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Forum Post: To represent the "99%" Don't you need the support of at least 50% of them?

Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 16, 2011, 4:26 p.m. EST by realist123 (58)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

You say you are 'representing' the majority. Where is the evidence of this representation? You do not represent me, a lower-middle class working stiff. I work for my money and gladly hand it over to the government you are trying to undermine. I have no problem with taxes, as they pay for our roads, our military, our transportation, and everything else we have come to enjoy as Americans. You say you want to bring down the big corporations because of their greed, yet you give them the money they have by buying the very tools you are using to run this forum. You have to realize that these corporations get their billions from US! If you want to take away the power they have, stop buying the things they sell. Your fighting the wrong battle. You blame the shortcomings of our society on these corps. and the government, yet they are the reason you even have the ability to stand up and say "NO." It's like fighting your mother because you didn't get the Playstation game for Christmas, yet you wouldn't be here if it weren't for her. Does anyone actually see that WE are the problem because we cannot work as a whole? The best teams in the world, no matter what, are the ones that work together. The worst are the ones that fight each other. I believe in America and I will proudly give my life to defend my beloved country. You seem to want to destroy everything that makes us American. Any where else in the world, you would be labeled as a traitor and a terrorist. Our country allows you to have views and you take that for granted. It's pathetic. Your narrow-minded views are destroying what I feel to be the greatest country in the world. I am an American, I will die an American, and I will fight you as an American.

64 Comments

64 Comments


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[-] 3 points by JadedGem (895) 12 years ago

Well, I still support OWS and not so much the Occupation as the issues raised. When you ask if I want the money taken out of politics so Corporations can't buy off our government. The answer is YES! I want this. Do I want to see organized Boycotts of certain Corporations and people sticking up for each other and helping each other? YES! Do I think its good for one company to buy out seed company after seed company and try to control the world's seed? NO! Do I want to see people support local businesses? YES! I like labor unions. What's wrong with that? Is any of this radical or left-winged? I don't think so. I do feel there are some radical left-winged people in this movement. Yes. I also feel if it can step away from that and bring democrats and republicans, conservatives and liberals together on some important issues we could get some positive changes made that would positively affect us all. I want to see this movement donate some time in food pantries and thrift stores and get to know the people in their community. Hey, go to a PTA meeting, visit a friends church. I think they need to get to know the people and accept the people and their beliefs and look for the common ground. Its there.

[-] 1 points by Jonas541 (72) 12 years ago

Absolutely this should be the centerpiece of the occupations demands. We have to demand that money gets taken out of politics. We have to have politicians that represent us, not the organizations that have bought them off.

[-] 0 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

I just got back from a trip through Iowa and Illinois. It was like old times to see the same signs on the fields that I remember as a child. Who exactly has bought them all out - ADM, Cargill, Standard, Henry Field, just who, please....

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[-] 3 points by Madrid (1) 12 years ago

Dear Realist,

"Any where [sic] else in the world, you would be labeled as a traitor and a terrorist."

You are offensive, and the one that is narrow-minded.

-Somewhere else in the world.

[-] 0 points by realist123 (58) 12 years ago

I'm sorry grammar Nazi..... You are offensive trying to take away what I believe. You do not represent the 99%. You represent a vision that when written down on paper, severely resembles socialism and Communism. What you need to realize is the system works. I'm sorry you haven't gotten rich off of it. Cry me a river. Ever hear of the old phrase, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it?" You are compounding the problems further. You will never be happy until there is an all out civil war. Get over it. Learn to be a functioning member of society like millions of us are. The rules are there, follow them and maybe you'll get somewhere.

[-] 1 points by hivemind (131) 12 years ago

But it IS broken. It may not be affecting you yet, but you might be seeing it in the next few years if not sooner if it is left unchecked. It might not be you right off the bat, it might be a family member or a friend that goes down. And in desperate situations that are no ones fault of their own will make them stop and say "How did it get like this? I did everything right." Maybe then you will start to understand.

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[-] 1 points by Madrid (1) 12 years ago

Not only do you have bad grammar, but you don't know what the word offensive means. I live in Madrid, Spain and I know your language better than you. Que verguenza hombre. You also use socialism as an insult akin to what I'm assuming is your MaCarthy-era definition of communism. Meaning you fail to realize the US is a social democracy, albeit with less regulation than Europe, but nonetheless impossibly far from pure capitalism. Most likely you don't even realize that pure capitalism is an idealogical economic concept on the opposite end of the spectrum of communism, and like communism has never actually existed in it's purest sense anywhere in the world. You should study economics before you debate it and throw around terminology like you know what it means.

Also, if you knew anything about the world outside your own personal bubble you would know calling someone a Nazi is, once again, offensive.

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[-] 3 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

Practice what you preach:

"Does anyone actually see that WE are the problem because we cannot work as a whole? The best teams in the world, no matter what, are the ones that work together. The worst are the ones that fight each other."

"I am an American, I will die an American, and I will fight you as an American."

FYI, we are Americans, too. We are on the same team.

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[-] -1 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

Then why are you running the wrong way? The majority of Americans DO NOT hold to the same demands that are being posted as the predominate message on here. We simply see you as the ME ME GIVEME GIVEME element in our society and we are getting very tired of working to meet your demands for supposted Rights. You are not asking for anything but for the 99% to serve your every whim. It is cold-send us your hand warmers, we are hungry-give us your food, we have voluntarily left our homes-give us land to live on.

You want land to live on and a place to scratch out a living, come to the Southwest - I will give you the use of more land that you can imagine. Only then will you see the foolishment of your protests in such luxury, from the greatest city in the world, where even YOU are fed, clothed and housed.

[-] 2 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

So you speak for the majority of Americans? LOL

[-] 0 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

I speak for me and Ray. Over coffee we consider ourselves to be in the majority - you got a problem with that. You all do the same thing and I serious question the "coffee" part.

[-] 1 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

Ah! A majority of two. Considering that there are only two of you, that would be considered unanimous consent, assuming of course that "Ray" has authorized you to speak on his behalf.

As for me, I don't allow anyone to speak on my behalf. The representative system of government is a proven failure.

[-] 0 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

Ray and I are just like this: ( II ). How are you and your representative doing??? Not good it seems by your post. Maybe a RAY in your life would help. Actually, Ray and I fight like hell but I will tell you this - you pick on one of us and you fight both of us (that is the real unanimous consent thing you are talking about). To us, it is not the process - it is the result so that at least my friend and I know where the problem is and where we are going.

[-] 1 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

To us, it is not the process - it is the result

So much for democracy. YOU are the 1%.

[-] -1 points by RexDiamond (585) from Idabel, OK 12 years ago

Get out of NYC and visit the Country for once in your life.

[-] 1 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

I live in the country.

You live where it is illegal to for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing less than fifty pounds, you may not fish on a camel's back and riding a merry-go-round on Sundays is considered a crime.

Which pretty much explains where you are coming from.

[-] -1 points by RexDiamond (585) from Idabel, OK 12 years ago

Just pure lunacy. Look what liberal militant educators have done to you. Again, get out of NYC. Come see the nation.

[-] 1 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

I've traveled extensively in Europe and Asia as well as 32 states in the continental US.

Have you ever been outside of Idiot, OK?

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[-] 0 points by RexDiamond (585) from Idabel, OK 12 years ago

Yet you have no clue that the majority of the nation is nothing like your liberal enclave

BTW, I can play that game too.

Dumb laws in New York http://www.dumblaws.com/laws/united-states/new-york

[-] 1 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

So now you represent the majority? LOL

Listen to yourself tossing about big words like "liberal" as if you knew what they mean.

Oh, and I almost forgot - exactly where is my "liberal enclave"?

[-] 0 points by RexDiamond (585) from Idabel, OK 12 years ago

Here is what we know. OWS has made it clear that it does not adhere to conservative values. Therefore, not representing the right. Libertarians tried to grab a piece of the movement and you censored out their candidate on this forum.

conservatives outnumber liberals 42 to 21 percent in America. OWS now has a national approval rating of 32 percent.

Oakland, NYC, Boston and Chicago are all know to be liberal cities. Major cities in Red states have a small turn out compared to their blue counterparts. So if it's not liberal or conservative or libertarian(independent), who's running it? http://cnsnews.com/news/article/gallup-poll-conservatives-42-liberals-21 http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2011/11/16/support-for-occupy-wall-street-drops-in-poll/

now you keep on walking around in your chaotic crowd with your college friends thinking you are leading some majority movement all you want. The fact remains that you do not represent the majority. You could have, but you don't.Now I hate to break it to you but NYC does not dictate the mood of the country.

The burden is on you, no me to prove your legitimacy.

[-] 1 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

Idabel OK, Center of the Universe and home of the self-appointed majority. Population 74,745.

City of New York, population 8,175,133

Registered voters by party:

55 million Republican (33%) 72 million Democrat (42%) 42 million Independent (25%)

Not that that means anything other than you are wrong. Thinking in terms of red and blue is divisive and delusional.

BTW, your "unbiased" news source is The Media Research Center, founded by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III. That guy is so far to the right he thinks Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal is gay porn.

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[-] 0 points by RexDiamond (585) from Idabel, OK 12 years ago

Just what I thought. I sliced you down and all you have left are personal attacks. You also make a ridiculous and illogical comment comparing NYC to Idabel, OK. That was ridiculous.

Population of the United States. Roughly 350 million. Population of NYC, just over 8 million. Get over yourself.

[-] 1 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

I debunked your statistics and your news source and I "lose"?

You haven't answered a single question that I have posted.

So you speak for the majority of Americans? Have you ever been outside of Idiot, OK? Exactly where is my "liberal enclave"?

You have no capacity to think for yourself. You think that echoing a far-right ideologue wins an argument.

No wonder this country is in deep shit.

[-] 0 points by RexDiamond (585) from Idabel, OK 12 years ago

Nonsense. You don't have your location listed, but I am admitting that I am pretty sure you live in one. The statistics are valid and real. You haven't asked my any question that would insinuate I am parroting right wing talking points. Your last comment would be valid if it were describing OWS as our future leaders.

[-] 1 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

If you don't know where I am, how can I be in a liberal enclave?

Your stats were debunked, as was your source, but your blind adherence to a biased and unfounded belief system blinds you from any and all other points of view.

It's not my questions that insinuate that you are parroting a right wing point of view, it is the drivel you state as fact and the radical right wing source you cited.

Really, it is not worth dicing with somebody who has no conception of a logical argument, no individual thought or mental process to engage, and who can't seem to logically understand the written language. I tried, and now I'm done.

Live and let live, have a nice evening.

[-] 0 points by RexDiamond (585) from Idabel, OK 12 years ago

Nothing was debunked. The poll listed its source. The more I talk to you the more I realize the enclave is in your mind. When I start sounding off with gun rights and small government, you can accuse me of parroting right wing talking points. I have filled up this forum with logical thought. You are apparently not programmed to register logic.

Goodnight. Get plenty of rest for your big day tomorrow.

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[-] -1 points by realist123 (58) 12 years ago

You are right, I will fight. But I don't regard you as an American if you fight the very system that me and my brethren have FOUGHT to protect. Serve your country, don't expect it to serve you as it has been your entire life.

[-] 0 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

We are not trying to tear down this country, we are trying to restore the ideals that made it great. Politicians and Corporations have trampled the constitution. Are you OK with that?

[-] 1 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

Not with your interpretation of it. If someone shoots you in the head-does that mean we have to have a protest movement and more control over our freedoms - or shall we simply hold the person responsible accountable for what he/she did, and do so under the existing laws, systems, of this great land etc.

You may not be trying to tear down this country - but you are doing a very good job of it. Clearly identify the problem, state your plans to remedy that problem and seek support. What it seems you have effectively done is form a great worldwide movement (questionable) to protest the fact that your dirty underware were confiscated by the NYPD and now you have to go claim them in some building in front of all your friends.

[-] 2 points by nucleus (3291) 12 years ago

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[-] 1 points by realist123 (58) 12 years ago

Have they? Or have they not given you everything you want? My rights (for the most part) have NEVER been infringed by government and corporations. I've had my rights infringed more by morons and police officers than either of the aforementioned combined. Just because you are ignorant to the ways of actually using the system, does not mean the system is out to get you. That's paranoia at its finest. If the films like Loose Change, Zeitgeist, The Obama Deception, etc never came to fruition on the internet, would we be having this discussion? I highly doubt it. You take the words of nameless people over those who are actually running the country. Now I have no idea who is actually right, if any are. What I do know is that when things work, I don't question it. I turn on the light, as long as it turns on, I don't wonder why. The system works, believe it or not. This repetition is starting to get annoying. You all have the same argument, but you have no FACTS to back that up. You see someone getting rich and someone getting poor and assume that the rich guy is stealing from the poor. Meanwhile it's the lack of commitment and will power, mixed with complete ignorance, that is driving many Americans deeper into poverty. Oh and let's not forget the fact that nobody knows how to manage their own money anymore. But that;s a completely different argument.

[-] 0 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

AMEN - I could not agree with you any more realist123. What course is now being offered in our schools (higher education) that can be so effective that it simply eliminates Common Sense from the student in that class and subltitutes it with ignorance and stupidity - and YES I do find a lot of the comments herein to be, if not fully, at least borderline stupid.

[-] 1 points by dalton (111) 12 years ago

No. You are trying to rewrite the constitution so that we have a bunch of poor laws on the books. You see them as socialism, but they are poor laws.

[-] 0 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

There is nothing wrong with the Constitution, there is a amendment process - poor laws can be made better. Lack of Common Sense and Stupidity is another subject

[-] 1 points by dalton (111) 12 years ago

no,not poor as in bad...poor as in redistribution of wealth laws

[-] 2 points by Fash4j (2) 12 years ago

I disagree strongly. These protesters are just saying what we are all feeling. People are suffering, losing their jobs, their homes, everything and I understand their frustration. They at least have the balls to stand up and say something has to change. These people are not lazy, they work hard and get little in return and it's a shit system that needs to end. I stand behind these people 100 percent. And yes I love America and I agree that it is our mother but even parents can treat their kids unfairly. If u are against this movement then you clearly enjoy living blind and maybe you are not that effected by the bad economy, good for u but stop acting like there is no problem that needs to be fixed and start paying attention to the people around you who are suffering.

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[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

By "Democracy" they didn't mean "Democracy."

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[-] 1 points by Fraqtive42 (87) from Herndon, VA 12 years ago

The slogan is just propaganda to win people over. This is not to say that the entire protests have been discredited, though.

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[-] 1 points by DudleyE (94) 12 years ago

The latest poll I've seen was 28% support, 63% opposed. Not exactly a large tent and it's because of the violence and people finding out that this is about socialism.

[-] 1 points by JoeTheFarmer (2654) 12 years ago

There are 320,000,000 people in the USA.

Even if you had 400,000 people protesting that would only be 0.125%

[-] 1 points by hivemind (131) 12 years ago

I admire your die hard patriotism but America isn't the best place to live anymore. You may not see it but the biggest problems are yet to come. America is destroying its youth by allowing student debt to get out of control. The economy will only get worse when the youngest of the population grows to not have kids, not own a house, not get married, and not save for retirement. The money goes nowhere but to the banks and it only continues to keep us all in debt. You can't get a good job without education these days, you cant get education with out a student loan. It is now mandatory to lose your life to debt in order to try to attain a life worth living. As a new college graduate who sees myself and my peers struggle, the future is looking very dark. Very dark.

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[-] 1 points by pk7 (64) 12 years ago

I agree. This group does represent a very small portion of Americans. They have successfully brought awareness to many important issues, but the longer they protest without creating positive change, the longer they create negative publicity through vandalism, the longer they block businesses and scare off customers, the more support they are losing. Something realistic (not radical) needs to happen in order to maintain or increase support.

[-] 1 points by Mooks (1985) 12 years ago

I agree. This group does not represent the views of the 99%. They represent a small, left-wing, fringe group.

[-] 1 points by Fraqtive42 (87) from Herndon, VA 12 years ago

Not small.

[-] 1 points by Mooks (1985) 12 years ago

How big would you say it is? Do you have any data?

[-] 1 points by Fraqtive42 (87) from Herndon, VA 12 years ago

Judging by the fact that the protests are worldwide, and consisting of thousands of members, the left-wing population in western countries is not inconsiderably small.

[-] 1 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

7 billion and rising. An old Johnny Cash song, remember that one. And I add "smile" so you won't correct me on that song title. Don't even waste your time - you do remember Johnny Cash right??

[-] 1 points by Mooks (1985) 12 years ago

So no, you don't have any data. The last poll I saw seemed to suggest that OWS should call itself the 33%, not 99%.

[-] 1 points by Fraqtive42 (87) from Herndon, VA 12 years ago

I fully agree with this. I remember seeing a poll in the movie Capitalism: A Love Story that said 33% of U.S. citizens preferred Socialism. I was unsure of using that reference, though.

I do think that the slogan is propaganda and is dishonorable. But 33% is not very small.

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[-] 1 points by seaglass (671) from Brigantine, NJ 12 years ago

"I am an American, I will die an American, and I will fight you as an American." Americans fighting Americans because their all Americans in America with other Americans . How American of you! A true American for Americans, in American no less.

[-] -1 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

I might reconsider by prior posts regarding never paying for the upper class education that a lot are calling for. High school is still a priviledge and free - check it out.

[-] -1 points by realist123 (58) 12 years ago

Wait, aren't the occupiers the ones who started this American-on-American fight?

[-] 0 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

They have got us all divided (1% - 99%) and now they want to conquer before they have fully analyzed whether their division was anywhere accurate or not - just forge ahead - telling us all which group we are in and what we should think and how we should respond.

[-] 0 points by seaglass (671) from Brigantine, NJ 12 years ago

No. The 1% started, it by waging a Class War against the rest of us these last 30 yrs.

[-] 0 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

When most classes exist within a structured society, they are based on birth and they are not mobile.

You have simply divided Americans into YOUR classes and basically told us that there would no longer be any mobility within groups. You are dividing based on education, financial standing, politics, and any of several other determinants. You are just a child crying about who started it - actually you did, because I saw you. If you do not believe in mobility among your classes, be happy where you are. If you DO believe in mobility among the classes you have created, that is great, I am estatic that you have that right - just DO NOT expect me to spend my way into your poorest class so that you can move up the the top 1% - it just ain't the thing to do. And don't expect those in the 1% class to have to move to a class below you because they ain't going to like that either. SEE you really are not in control of these things and I for ONE do not want you to be.

[-] -1 points by realist123 (58) 12 years ago

They haven't been fighting me. Actually they have been helping me to find the ways of making the system work for me. Just because you are ignorant to what makes this country ACTUALLY tick, doesn't mean that the 1% are waging war. They bank on ignorance to get rich. If you weren't ignorant, they wouldn't be getting rich off you. Try reading some articles, try doing some research. You'll be surprised at what information you NEVER knew.

[-] 1 points by seaglass (671) from Brigantine, NJ 12 years ago

Try not being so F*cking arrogant and condescending asswipe. You don't a friggin thing about me to be making such statements.

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[-] -1 points by ronjj (-241) 12 years ago

What you don't know can kill you or at the very least, make you look pretty dumb.. What you do know should only make you and the world better if you have the insight and common sense to apply it in a positive way.

All of this negativity and victim talk is tending to pull me down and I DO NOT like to be pulled down. Try similing on the way into WALMART next time - it will make them turn the security cameras on you in disbelief and I can get my shoplifting done without interference from some overpaid CEO or somebody else watching me all the time

[-] 1 points by TimMcGraw (50) 12 years ago

Couldn't agree more.

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[-] 0 points by leoneo (76) 12 years ago

After most of what I have read on here, I believe that this group represents anything that may be a hand out to them and thats it.

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[-] 0 points by karenpoore (902) 12 years ago

Good question >>> 50% I doubt it very much if they have 20% approval. Occupiers are creating nothing but resentment and scorn from the majority of Americans who are becoming defensive towards the people of OWS.

[-] 0 points by dalton (111) 12 years ago

DUDE...YOU SAID WHAT THE REST OF THE WORLD IS THINKING! dude...you said what the rest of the world is thinking!

[-] 0 points by ARO228 (2) 12 years ago

Realist123 - thank you so much. You took the words right out of my mouth. I too am one of the 99% that does not agree with this movement. -Gainfully employed because I have skills and am prepared -Happily pay taxes -Haven't utilized government social services I wonder what the percentage of US there are??? By us I mean the 99% non-occupiers.

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