Forum Post: Some Positive Suggestions

First, I think it is great that you're getting out and conducting protests around Manhattan -- with support demonstrations around the globe. But I feel you really should keep fellow protestors (the small minority) from provoking confrontations with the cops. It doesn't achieve anything but give the movement negative publicity. And for those who get convictions, dimmer job prospects because they now have rap sheets. I think you ought to stick with economic issues and not drift into other areas, with the possible exception of universal health care. I would strongly advise you to not to demonstrate anything that might make people feel like the Occupied Wall Street movement is even remotely anti-America -- such as anti-war, anti-capitalist, etc. On that note, I encourage you to post as many American flags around the Liberty Square encampment and each time when you march. These simple steps might encourage more people to get involved. I would suggest that you set-up a rotating leadership panel (made up of 5 or so people) to act as the movement's leadership that would both address the General Assembly and be answerable to it. The panel would be changed each week (or some designated time) with its members voted upon. Finally fair elections. The panel would address the media officially and make official actions. Having such a leadership panel would make things clearer to the outside. There should also be a Lobbying Committee, that would function through or with allied groups in Washington. To get things changed on Wall Street, you're talking about the need for federal or Congressional action -- or getting existing financial laws better enforced. This would require having an organized group on the ground in D.C. to lobby representatives and senators, as well Obama Administration officials. To achieve this, I think it would be helpful to enlist national union (AFL-CIO) support. They are expert lobbyists and they are natural allies. I know Trumka would love to do this. I think it would also be useful to build up a Legislative Support Committee made up of friendly U.S. representatives and senators who would be willing to draft legislation to achieve the financial and corporate goals we are hoping to achieve. So future marches could be dedicated to supporting specific bills, like, for instance, H.R. 1489 (Rep. Marcy Kaptor), 'The Return to Prudent Banking Act', that would break up investment and commercial banks. And other related issues: Having Congress extend federal unemployment benefits for another year; have banks lower the principal balance on all underwater mortgages to their current market value; enact a 'Final Speculation Tax' to discourage harmful speculation and make Wall Street pay to rebuild the economy it helped destroy; Congress should pass legislation to provide for the direct creation of millions of jobs in local communities, as Rep. George Miller's 'Local Jobs for American Act' or Rep. Janice Schakowshy's 'Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act'; and student loan forgiveness, etc. Let's make this movement work and start achieving some concrete things for the American people!