Forum Post: We DO Need A Declaration, But of Injuries, NOT Demands

We need to approach this as a patient would approach a doctor. It is our job to put the major problems facing this country, such as income inequality and corrupt political financing, on the table. We need to force those problems into America's political discourse.

But we are citizens demanding redress, NOT demanding specific action. It is up to our elected leaders, our doctors if you will, to do what we pay them so well to do, come up with the solutions, or cures, that address OUR concerns rather than the concerns of those who line the politicians' pockets.

In line with the above, our list should be a short one, three or four items at most, and should adduce each major symptom for which we demand our elected leaders formulate a cure.

My list below is merely an example of how the list could be framed. The list that finally emerges from OWS's General Assemblies could end up being quite different. But I hope that, regardless of its specifics, the list that is finally produced by OWS will NOT include any legislative proposals. To do so would open us to the trap of becoming wedded to a particular ideology, left or right as the case may be. And that would be the kiss of death for this movement.

Without further ado, here's that sample list:

1. Wages have not kept pace with productivity. Fix this.
2. Politicians spend too much time needing to raise money and to schmooze the deep pockets. Fix this.
3. Too many people live in a perpetual state of job insecurity because staff jobs have been replaced by temporary jobs. Fix this.
4. Politicians are incentivized to stroke their base rather than provide politically risky and courageous leadership. Fix this.

Let me make it clear again, the above list is presented AS AN EXAMPLE ONLY of a short pithy list of injuries or grievances. I have presented it as an illustration of an approach which would put national SYMPTOMS on the table, rather than coming up with a specific CURE for each symptom on the table. The responsibility for doing the latter lies with those who would dare to assume the mantle of political leadership.

To sum up, the legitimate purpose of the Occupy movement is to put ignored and critical concerns back onto America's political table. Its purpose is NOT to function as a competing legislature of some sort, and my hope is that my proposal threads the needle between self-defeating "silver bullet" proposals on the one hand and complete incoherence on the other.

I hope I've helped our process, and thank you for your attention.

We are the 99%!