Forum Post: This is fucking awesome. Looking for some good news? Here ya go. These citizens pushed & won back their country.
Posted 11 years ago on Jan. 2, 2013, 9:57 p.m. EST by therising
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This content is user submitted and not an official statement
THIS will blow you away: http://sue-adams.hubpages.com/hub/iceland-shows-how-to-solve-economic-crisis (read the short reticle 1st and then check out the short video at top). It'll make your day.
Here's a great 2 min video from award winning documentary that lays out how all this started. This is amazing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_96zE8minOg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Here are more Great links on Iceland from Shadz:
"Just Say No To Corporate Greed ; The Case Of Iceland", by Ellen Russell : http://occupywallst.org/forum/just-say-no-to-corporate-greed-the-case-of-iceland/ ,
"Lessons From Iceland: The People Can Have The Power : As early progress in Iceland shows since the banking collapse, the 21st century will be the century of the common people, of us.", by Birgitta Jónsdóttir : http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29722.htm ,
"The Icelandic Model of Handling Debt Crises", by Michael ScottMoore, Miller-McCune : http://truth-out.org/news/item/4569:the-icelandic-model-of-handling-debt-crises ,
"Why Iceland Should Be in the News, But Is Not", by Deena Stryker : http://truth-out.org/news/item/5181:why-iceland-should-be-in-the-news-but-is-not & http://occupywallst.org/forum/the-contrast-between-iceland-and-ireland-some-thou/ ,
Thankyou. This needs exposure.
From the link; (quote)One year after this referendum, the main debtor bank finds, as if by magic, the $7.2 billion it owes to its creditors. Many high level bankers and executives are charged and arrested. If the answer to the referendum had been "yes we agree to pay the debt" would the banks have found this money?(unquote)
So, either the "collapse" was a crock of shit, orchestrated to suck the life out of the economy, or the fed res global ponzi scheme printed off some paper (didn't the Fed print off 16 trillion to hand out after the crash?) to bail them out.
There's an underlying theme here, of enforced austerity, and crumbing economies, and the latest "fiscal spliff" garbage, and the timing of same, should be raising eyebrows worldwide.
We're being taken for fools, and if we turn and look the other way, we deserve to be bent over a barrel and cornholioed.
I couldnt agree with you more.
Thanks so much for your great comment and info. I still have so much to learn about this. It appears that direct action WORKED!! And they engaged politically.
Here's a great 2 min video from award winning documentary that lays out how all this started. This is amazing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_96zE8minOg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Yes, great documentary.
Here's the link to the full movie. http://vimeo.com/20853241
The common theme with the takeover of our world (yes, I think globally, because that is how the oligarchs are already seeing it) is the panic of financial crisis (orchestrated, as we now know) followed by a mad scramble to "privatise" the previously state-owned services, like water, power, phones, infrastructure, in an attempt to balance the books, or reduce the debt, created by the same institutions and corporations that will then buy up all the state-owned (read paid for by the people) assetts, so that the prices for everything are then controlled by the handful of corporations.
It certainly is the biggest conjob in the history of the planet. And because these criminal cartels (that is exactly what they are) own the govt, and the press, and banks, they think they can get away with anything.
We need to keep exposing their criminal ways, and showing people that you certainly don't have to accept what they are saying is "the only way out of this mess". A mess they created.
Thanks again for your post, therising.
It is the dawning of the age of aquarius. The waters of life freely given.
It's the end of the line for corporate criminals. People just need to be shown how to get rid of them.
Great post Builder! I think the oligarchs' days are numbered!
A song for perspective and balance...
A Better Place | Playing For Change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVHOqrw3Jks
The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein below examines how the 1 percent has done this before, have a crisis, people in shock (reminds me of shock and awe) and then privatize everything, get rid of unions and safety nets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iW1SHPgUAQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Since you liked that, this tells a bit how it is coordinated and connected, a conspiracy analysis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-ofKI8QFWY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-ofKI8QFWY&feature=youtube_gdata_player And on empire
Right on. Right on. You are telling it like it is man. And so does the member of Paliament in the video at top at link below. I love it. If we could "V" on every TV screen, we could have our revolution right quick. We'll have to settle for an attempt to spread the word person to person and through direct nonviolent action. http://sue-adams.hubpages.com/hub/iceland-shows-how-to-solve-economic-crisis
GR8 comment.
I've been reading more about this. Very compelling. I wish more Americans realized how much power they have if they unite.
Awesome
Yes ,this is exactly what we must do over here,. tell the banksters to get stuffed! This "debt" is created through lies and manipulations,. it was not used to build infrastructure or improve the lives of people here, it was taken into the financial black-hole that is the Wall st./Bankster "system". The money was disappeared, and the debt is pushed on the people.
The debt is a lie, and a creation of deviants who should be held to account for this injustice they have perpetrated,. they want to be paid over and over endlessly, for doing nothing,. and that is what our "representatives" have been doing; paying the same 1% over and over!,. as they are actually THEIR representatives not ours.
The debt should not be paid, the banksters should be striped of their wealth, (and that redistributed to the people) and the system that lets all this go on should be dismantled and replaced with a working non-manipulated system of exchange that helps all people.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/the-clear-path-to-ending-the-1s-corporatebankster-/
We are One People, One World, One! Search; Degrowth, Permaculture, Slow Money, Relocalize, etc.
Let's keep it REAL people.
What are you saying?
I was basically agreeing with your comment - there is trillions of dollars of toxic derivatives still out in the market/world/economy. Jail the banksters and dismiss the toxic smoke and mirrors BS.
Great! Yes, the banking system as been manipulated so badly that it no longer functions in a useful way,. well not to the majority of the world, just the 1% that manipulates it.
There are many much less easily manipulated systems we can and should be using,.
Reminds me of a cartoon I saw; a family is sitting around the kitchen table, about to play a board game (monopoly). The father is reading the rules, "Short game; Select a BANKER, the banker wins."
That is the sad truth - only the banker wins.
Let us freeze interest on the national debt - for a start - why the hell are we charging ourselves so much interest that we can not even begin to pay down on any real(?) principal. I thought usury was illegal.
Take that same practice and extend it outward - Down With Usury.
This is only a starting point.
What do you think the next bubble will be? Or what current one are we in?
I think we are in the "feeling hopeless and powerless" bubble and I am sure it will burst in the next 8 - 10 months when we wake up to this: Here's what I think the problem is at root and what the REAL solution is: GOOD NEWS: a completely different solution (revolution of the mind) http://occupywallst.org/forum/new-view-why-gun-control-peace-treaties-campaign-f/
And http://occupywallst.org/forum/we-have-the-power-to-turn-this-world-around-this-o/
And http://occupywallst.org/forum/we-dont-see-the-power-we-have-in-our-hands-to-tran/
And http://occupywallst.org/forum/this-is-fuckin-awesome/
I like (and share) her optimism about petitions. I've tried my own, but they've only seen tepid response. What petition can we get lots of support for?
Here's something that might work as a single petition (Part A). If it gets lots of signatures, is submitted, and has, no response, I offer a next step (PART B below).
They can choose the easy way or the hard way:
A - THE EASY WAY - respond to the following petition by doing the following:
----------------- Petition for Congress -----------------
CONGRESS PASS HR 1489 ("RETURN TO PRUDENT BANKING ACT"http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1489 ). THIS REINSTATES MANY PROVISIONS OF THE GLASS-STEAGALL ACT that were repealed in the 90's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act . Most economists believe the repeal of this act directly contributed to the severity of the financial crisis of 2007–2011.
USE CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY AND OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE FEDERAL AGENCIES FULLY INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE THE WALL STREET CRIMINALS who clearly broke the law and helped cause the 2008 financial crisis
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. This law should also restore the "Fairness Doctrine".
CONGRESS PASS a revised version of THE BUFFETT RULE ON FAIR TAXATION SO THE RICH AND CORPORATIONS PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE & CLOSE CORPORATE TAX LOOP HOLES AND ENACT A PROHIBITION ON HIDING FUNDS OFF SHORE.
CONGRESS COMPLETELY REVAMP THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION and staff it FULLY at all levels with proven professionals who get the job done protecting the integrity of the marketplace so citizens and investors are both protected.
CONGRESS PASS SPECIFIC AND EFFECTIVE LAWS LIMITING THE INFLUENCE OF LOBBYISTS AND ELIMINATING THE PRACTICE OF LOBBYISTS (including ALEC) WRITING LEGISLATION THAT ENDS UP ON THE FLOOR OF STATE LEGISLATURES AND CONGRESS.
CONGRESS PASSING "Revolving Door" LEGISLATION ELIMINATING THE ABILITY OF FORMER GOVERNMENT REGULATORS TO GO TO WORK FOR CORPORATIONS THAT THEY ONCE REGULATED. So, you don't get to work at the FDA for five years playing softball with Pfizer and then go to work for Pfizer making $195,000 a year.
ELIMINATE "PERSONHOOD" LEGAL STATUS FOR CORPORATIONS. The film "The Corporation" has a great section on how corporations won "personhood status". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SuUzmqBewg . Fast-forward to 2:20. It'll blow your mind.
Or the congress can choose B -----THE HARD WAY --- nonviolent direct action
We the people can't be afraid of the word tension. Nonviolent tension can be transformative and good.** The following is from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from the Birmingham Jail":
"Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks to so dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. . . I am not afraid of the word 'tension'. I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth. . . The purpose of our direct-action program is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation. . ."
To bring the corruption into the light of day it will take relentless nonviolent actions small and large. As the movement continues to gather steam, multiple gatherings of 800,000 or more in DC and NEW YORK are possible. We need to be RELENTLESS in our push. Here's what the call to action for one Washington, DC nonviolent protest might look like (just an example):
We should take the following action in late spring 2014 to allow time for planning, laying groundwork and buildup:
We should make the 8 demands BELOW very publicly at a press conference a few days after arriving in DC. When laying out these 8 demands, we should give a clear deadline of 30 days for a firm written commitment with signatures from at least 60% of members of House and 60% of the members of the Senate to pass these bills by the end of the year. If this commitment on the full slate of demands is not met by midnight on the 30th day (which it won't be) we should be prepared to non-violently block access to all or part of the Capitol complex the next morning by traditional proven non-violent tactics. The purpose is to bring the leaders of the House and Senate to the negotiating table.
KEEP IN MIND: There are always entrances because there is always a point where people who work there have to leave the public street and enter secure space. We should focus our non-violent direct action and civil disobedience on those entrances no matter where they move them because these are, by definition, always accessible.
8 DEMANDS FOR CONGRESS
CONGRESS PASS HR 1489 ("RETURN TO PRUDENT BANKING ACT"http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1489 ). THIS REINSTATES MANY PROVISIONS OF THE GLASS-STEAGALL ACT that were repealed in the 90's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act . Most economists believe the repeal of this act directly contributed to the severity of the financial crisis of 2007–2011.
USE CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY AND OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE FEDERAL AGENCIES FULLY INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE THE WALL STREET CRIMINALS who clearly broke the law and helped cause the 2008 financial crisis
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. This law should also restore the "Fairness Doctrine".
CONGRESS PASS a revised version of THE BUFFETT RULE ON FAIR TAXATION SO THE RICH AND CORPORATIONS PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE & CLOSE CORPORATE TAX LOOP HOLES AND ENACT A PROHIBITION ON HIDING FUNDS OFF SHORE.
CONGRESS COMPLETELY REVAMP THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION and staff it FULLY at all levels with proven professionals who get the job done protecting the integrity of the marketplace so citizens and investors are both protected.
CONGRESS PASS SPECIFIC AND EFFECTIVE LAWS LIMITING THE INFLUENCE OF LOBBYISTS AND ELIMINATING THE PRACTICE OF LOBBYISTS (including ALEC) WRITING LEGISLATION THAT ENDS UP ON THE FLOOR OF STATE LEGISLATURES AND CONGRESS.
CONGRESS PASSING "Revolving Door" LEGISLATION ELIMINATING THE ABILITY OF FORMER GOVERNMENT REGULATORS TO GO TO WORK FOR CORPORATIONS THAT THEY ONCE REGULATED. So, you don't get to work at the FDA for five years playing softball with Pfizer and then go to work for Pfizer making $195,000 a year.
ELIMINATE "PERSONHOOD" LEGAL STATUS FOR CORPORATIONS. The film "The Corporation" has a great section on how corporations won "personhood status". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SuUzmqBewg . Fast-forward to 2:20. It'll blow your mind.
The list of 8 items above is NOT an end all be all, of course. But those things will get the corporate foot off our neck long enough to allow us the breathing room to go further towards the root of the problem. Also, I absolutely agree that we need to push with all kinds of protests of all sizes today, tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. I'm not suggesting at all that we do nothing between now and 2014, just as I'm not suggesting summer 2014 protests will take care of everything. We need thousands of protests small and large and we need to push from inside the system and outside the system using all nonviolent means at our disposal.
The list above only focuses on one aspect. We of course ALSO need to push back on the civil liberties front (see NDAA), environmental fronts, economic justice front, poverty / income disparity / wealth disparity, workers rights, food safety, healthcare and so much more. We can bring about a fundamental shift if we band together as the 99% and push. We just have to realize we have more in common than we have separating us. We have squabbled amongst ourselves for too long while corporatists have slowly hijacked our republic, damaged our environment, wrecked our economy and stolen our children's futures. It's time to push back.
Once we realize we have more in common than we have separating us, we'll be able to make decisions from a position of unified strength instead of demands from a position of divided weakness. There's nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.
Right, I love these ideas, and have made efforts to push for them myself. I want to do more. Now what?
I think it starts small and snowballs. Each of us needs to push on the issues that we are most passionate about and thereby gather others to join in. I think it grows from there. And she told two friends and they each told two friends ad so on and so in and so on....it can even be as small as speaking up for the truth to others rather than remaining silent OR even just listening to someone who is telling the truth -- so they have a chance to feel that buzz.
I think joining a local Occupy group would be a good next first step. I'm told there are Occupy groups within 200 or.300 miles of almost anywhere in US. Then you could be from there.
I definitely support and attend my local Occupy groups when they meet. I've created a website, http://www.switchyourbank.org, and have tried to promote it but haven't generated the best response yet (less than 100 Twitter followers). I'm trying to lead out and organize people who care about Wall Street scandals, but I might be doing something wrong, or maybe people aren't as interested in this topic? I don't know...
This is great that you did / are doing all this.
Thats a good site. How long have you been active on it?
Since September 2012.
Have you approached anyone on your blog roll about putting a link on their site in return?
That's a good idea. I've done it with AgainstCronyCapitalism.org, but I should do it with all of them. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm definitely in need of them!
I do a lot of marketing stuff, and lots of activism stuff.
You can create your own actions, and use indigogo or kickstarter or DoSomeGood...they are great crowd funding sites...
Basically you create your cause or action, and get all the details down, and then post it on one of those sites. They will provide the link on the site for you, and take care of all your fund raising stuff. I think they take like 10%.
But you can create all your actions, and get funds raised for promotions and materials, you can really make an impact and generate some good coverage for your site/cause.
That's cool. I'll have to brainstorm about what specific action would work with us + indiegogo or dosomegood...
How about something like this? : http://occupywallst.org/forum/we-could-do-this-the-easy-way-or-the-hard-way/
This is a great video and I am truly proud of what the Icelandic people have accomplished; but I caution you, if you think that the same action would work, or work as easily in the US, that may not be necessarily so.
My concern is this. You've seen what reaction the government has had against protesters. We've seen beatings, pepper spray, arrests, tazing, and laws separating protesters from government officials. Compared to overall population, these 'gatherings' were relatively small. If the size of these 'gatherings' hugely increased, what do you think the governments response would be? At some point they would declare martial law, and what's left of your constitutional rights are out the window (and so would our peaceful movement). The result would be either 1) the movement would be quelled, and we all bow down to our masters, or 2) An all out civil war and anarchy. They will just label protesters as domestic terrorists. Neither sound desirable.
I think they are expecting an uprising and their ready with Executive Order -- National Defense Resources Preparedness that Obama enacted 3/16/2012. (You may find the details of this Executive Order alarming)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-garrison/martial-law-under-another_b_1370819.html
http://www.westernjournalism.com/obama-executive-order-a-prelude-to-martial-law-and-suspension-of-elections/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/03/16/executive-order-national-defense-resources-preparedness
So what is my suggestion? The first step is to make a plan. You must know your destination before you attempt the journey. It's not enough to know you're pissed off and want change; you have to know what change you want. If your going to fire the government, you have to know what it will be replaced with. or something unsavory may fill that void.
The second step is the hardest. That's getting the majority of Americans to sign on to the plan. (I think Iceland had 93% sign on to their plan) What they would be signing is a Declaration of Dissolution and Termination.
A Declaration of Dissolution and Termination - A formal and legal Declaration of grievances prepared by the people of the United States to be served to the Government of the Untied States. The declaration is also a formal and legal order by the people of the United States to the government of the United States to cease and desist government operations in accordance with instructions laid down by the Execution of Dissolution and Termination.
http://osixs.org/Rev2_menu_Declaration.aspx
The third step is where I think a huge 'gathering' would be preferred in DC. That is during The Execution of Dissolution and Termination
This is the formal rules and process of dissolving parts or all of the old government and then terminating the old government after the new government has been fully implemented. This is essentially serving the present government a pink slip and formally firing them.
http://osixs.org/Rev2_menu_Execution.aspx
Our government is not going to just hand control of the country back to the people. We will have to make a formal demand to have control of our country peacefully and methodically handed back to the people, as is our right. This country belongs to the people and no one or anything else. Our government doesn't own us, we own it. We are responsible for our government because we created it. We will make that formal demand by declaration...
Although I am in favor of a transition, it must be done in a way that doesn't give them the excuse to declare martial law or allow our emotions to get away from us. Remember .......... failing to plan is planing to fail.
As for the Icelanders - The world is indebted for all triumphs which have been gained by reason and humanity over error and oppression. Thomas Jefferson
http://osixs.org/Rev2_menu_commonsense.aspx