Forum Post: Where are your demands?
Posted 13 years ago on Nov. 25, 2011, 12:12 p.m. EST by RedBaaron
(54)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Hello there. I'm an outsider looking in on this movement, and I have a few suggestions. Take them as you will; I'm hoping they simply give you food for thought.
Some say protests like these are meaningless rants, lacking in purpose and consequence. I do not agree. I think they are a legitimate expression of zeitgeist and help to shift political discussions towards issues of importance to the protesters. But there is flip-side to the coin of raising awareness: a discussion must lead to answers and, ultimately, ideally, change.
So you want to see the worse excesses of rampant, unrestrained capitalism reigned in? Fine. How do you propose to accomplish that? I'm not saying none of you have compelling answers or ideas for that, but thus far, no one is hearing your solutions.
Part of this is that your movement is leaderless, amorphous. Everyone has his or her own opinion, which is fine; and in fact a mult-headed hydra cannot be brought down so easily (which is why the financial industry's efforts to discredit you will fail). But at what point do you try to form a consensus, and, based on the majority view, enact changes that at are in line with that? I understand that you have your own councils, so you are on your way. But are you trying to use these councils to use to influence political leaders? Are you even attempting to elect and support political leaders that share your views?
The answer I keep hearing is 'no; the existing system is corrupt beyond repair. Revolution is needed.' Again, fine; but how do you think you are going to replace or change the existing political apparatus? By sitting around and beating on drums?
At the end of the day, you must $hit or get off the pot. You denounce the violence inherent in a revolution that could overthrow the government, but best I can tell, you apparently also have little desire to work within the existing framework of government.
I am not suggesting you suddenly become violent revolutionaries. No, quite the contrary. Even if you succeeded in overthrowing the old regime, you would still be faced with the daunting task of creating a new, more representative form of government, one more receptive to the needs of ordinary citizens. You'd better hope that you have a few scholars in your midst that are as capable as Jefferson and Madison were, or the new will crumble much quicker than the old.
A better solution would be to try to bring about the changes you wish to see from within the existing system, and to change that system itself where it needs to be. Constitutions can be amended; laws and tax codes can be rewritten. But you're going to need to focus about what you want to see happen and how, specifically, you can bring that about.
A good example would be a push to increase the capital gains tax that has been at historical lows since the nineties and has done nothing to create more jobs. Is it right that the CEO making 30,000,000 a year pays a smaller percentage of his or her preferred stock than the public school teacher making thirty grand does with his or her salary? Will investors stop investing simply because they have to pay what the rest of society pays? I don't think so, and I don't think any honest investor would say so.
And what about the undue influence of lobbyists and corporate campaign donations? There are ways this can be curtailed. Set limits to campaign donations; make divestiture of publicly-traded stocks a requirement for all congressional and Fed leaders who are in a position to make financial decisions that affect the rest of the country.
And with the possibilities of the internet for instant communication with the masses, is there any reason why our representative form of government cannot in some instances defer matters to the popular vote (aside from their never-ending pleas for endorsement). Even Napoleon held the occasional plebiscite, after all.
I am not trying to lecture here and don't pretend to have all the answers. I think you are capable of finding the answers from many different sources within your movement. But please, don't spoil your opportunity by becoming an inchoate mob without a platform. Get some concrete solutions together and make them heard!
Godspeed, Aaron
Create the change you want to see.
Read The 99% Declaration.
[Removed]
I haven't read the whole thing, but again, it's good to see something serious and well-defined emerge from this movement.
I'm sorry Aaron, but If you are looking for demands you are missing the point, as the "inchoate mob" comment illustrates. The point of OWS was never about leaders or about demands, but about changing the terms of the debate and giving a voice to those corporate America was not only holding voiceless but running over roughshod. There are many, many potential solutions to our problems given intellect, work, and goodwill. What must first happen is that we change our attitudes and reorder our priorities from a nation focused exclusively on profits and possessions to one focused on people and quality of life. That being done, the solutions will follow naturally as a part of the discussion. As for change in the next election, it will rapidly become clear which of potential candidates and propositions support the corporate status quo and which are supportive of and open to the needs of working men and women. We will follow those indications, let them inform our votes, and effect change.
This is a different animal, Aaron, than most previous political movements. Attend one of the encampments, immerse yourself in one, and you'll see what is being forged and the values that are inculcate there.
I don't discredit or mean to belittle the accomplishments of this movement thus far in raising awareness, but I disagree with your prediction that "solutions will follow naturally as part of the discussion." I think that at some point, these solutions have to be put forward as a sort of political program and acted upon; that endless discussion without a call to action ultimately leads to just that---a lot of discussion and nothing more.
I think it also bears mentioning that "being supportive of and open to the needs of working men and women" entails minding the needs of businesses (including corporations) since they are the ones employing people. That said, I see it as government's responsibility to look after the interests of the body politic AS A WHOLE. It should not play favorites to certain industries or groups in high places.
Ultimately, I feel that a push for specific measures, such as raising capital gain taxes (which are around 15%) are a good way to combat inequality and effect change, while sitting around in a camp ground, reinforcing in solidarity though it may be, will ultimately not accomplish much. And violent revolution seems unlikely, unpopular, and, in my estimation, inadvisable.
Regardless, it's a difference of opinion on approach. I wish you and the others the best of luck, because I think your aims and grievances are legitimate.
Aaron
I don't think concrete solutions will emerge all by themselves, but, I don't think this is really OWS' role either. OWS has a certain function, and in this it has been precise and consistent. It is not the end-all be-all of efforts that can be or are being done. OWS is specialized and has a specific function.
That being said, few things in the world are ever wholly one thing or another and that is true of OWS. It does, in fact, have specific sets of demands and articulate grievances - the 99% Declaration, for instance, which lays out a set of very specific demands (term limits for Congress and Senate, reinstitution of the Works Progress Administration, passage of HR 639, and so on). The public perception is that no such documents exist. This is not because they don't exist, or because they are difficult to find or somehow obscure, they are not. It is because the media is deliberately shaping that public perception. Ignoring the Declaration, every day they get on the television and repeat, over and over, "OWS has no demands. OWS has no demands. OWS has no demands. OWS has no demands" on every channel that carries the news, every day, and it's been doing so since the beginning.
It might also be pointed out that many succesful movements have got by with far less, some with no such charter or declaration at all. The Civil Rights Movement, for instance, never had one, yet OWS does. So why does the media create this perception?
You've got a valid point. I think the fact that there are several, wildly different documents floating around also adds to the confusion. Sadly, the mainstream media realized that many in this country have about a 15-minute attention span, so they latched on to the so-called list of demands to have something to chop away at before people lost interest. I think Fox was the first to do that, and that they chose the so-called Demands document over the considerably less ridiculous 99% document is telling. I suppose one should expect nothing less from Fox, though.
RedBaaron, I agree it's good to see there are demands being formulated. I was also not aware of these. I also agree with about 99% of your commentary. I am concerned the demands of the Proposed List do not address a central element to lasting change: ending the corruption endemic in our system.
I think that means ending corporate person-hood, as well as campaign finance reform. This would be either making all public office campaign financing come from public money only (preferred solution), or establishing explicit campaign contribution limits which would prohibit greater influence based on wealth.
Two more elements of what has corrupted our system are lobbying and revolving doors which allow individuals involved in setting policy one year, to turn around and work for the industry they were setting policy for the next. A congress person should not be allowed to leave congress, then earn a fortune advising an industry group or corporation how to lobby, or lobbying for them.
We also must control lobbying though I don't have specific guidelines. I think it is vital to set strict guidelines on who can lobby and how lobbying is conducted, such that government is working for the common welfare, as opposed to working for the needs of a select group (e.g., wealthy donors), a corporation (e.g., GM) or an industry (e.g., Agribusiness trade group).
I agree; the revolving doors for lobbyists on Capital Hill are a real problem. The "99% Declaration" linked to in the top comment above does suggest something in the way of a solution, although it's by outlawing campaign finance altogether. I'm not sure how a campaign could be waged without money, without candidates who were already wealthy having an even greater running start. Maybe there is some promise in the internet to level the playing field, like with the the YouTube-type elections we see springing up in the Occupy Congress movement.
In any case, I think you are correct that the lobbyist question is the most important one for all concerned.
(1) Campaign finance reform (2) Bring back Glass/Steagall
This is good, but what specific changes regarding campaign finance would you like to see? This is one of the things that could be broken down and worked into a platform. Bringing back Glass Steagall is a good, clear suggestion that is realistic and attainable.
Here's a few more areas of exploration I didn't discuss in the article that could help build a more solid platform:
1) the winner-takes-all nature of the electoral college. 2) the disproportionate (to population) influence rural states like Wyoming have in congress.
I'm not suggestion that you or anyone hash out those ideas right here and now, but they are specific problems that can be tackled and solutions suggested and voted on, democratically. I think this movement will taken more serious the more clearly defined the solutions are--and if the consequences to those solutions have been anticipated and discussed. Some so-called solutions on the list of demands, for instance, would just lead to more problems. Getting rid of all debt sounds nice if you're broke, but in reality would just lead to everyone's credit drying up.That means families could not get the credit they sometimes need to make ends meet, and the government could not meet all of it's financial obligations, leading to further decline in treasures and the market as a whole. A smarter solution might be to simply quash the Credit Card company's shenanigans by setting caps on fees and interest rates. But anyways....I digress. Good for you that you have some definite ideas and are not simply shouting 'Viva la Revolucion!'
Well I'm older ------------revolution is for the young. You know I need to read a bit more on campaign finance but for sure somehow limit contributions from corporations. Politicians have no choice but to give these big contributors what they want if they want to get reelected. It's not a representative democratic government any more, it's more like fascism. We sure need bank regulation to stop banks from gambling away our future the nice thing about Glass/Steagall is we know it worked and we know it only took 6 years without it to crash the economy.
we want a new goods back currency and remove the fed
What they want is a voice , as delwell said: "[OWS is] about changing the terms of the debate and giving a voice to those corporate America was not only holding voiceless but running over roughshod"
Sadly though, they miss the point that their very first demand should be to make that heard voice PERMANENT else the 99% will return to where they have been before OWS when the rest of the 99% grow apathetic about OWS as they have been due to NOT having better organization with specific issues (like undoing Corporate Personhood which WOULD give the 99% a more equal voice).
Agreed on all points. The OWS-ers best bet right now is to line up in support of Congressman Deutsche's amendment to end corporate person-hood. It would be a tremendous first victory and important step in revitalizing the "representative" part of our representative republic.
Best demand I've seen: We demand you stop asking us what our demands are!
Hah! Fair enough...I should have done a little more digging prior to posting this and would have seen some of the "demands" documents. I do feel there is a certain portion of the movement, however, that would prefer not to formulate any demands or propose any solutions at all (see the topmost comments). In a way, lack of demands is both a strength and a weakness. Strength because the positions of OWSers can't as easily be spun and dismissed by mainstream media. On the other hand, I consider it somewhat of a weakness because without demands and a platform, it's hard to see how the public at large (or politicians) will do anything to further OWS's aims.
Still, signs are promising that there will be a reaction. Witness the occupy amendment put forward by, Rep. Deutsch from South Florida. So maybe my orneriness and pessimism was just getting the best of me. Or the booze.
Again, I'm of the tendency that demands that people stop asking what our demands are. That is the demand. We are the demand. Making demands puts somebody else in charge of your happiness. Fuck demands.
The mainstream media wants to nail us down to one main issue so they can just focus on that and steamroll us. By being amorphous, they can't pin us down and can't fight against us.
Yes, agreed. That is a sort of strength. But it's also a weakness in the sense that are many different ideas being floated by many different people and it's not quite so clear which ones are being supported by the movement as a whole. So it makes it that much more difficult for any of these ideas to actually gain traction.
From what I gather, people are just straight up tired of government. i look out at Egypt and how they're having a second revolution and I imagine that it will come to that, a second, escalating protest. I hope not. But this is the feeling I'm getting. That in the long run, the aim will be to overthrow the government...and that won't come through peaceful means.
http://occupythiswiki.org/wiki/Assorted_Calls_for_%22Demands%22
demands as such are counter productive. Don't worry, We are getting organized slowly but surely and will soon by all means stand and deliver.
http://occupythiswiki.org/wiki/Issues_%2B_Political_Platform_Items
A very cryptic pronouncement! I won't press you for further details, but will wait and see what's on the horizon...
Here is my demand!
http://occupywallst.org/forum/something-to-think-about-part-2/
The Revolution starts here!
The solutions are obvious. The ignorance by the 1%.
I tend to think the problems are obvious, the solutions rather difficult and elusive.
Sadly enough too often.
This is the group working on demands for the original Occupy Wall Street: http://www.nycga.net/groups/demands/
The demands still have to pass the General Assembly before they become official, but a process is being worked out.
THE issue.
We all care about a lot of important issues but all of them tie back to the issue of corporate money and influence corrupting our government.
If we want this movement to grow into something larger than what it is now, we have to focus on the singular issue that gets wide support from people who don't traditionally support leftist causes.
We will never gain the support of those who currently hold right wing beliefs on things like climate change legislation, labor reform, and the illegal foreign wars IF we include those issues as part of the central message of our campaign. People already have their mind made up on those polarizing issues and if we spend our time trying to CHANGE people's minds, we will fail because we can't change their minds, they will only change their minds if they come to their own conclusions.
We CAN gain their support on that ONE issue though. Getting corporate money out of politics is not a fringe concept, there are a LOT of people behind us on this.
The best part? Getting corporate money out of politics would be a huge indirect victory to all those other important issues because corporate power is exactly what funds the climate change denial industry, the military industrial complex, and everything else. Corporate money and power prevents things from changing and fools people into supporting things that are harmful to them.
Getting corporate money and influence out of politics is the one issue that crosses party lines while indirectly taking the first step in fighting for the other causes we care about.
Anything more will not break the left/right stalemate that exists. Anything less will not bring meaningful change.
Amanita, I just now saw your reply, and I think you hit the nail right on the head. Left and Right both at least pay lip service to the idea that special interests (i.e. corportate funding, by and large) are subverting the democratic process. The question is how to fix it?
I'm working on my own answer to that problem and, god willing, will reveal my solution soon enough. Elements of it are drawn from some of the things that have been happening in the wider OWS movement. Time will tell whether it's a pipe dream...
First we demand that the NYCGA announce the National General Assembly, because we need to exercise our other 1st Amendment right: to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The List of Grievances will be solidified at the NGA by the 870 elected delegates from the 435 districts (and protectorates).
http://occupywallst.org/forum/update-on-the-99-declaration-and-the-national-gene/
Hello Aaron!
... I am not trying to lecture here and don't pretend to have all the answers.
In vain.
What? - Why? - How?.
Sincerely, Vsevolod.
Ok, so you don't care for me or the way I came across---fine. Anything constructive to add to the dialogue?
On the contrary, Aaron - You wrote a wonderful post. I'm telling you - in all sincerity.
I have - many suggestions. But, alas - if not to declare voice of every citizen as official - none of my suggestions will not even be heard.
Sorry me for my English. I am Russian. )
Ok, sorry Peretryatkov, I misunderstood you.
Nothing :)
Look else - the concept of Public Safety. Here even more answers (from the creation of the world - until today). But that's not nothing. For, heaven on earth - never happened. ... What do you think - "What is the tribunal of God?". I think - Nardialog. For all the truth will be opened.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. John 16:13
There is only one demand that is often stated.:
"end the monied corruption of our Democracy".
That is all.
Most of the other responses are people trying to pretend they are Occupy supporters, and saying childish things about the Movement. It is a serious business and the bank felons will find this out soon enough.
It would make sense to have a public poll so to know whats most popular.. There was a poll at the start of the movement but it seems to be forgot..
Could it of been because it didnt fit a certain agenda??
The Anarchic Establishment is the worst of the movement.
Aaron - you are right - it is VERY difficult to educate EVERYONE about what the steps should be. I have the domain, and will soon start http://www.occupy1.org
which is supposed to be one web page, where all Occupys around the world agree to... but that will some work and time.
But here is start: 1) where tshirts that have a burning house that say: SIMPLE MATH: Burn down the right 500 houses, save 10,000 foreclosures. Get 1000 people to wear the shirts, go to the right private houses, chant and light lighters all night long, just to get their attention. No one will even have to burn a house. Just show up with lighters. I guarantee they will change the laws if this is done.
Then demand a realistic solution to foreclosures that includes govt assistance. The govt helped car companies, they can help these people.
Start new Occupy banking institutions. Get some Occupy communications satellites around the earth Arrest some of the corporate thieves, like with the http://www.iaej.org and similar. Create http://www.occupyvideo.org in a way where the 99% can receive money for their videos, and not just a hit report. Instead of having 1 million hits, someone can have a million pennies, and have a little money. The 1% don't want the 99% to make any money off their videos. Or at least not much.
Change voting systems by requiring paper receipts that have bar code info on it, text info, and encrypted info, like the count of votes snapshot, to rid the world of voting fraud.
Create Internet penny transfer wealth systems.
There is lots to do that is good, but organizing it, and having Occupy understand what the next best things to do, is no easy task.
Some interesting ideas. I like the penny-transfer idea best. You might incorporate paypal to make it that much easier.
We would have all kinds of payment systems included. Paypal is known to steal from it customers by delaying payments and earning money on the interest, but we would include all kinds of payment systems, including paypal. I have already built one payment system to to this, but it's needs to be redone. It was called penny7.com - it's not up now, but will be soon. I am in the middle of some software upgrades.
Thanks for your comment!
A LIST OF REAL DEMANDS, AND REAL SOLUTIONS.
WE DEMAND TO PAY OFF THE ENTIRE NATIONAL DEBT, permanently. --> http://mosheh.org/Currency.html
WE DEMAND TO RESTORE REAL COMMODITY BASED MONEY, and end the use of Fiat debt currency. --> http://mosheh.org/Currency.html
WE DEMAND TO expand the E.D.D. and make it possible to provide true long term JOB SECURITY for all Americans, which will end all welfare programs.
--> http://mosheh.org/people-and-jobs.html
WE DEMAND TO establish a NEW ECONOMIC SYSTEM, literally, to solve for the problems of debt, excess taxation, and economic debt slavery. --> http://mosheh.org/Banks-47-Credit-Cards.html
WE DEMAND TO RESTORE THE CONSTITUTION as the rule of law as written, requiring amendments to grant powers. --> http://mosheh.org/The-Constitution.html
WE DEMAND TO END THE MODERN FEDERAL RESERVE, and nationalize it, so that Congress may Audit/control and dismantle it as it sees fit over time. --> http://mosheh.org/Excessive-Taxation.html
WE DEMAND TO Abolish the I.R.S. (Reduce or eliminate income taxes!) --> http://mosheh.org/Excessive-Taxation.html
WE DEMAND TO restore true PROPERTY RIGHTS to all Americans. --> http://mosheh.org/Property-Rights.html
WE DEMAND TO restore true constitutional Common Law Freedom! --> http://mosheh.org/Freedom-and-THE-LAW.html
WE DEMAND TO set up deliberate long term FREE MARKET EXPANDING DEVELOPMENT GOALS, with the Military, the Banks, NASA, states, counties, and cities, as we work to transform our nation, and build up its infrastructure for the next several centuries. --> http://mosheh.org/Fixing-the-Economy.html
WE DEMAND TO free our own nation from debt slavery, and providing the means for economic prosperity for the next several centuries, AND then work to lead the U.N. into a simple and clear economic plan, which will make it possible to actually END ALL WORLD POVERTY, and make money doing it. --> http://mosheh.org/Message-for-Bankers.html
WE DEMAND THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IMMEDIATELY BEGIN EMERGENCY SURVIVAL PLANS WITH ENOUGH POTENTIAL AND STORAGE TO ENSURE FOOD AND WATER FOR ALL AMERICANS, FOR UPTO 10 YEARS, if not more, to ensure our survival.
and...
WE DEMAND LEADERS WHO CAN GET IT DONE... AND NOTHING LESS.
YOU ALL CAN CALL IT WHAT EVER YOU LIKE.... BECAUSE THAT... IS A LIST OF DEMANDS. A REAL LIST.
-Mosheh Thezion Candidate for U.S. President in 2012 http://mosheh.org/Home.html 1-818-397-1352 campaign@mosheh.org
Dude. You may very well be right about everything--large or small--but please: loose the Ritalin-kid fascination with capitalization! I never read past the first paragraph when my little spinny-cap starts to spin on its own....
If these demands were to be fulfilled what economic system would be replacing the current one we use? I agree that the IRS should be eliminated, and so should the UN in my opinion.
the new system, would keep all the good parts, and cut out the bad. See -- > http://mosheh.org/Banks-47-Credit-Cards.html
We stop the 1% from robbing the 99%.. and in exchange we expand the free market by leaps and bounds using the same method we used to end all debt. Its actually a simple plan... but with lots of details.
-Mosheh Thezion Candidate for U.S. President in 2012 http://mosheh.org/Home.html 1-818-397-1352 campaign@mosheh.org
I finally saw the film adaptation of Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged and my curiosity was piqued. The novel is championed by conservatives and libertarians as a defense of capitalism and rugged individualism. Liberals and progressives vilify the novel as simplistic, illogical, selfish and dangerous. As a film, it’s mediocre, but the theme of Atlas Shrugged speaks to our times. The economic uncertainty roiling our nation should make the Tea Party and OWS fellow travelers and natural allies. Instead, the corporate media casts them as opposites, if not, adversaries. Some Tea Party types have chosen the fictional John Galt as the iconic representative of their frustration with an intrusive (and in their view, illegitimate) big government. On the other hand, Occupiers – particularly the anarchists— wear Guy Fawkes masks to symbolize their desire to overthrow the system.
The contrasts are immediate. Galt is a fictional hero, while Fawkes is a failed historical figure. Galt used non-violent passive resistance to call attention to his grievances. Fawkes was a co-conspirator in a violent terrorist plot to assassinate King James I, destroy Parliament and restore a Catholic to the English throne. They are decidedly different approaches to dealing with oppression. Read more at http://michaelbenjamin2012.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/are-you-john-galt/
I've read this book (and several of Rand's others), but I have to admit that her casting economic and political issues in such a black-and-white way strikes me as a bit naive.
I don't think anyone can deny the importance of a hard work ethic, independence, and creativity for individuals in a capitalistic economy. I also think that she turns the "From each according to their ability, to each according to their need" slogan rightfully on it's head, since "need" is a bottomless well when you consider people's tendencies to screw like rabbits and multiply.
Still, back to my example of the CEO making 30 million a year, does this mean he or she should pay less taxes than what we are all paying? Because right now, if he or she is getting preferred stock dividends, chances are he/she's paying around 15%. So what then? An flat, non-progressive tax? Libertarians, Teapartiers, and Rand's Objectivists would all say yes, but that, to me at least, seems somewhat ridiculous. For one, it fails to consider that sales tax, rent, food, insurance and nearly every other form of cost of living fall disproportionately hard on the lower wage earners. They are a form of living "tax" if you will. So it doesn't seem unfair (to me, at least) that lower earners should pay slightly less in taxes.
That said, I would entertain the notion of a flat tax as a compromise if ever all those damned loop holes could be closed. Especially the ones used by large multi-nationals in shifting capital throughout their empire to evade paying their fair share.
OWS Demands:
1= No more rich people allowed 2= Rich people give us all 100% of your money 3=No more companies becuase companies = bad and so we do not want to go buy stuff anymore. 4=No more using toilets, let's just urinate and crap all over public parks, 5=Daily mandatory screenings of any Micheal Moore documentary, becuase he is part of our movement despite being worth over 50 million bucks. 6=We want everything to be free and handed out to us. We want free energy, free housing, free college tuition, free cars (hybrid only preferrably Prius), free Che Gevaurra t-shirts, free weeed, and free Starbucks! 7=We want to create a world government, you know becuase the government we have now caused so many problems for us so what we now need is more government. 8=Outlaw conservatives! 9=No more holidays because they were all created to generate sales for the corporations. 10=We want Al Gore to be president becuase he is very green and pushes for smaller living structures even though he personally lives in a 10000 sq ft mansion and spent 30,000 bucks on his electric bills for the year of 2006 alone. 11=we want Christmas to be turned into George Soros Day because he is one of our best friends despite being the 34th richest person in the world.
I guess the people on this forum are too smart to reply your stupid remarks Kevabe ! Oh crap I must be stupid!#@$%
Very funny, but this was directed towards participants of the movement, not it's detractors. Though you obviously disagree with them in spirit and principle, at least afford them the courtesy of hearing their arguments, rather than regarding them as ridiculous from the outset.
This is exactly why nobody takes this movement seriously. Shut up.
This has been known to be their demands but unfortunately it has been laughed at and ridiculed because it's plain ole' communism. http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/occupy-wallstreet-list-of-demands
I've written a declaration with new demands but they haven't gotten any traction from this stupid ass group. http://www.scribd.com/doc/73304557/Declaration-of-Independence-for-the-Occupy-Movement
Well, it's good that at least there are demands, solutions being formulated. I must admit, I was not aware there were any to come out of this movement. Some of them strike me as being better than others. Restoration of the living wage is certainly not a bad idea, but the abolition of credit agencies would probably mean the abolition of credit. Anyways, good to see there are some concrete suggestions emerging. Now to do what someone on the Huffington Post has just written, and take your ideas to congress.
I would send a letter but to whom?
Your congressperson would be a start. Or you could look at the Occupy Congress 527's website, which suggests that a sort of "primary" for Occupiers is coming up to decide candidates. Prospective candidates are encouraged to upload videos to YouTube.