Forum Post: What are you fighting for?
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 7, 2011, 6:17 p.m. EST by loutre
(11)
from Milton, MA
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Don't get me wrong, I would love to see the greed come to an end. But you have no direction. From what I've seen, you are coming together to complain about not having jobs, not making enough money, etc. What are you trying to ACCOMPLISH? Isn't the point to fight against the greed of the wealthy? Tax them equally?
SAY SO.
If you make your message clear, then the media can't throw you down as easily. But when you have mobs of people complaining instead of working... it looks bad on you, not on corporations.
The reason why the corporations got bailed out is because the US depends on the money they make. YOU buy their products, giving them YOUR money to keep up with the newest trends for phones, computers, video recorders, clothing. Then YOU use social media to make your voices heard. YOU are feeding them. So when they were failing, the government gave them money so YOU would continue to buy their products. You shouldn't be complaining about the thing YOU FEED.
No more whining, no more complaints. TAX EVERYONE EQUALLY. At least that demand makes sense and can be met. If you are going to stand up for something, make it clear and worth the time and effort.
Like 5% of the population is self-employed, and everyone acts so god damn oblivious as to why the top few percent have all the money? The problem is kids these days are taught to be 9-5 workers with no dreams and aspirations, other than a retirement fund. They gladly accept their crappy $10 an hour wage despite how much profit their employers earn from their work...It's always "GET A JOB" "GET A JOB", never "START JOBS". When they get sick and tired of this, what do they do? Well, the logical thing to do would be to open a business and make something of themselves, that doesn't even require a highschool diploma... Instead what they do is bitch and complain and ask for handouts, because that's all they know. It's been pounded into their brain that self-employed and self-reliant people are all "evil".
Don't get me wrong, I don't blame the current generation for this mindset, I blame the education system and popular culture. You are taught since birth that the moment you become an adult, you are EXPECTED to work for someone else, otherwise there's something wrong with you. You're not good enough to run our own company and be self-reliant like the top few percent.
And that's why nothing is produced in America and only 5% of the people are self-employed, as opposed to the late 1800s and early 1990s where it was MUCH higher. You know, back when America was prosperous.....
Do you ever wonder why they don't teach children how to handle their money. The answer is because they don't want them to hadle it, they want them to just spend it all. http://sites.google.com/site/onecompanyatatime
Hey pal! Spending money is a lot easier that earning it.
Hey yea man. I found 20 bucks in the parking lot one time man and I was Rich one day. Hippy happy and almost could get some smokes and beer but then the Man said I didnt find it man. I ripped it off. But I said no man, I found it. It cost me 500 to get out of jail but hippy still happy cauz it was warm and i gots some food anyway man, but now I owe 500 and cant pay but Rich man dont care cauz he said "Dont worry about it cauz you can pay a little at a time and it is only like 20- bucks or so a week at 56% interest. Wow man At least i can bum some mor dough for beer and smokes in the parking lot again man!
How do you spend what you don't earn? Damn, I need to know that one! http://sites.google.com/site/onecompanyatatime
Credit Card. It's called accumulating $18,000 worth of debt. it's what my parents did. 10 years ago, they woke up and said, "shit! how the hell did that happen?" and they have worked their asses off to pay it off. 8 years later they finally got rid of it all.
Oh ok, now I understand. Been there, done that. I paid mine off as well. A leason learned, but many make the same mistake all over again (after they worked so hard to pay them off).
They are taught that those who save and invest their money are "money hoarders". :/
Yo dude people do have businesses in america but corpgov doesn't support small businesses. mom and pop shops that were self reliant are getting pushed aside for wal-mart, mickey d's, and starbucks.
I think the best thing to do is make the corporations come back to America and employ the US citizens they sell their products too. It'd create jobs which will give them money, access to healthcare, etc. Self-employment is a difficult thing. I know several people who are self-employed and they have always had to struggle, and they can't even afford healthcare.
But if you make it more profitable for factories to be here in the US.. $10 an hour is better than nothing. You have to start small before you can get bigger.
Self-employment doesn't guarantee that you will be successful, especially in this climate where the huge corporations "regulate" the market (which of course, people are begging for more of), but self-employment does guarantee that you will not be constrained to a crappy hourly wage which has no relation to your productivity and the amount of profit you earn for your employer.
In other words, without the "regulations" corporations create to keep the small guys down, the only limiting factor is your imagination and drive to work hard.
But self-employment doesn't guarantee money at all. That's why the term "starving artist" is so popular.
You have to see it this way. The more jobs the US has, the more people are employed. The more employed, the more money they make, the more they make, the more money they put in the bank. The more money the bank has, the more loans they can give out for businesses (new and old, big and small).
As for the regulations, they need to be dealt with by people who know what they are doing, to help the entire country. As I've commented before: I believe that the people with the technical expertise for solving our problems should be the ones tasked with doing so. A politician is a poor substitute for an economist, educator, or diplomat. You don't go to the dentist to get heart surgery, so why go to an orator for economic solutions?
Obviously you have put very little thought into this. Jobs aren't created by the government or regulators, they are created by self-employed business men and women.. People who don't let themselves become a "starving artist" because they don't stubbornly stick with industries which don't work for them. Where do you get this idea that banks loan what they have? In the real world, the federal reserve prints money, gives interest free loans out to banks, and the banks then lends that money out to everyone, including those who can't possibly repay it since there is absolutely no risk to them. This creates inflation, which is a tax on future generations. You see all those people with those "End the fed" signs? They aren't talking about Fedex.
Dear gods, you have a warped sense of reality. Self-employed people can't just switch to more "profitable" things. A restaurant owner can't drop their business and become a musician one day and a psychologist the next. They have to stick with what they created and try to improve what they have by reaching out to more people. But they still need to pay for 100% of their own healthcare, retirement, etc.
Why do you think banks crashed and caused the Great Depression? People saw that the economy was going south and pulled out all of their money. If the banks have no money, they have nothing to loan people. Money is printed only when there is the means to back it. The paper in your wallet is nothing. It's paper (actually cloth). But it represents the amount of gold (silver, etc) that the US. Your money doesn't just sit in the bank, it's being traded, invested, and gods know what else. THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.
"Money is printed only when there is the means to back it. The paper in your wallet is nothing. It's paper (actually cloth). But it represents the amount of gold (silver, etc) that the US"
Are you kidding me? The united states has been off the gold standard for decades, that's why it's.. you know.. called "fiat money" (Google the term sometime). The US dollar is not backed by anything other than debt, what do you think causes price inflation? Magic? Some regulator chosen at random to arbitrarily increase prices every so often? Oh wait, let me guess, you just sum it up to "evil corporation raising prices" without putting much more thought into it?
The fact of the matter is, the fed contantly printing money and issuing interest free loans to banks around the world is a "hidden tax" on future generations, since they are the ones who have to deal with the inflation.
The fact that people like you believe we're still on the gold standard is frankly scary as fuck. Seriously... All this information is freely available all over the internet and in books in every library, there's no excuse to be this ignorant.
In fact, I would love to start a business. It's just the filing fees for the various licenses and such are so high, I honestly don't have and can't get the money to do it.
I looked into getting a loan, but because I'm not already a business, can't really get anywhere.
Government regulation, in large part, stifles competition and new competitors. People want to be able to make money for themselves, and they want government to make it harder to get into business. You can't have both.
What sort of license were you looking to obtain? The filing fee to set up my law practice was, $35 or $45 dollars.
In my region of California, here are the requirements to 'sell stuff'.
Sellers Permit, $250+ Business license, DBA or limited liability (if necessary), $800 minimum franchise tax, Self-employment fee and the various forced deductions and permit(s) based on the industry.
That's just what I can think of off the top of my head... And that's just for legally selling shit on ebay.
Interesting. Although, from a brief google search, it seems that obtaining a seller's permit does exempt you from paying sales tax on items you purchase for resale.
That sounds good on face value as it avoids double taxation, but the devil is in the details. A sellers permit is essentially a number that is tied to you which not only prevents double taxation, it gives you PERMISSION to sell your goods, without it, you're not allowed to sell anything in the state. The government (or corporations through the government) has the ability to revoke this 'permission' at any time. You need to report every single detail about the goods you are selling and the market you are entering before they will even grant you this "permission" to sell lemonade. Just hope that the whoever you are trying to convince to give you this "permission" hasn't been bought out by Minute Maid.
You're right, that is also a huge bump in the road for many people. The top few percent constantly creates new "regulations" by bribing politicians or becoming the "regulators" themselves in an attempt to prevent potential competition from entering the market, or to punish existing competition. Without those "government regulations", you would have no problem entering the market, and you would probably be very successful.
In the state of California, corporations bribed politicians to get a $800 minimum franchise tax. The reason they did this is not because they enjoy paying a franchise tax, it's because they know that it makes it much harder for the small guys to start up. They see it as a tiny investment resulting in large gains.
And this is why corporatism doesn't work and why begging for more "regulations" is insanity.
Why do you think most states are making laws that require you to wear an ear piece while using a cell while driving? Local and federal officials are being paid by the industry that makes the ear pieces. If a person doesn’t have the ability to talk on the phone while driving, an ear piece won’t do a thing to change that. Just make a law saying no cell phone usage period if you really want to protect the public from distracted drivers. http://sites.google.com/site/onecompanyatatime
There are sites all over the internet where you can sell your products. Start there and work your way up. Also try vending fairs and the like.
@loutre
That's true. But we're talking about doing business "legally" according to the current rules and "regulations" that corporations have created by bribing politicians. It's illegal in many states/counties to just start selling something without paying hefty "'regulation' fees", "taxes" and getting various licenses and permits. The paper work in many areas is so insane that an accountant is required, even for a tiny mom and pop shop.. which is fine for the big guys, but not for the new person entering the market.
Big corporations love creating "regulations" by bribing politicians and they HATE the idea of a free market system since it takes all of their power away.. Lobbying has become a huge industry. Why innovate when you can just forcefully prevent competition from entering the market?
Yeah! Put an end to regulation & taxes!
I would be happy to tell you what I am fighting for. I am fighting for the right to equal and fair representation. 1% buys their representation 99% are left with the crumbs. The problem is the political system. We allow money to speak too loudly in our government and it is choking the voices of the 99%. I am fighting for democracy. With true democracy, all other things are possible!
Why should we rely on the media for our message? We have eachother! Tell 2 people, 10 people, 100 people! And so on!
LEGALIZE MARIJUANA. (and all other drugs too, but mostly marijuana because I think it the only one that the ignorant sheeple in this country will be willing to actually legalize)
I love smoking weed, and besides if weed is legal then I would just smoke away all the bullshit in Washington.
Capitalism is wonderful. Lack of democracy, not so wonderful.
Capitalism is wonderful. Lack of democracy, not so wonderful
I hope this gains a simple, straight-forward focus and purpose that grows to straighten out our 'broken' governace - there are simple questions the "99%" should ask of our government. I personally would start with their 'entitlements'...since they are looking at Social Security and other things that they call our 'entitlements', even though our employers and ourselves have paid into it more than we ever will take out, individually -
Why do the elected officials in Washington gain another retirement benefit other than the one all of us working US Citizens are eventually going to be a part of - Social Security. It makes no sense to me that we have created 'royalty' in the USA - that to me is a central point that could use some 'correction'. We fought the British to gain autonomy from royalty, yet we really have it here with this simple fact. They don't deserve more or a 'better' program then each of us do - it's that simple.
Where do the funds come from for all those folks currently retired from the Senate/Congress/etc.? I've never heard about that fund or how big it is. Let's liquidate it, put it in Social Security, retract whatever they have voted in for themselves, and put them all on the same program we all will be on. Level the playing field.
I want to hear their rationale for why they think this is deserved for them...don't you - and don't you think that everyone can agree on this simple question. Start there and it will lead you to what is wrong and we can all believe in it. My 2-cents
I agree. It's supposed to be a "Civil Service" so why are they making so much money out of it?
It used to be I thought "Civil Servants" but really we're that and they are like royalty - really - it's unbelievable unfair and all of the 99% can agree to that I think - most if not all other topics will have varied responses...we need unity and we need to as them that simple question. Can you see President Obama or Speaker Bohener directly defending that...they wouldn't
a) In order to tax everyone equally, as a percentage of their control over society's wealth, taxes must be raised, as a percentage on the upper-earners.
b) The reason why the corporations got bailed out is because the people working in government are on the Corporate payroll.
In fact, if Corporations were, as you suggest, fed so religiously by "US", they wouldn't have needed a bailout.
Under the current system , what we need is a new political party. What would scare the hell out of the powers that currently be , wall street , corporations , and politicians alike , is a new party to stand up for the people. We need people that are in a position to run for president , all senate and congressional seats on a platform of no special interest money in government and policies that will reflect the needs of the 99 percent of america. If the 99 percent of america votes for a new party we can show the powers that currectly be what it's like to lose there job.
Under the current system , what we need is a new political party. What would scare the hell out of the powers that currently be , wall street , corporations , and politicians alike , is a new party to stand up for the people. We need people that are in a position to run for president , all senate and congressional seats on a platform of no special interest money in government and policies that will reflect the needs of the 99 percent of america. If the 99 percent of america votes for a new party we can show the powers that currectly be what it's like to lose there job.
Under the current system , what we need is a new political party. What would scare the hell out of the powers that currently be , wall street , corporations , and politicians alike , is a new party to stand up for the people. We need people that are in a position to run for president , all senate and congressional seats on a platform of no special interest money in government and policies that will reflect the needs of the 99 percent of america. If the 99 percent of america votes for a new party we can show the powers that currectly be what it's like to lose there job.
Can you say that again? I didn't hear you the first three times.
I don't think we need a new party. I believe that the people with the technical expertise for solving our problems should be the ones tasked with doing so. A politician is a poor substitute for an economist, educator, or diplomat. You don't go to the dentist to get heart surgery, so why go to an orator for economic solutions?
It’s very easy to paint this movement as some effort to form a bunch of welfare states. I’m suspicious of anyone that has to ask what this movement is about. It’s like asking someone why they’re turning on the air-conditioner; you already know the answer, so why waist everyone’s time asking. Our country has many problems, but if you need to hear one, here goes; GET THE MONEY OUT OF POLITICS!. Isn’t it funny how capitalist believe in capitalism when it benefits them. Is it capitalism when one company pays politicians to make laws to block a competitor’s product because it threatens their product? For example: the airlines trying to block products like Go To Meeting because companies could save money by not flying to meetings. Capitalism, right, okay, whatever. http://sites.google.com/site/onecompanyatatime
I want to start a conversation and listen to my fellow Americans and even our brothers and sisters from around the globe. We all deserve to be heard.
I want my part of the bailout money back so I can afford to heat my apartment this winter AND have food. I'll ride my bike to work and just forego the car and related expenses.
I havent been able to feed corporations for a very long time.
Careful with that. They can get very cranky!
That is never going to happen. The government is not going to hand everyone money and go "Oops, we're sorry." The most they can do is create new jobs, lower taxes, increase minimum wage, things like that.
Taxing the wealthy would help, since they have the money to spare. Look at Oprah, she has 4 mansions (I think that's all, maybe more). As a country, we live in excess. I honestly think that the wealthy should spend more, feed their own companies, buy their own products. That would keep the industries alive so we wouldn't have to bail them out.
I was being facetious :)