Forum Post: The 1% Needs to Justify Their System or Change It
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 16, 2011, 10:29 p.m. EST by JayAarh
(20)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
OWS may not yet be in a position to formulate specific demands for change, since the problems are massive and sometimes intentionally complicated. A better next step might be for OWS to shift the burden for a solution to the 1%. That would be a single, clear demand: the 1% must either justify a system that is producing such gross inequalities in their favor or come up with changes that fix the system. This demand isn't the solution itself, but it may sound the right note for a call to action.
Good idea. Of course the 1% will lie.
That's the beauty of not using what they say to measure whether they have fixed the problems. We need only look at whether the inequalities have been fixed. Talk is irrelevant, unless the 1% can persuade the 99% that the system the 1% has concocted is ok as is.
Explains common problems in the current system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOO_AVwfZ9Q&feature=related
They are trying to justifying it LOL they've got politicians calling them "job creators" yet they aren't creating jobs.
In a pure sense, capitalism has NO place for an aristocracy. It ends up being money that isn't moving throughout the system.
I'm not much for philosophizin' at this critical point. I think we're past that. At this point, it's results or the highway. I guess it's possible for the 1% to say something persuasive about improvement being just around the corner, but given the lack of historical correlation between such greedy policies and economic health, I doubt we'd hear anything new.
As far as I can tell, every rationalization of the current inequity, e.g., "trickle-down", "job creation", has been disproved by looking at correlations between the concentration of wealth and the overall health of the economy. Unless the 1% has something new and persuasive, they had better be ready to make some changes that will fix the unfairness inherent in the current system.
Yes, that's why debate is useless. OWS should say, "We don't want debate; we want results; we want you to reverse the inequality you created." That's easy to measure. Much easier than trying to decide who won a debate.
Since 1913 they have justified their position, that we are the masses they have been given to control, the masses are not clever enough to run their own lives in a productive and fulfilling way, they must dictate the direction of our future, which is to serve the oligarchs. To take a solution from the 1% is to drink a poisoned chalice, they will never allow each man to choose their destiny if it does not fit into their plan.(NWO)
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. If "they" are right, there should be plenty of pudding to go around. But there isn't. So, make it a condition of power that those in power must make sure there's plenty for all, not just themselves. Then they can stay in power. It's easy to measure. Talk is unnecessary.
we've got to separate money from government... the lobbyist must go... the short term politics fueled by short term greed must go...
These are all excellent suggestions. Along with many other excellent suggestions, they may be what's needed to fix the system. But without motivating the 99% currently on the sidelines, these changes will never materialize, because the incentive is lacking among those in control of these solutions. That's why OWS needs a simple rallying cry: "You broke it; you fix it. And we'll let you know when you can stop fixing it -- or else."
to be honest if we can somehow merge with the Tea Party... it'll be sweet...
The 1% have no incentive, what so ever, to engage, much less, come up with a solution. Besides, we do not NEED the 1%. Nor do I want the 1% to have ANY part of this! Thats like INVITING the fox into the hen house! Or something like that!!
The 99% have eachother!! Thats all we need!
My suggestion has one goal: to get the 99.9% of the 99% out of their chairs. I believe that a clear, simple demand like this will accomplish that. It points a finger at the problem and the people who caused it. It uses results to measure that the solution is in place (the inequality has been moderated to an acceptable level). For "incentive" it carries two big sticks: elections or disorder. If we fall into the trap of debating economic theory with the experts employed by the 1%, we end up with endless technical dialogues which only serve to perpetuate the status quo. Worse, we lose the attention and the potential support of all of the non-1% whose only real experience of these issues is the deteriorated quality of their daily life, rather than some abstract disagreement over whether or not to regulate credit default swaps. OWS needs to activate the 99% or it will fizzle.
I noticed above where you say "You broke it, you fix it.... or else".
This protest is the "or else" ! They have had their chance. They broke it worse! This has been going on for decades! They broke it worse!! This is the "OR ELSE".
This is not about anything technical or abstract like CDS, that some people may not be educated on.
This is about our democracy! Everyone understands that our government is supposed to be "Of the People, by the People and for the People"! This is not abstract.
1% buys their representation in government, 99% are left with the scraps. This doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand. But it does take a collective effort to point out the perversion of our political system that has been engrained in society for so long. And the corruption in our goverment that has diminished our democracy.
I agree with you, but so far, too few of the 99% have gotten out of their chairs to protest this inequality. The few who have cannot claim the support of those who are not protesting, because that claim will not carry any weight against the solid 1% of the haves in this country. OWS needs a simple rallying cry to get the 99% up and motivated, otherwise it will fizzle.
We are working on it. I understand that many of the 99% do not fully understand that they ARE the 99%. We have to keep reaching out to people to get them on board. As far as a rallying cry - I'm not sure how effective it would be to "tell" people to fight for democracy. It might seem simpler to do that, but I'm not sure it would be effective. People are upset about alot of big problems in our country. The best thing we can do is bring people on board by helping them to understand the root cause of their problems. Which is that 1% buys their representation in government. The corruption of our government by the 1% is the cause of so many of our problems. It's a simple message, which is best achieved through debate, discussion and ultimately understanding of this situation.
Maybe teaching, debate, discussion, and, in the fullness of time, understanding would provide the solution, but I'm afraid the OWS movement will have fizzled long before such cerebral activities can be effective. OWS needs to get the 99% to stand up and protest now. At this point, I believe it's more about raw energy and less about a particular statute targeting excessive lobbying or revolving doors.
Raw energy is the catalyst toward change. Have faith! Reach out to others with what you believe. The 99% have only each other to rely on but that should be all we need!
Yes.
Okay, this sounds a little bit like the movement is shirking their responsibility to come up with a strategy. You cannot ask the 1% to do that because they don't care which is clearly illustrated in present day America. There was an article at CNBC today called " Bankers not worried about Occupy protestors" as evidence in private conversations. So there you have the feeling of the 1%. They want you to fold, they're waiting for it, and this post is probably exactly what they're looking for. This is not a time to shift the burden for a solution. I thought the whole point of this movement was to begin to find a solution.
I see that you believe it is your responsibility to come up with the specific elements of how to rehab a complex byzantine structure created by experts who are benefiting unfairly from their creation. My suggestion is simpler: a huge majority of the country needs to wake up and say to the 1%, "We think you broke the system; fix it or else." It's a rallying call to the 99.9% of the 99% who are on the sidelines and who are in no position to come up with "specific economic solutions." If the 1% wants to test the meaning of "or else" then at that point I stand with you about our "responsibility."
and if they don't then we'll . . . . . .?
Any student of history can finish this sentence with two scenarios, the orderly democratic one: you will be voted out of office and a new regime will fix the broken system, or, alternatively, the disorderly one. History teaches us that this kind of inequality inevitably produces one or the other of those outcomes; it's up to us to make sure that's sooner rather than later.
Yeah nice idea, but you're not thinking businesslike or politically. They don't have to justify anything to us because according to the system that made them rich and still governs us, they have done nothing technically wrong. We might not like how they're behaving, but we don't have a legal leg to stand on. Which in the present system, is all that matters. They can just sit back and wait for us to run out of money and come crawling back for more. Sorry man:/
You're right; I'm not thinking technically. This is more like rock, scissors, paper. The time has come to motivate a huge mass (the 99%) of people to say, loudly, "We don't care that you have technically complied with regs and statutes; we care about the inequitable results, and we will not permit them. You created this complex machine; you fix it. We'll know it's fixed when the gross inequities are gone. We will be in your face until that moment. If that moment doesn't arrive soon enough, the alternatives are few, in some cases not pleasant, and, as history points out, inevitable."