Forum Post: We Need The 99 Declaration For A Constitutional Convention! It's On Line, Please Sign Now!
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 26, 2011, 10:29 a.m. EST by Innervision
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I was sent this link last night and I signed up this morning. This is a great , Declaration, very detailed and organized. It addresses the biggest problems with our democracy.
I'm going to switch my efforts from the OWS, to the 99 Declaration for a Constitutional Convention.
Finally, There is a positive movement ,with clear direction,and organization, that we the people can join!
yeah, great idea let's open up the entire Constitution for revision while the billionaires and the mega corporations have all the power in America. You're a genius.
It's not the entire Constitution, go read it before you make a snap judgement. Why is there so much sarcasm and hostility in the OWS?
The Declaration is calling for a National General Assembly to prepare a list of grievances. I don't understand what you mean by Constitution
It is within the constitution to call a National Assembly....Sorry, poor wording on my part
oh, i didn't know that (great to see people learning from each other!) I assumed the call for a NGA fell under the 1st Amendment right to peaceably assemble ( and petition for redress!)
Isn't the first amendment, within the constitution?
Geno52 - what do you propose instead?
I hear the call for a Constitutional Convenvention coming most loudly from the conservative right, especially the tea party. These people seem to think they can rewrite sections of the Constitution democratically. However, given the lop-sided balance of power in America today I see the 1% pouring their considerable resources into the debate to steer public opinion. We need to level the playing field by reforming campaign finance, election rules, and who controls the media. We need to break up the banks and rein in corporate power in America before we can trust that Constitutional reform can be achieved democratically and fairly by wide ranging revision. Perhaps I should read the Declaration but the link was not provided. I addressed my admitted and , perhaps, regretted sarcasm to the generic call for a Constitutional Convention.
The Declaration is calling for a National General Assembly to prepare a list of grievances. If Citizens United is put on the final list, one option the government has to deal with the grievance is to write an amendment.
If OWs could discuss strategy they would learn away to negate that. Otherwise, I doubt an Article 5 will make things any worse.
we have dozens of disasterous problems - jobs - taxes - environment - healthcare - politics. The senate is dead with a 40% block. All of us have been in OWS meetings and seen the havoc that a tiny minority can cause to any progress. Given a stable, prosperous, co-operative nation with everyone working in the same direction - a convention - given 3-5 years - might improve things.
I am not a conspiracy nut, but I would seriously consider that the movement for a convention is the most obvious move to
1) block ANY OWS progress for years 2) ensure Citizens United money maximizes its investments
In my opinion, OWS blocks it's own progress by being so disorganized. Before you judge the 99 Declaration, go read it!
Yes, this constitutional convention thing is a trap that would destroy OW.
Hmmmm, seems all of those problems are due to an unconstitutional government.
--That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
But the OWS guidence system is exactly as you say, so not going to adapt to use of the law, or much else. However, the demands of OWS are right on! They have no strategy to gain the authority to meet any.
Those facts don't prevent the rest of the population from recognizing the demands are real, then basing strategy in law and common sense and do it in defense of the constitution because it is under attack.
Congress has been violating the constitution and their oat for 100 years avoiding an Article 5 convention. They enabled the very serious problems we have.
Because Article 5, a codification of what is said in the Declaration of Independence, can be used to amend the consitution without congress being involved, when 3/4 of the states are ratifying. The mechanism technically is not slow, IF states legislators are active with constitutional enforcement.
Now it comes to finding who understands that protests need to be organized upon states legislatures. They need to understand some legal aspects too. Here is a letter template, resolution form that can be sent to state legislatures asking them to work for an article V convention.
http://articlevconvention.org/showthread.php?10-Templates-Letter-to-State-Representatives-request-for-house-resolution
This is a letter that actually cites the violations of law that congress is conducting at this moment having neglected, non feased and mal feased for so long we are seriously needing to engage remedy. This could be legitimately be used to Occupy Congress in constructive notice.
http://articlevconvention.org/showthread.php?3-Letter-to-your-Representatives
Article 5 is our first and last constitutional right. If we don't use it now, we will not have any rights.
Very interesting, how does this fit in with item #2 on the list of the 99% Declaration? I'm asking because i don't know anything about the amendment process but like seeing that everyone backing the Declaration accepts that A5 is what it might take to undo CU. thx
Do you mean,
II. Meeting of the National General Assembly and Approval of a Petition for a Redress of Grievances:
If so, I do not know. No one from OWS has discussed it or item #2.
Article 5 is definitly the only way to gain the authority needed and that fact that congress has been violating the constitution and their oath for over 100 years shows how important evading it is to the elite.
Item #2 on the suggested list of grievances section IV:
". Abrogation of the "Citizens United" Case. The immediate abrogation, even if it requires a Constitutional Amendment, of the outrageous and anti-democratic Supreme Court holding in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. This heinous decision proclaimed by the United States Supreme Court in 2010 equates the payment of money to politicians by corporations, wealthy individuals and unions with the exercise of protected free speech. We, the 99% of the American People, demand that institutional bribery never again be deemed protected free speech.
Article 5 fits very well, as probably the only possible way to reverse "Citizens United". Consider this. The supreme court would not have done such an onerous thing IF they thought they it would be reversed. Judges hate reversals of their decisions more than anything. Meaning they are not going to and Congress will not either.
"Citizens United" would probably be the one thing I would say could be amended to effect reversal and prohibit such in the future without any public deliberation. It is a s heinous decision, and that is obvious to anyone. Other issues will require considerable information and deliberation, and the public has neither a way to deliberate or info to do it with. Therein is the reason I know the 1st amendment must be revised as this sttrategy defines.
http://algoxy.com/ows/strategyofamerica.html
http://algoxy.com/poly/article_v_convention.html
I suggest you read this and watch the video.
It appears Congress has quite a history of avoiding Article 5.
Yes, I authored that page so I know. There are 2 actiions from here.
1)Put Congress on notice that the 99% believe and can show they must immediately call for the covening of delegates fromthe states for an article 5 convention.
This is a letter that actually cites the violations of law that congress is conducting at this moment having neglected, non feased and mal feased for so long we are seriously needing to engage remedy. This could be legitimately be used to Occupy Congress in constructive notice.
http://articlevconvention.org/showthread.php?3-Letter-to-your-Representatives
Now it comes to finding who understands that protests need to be organized upon states legislatures. They need to understand some legal aspects too. Here is a letter template, resolution form that can be sent to state legislatures asking them to work for an article V convention.
http://articlevconvention.org/showthread.php?10-Templates-Letter-to-State-Representatives-request-for-house-resolution
Article 5 is our first and last constitutional right. If we don't use it now, we will not have any righ
I've simply been posting this and sending to people to try to get some awareness going on this issue.
I was in a hurry and posted under the wrong one, I'm sorry...didn't mean to rain on a parade.
The National General Assembly proposed in the Declaration gives everyone a way to discuss the issues at the local level (I call them District GA"s) and the delegates take it to the NGA. The Declaration is not suggesting a change to the 1st Amendment, it is simply employing the rights defined in the 1st, the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
https://sites.google.com/site/the99percentdeclaration/
PETITION FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES
Consider that it has no teeth. It says, "Complain all you want." Article 5 can ratify amendments without congresses involvement.
Congress has shown me that they are not going to act constitutionally. We need to put them on notice that they must begin to convene delegates for an article 5 convention. The 1st amendment is inadequate, proven so. Speech vital for survival cannot be shared and understood. These are facts I have seriously tested and have pages showing the abridgements that are not obvious allready.
Lessig power point on article V http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gpbfY-atMk
Lots of facts here about Article V. http://algoxy.com/poly/article_v_convention.html
Article V conference, Lawrence Lessig at harvard 9/25/11-other attendee video comments http://vimeo.com/31464745
The co-author of the Declaration and LL are hoping to appear together on MSNBC, on the same team.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/update-on-the-99-declaration-and-the-national-gene/
Excellent. Hopefully the co author can communicate to the author what Lessig will share is that a grievance relating to the failure of congress to call an article 5 convention years ago needs to be articulated. All other grievances can be dealt with inside of the article 5.
I am out of my depth here but I would like to say that the teaming up of L Lessig (Article V proponents) and the working group on the 99% Declaration (Petition for redress proponents) should drive home the point that the two camps are able to work together to achieve a common goal. Maybe soon the 99% will be able to work together with the 1%. THAT will put America back to work. Farewell...
There's not much case for mandatory action with anything but article 5, our first and last constitutional right. It is a political mechansim fully defined and in place for 235 years, with the ultimate power over the principles of the constitution. Declarations can be used inside that to articulate mass agreement as they are made.
Wish you people woke up. Although I agree that the first amendment gives you the right to address the criminality going on in government, WE ARE NOT A DEMOCRACY!
We are a Constitutional Republic.
The problem is that your representatives are violating their oath to OBEY an protect the Constitution and most are in the employ of the banksters and big corporate monopolies that bribe them with their special interests funding.
As long as these traitors are not impeached and the criminals on both sides of the bribes are not prosecuted, this crap will continue. Don't blame the Constitution for your representative's misbehavior.... that's YOUR JOB!
http://www.constitutionattacked.com
This is why we need a Constitutional convention.
P. S. You might want to lighten up on attacking someone in your very first sentence. We have become a very rude society which doesn't help us, it only hurts us by causing more division.
We need to be realistic & pick an issue that is simple - that is popular -
that 83% of Americans already agree on -
that will bring together the people in OWS with the people outside of OWS.
Everybody wins! Our only goal should be to pass a constitutional amendment to counter Supreme Court decisions Citizens United, that enable unlimited amounts of anonymous money to flood into our political system. We don’t have to explain or persuade people to accept our position – we have to persuade them to ACT based on their own position. Pursuing this goal will prove to the world that we, at OWS, are a serious realistic Movement, with serious realistic goals. Achieving this goal will make virtually every other goal – jobs, taxes, infrastructure, Medicare – much easier to achieve –
by disarming our greatest enemy – GREED.
What do we want? Look at that almost endless list of OWS demands – goals - aims.
Tax the rich. End the Fed. Jobs for all, Medicare for all. So easy to state! Can you imagine how hard it would be to formulate a “sales pitch” for any of these to convince your Republican friends to vote for any of them? 83% of Americans have ALREADY “voted” against CU. All we have to do ask Americans is to pressure their representatives – by letters - emails – petitions.
I feel that using the tactics of the NRA, the AARP an the TP – who all represent a minority – who have successfully used their voting power to achieve their minority goals - is a straight path for us to success that cannot fail to enable us to create and complete one MAJORITY task.
Join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NYCRDWG See the entire “Restore Democracy” plan and supporting evidence at http://bit.ly/vK2pGI .
I approve of all those actions but feel that function needed might not be found this time with those approaches
bensdad wrote: Our only goal should be to pass a constitutional amendment to counter Supreme Court decisions Citizens United,END------
All good, but congress is not going to cut their own sources of funding. In fact it can probably be guaranteed that the supreme court was secretly directed to decide as it did.
It is going to take an Article 5 convention and ratification by 3/4 of the states to deal with the accumulated issues. First the 99% put congress on notice that they are unconstitutional.
This is a letter that actually cites the violations of law that congress is conducting at this moment having neglected, non feased and mal feased for so long we are seriously needing to engage remedy. This could be legitimately be used to Occupy Congress in constructive notice.
http://articlevconvention.org/showthread.php?3-Letter-to-your-Representatives
Now it comes to finding who understands that protests need to be organized upon states legislatures. They need to understand some legal aspects too. Here is a letter template, resolution form that can be sent to state legislatures asking them to work for an article V convention.
http://articlevconvention.org/showthread.php?10-Templates-Letter-to-State-Representatives-request-for-house-resolution
Article 5 is our first and last constitutional right. If we don't use it now, we will not have any rights.
For any who are worried about a runaway convention, this is the strategy that assures an absolutely proper and orderly convention and amending of the constitution.
Here is a thought provoking commentary by Judge Andrew Napolitano. Sorry that it is a bit long.
What if the whole purpose of the Constitution was to limit the government? What if Congress' enumerated powers in the Constitution no longer limited Congress, but were actually used as justification to extend Congress' authority over every realm of human life? What if the president, meant to be an equal to Congress, has become a democratically elected, term-limited monarch? What if the president assumed everything he did was legal, just because he's the president? What if he could interrupt your regularly scheduled radio and TV programming for a special message from him? What if he could declare war on his own? What if he could read your emails and texts without a search warrant? What if he could kill you without warning? What if the rights and principles guaranteed in the Constitution have been so distorted in the past 200 years as to be unrecognizable by the Founders? What if the states were mere provinces of a totally nationalized and fully centralized government? What if the Constitution was amended stealthily, not by constitutional amendments duly passed by the states, but by the constant and persistent expansion of the federal government's role in our lives? What if the federal government decided whether its own powers were proper and constitutional? What if you needed a license from the government to speak, to assemble or to protest the government? What if the right to keep and bear arms only applied to the government? What if posse comitatus -- the law that prohibits our military from our streets -- were no longer in effect? What if the government considered the military an adequate dispenser of domestic law enforcement? What if cops looked and acted like troops and you couldn't distinguish the military from the police? What if federal agents could write their own search warrants in defiance of the Constitution? What if the government could decide when you weren't entitled to a jury trial? What if the government could take your property whenever it wanted it? What if the government could continue prosecuting you until it got the verdict it wanted? What if the government could force you to testify against yourself simply by labeling you a domestic terrorist? What if the government could torture you until you said what the government wanted to hear? What if people running for president actually supported torture? What if the government tortured your children to get to you? What if the government could send you to your death and your innocence meant nothing so long as the government's procedures were followed? What if America's prison population, the largest in the world, was the result of a cruel and unusual way for a country to be free? What if half the prison population never harmed anyone but themselves? What if the people had no rights except those the government chose to let them have? What if the states had no rights except to do as the federal government commanded? What if our elected officials didn't really live among us, but all instead had their hearts and their homes in Washington, D.C.? What if the government could strip you of your rights because of where your mother was when you were born? What if the income tax was unconstitutional? What if the states were convinced to give up their representation in Congress? What if the government tried to ban you from using a substance older than the government itself? What if voting didn't mean anything anymore because both political parties stand for Big Government? What if the government could write any law, regulate any behavior and tax any event, the Constitution be damned? What if the government was the reason we don't have a Constitution anymore? What if you could love your country but hate what the government has done to it? What if sometimes to love your country, you had to alter or abolish the government? What if Jefferson was right? What if that government is best which governs least? What if I'm right? What if the government is wrong? What if it is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong? What if it is better to perish fighting for freedom than to live as a slave? What if freedom's greatest hour of danger is now? BTW, this guy was on Fox, but he seemed to be very impartial and very strong on our constitutional rights (not having them violated). I thought that this was an appropriate post to put up in this critical hour. We can't have our constitution ripped to shreds and our rights taking away. WE must fight this. We must stand our ground. Wake up America, don't let this happen.
Occupy Revolution
I co-founded Friends of the Article V Convention at foavc.org and have been publishing articles for years on promoting use of the convention to get reforms that can fix the broken US. Latest article: http://www.nolanchart.com/article9116-occupy-revolution.html
Okay, after reading the proposal I have some notes:
Citizen United: To clarify, Citizen United was a non-profit group that ran ads during the 2008 Primary that were negative towards Hilary Clinton. The case did not allow unlimited contrubitions to campaigns, but unlimited spending on advertising/broadcasts.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._Federal_Election_Commission
"The Court did uphold requirements for disclaimer and disclosure by sponsors of advertisements. The case did not involve the federal ban on direct contributions from corporations or unions to candidate campaigns or political parties, which remain illegal in races for federal office"
The ACLU actually supported this decision on the merits of free-speech. Say, if someone was running for President that was a current KKK member, wouldn't you want to be able to broadcast this fact up-to the date of the election?
It is a slippery slope when dealing with free-speech. We need to be clear what our stance on it is.
Term Limits: How about 6 terms in the House of Representatives, so that it is an even 12-years in either House of Congress (this is what Sen. Paul proposed).
I'd also suggest looking into returning the Senate to the State Legislatures.
http://freeindependentsun.com/republic/comprehensive-electoral-reform-and-a-post-partisan-america/
As well as Approval Voting in general:
http://freeindependentsun.com/republic/we-are-sparta-approval-voting-in-america/
Fair Tax: How about getting rid of taxes on people altogether, and simply tax corporations and foreign entities (tariffs) and using excise taxes (gas, alcohol, drugs, etc.)?
http://freeindependentsun.com/republic/tax-corporations-not-people-cut-wars-not-services/
Education Reform: http://freeindependentsun.com/republic/true-education-reform-jerry-wilson-for-governor-of-oregon/
It's about more than money.
Banking Security Reform: Glass-Steagall sounds fine, but I don't like the "Robin Hood Tax." Read my lips, "No New Taxes." We needed a smarter system. More taxes means more bureaucracy and more corruption.
EPA: Giving them more authority is tricky. What happens when people associated with specific industry use this to regulate their competition? That is often the result of regulatory power.
Repeal DOMA: Yes!
End the Fed: Yes!
End the Wars: Yes!
No Internet Censorship: Yes!
End Currency Manipulation: Get out of the WTO, pass H.R. 639 (or something similar) as is proposed, and bring back Sound Currency, and I think the issue will take care of itself. We should rely on Tariffs to "equalize" the market.
Immigration Reform: DREAM is a good start. We need to end the War on Drugs, make the process of legal immigration easier, and allow states to use reserves to patrol the border (if they feel insecure).
All of these things don't require a Constitutional Convention. You can start working on all of these now but getting involved in electoral politics and putting people in Congress that will represent your wishes.
Have this plan as a back up, but immediately start working with local third parties (Green, Peace and Freedom, Working Families, etc.) to elect members to Congress. Use the power of the 99% to reform Government directly. The idea of "Direct Democracy" through "protest" isn't sustainable. Do you want to hit the streets every-time you want reform? Being involved in Politics is simply another aspect of being involved in your Community and Society. Go to meetings, vote, run campaigns, etc. Before you cracked down on PACs consider what a "OccupationPAC" could do for independent candidates.
I am not qualified at this point to answer this. My simple message on this forum is to all the good and loving people that were drawn to this movement.I also came to this movement with very good intentions and have found that it is not what it appears to be. It has been infiltrated by the US Government and they want it to fail
Get out of OWS as fast as possible, go to work on a Constitutional Convention and take care of the details of the issues, through the process. We must take back our government and our country.
A Constitutional convention will give the Democrats and Republicans access to changing the Constitution.
That scares the shit out of me.
A better way is specific amendments.
Reinstate Glass-Steagall.
Overturn Citizen's United.
End economic corruption and collusion in Congress.
A more immediate program is to confront people running and in Congress to unequivocally support these issues.
Organize now to mike check every political campaign event in your community for the primary elections. Get candidates from both the dominance parties to state where they stand on these issues.
How to Improve the State of America
1) We must first accept we are living in a Capitolocracy not a Democracy. This is a land where money has more votes-power than “One person one vote” as in a real democracy. 2) Reconstruct term limits. Senators must have term limits….Five years per term three max. 15 year total. The president’s first term is 5 years, parliamentary rule apply as in the U.K. until the second presidential term of 5 years is up. 3) The election process should be limited to 12 months for national seats incorporate acceptable financial spending limits on all political races. 4) All taxes personal, industry, etc. should be paid locally to their respective county government, thus spreading the tax burden, yet retaining some local control. 5) County commissioners one term for 4 years, this is not a lifetime career. 6) Reduce the size of local governments and their feudal power base and all the duplication of resources this represents throughout the states. 7) All states and the federal government must subscribe, by law, to “generally accepted accounting rules” 8) Tort reform must be enacted. 9) States tax their respective counties, for revenue. 10) The Federal government taxes i.e. the IRS taxes only the states for their piece of the pie. By doing so we have a more just system of checks and balances with less concentration of power within the beltway. Lobbyist influence and the money grab associated with it will be greatly diluted and diminished. 11) There should be created five regional councils, Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Northwest, and Southwest. This is not to be another layer of government. Every one of these regions have their individual needs environmentally that can only be addressed with a total effort of all parties within their respective regions. 12) Do not interfere with the internal affairs of sovereign nations. Deliberate with respectful diplomacy. 13) FAIR TRADE, not free trade. 14) Reduce our dependence of fossil fuels 15) Create national identity and work permit cards similar to a U.S. passport. 16) Better system for tracking US visa violators. 17) America first policy for economic development 18) First control the national debt, and then pay down all local, state, and federal debt with a cohesive comprehensive plan including sacrifice by all Americans on entitlement reform. 19) Decriminalize marijuana 20) Americans should rethink what is an acceptable standard of living. This I believe would be a good start, for all………
Sincerely, Concerned U.S. Citizen.
Why does one delegate have to be male and one female?
I guess to keep it equal.
But what about race? LBGT? Why are they excluded? Will your delegates be all white, straight males and females.
Where in one male, one female does it exclude any race, LBGT or even creed?
Males are male no matter what sexual orientation, color or creed, females are the same, yet males and females often have different viewpoints on the same subject.
Yet you, MVSN want to separate it even more? I have not read anything that excludes anyone group...Innervision, how could sexual physical differences not include race race or lifestyle?
Well, let's say that a community elects two whites. But the Hispanic population in that community feels that they won't be represented by the electees. Things like this happen regularly in the real world. And since your organization will obviously be leftist those problems will be doubled. You can't ignore racial politics in modern Amerika.
That's how democracy works, a majority rules, if a majority chooses to Caucasians, then it's two Caucasians, if it's two Hispanics, then it's two Hispanics, if it is one of each or any other group including LBGT then that is what it is.
If you want to watch democracy in action then hold an election with direct democracy dictating the outcome.
But what about "diversity"? Shouldn't that be taken into account?
Diversity takes it's chances in a direct democracy just like everyone and everything else.
I'm not trying to argue a point, merely pointing out the way a democracy works. Majority rule. Make any exceptions to it and it's no longer a direct democracy.
I understand what you are saying and I agree it should be like that. But modern America is not like that. Racial and gender politics permeate the whole system. You will not be able to ignore it.
Then there is no hope for direct democracy. It's that simple. One could look at it this way, in a largely Hispanic GA (if one exists) then it is presumed that it would be Hispanic delegates that will be chosen, the same goes for any other groups.
I think the problem lies in that there are too many grievances to just list all at once. I think perhaps, choosing up to 5 basic grievances give priority to, something like reinstate Glass/Steagall, campaign finance reform, a jobs incentive...and two others could be possibly the beginnings of an opening to address other issues.
One would hope that when choosing delegates to represent a district GA the more articulate and socially conscious people will be chosen.
There should be a mix of all of us, including all races, lifestyles etc.
And that will be determined how? My point is that you have walked into a minefield already and have less than 2000 signatures. If you insist on dividing people by race, sex, orientation, etc...you have already lost.
I obviously don't have all the answers. But I believe that you don't give up before you even try. All of these things can be worked out. Where there is a will, there is a way.
I feel if we start from learning the in's & out's from the Financial Reform Guru's, the rest will fall into place. And after all, Reinstaing the Glass-Steagsll is the biggest thing we can do, It's huge! Wall Street will fight us with everything they have!
So if we accomplish the biggest GOAL first....follow my drift....
I feel It's all here, 5 Forums in one; 4 years of reseach on how to Reinstate both Acts:
http://occupywallst.org/forum/howtodoits-proposal-on-how-to-accomplish-the-march/
Solidarity!
Already done, had the covention and the new Constitution is sitting in my desk door, it says all further Constitutional Coventions are not valid, sorry you missed it, dont feel like giving details because i got more impotant things to work on my bucket list.
We can make sure that doesn't happen.
Not sure your point, can you tell I was being humouous. Anyone are you for or against a new constitution. Im actually for the old one with new Amendments that are carefully considered.
I totally agree with you. And no, I didn't realize you were kidding. Sorry. I thought you were saying we shouldn't have a convention because then we might lose things within the Constitution, that we shouldn't lose.
Innervision - this is Insight - Many in America have been so comfortable for so long they have subconsciously accepted an unsustainable illusion that reframes the American dream as "money is the object" and "if you play along with us you can get rich" and "a feudal system with rich at the top and either minions or serfs way down there" is the way it should be. And then there are RPG's (Rich Predatory Billionaires) who buy the media to distract, disinform and emotionally divide American's on a daily basis. Don't abandon OWS! The country needs to "get" how far from real reality these private agenda pursuing promoters of fear, illusion, and division are. The general public also needs to realize how powerful they can be with today's communication tools. Both awareneses will take some time but conveyed by sincere people of every societal slice, what isn't working will ring clear as a widespread "knowing" that is then the foundation for establishing a transcending "desired outcome " we do want that will deal more conclusively with the "don't want" state. I will copy a Traverse City OWS post relevant to this approach.
Below is the petition:
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/endorse-wwwthe99declarationorg-which-petition-redress-grievances/Q6qYt2H9
See also:
http://occupywallst.org/forum/housing-for-the-poor-please-sign-petition-and-forw/
I don't like what is in the "99 Declaration', as you claim to be the "99%" you do not represent me!
Is it the items on the list you don't like or the process itself? I would point out that it is a suggested list of grievances. Petitioning the government for redress is a 1st Amendment right.
I don't claim to represent the 99%,you can either sign it, or not, it's always your choice. Also, the OWS doesn't represent the 99% either. It's hard to know what they represent?
What about it do you not like? It seems as though there is still plenty of time for open debate, but it does in fact address immediately some of the main concerns of the movement.
If we open up and start discussing individual statements instead of blanket theories we can maybe make progress on modifying the Declaration to represent the opinions of even more of the 99%.
How can we represent you better? What parts of the declaration are you opposed to? How could they be modified to represent a larger part of the 99%?
If you get a Constitutional Convention without changing the members of Congress, then the same people that got us into the problem will be in charge of fixing the problem.
We need to change Congress before we have a constitutional convention otherwise we will just get more of the same.
The convention is the first step in a tiered plan. The next step after the government fails (because I have no confidence they will do anything else) is to use the same networks laid out for the convention to run a grass roots campaign to elect those of the 99% until we take back our government. It is possible, with the organization proposed by the Declaration, that there may even be successful write-in campaigns as early as 2012. Also, by immediately cutting off the funding sources that breed the corruption, one can only assume that money will have less control over our government as a whole. Please look further into the 99% Declaration.
Just found the link below.
We will have delegates for the convention. Please, go read it on the web site. 99 Declaration
I agree...... finally! But why doesn't the occupy movement as a whole adopt the declaration and support it. As far as this website presents the movement it seems fractured into small group that seldom agree on any issue. The declaration seems to be an idea that finally gets the movement off the ground but on here it's treated like just another post. By not recognizing and implementing ideas that unify and categorize grievances nothing is going to get done! At least http://occupywallst.org/ should create a tab at the top of the home page so visitors can vote for it, and if this website doesn't support the declaration they should say so and give the reasons why not! As for me voting I had not luck signing the petition because I forgot my password and for some reason yet to be explained the website will not email me a password reset message.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/endorse-wwwthe99declarationorg-which-petition-redress-grievances/Q6qYt2H9
I Agree, the OWS movement should have a link to sign the 99 petition for a Constitutional convention. If they don't, Why not? It would be very telling to me , if they don't.
http://www.the99declaration.org.
Thank you. My computer skills are not very good. Maybe you should put up another post with the link in it.
there is a thread here somewhere about
can't find it
anonymous has a platform aswell
http://occupywallst.org/forum/interesting-read-about-the-constitution-and-corpor/#comment-427758 Check this out and let me know when this group addresses the info. presented.
Thanks for posting.
So what do you want to change about the Constitution? Make an amendment to start using it again?
You have a zero chance of anything happening. Dream on.
Why do you say that?
We have a Republic. That won't ever change.