Forum Post: PETITION or Direct Nonviolent Action: We can do this the EASY WAY or the HARD WAY
Posted 11 years ago on Jan. 3, 2013, 10:16 p.m. EST by therising
(6643)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
There is so much we want to change. The options are massive and this movement will take time, patience, energy and the use of a variety of nonviolent tactics. We have to start somewhere this year to continue the momentum. How about this:
Start 2013 with a massive petition. Then move to nonviolent direct action if / when that fails to motivate our leaders.
Think items below won't work? Watch this http://sue-adams.hubpages.com/hub/iceland-shows-how-to-solve-economic-crisis . Think there isn't enough support to make a difference? Think again. Polls from major news outlets in the fall of 2011 showed that 40-50% of Americans supported Occupy Wall Street. Does anyone really think that their frustration with big banks and corporations has diminished in the short time since then? There's a silent majority out there, just waiting for the chance to speak. The petition and actions below might be their chance.
If the petition (Plan A) gets lots of signatures, is submitted, and has, no response, we could then move to the next step (Plan B).
Our leaders can choose the easy way or the hard way. One way or the other, they will respond to the nonviolent will of the people.
PLAN A - THE EASY WAY - Our leaders can respond to the following petition by taking the action specified:
----------------- Petition for Congress -----------------
We the undersigned, hereby petition members of the House and Senate to introduce and successfully pass legislation by December 31, 2013 as follows:
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 THIS REINSTATES MANY PROVISIONS OF THE GLASS-STEAGALL ACT that were repealed in the 90's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act .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.
CONGRESS USE ITS 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 PASS "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.
CONGRESS PASS LEGISLATION ELIMINATING "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.
Or, if our leaders fail to act on the petition as specified, they are, by default, choosing option B.
PLAN B - THE HARD WAY --- Congress can respond to the will of the people who are engaging in nonviolent direct action at their doorstep.
We the people are not 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 may take more than the above petition. It may 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 and ALWAYS NONVIOLENT in our push. Here's what the call to action for one Washington, DC nonviolent protest might look like if our petition above is not acted upon. This is just an example:
If Congress does not successfully pass the legislation described in the above petition by December 31, 2013, we should take the following action in late spring 2014 (provides warm weather & 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 nonviolent 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.
CONGRESS USE ITS 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 PASS "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.
CONGRESS PASS LEGISLATION ELIMINATING "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.
The list of 8 items 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.
PS - Check out the article and short video clip. They'll make your day!: http://occupywallst.org/forum/this-is-fuckin-awesome/
Also: http://occupywallst.org/forum/what-do-you-think-of-the-green-party-and-movetoame/
What works in parliament is a vote of no confidence.
Congress has been travelling with less than 15% approval for so long now, they probably figure it doesn't really matter what they do. Nobody seems game enough to boot the lame arseholes out the door.
In fact, these same unrated arseholes end up on the lobbyist's payroll, after their use-by-date comes up.
And Americans just let this shit continue. Time to agitate, cousins. That's now.
"Why We Can't Shop Our Way to a Better Economy" -
A Must Watch 15m Video by Stacy Mitchell at TEDxDirigo :
Stacy Mitchell is a researcher and writer at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), a national nonprofit organization that challenges corporate consolidation of the economy and champions policies to nurture community-scaled enterprise. Stacy directs two ILSR initiatives on independent business and community banking. Her analysis has helped inspire many grassroots campaigns and provided empirical support for changes to local and state policy.
It is our love for our cousins that motivates us 'B', even if we are scared of them a bit too, lol. Solidarity and I cannot recommend this 15 minute video enough.
per aspera ad astra ...
That was wonderful. It does not surprise me that Vermont has more small businesses per capita than any other state in the country. The locals have a great rep for supporting those businesses too, and not surprisingly there is a real sense of community which i was reminded of last year when Vermont had torrential rains, hence terrible flooding after hurricane Irene.
This vid should be passed around like candy...locally made of course. :-)
~Odin~
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance : http://www.ilsr.org/ & relevant to the subject of the forum-post :
Think Global - Act Local !!! Together We Are Stronger !! Solidarity to you & yours & all your good work !
consilio et animis ...
In a lot ways Vermont is like a laboratory in the way that we want to see this struggle progress. The chief scientist being Bernie Sanders.
I knew that there was a real backlash to austerity measures in Latin America. I don't expect it is any coincidence that some of those countries have stronger trading ties with China. Anyway this helped me understand it better.
~Odin~
"In an increasingly media-driven age, language is everything and is often used by officialdom to tyrannise meaning." from :
"And now they’re coming for your social security. They want your retirement money. They want it back so they can give it to their criminal friends on Wall Street. And you know something? They’ll get it. They’ll get it all sooner or later because they own this place.” [George Carlin, writer, critic & comedian.]
Re. Bernie Sanders : http://occupywallst.org/forum/social-security-is-strong-by-sen-bernie-sanders/ .
pax et lux ...
In the same way that support for our foreign policy is garnered by..... instilling fear in people..... there were a lexicon of catch phrases and buzz words that were instrumental in manipulating people's minds in defeating REAL health-care reform, ie...death panels.... governement take-over.....do you want a bureaucrat to be making decisions about your health-care (?).... oh no I would much prefer a for PROFIT insurance company that is concerned mostly about its bottom line to do that! lol..lol. These mis-representations, which were repeated over and over again, verbadim in some cases emanated from lobbyists who along with politicians were getting big money from insurance companies. And this strategy was designed to scare the dickens out of people, and sadly it worked.
As i have mentioned before, if false catch phrases got us to this unenviable point in our history, honest ones (in the hope that people go on to educate themselves further) can help get us back to some sort of equilibrium.
This short clip below is about a courageous former Cigna executive who knew that: "The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crises, maintain their neutrality." Dante. It's too bad there are not former MIC execs speaking out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv1FwOCNoZ8
~Odin~
"A Time for ‘Sublime Madness’!", by Chris Hedges :
Hedges ends by saying, “'Ultimately, the artist and the revolutionary function as they function, and pay whatever dues they must pay behind it because they are both possessed by a vision, and they do not so much follow this vision as find themselves driven by it,” wrote James Baldwin. “Otherwise, they could never endure, much less embrace, the lives they are compelled to lead.”
Thanx for your great Bill Moyers link which really should shock Americans into thinking just how and for whose benefit their society is being run .. and by who ?!
e tenebris, lux ...
I just returned from a beautiful long day in NYC with Occupy celebrating MLK day. First, The Judson Church in Manhattan. Although it was sponsored by Strike Debt the speeches were mostly about the injusctices that King encountered that are still unresolved, and a vision moving forward (for our struggle) from here....followed by hearty fare, and good conversations.
Then it was off to the wilds of Brooklyn, and St Jacobi Church on the R train, where as I suspected, it was a much more lively gathering. Great speeches in Spanish and English...political rap, soul, and blues music, and many good conversations. If that weren't enough, then we had great viddles...tacos beans, chipped beef, rice, salad etc.... to top it off, followed by cool Aztec dancers who made all of us join in a circle dance. Gee, i love these radicals! ;-)
Healing the divisions that separate us is essential, and this night went a long way in that direction. One speaker said, "Community is unity, and unity is power." Without trying to pat myself on the back, I have said this many times on here 'building community along the way in our struggle is very important to our success.'
If anyone wonders, where religion is in times of great moral crisis, as I often have, they should visit these activist churches where the latter, St Jacobi's was/is very involved in the Sandy relief effort. There were three words in big lettering on a big black-board that i took a picture of, and came to mind when i read the lines in your above Chris Hedges link. First Hedge's lines: "It is only those who can retreat into the imagination, and through their imagination can minister to the suffering of those around them, who uncover the physical and psychological strength to resist."
The words on the black-board were: RECOVER.....REBUILD....RESIST
My spirit grew by leaps and bounds last night shadzy
~Odin~
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Thanks, I definitely was on a high (from life) early this morning when I tapped that out on my LT.
~Odin~
Hey - I may be away from this forum for a bit, but I shall return soon. Involved in some nonviolent change at the local level at the moment and I want to give it my full attention. Talk to you soon.
Let us know what it is, and how it goes...OK?
~Odin~
Resistance Is Fertile !!! Very nice !! I strongly second the comments from 'Builder' and 'therising' here ! Solidarity & one to share with the younglings - your own and your OWS friends :
fiat lux et fiat justitia ...
Thanks a bunch, however I viewed the above link, which i watched in its entirety, as being a curious, tangled mix of truths, half truths, and mistruths that promoted their money making agenda. At the very least, it did not cover the reasons for so many of our problems in education and beyond accurately.
~Odin~
Ran out of space below. Did you see how US Corporations are selling shares of projects to the Chinese and how Chinese Investment have grown into Billions. Obviously, the Chinese Ownership of US Federal Debt give them tons of leverage and a Media Black Out. You guys should read up on this Next Threat.
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/does-china-plan-to-establish-chinese-cities-and-special-economic-zones-all-over-america
I don't mind Individual Chinese Investment... And we have to admit foreign corporations started big investments or corporations in China like in the 19th Century also.
But if you think wages are low now, wait till we start applying for jobs in Chinese corporations in the USA. Foreign Free-Trade Zones seem to give an advantage to Asian or other low wage nations. This seems to be a threat to US Unions and US Wages. We have had off shoring ... next we will have US Executives selling off our Corporations for a "Fat Payday"
What is the Saying, "I won't be here when it Falls". Public and Private Executives have stupidly set us all up for collasping wages... Again.
Our country has been buying up lands in other countries for a long time like China is now, and no doubt we worked with corrupt governments to help them squash their citizen's dissent. It's the new (not that new really) type of Colonialism for them, and for us, we are now getting a taste of what it is like. Wages have either been lowered or stagnant for quite a while in this country, and under the neoliberal policies that we embrace, that will most likely continue....now perhaps with some help from China. Yes it is fucked up.
~Odin~
~Odin~
Yeah, it is turning into a card game. I take some of your cards, you get some of mine. Or maybe like a board game... I get some of your hotels and property you get some of mine. But were the rich guys ... and everyone else has to pay the toll roads we own.
US Empire, yes. Chinese Empire, just starting. They say China was an Inward Looking Nation for the last 200 years mostly. Although it has tried to influence policy in foreign nations, Hegemony.
Now the story is China Ownership In Australia, Africa, I see also in South America, but not sure how much. Ports are very important to the Chinese Strategy.... Boise Idaho being one. Toledo being the Mayors 5 Star Logistic Hub for the USA, so that is another.
I remember my Dad saying saying, "Let China sleep for when She awakens the world will tremble." Napolean China has awoken.
~Odin~
Those words sound like the military influence on Chris Hedges. He has been there for years. He has seen much. He knows the evil. He witnessed the use of the poor or middle class by the bigger powers.
But in military terms... you simplify. Recover, regroup, observe, report, strategize, share your plan, execute the plan.
No doubt that especially Hedges time in Sarajevo during the seige, and his other experiences in crisis situations as a foreign correspondent has influenced his writing. As you implied, how could it not? I think it would be safe to say that anyone who has experienced the horrors of war is never quite the same again.
The military plan that you put forward is much like what Occupy is trying to do now, albeit by peaceful means: "Recover, regroup, observe, report, strategize, share your plan, execute your plan." They are simply searching for a vision, or the most effective way to move forward both strategiacally, and tactically.
~Odin~
hate to bring it up... Vision and being able to share a vision is so important. Spreading a vision. Film in our K-12 schools would be great. Democracy, and the Voice of the people. But it might be like psychological operations. How do you spread the word. How do you spread the message. How can you show the Contrast between people going about their lives as if nothing has happened... and the 2008 Crisis and Rampant Fraud, Collusion, Conspiracy, Abbetting the crimes, Waiving Prosecution, Collective guilt of the executive branch, regulators, and congress.
No, don't tell me. If there is a plan, ... just protect it and keep it secret. Treat it like it is precious. We have to value that which is important.
Those are all good questions that I cannot answer. i expect that the vision forward will be formulated by early spring, and it won't be secretive. While there may be secretive meetings that i am not privvy to, i would expect that to be so, for the good of the movement. I do know that there is much being discussed on university campuses, and other Occupy groups to further this struggle, and hence undoubtedly there will be different ideas, and courses of actions coming from there which I view as a good thing. Will there be a consensus between all these groups? I don't know, maybe a general one.
Showing resistance to the corrupt status quo in a plethora of ways and reaching out to the uninformed will continue to be a winner, no matter what tack forward is chosen as being the best way to go. I have printed out hybrid flyers that I leave off at convenience stores, super-markets, and libraries, have wrote a letter to the editor, participated in numerous protests, am a member of OTS, and engage people in conversations as much as possible. There's more, but you get the idea. This kind of resistance, and more needs to be multiplied. Personally though, I believe, much liike Chris Hedges does, that as in Montreal, and Iceland, until we embolden enough people to realize that doing nothing is not an option, and in unity, there is strength, and eventually to get out in the streets, and demand change. Until then we will never attain the ability to get it....a sea change that is.
~Odin~
Great. That reminds me that elections and national referendums 1) Get people involved 2) Get people to study and discuss issues 3) Create a buzz on all sides and in many institutions.
Some how we have to get back to National Referendums, National Votes on Issues. I think the League of Women Voters used to do this. Like they used to do the Presidential Debates. It is the only way to create a Buzz.
Didn't California have..referendums, too? Anyway we can circumvent the rotten political system to get us to where we need to go, I am all for.
At times, I realize that our struggle seems futile, but it is not. We have opened a can of worms here, and the lid will never go back on. We also cannot underestimate the power of exponential growth in this movement. While i do not pretend to understand the mathematical concept of EG, it is basically in our case, the enlightenment of a few people who go on to enlighten more people, who.....etc., etc. Many small businesses grow in this fashion, and this movement has a great opportunity with all the discontented people in this country that have been hurt unjustifiably
The resistance that the corrupt elite will experience will come in a multitude of ways from people who know that there is no turning back if we value our future, our children's, and grand-children's futures..
~Odin~
Thanks for the heart-felt report, Odin.
Good to hear things are moving forward.
You're welcome. I always try to be honest, and never want anyone to think that I am doing that much because I'm not compared to so many other people who are carrying the real load in our struggle, and who have suffered far more than I have.. These people really energize me. It's a problem tho 'cause it's 5 am here. I gotta go to sleep. Good night...err morning.
~Odin~
Good morning. Sleep well.
If it was 5 am here, it would be daylight.
Thanks, I did, like a log, sleep that is. In Alaska there is tons of daylight in the summer, and not much in the winter. Hence people load up on vitamin D in the winter. The further north, the more acute it is. I don't remember anything unusual to me when I was in Oz all those years ago, but that was in your spring. The one saving grace in Alaska that people play up for psychological reasons maybe is, on the first day of winter, you start gaining light. When are you leaving on your adventure?
~Odin~
Yeah, Lake Baikal, but I really need to test my gear in some really cold weather here before even considering that trip. Minus 40 is gonna take some getting used to. I've been in minus 5, but that's overnite temps only.
Keeping your face/head, and extremities warm is most important. In the interior of Alaska, it often gets down to minus 45 F, and a lot lower. Fairbanks is often one of the warmest places in the summer, when it can get into the mid 90s F, and one of the coldest in the winter, -50 F and lower. There are many things that cause these different climates in AK, including mountain ranges, glaciers, sea currents, and desert climates which Fairbanks has.
Many people there swear by these white rubber boots called 'bunny boots' to keep their feet warm. These heavy rubber boots have several layers of insulation in them as i saw with one boot that they had sliced open for display, and they were originally made for the military by several different companies in the US....that doesn't happen much..., and you see many people who work outside wearing them. Another guy though said there are better boots available today. I'm not so sure though. I bet there are places in Melbourne that sell good cold weather gear as some of the expeditions to the Antartica leave from there, I believe, as is the case with Christchurch in NZ. In any event this is no time to worry about supporting local busiesses, or made in OZ boots.. Go for the best.
At around minus 40 F, you can throw a pint of liquid into the air, and it will vaporize befor hitting the ground.
Most people who work in the extreme cold also wear mittens as opposed to gloves, although it is obviously more difficult to perform simple tasks, they will keep your hands/fingers warmer. A good pair can cost $100 or so. I'll look for a link on those boots
~Odin~
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_boots
One more thing, these boots usually run a size or two big, so if your size 11 US, you would probably need a sized 9 or 10
Not leaving for a while yet. It's still high summer here, and the place I was heading to suffered some severe fires, so I'm hanging until mid-Feb.
Alaska is on my bucket list. Hope it's still worth a visit then.
Bucket list? AK still should be well worth a visit, as 'they' do not have enough time to fuck it up, but only because it is so big. Baikul Lake, right?
~Odin~
GR8 Quote = “'Ultimately, the artist and the revolutionary function as they function, and pay whatever dues they must pay behind it because they are both possessed by a vision, and they do not so much follow this vision as find themselves driven by it,”
Thanks.
Cool + "A Li'l Book of Ideas" : http://issuu.com/occupylondon/docs/occupy_little_book_of_ideas/1 .
pax, lux et justitia ...
I've seen that - good effort - good to post/share/circulate. As we may have been at this for just over a year now - but not everyone has seen all of the good information - or sadly any of it - YET.
I agree & on this day of all days, I also append :
"Obama's presidency has nothing to do with the legacy of King, it's actually the opposite."
Did you see the speech today? Sounded like it was crafted for presentation to OWS/Occupy groups all individuals who are not happy with government.
Re. 'Oblah-blah's speech', I saw some 'highlights' on the news and it was chock full of glib platitudes and nebulous aspirations to vague good intentions - a syrupy, sugar coated bitter pill and all round bunch of crap. Americans would be better off reading - this for example :
respice, adspice, prospice ...
Re. 'the speech'
Yep - pretty much to this very point in time - a huge and steaming pile of . . . hypocrisy.
Gotta give him credit though - I don't think I caught him smirking - there was a fleeting possible at one point - but nothing that you could really point to and say - There There........................
Glad this was on Ted. Willl definitely check it out tonight.
I have sent this video to tons of people and they all love it.
have you seen this one I did a post on it long ago,
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/marcin_jakubowski.html
Experts say that because the ratings have been so poor for so long, members are no longer fazed by the public's overall disapproval. They note that the lambasting of Congress as a whole has minimal effects on individual races, especially when candidates run against the status quo of the very body they're trying to join. Some 90 percent of lawmakers who ran for re-election in 2012 will be coming right back to Capitol Hill for the 113th Congress. "Nobody ever votes on Congress as a whole, they vote on individual members," says Jack Pitney, professor at Claremont McKenna College in California. "The message that most lawmakers give their constituents is 'I'm great, it's these other bozos who are the problem.'"
http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/03/16309992-unloved-for-so-long-congress-not-fazed-by-publics-disapproval?lite
Do you have any thoughts on what we can do to correct this?
Unfortunately, they gerrymander safe seats.
Maybe letters to editor of local papers, from people who live in the local. Enjoin area university students
Mass em migration out of country.
Where would you go if you left the country?
South.
Sounds warm. Well, don't leave yet. The "fun" is just beginning.
All great ideas. I especially like the engaging the student part. So key.
That is rather frustrating that people lobe their member of congress bu hate the congress.
Love Hate so strange and yet so fitting in some regards.
Sometimes I wonder what Senator John F Kennedy, Senator Robert Byrd, Martin L King, Jr. And Edward R Murrow would say if they were all sitting down to dinner and proceeded to discuss the current state of affairs.
How else do we change this?
Well, if the press wasn't largely owned by corporations, the people could get informed more easily.
Yes, the time for nonviolent direct action of all minds has arrived. I think if we begin with the petition, we can gather enough support for the nonviolent direct action. Using the timetable below, Senators and House members also can't claim they didn't know what the people wanted or claim that they didn't have enough time to act.
The list of 8 items 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.
I think the article and video at this link shows that we can do this: http://sue-adams.hubpages.com/hub/iceland-shows-how-to-solve-economic-crisis .
If they can do it, why can't we!? :)
I highly recommend your link above ; commend your forum-post here and draw your attention to the 15m video copied above to 'Builder'. You will get it immediately.
multum in parvo ...
Great video. Most informative.
Thanks Shadz. I'll definitely check it out! Cheers. :)
What about a third way? I have found changing the minds of those hopelessly addicted to the system to be an up-hill battle,. They will come around when the system inevitably stops working for them, till then, just leave them be, and begin to build the systems we want going forward.
Forget the broken political systems,. reform is also a fiction, this system is non-responsive to all but he 1%. Instead create local collectives and work together with those of like mind in your own area. Start with the basics, food, shelter, energy. Look for ways to own your own home/land, work with local food growers and support them (buy your food from them and help them as you can). Get off-grid or develop local renewable/sustainable energy strategies,. create community and work with others, always expanding the connections. Network world wide.
Degrowth, Relocalize, Permaculture, Slow Money,. etc.
The solutions already are in play, support and adopt them! Some people are always there first, just look for those using best practices and get on board,. or create new systems where you find others lacking. We can do this.
Very persuasive and well said. We all need to better understand what you're saying here including myself. Are there a few key links that you can offer on some of the thing you touched on here?
Thanks, try these;
http://www.postcarbon.org/
http://prosperouswaydown.com/
http://www.growthbusters.org/
http://degrowthpedia.org/
http://go.coop/
http://www.bioneers.org/
http://opensourceecology.org/
http://www.interdependentproject.org/ecovillage.htm
http://www.permaculture-media-download.com/
http://theurbanfarmer.ca/
I have a huge list of resources, I will eventually organize and publish, but you can easily find most of it by simply searching the terms I keep posting!
Would be great if you posted something here that lists all the great links that relate so more people get to go through this stuff. Yours are powerful links that change minds.
Thanks. I'm digging into these links - and looking also at degrowth, relocalize, permaculture, slow money - good stuff. Lots to study.
Any especially good documentaries that you know of????
I really like this TED speech which relates bigtime. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6rAgHcuYtE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Very good video, most TEDs are essential viewing! She points out that the current situation is not the produce of an evolutionary process, "its the logical outcome of a set of policies"! So true,. we can change all this,. we must.
So true. Hope you don't mind that I quoted some of your comments and links over here: http://occupywallst.org/forum/a-new-perspective-on-occupy-and-the-american-publi/
Of course not, that is why I post stuff, for people to use!
Nice post btw, I especially like the point that; we do better to take a "yes. . . and" approach. I first herd this term from comedian's who practice improve, and that makes sense, we need to improvise our way forward so a "yes. . . and" mind set is what we need!
The more I look at all this, the more I am convinced that what we're talking about is a revolution of the MIND...And I think we're closer than we think to beating this dilemma and kicking this revolution into hi gear. . . http://www.occupywallst.org/forum/are-you-as-pissed-off-as-i-am-tired-of-the-stagnat/
We can do this the easy way or the hard way...
These are some well thought out ideas. All of the legislation is a part of much needed reform. We could find infrastructural renewal and restructuring revenue from 4, 5, and 6.
Sorry, about not getting back to you about there being a separation in reality. I'll write in the forum about it later. My internet was down and life was just being life. Best regards.
Question: What is the nature of Tension that Legislators will feel if it is the Hard way?
1) Grand Parents & Parents calling Washington DC asking for action so that kids can come home, while kids call on their cell phones from tents & protests.
2) Press photos nationally and Internationally published showing protestors, protest conditions, health problems, and any destruction & crime, and any damage to parks due to camping.
3) Increased Internet & Media stories on corruption by the US government,,,.... and reasons for lower ratings on US Treasuries and US Financial Instruments, and increased risk to corporate profits, corporate tax rate, possible tax rate increases, ... in other words publishing reasons for finanical risk to investing in the USA.
4) Attension to Mortgage Risk in the USA.
5) Attension to Ratings of corporations and Finanical Instruments in the USA.
6) Attension to possible Tax Increases and Increases to payment liabilities for Social Program Payroll deductions through Payroll decutions.
7) Attension to Liability of State & Municipal Retirement & Pension Funds... which are under funded, and sometime provide huge expensive benefits which maybe impossible to pay.
8) Attension to Liability & Shrinking tax revenue of US Municipalities ... like in Municipal Bonds.
9) Attension to Public Private Partnerships, municpal, state, or federal ones ... which provide benefit to just certain businesses and which risk liabilities for municpal, state, or federal contracts on voter/taxpayers.
10) Attension to Tax Abatement Programs at State or Federal Level ... in the case of Global Giant corporations.
11) Attension to decreasing health standards that benefit corporations ... while at the same time damage the agricultural environment ...and delay any real clean up of soil, water, or air.
12) Attension to toxins in the human body.
13) Attension to loss of minerals in US Produce while disease increases without much investigation or concern... indications that big Agriculture is given carte blanc.
14) Attension to Police Raids on Small Farms ... who compete against giant corporations with governments ear. When in fact small farms produce higher quality.
15) Attension to the Sham Contract by DOE to Solendra for $100s of millions of dollars to a company that made only $100 Million in 2009 and $140 Million in 2010. The failure may result in the repeal of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (as amended by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act).[21] This careless contract failure plays into Republican and Tea party hands.
16) Attension to money in Politics, Cost of Campaigns & TV Ads, as well as Lobbying by wealthy Interests.
17) Attension to decreasing US Federal tax Revenues - they must be decreasing the economy has slowed down, and tax give-ways are still de rigor.
18) Attension to War and DoD spending over $4 Trillion since 2001. Which make the US Currency and Investments Weaker. In fact for 11 years 2001-2011, my numbers reflect total outlay of $5.5 Trillion for DOD. What you want Job Training?
19) Job Training is the only part of the Federal budget that has really been collasped. Job training in 2011 is $4.5 Billion dollars, Less than the total in 1998 $4.6 Billion (Department of Labor).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solyndra
I think the tension legislators with feel if we do this the hard way, first of all, is the tension of they and their staff not being able to get past the nonviolent protests in order to get to their offices. They would essentially feel the tension of patriotic peaceful Americans interrupting business as usual in a way that is a national and world headline. 800,000 people peacefully gathered and nonviolently blocking the entrances to the Capitol complex in DC is a huge news story. And with that news story, comes questions about why people are doing this. And when people answer the why and list the 8 things and explain that Congress didn't respond to the easy way (petition w/ millions of signatures, letters etc), it will be clear to those watching that:
A) The 8 legislative demands are actually common sense and have wide support among American public
B). Those who are here protesting nonviolently are doing so because they tried the easy way and it didn't work -- They're here because their voices weren't being heard at all.
Then you have yourself a virtuous cycle and people are openly debating the list of 8 around water coolers, break rooms and senior centers. These folks who are paying attention VOTE and, the last time I checked, 99 votes for a politician beats 1 vote for a politician and a politician is likely to start paying attention to those who are getting him or her elected (just like they do now in a different way).
People get that money has corrupted politics and this will bring endless discussion of that. It will begin to unify the 99%. And because of that "pesky 1 person 1 vote thing" that that senior Citibank analyst was lamenting a few years back, for every one vote the powerful corporatists have, there are 99 for the people.
I like those odds.
Always useful to me to read your words. I have certain weaknesses in my character as everyone does... You know I've never protested and seem to be more of a retiring internet computer geek. Perhaps my strength will show itself in writing at some point in my life.
I gravitate toward exposure through ads or writing articles. Perhaps my vision of power is through exposure in writing. But clearly the Vietnam War, Civil RIghts, Black Voting were all accomplished by Protests. Clearly worker rights were all accomplished by protest.
BTW is there a tunnel entrance to the Capital Building and is it connvient for congress to use?
How long do you think it will take to build the support necessary for such a nonviolent action?
Trying to remember the American Revolution, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution#Controversial_British_legislation
Looks like 1733 was the first controversial British Legislation. BUT, has the character of the people in the US changed?
I think we are more sophisticated, but we are more indoctinated also. We have a sulture of spectacle, escapism, distraction. I'm unqualified to answer. Chris Hedges says maybe 10 years, maybe days, no one ever knows...
Do you see people changed by emotional events. Based on Chris Hedges Video on CSPAN that I watched before the release of his latest book... Our leaders are controlling us through our emotions. Just look at the theater that was 9-11. Boom, war, war, Patriot act, NDAA, you are either with us or you are with the Terrorist, ... Amber conditions, red conditions, TSA in the Airports, ...
The Leaders of the USA have us under control. They are winning. They control the narrative and the message, they simplify, and they limit the information and control the news cycle and news scope.
It dont look good from over here. I'd say 10 years. Europe is in the same situation with their deflation of currency and mounting debt and ... lack of jobs. I'd say it will take 4 years for a clear winner to emerge that will be ... say like brazil. Brazil could emerge and make US Conservatives get angry for being so weak economically.
Aside from emotional events, a ccountry that emerges as a winner produces a contrast to US Financial Management and US Exports and US Industry. Contrast put something in the face of rich and comfortable US business and miliary people (conservatives).
There has been no change in teh Presidency. The admin has sheltered the banks and has given them the keys to the executive washroom. It is a Puppet administration.
So what is your recommended course of action?
Take care of you family and community. Lead by example of how to build relationships in your community & how to spread strong relationships. Keep doing what you are doing everyday, TR.
Every man has to find his own way. I'm sure you are doing the right things. My life is a little out of balance. I have to build relations and family on a basic level before I will grow much more.
Great points. And I think we could all better achieve that balance you speak of.
Thanks for being here ...and for the appreciation.
Cheers
I wouldn't get into any detailed planning on this forum and I wouldn't ever begin to think of myself as one of the physical organizers, but I will say this: the absolute key is that the protesters need to be 100% committed to nonviolence in every nonviolent action we participate in. I think we need to go through a lot of the steps that both King and Gandhi specified prior to any significant protest. If you read their work, you'll find that they suggested going to a process wherein you get your motivation straight and make sure you are focused on positive action that is based on kindness and love.
One important thing to remember is that, although protesters have been and will be criticized for being unpatriotic or un-American, the truth is our country was founded on a revolution and occupy protesters and others like them are the real patriots because it is they that want to restore the rule of law. See this awesome Chris Hedges interview on national news to see how he puts it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAhHPIuTQ5k&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Also this interview with great person in Iceland: http://sue-adams.hubpages.com/hub/iceland-shows-how-to-solve-economic-crisis
If Icelanders can take their government back, why can't we?
It all comes down to the will of the people.
Would a few strong leaders give the people the will they need, inspire them?
Or does the general populace have to become more engaged in order to create the types of leaders needed?
I will I definitely think it is the entire population, or a larger part of it, that needs to awaken to reality and once they do there will be no stopping us. What those who are awake and get this stuff (millions of us in America realize that corporations own both political parties and the 1% have the system rigged etc) ) can do is speak up in personal conversation and push on nonviolent direct action to raise awareness. Then the silent majority that is out there has the confidence and courage to break the taboo of speaking up and say that the emperor has no clothes. :-)
The easy way for us is to just remove from washington DC it is not even in our United States and was created to keep the first soldiers from getting paid (I think civil war). We can make it all fresh instead of fixing this mess.
Well, maybe that's true. But why can't we do what's recommended in this post while also working long term towards fundamental shift? Wouldn't fundamental shift be easier -- wouldn't we buy ourselves some time and breathing room and help a whole lot of people on the ground and the environment if we took care of these 8 small things in the short term? How does taking steps A and B above in any way interfere with also working on fundamental shift?
This is all gReat, but might be hard for them to accept that one.
What can we do. Ho---land secureetiy will mobilize against demonstrations. They too learned from Iceland.
What can we do for tension, but not antagonize, but encourage inclusivity, problem solving positivity, and not backward looking finger pointing, however well deserved?
In 60s they had freedom buses, woodstock, open minds and love? (wasn't it some of the reactionary violence, including church bombing in which kids lost lives) and other that got populace to accept civil rights.
I understand what you're saying, but not sure what you're getting at?
In light of tactics like these, where your putting you neck on the line
Where the state can go rogue, it could be challenging here in usa to get many to join in protest. Everyday people don't commonly protest in USA, Its not in their character, like in Spain, France, Greece.
Could we rally any pressure?
First get the people behind the ideas in the petition, and signed on to it. But problem is common ignorance of the people, in the United States of Amnesia.
Actually, polls from major news outlets in the fall of 2011 showed that 40-50% of Americans supported Occupy Wall Street. Does anyone really think that their frustration with big banks and corporations has diminished in the short time since then? There is a silent majority out there, just waiting for an opportunity to speak.
They agree with the message on 1 percent, housing crisis, bank bailouts, and very frustrated with duopoly, waste of governmental and environmental resources, oil spills, and inability to pay bills, health care needs.
They liked Ows was trying to discuss these, before they were repressed.
They would probably also like non corporate news. And ability to speak.
How about good old pamphlets outlining all this, that we could distribute home to home, to every house., that would have the 8 petitions and where to cast their opinion, and so results go to news and politicians, who will hear the silent majority.
Then we will have pressure of the people. May even get some non voters to speak up more.
Also, a place for a neighborhood discussion of these issues.
And if there is a way to get energy of young adults, high school involved, that's when there minds are open, and they can still see a bit of reality, and question the world.
I agree wholeheartedly. Face to face makes a big difference. Good idea.
How about an awareness campaign. People I know continue asking what is up with Occupy and although it is my life I find it a challenge to answer. We need fresh things using words differently than has been recently abused. Plenty of study and research under my belt for exactly such or any better. LOVIN' YOU ALL
What do you have in mind?
Right now would be good to make something official as in; if someone were to second a motion(which follows) it would be good. ALL THE AUTHORITY WE NEED TO PROCEED IN ANY WAYS WE SEE FIT. The Department of Liberty is the motion. Happily in Pursuit of Defining America - More to follow before I am cutoff again...
But what specifically do you recommend?
I recommend someone second the motion of making an official dept as put on floor(so to speak) and therefore making forward motion actualized and Extra Legals make it so. Liberty is near to Universal Law and that is Freedom. A living definition for We live in happy pursuit doing just that and it is requested I appeal to you people.
I have no idea what you're talking about
why not just go to Gandhigiri and skip over the petition?
I like the idea of giving them a chance first so they can't claim they didn't know or there wasn't enough time. I like being reasonable because it's easier to attract broad support when you come across as reasonable, even if the ideas are radical relatively speaking (compared to status quo.
Non-cooperation with evil, is as much a duty as cooperation with good.
Radical ideas are best implemented at the individual level. The focus instead of convincing, should be educating. Only I can change my self, but I can try to educate others to come to thier conclusion.
Self-realization is better than no realization. It may time, but i beleive that it is the correct way to go about it.
Maybe it could happen at individual and community level...
Yes, but it should not be done at the expense of any individual. In other wise the community of individuals should all individually be willing to consent to the action.
Otherwise action should be done at the individual level, which is far more efficiant.
It seems to me one could support both. That's what happened during the civil rights movement.
Martin Luther King JR. was doing his own thing. He wanted everyone else to come to the same realization that he had, he didnt want followers, he wanted people to take charge of themselves.
The only thing missing is this legal process. Basically DEMANDS FOR CONGRESS THAT THEY WILL NEVER ACT ON ~ At Article V, through the states, the people WILL act to amend and correct THEN prevent any such abuses of power again by purifying congress to continue with its duty as follows.
(With that formal and the peoples focus on constitutional intent in their states, demands will be met with preparatory amendment first and foremost assuring Article V is conducted properly.)
Article V.... Isn't that what ALEC is advocating?
alec wants an unconstitutional convention. Here is how to prove it.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/action-petition-alec-to-make-a-statement-about-the/
If they do not respond, then they are promoting an unconstitutional convention because they have no interest in constitutional intent. An Article V convention cannot amend anything without that.
Preparatory Amendment for Article V is very reasonable. It is logical to prepare large groups of people for decision making events, period.
Keep in mind that Preparatory Amendment will on its own completely change conditions. Even "1)Ending the abridging of free speech" will have profound impacts on its own. Those impacts will express through the benefits of "3) Secured voting", In that environment, the effect of "2)Campaign finance reform" may not even be needed because of inherent reforms in the elections commission after 1) has its effect.
Think about it~would any of these things be happening if people knew what was going on?
Some of the list of 8 demands might be automatically corrected simply by undoing bogus, unconstitutional policy that have been proffered and accepted by collusive corporate/government operations for decades.
Article V is the only possible way to deal with corporate personhood as well as the GATT & NAFTA treaties by the wto. Again 1) in preparation deals with soooooooo much that a lot of this will be far easier to evaluate after we start.
You have shit 4 brains.
The nwo loves you for saying that. Article V is the only thing that can stop them.
Move to Amend - you stupid shit for brains harpy.
Congress has no duty to even acknowledge the petition. If States are not submitting proposals, forget it even being discussed.
No different then what you suggest - only this shows who is standing in the way - without inviting a total rewrite that disregards the people..
Why, yes. Yes, it is. Odd that.
Sure is. Hmmm.
I second that emotion.
That reminds me of a great song (lyrics copied below for your convenience). Unfortunately the state legislators are offering a "lifetime of devotion" to corporations rather than the PEOPLE those legislators are supposed to represent. note the last line of lyrics referring to breaking the rules...
Maybe you want to give me kisses sweet But only for one night with no repeat Maybe you'd go away and never call And a taste of honey is worse than none at all (oh little girl)
(chorus) Oh little girl in that case I don't want no part I do believe that that would only break my heart Oh, but if you feel like loving me if you got the notion I second that emotion Said, if you feel like giving me a lifetime of devotion I second that emotion
Maybe you think that love would tie you down You ain't got the time to hang around [- From: http://www.elyrics.net -] Maybe you think that love was made for fools So it makes you wise to break the rules
(chorus)
Maybe you want to give me kisses sweet But only for one night with no repeat Maybe you'd go away and never call And a taste of honey is worse than none at all (oh little girl)
(chorus)
Maybe you think that love would tie you down You ain't got the time to hang around Maybe you think that love was made for fools So it makes you wise to break the rules
Thanks. Good to know that I butchered the lyrics last night. The last line is perfect.
ALEC ???
Yes, test them.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/action-petition-alec-to-make-a-statement-about-the/
Sign the petition. Prove they have no interest in constitutional intent.