Forum Post: SPECIFIC DEMANDS!!!
Posted 12 years ago on Sept. 27, 2011, 5:10 p.m. EST by freedomfries
(7)
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We need to concentrate on EXACTLY what it is we want changed.
For example:
Legislation that would end "corporate welfare". If the demise or the possibility thereof of a company comes at it's own hands then they should fully and personally experience any adverse effects their actions produced. And if their demise would harm the overall economy then the Government should be able to assume full control of the company until the wrinkles get smoothed out, then give them the opportunity to buy the company back by paying back all of the taxpayer money (with interest) used to hire analysts, accountants, or anyone else that would be involved with righting their wrong as a result of their irresponsibility or financial malpractice rooted from negligence or dishonesty.
Legislation that would require 100% transparency for effective auditing before, during and after the fact. (maintaining trade secrets is of high importance, however their importance should not allow the hiding of greedy practices. These types of audits where sensitive information is being handled can be done confidentially, kind of like certain things are discussed in Judge's chambers in criminal and civil cases when needed.) After all the whole reason they got as far as they did was because they were not being monitored. We need babysitters for them. I don't know of anyone that finds the fact that Casino employees and bank tellers are subject to being video taped and having their records scrutinized absurd. How should they be any different. They have too much power to be left home alone.
Now let's say that everyone agreed with me (which is rare) We would vote on it and make any changes that needed to be made. The next step would be to test our proposed legislation against the constitution to make sure that we are being fair (this would require someone with someone advanced legal expertise who is fluent in legalese) then get some signatures and or endorsements from anyone in the government that agrees to back it up. This will show that THIS is SPECIFICALLY what we want. Only then will we be taken seriously.
I think the passion that those who hold signs, or dance, or make music or art that are on wall street now participating are great, and I love the fact that there are heroic and brave people out there that know they might be subject to being attacked by police, rained on, and not be near the comforts of home because they want change, this is our most valuable characteristic , but we need more cowbell. The song and dance routine will only get so far . We need to collectively draft proposed legislation, vote on the terms and make changes if needed, get people to sign then bring that to our protests.
We are the 99%! THIS is exactly what we want! we have xxx,xxx,xxx people who agree! we demand you make these changes now!
https://occupywallst.org/forum/declaration-of-independence-20-feel-free-to-add/
Thanks. I wasn't sure if there was a centralized place to post suggestions.
i don't know of one. thats a problem. We need the admins to get with the program and start some organization or everything is going to be lost in a long winded single forum scrawl.
INVESTIGATE, ARREST AND TRY THE WALL STREET CRIMINALS who clearly broke the law and helped cause the 2008 financial crisis in the following notable cases: (insert list of the most clear cut criminal actions). There is a pretty broad consensus that there is a clear group of people who got away with millions / billions illegally and haven't been brought to justice. Boy would this be long overdue and cathartic for millions of Americans. It would also be a shot across the bow for the financial industry. If you watch the solidly researched and awared winning documentary film "Inside Job" that was narrated by Matt Damon (pretty brave Matt!) and do other research, it wouldn't take long to develop the list.
CONGRESS ENACT LEGISLATION TO PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY BY REVERSING THE EFFECTS OF THE CITIZENS UNITED SUPREME COURT DECISION which essentially said corporations can spend as much as they want on elections and no disclosure is required about who's giving to who. Corporations should be highly limited in ability to contribute to political campaigns no matter what the election and no matter what the form of media. The Supreme Court decision is really weird. Read it when you have a chance. The justices who argued for unlimited corporate contributions without disclosure thought that wouldn't have an adverse effect on democracy and wouldn't undermine the citizen's view of legitimacy of elections. I'm not sure there's a word for that it's so strange.
ACTION ON GLASS-STEAGALL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act --- Wiki entry summary: The repeal of provisions of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 by the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act effectively removed the separation that previously existed between investment banking which issued securities and commercial banks which accepted deposits. The deregulation also removed conflict of interest prohibitions between investment bankers serving as officers of commercial banks. Most economists believe this repeal directly contributed to the severity of the Financial crisis of 2007–2011 by allowing Wall Street investment banking firms to gamble with their depositors' money that was held in commercial banks owned or created by the investment firms.
CONGRESS PASS THE BUFFETT RULE ON FAIR TAXATION SO THE RICH AND CORPORATIONS PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE & CLOSE CORPORATE TAX LOOP HOLES INCLUDING PROHIBITION ON HIDING FUNDS OFF SHORE. Pass the Buffet Rule on fair taxation so the rich pay their fair share. (If you really had a good negotiating position and had the place surrounded, you could actually dial up taxes on millionaires, billionaires and corporations even higher. But this would require direct non-violent blockades / action in New York and DC to get the broad public support necessary).
CONGRESS COMPLETELY REVAMP THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION AND STAFF IT AT HIGHEST AND LOWEST LEVELS WITH PROFESSIONALS WHO GET THE JOB DONE PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE MARKET THEREBY PROTECTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND INVESTORS. Also, this agency needs a large staff and needs to be well-funded.