this early day of its successful experiment that corruption has been imputed to many members of the House of Representatives, and the rights of the people have been bartered for promises of office. -Andrew Jackson
I agree with what most of you're proposing, but take a look at my thread: http://www.occupywallst.org/forum/the-goal-of-this-movement/
We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. -JFK
How can we stop this?
This will continue until the American people understand just how they are being robbed and what they can do about it. A new monetary system has to be established to protect the freedom our Founding Fathers meant us to have---and keep.
I would say this to you, ladies and gentlemen. We must re-establish the kind of constitutional money system in this country that Jefferson wanted. He said that only the Treasury of the United States should create and issue legal tender money. He said that all money should be redeemable either in gold or in silver. That's the reason our Founding Fathers put into the Constitution a provision that no state shall make anything but gold and silver tender in the payment of debts. (In other words, the states may not issue legal tender money, and no private bank should either!)
If we go back to that kind of system and do away with fractional reserve banking, we may be able to re-establish a constitutional government in the United States. Wake up America!
Plus Close the Enron Loophole!
Take away their powers "once again." And a Million People March on The Hill will help a lot!
"We are here Congress because we want to bring REINSTATE the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 http://www.investopedia.com/articles/03/071603.asp#axzz1aPEc3wX which help saved our country from the Great Depression by preventing investment companies, banks, and insurance companies from merging and becoming large brokerage firms; instead of just being Banks and Insurance companies--can't we learn a history lesson here Congress? Btw, why did most of you vote for its repeal in 1999? http://www.counterpunch.org/2008/09/19/shattering-the-glass-steagall-act
Think about where we are now, it all started in 1999 with the subprime loans Senator Phil Gramm was peaching on Senate floor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKQOxr2wBZQ&feature=related
Furthermore, we also want you to CHANGE the Commodities Future Modernization Act of 2000 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity_Futures_Modernization_Act_of_2000 BACK to where it was before 2000, which since has deregulated energy markets and consequently allowed for such scams as The Enron Loophole; whereas in the early 2000's Enron Corp. was charging 400 bucks plus for a kilowatt hour...They all when to jail for this. But, the Enron loophole is still not closed, for example, allowing speculators to resell barrels of oil over and over again before it reaches the gas station owner. It's basically, legal gambling at our expense. What were those lawmakers thinking then? What are you thinking now? Either do the right think, or you're part of the 1%."
Why are oil prices high? The Enron Loophole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbdtTGYQBMU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNp0y0SjOkY&feature=related
Rolling Stones Reporter: Truth about Goldman Sachs--how they have cornered the markets--basically, The Enron Loophole and the Repeal of Glass-Steagall Act in 1999. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waL5UxScgUw
Let's get focused and bring back Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, they got it right 1933, we don't need to REINVENT the wheel because bringing this Act back will create an even playing field once again....and let's finally Close the Enron Loophole, which allowed Enron to charge what they wanted for energy; they went to jail for this; but no one closed the loophole, why? Re-election Monies from the banks and oil companies! The writing is on the wall.