Forum Post: You may have seen these 8 PRACTICAL OCCUPY-RELATED GOALS before (over 2,000 commented). Will any be achieved within 5 years?
Posted 11 years ago on Nov. 19, 2012, 6:01 p.m. EST by therising
(6643)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
(* Introductory Note: First we need to work on getting a larger percentage of Americans to realize the message that our democracy has been hijacked as so well laid out in this short and approachable video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5kHACjrdEY&feature=youtube_gdata_player . Nonviolent direct actions of all kinds will raise awareness (blockades, strikes, boycotts, sit ins, walk outs, street theater, etc. etc. etc.). And once that fundamental truth of the corporate takeover of our republic has penetrated the public consciousness in countless ways, this newly awakened populace will be engaged, connected to a movement of like-minded people and ready for action. Then we'll be in a better position to do things like what's described below).
*Here is one person's LIST OF 8 GOALS (plus tactics). See 8 items below:**
Admin Note: This is not an official list of demands, it's a user-submitted post on our forum. The user who submitted this post only speaks for her/himself and their supporters, NOT the movement as a whole.
(Please click on this link if you haven't yet read the introduction called "OUR TURN": http://occupywallst.org/forum/our-turn-a-message-to-all-americans/ . Feel free to share this link with anyone you like).
TACTICS FOR "DEMANDS FOR CONGRESS" - NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION - (LATE SPRING 2014?)
We should make the demands below very publicly at a press conference a few days after arriving in DC. When doing so, we should give a clear deadline of 30 days for a firm written commitment with signatures from at least 60% of members of House and 60% of the members of the Senate to pass these bills by the end of the year. If this commitment on the full slate of demands is not met by midnight on the 30th day (which it won't be) we should be prepared to non-violently block access to all or part of the Capitol complex the next morning by traditional proven non-violent tactics. The purpose is to bring the leaders of the House and Senate to the negotiating table.
NOTE: There are always entrances because there is always a point where people who work there have to leave the public street and enter secure space. We should focus our non-violent direct action and civil disobedience on those entrances no matter where they move them because these are, by definition, always accessible.
LIST OF PROPOSED "DEMANDS FOR CONGRESS"
CONGRESS PASS HR 1489 ("RETURN TO PRUDENT BANKING ACT" http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1489 ). THIS REINSTATES MANY PROVISIONS OF THE GLASS-STEAGALL ACT. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act --- Wiki entry summary: The repeal of provisions of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 by the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act in 1999 effectively removed the separation that previously existed between investment banking which issued securities and commercial banks which accepted deposits. The deregulation also removed conflict of interest prohibitions between investment bankers serving as officers of commercial banks. Most economists believe this repeal directly contributed to the severity of the Financial crisis of 2007–2011 by allowing Wall Street investment banking firms to gamble with their depositors' money that was held in commercial banks owned or created by the investment firms. Here's detail on repeal in 1999 and how it happened: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act#Repeal .
USE CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY AND OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE FEDERAL AGENCIES FULLY INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE THE WALL STREET CRIMINALS who clearly broke the law and helped cause the 2008 financial crisis in the following notable cases: (insert list of the most clear cut criminal actions). There is a pretty broad consensus that there is a clear group of people who got away with millions / billions illegally and haven't been brought to justice. Boy would this be long overdue and cathartic for millions of Americans. It would also be a shot across the bow for the financial industry. If you watch the solidly researched and awared winning documentary film "Inside Job" that was narrated by Matt Damon (pretty brave Matt!) and do other research, it wouldn't take long to develop the list.
CONGRESS ENACT LEGISLATION TO PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY BY REVERSING THE EFFECTS OF THE CITIZENS UNITED SUPREME COURT DECISION which essentially said corporations can spend as much as they want on elections. The result is that corporations can pretty much buy elections. Corporations should be highly limited in ability to contribute to political campaigns no matter what the election and no matter what the form of media. This legislation should also RE-ESTABLISH THE PUBLIC AIRWAVES IN THE U.S. SO THAT POLITICAL CANDIDATES ARE GIVEN EQUAL TIME FOR FREE AT REASONABLE INTERVALS IN DAILY PROGRAMMING DURING CAMPAIGN SEASON. The same should extend to other media.
CONGRESS PASS THE BUFFETT RULE ON FAIR TAXATION SO THE RICH AND CORPORATIONS PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE & CLOSE CORPORATE TAX LOOP HOLES AND ENACT A PROHIBITION ON HIDING FUNDS OFF SHORE. No more GE paying zero or negative taxes. Pass the Buffet Rule on fair taxation so the rich pay their fair share. (If we have a really had a good negotiating position and have the place surrounded, we could actually dial up taxes on millionaires, billionaires and corporations even higher...back to what they once were in the 50's and 60's.
CONGRESS COMPLETELY REVAMP THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION and staff it at all levels with proven professionals who get the job done protecting the integrity of the marketplace so citizens and investors are both protected. This agency needs a large staff and needs to be well-funded. It's currently has a joke of a budget and is run by Wall St. insiders who often leave for high ticket cushy jobs with the corporations they were just regulating. Hmmm.
CONGRESS PASS SPECIFIC AND EFFECTIVE LAWS LIMITING THE INFLUENCE OF LOBBYISTS AND ELIMINATING THE PRACTICE OF LOBBYISTS WRITING LEGISLATION THAT ENDS UP ON THE FLOOR OF CONGRESS.
CONGRESS PASSING "Revolving Door Legislation" LEGISLATION ELIMINATING THE ABILITY OF FORMER GOVERNMENT REGULATORS GOING TO WORK FOR CORPORATIONS THAT THEY ONCE REGULATED. So, you don't get to work at the FDA for five years playing softball with Pfizer and then go to work for Pfizer making $195,000 a year. While they're at it, Congress should pass specific and effective laws to enforce strict judicial standards of conduct in matters concerning conflicts of interest. So long as judges are culled from the ranks of corporate attorneys the 1% will retain control.
ELIMINATE "PERSONHOOD" LEGAL STATUS FOR CORPORATIONS. The film "The Corporation" has a great section on how corporations won "personhood status". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SuUzmqBewg . Fast-forward to 2:20. It'll blow your mind. The 14th amendment was supposed to give equal rights to African Americans. It said you "can't deprive a person of life, liberty or property without due process of law". Corporation lawyers wanted corporations to have more power so they basically said "corporations are people." Amazingly, between 1890 and 1910 there were 307 cases brought before the court under the 14th amendment. 288 of these brought by corporations and only 19 by African Americans. 600,000 people were killed to get rights for people and then judges applied those rights to capital and property while stripping them from people. It's time to set this straight.
NOTE 1: This is from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from the Birmingham Jail":
"Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks to so dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent-resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension." I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth. Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, we must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood."
"The purpose of our direct-action program is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation. I therefore concur with you in your call for negotiation."
Here's the entire "Letter from the Birmingham Jail": http://abacus.bates.edu/admin/offices/dos/mlk/letter.html . It's a treasure and is as timely as ever.
NOTE 2: Here's a short video from BBC to inspire you. It gets pretty extraordinary about halfway through: http://youtu.be/lqN3amj6AcE
NOTE 3: If you haven't seen these 4 award winning documentaries -- INSIDE JOB, THE CORPORATION, WHY WE FIGHT & MANUFACTURING CONSENT -- I highly recommend them.
NOTE 4: There needs to be a very well researched and concise addendum that contains a list of the top 50 corporate crimes / harmful actions during the past 15 years. This ought to really blow people away and will help increase support both on the ground in DC and in living rooms across America as the story unfolds. We can't assume everyone knows why these demands are necessary. We must demonstrate.
The original post with 2,021 comments are at http://occupywallst.org/forum/proposed-list-of-demands-please-help-editadd-so-th/ .
PLEASE SEE this link or strategy on why there is no "they" in Occupy and how Occupy is like a fleet of ships. This may help us get over the idea that we need to limit our focus: http://www.occupywallst.org/forum/occupy-is-a-fleet-of-ships-and-there-is-no-they-in/
another link full of info and dialogue on direct action / next steps: http://occupywallst.org/forum/i-think-the-page-at-link-below-is-the-most-importa/
I support all these goals. I would like to see something regarding breaking up Media conglomerates, because I see fair, honest info as a fundamental impediment to all our goals.
I would also suggest we nrainstorm about how to get more people involved in our efforts. How to wake up more working class people, who are struggling and too afraid to rock the vote, or those who feel they are ok, they have a job but still aren't succeeding as they would like. Who are just beyond a pint that allows them to feel above the problems so many of us live with.
Growing into that comfortable, group who are probably distracted with sports, & real housewives shows. And convinced they can become part of the 1%.
Just some ideas
I think you are exactly on target on all your points. I'm nodding my head on each and every one of them. I need to think more about how we achieve those objectives because they're just plain vital.
I think Occupy has generally done a good job with focused events / actions. It seems activists could learn a lot from King and Gandhi. They always had very focused nonviolent actions and these actions raised a lot of awareness because King and Gandhi always seemed to know how to have the press in the right place at the right time :)
We have an even great advantage with the web and social media at our disposal: check this out when you have a chance http://occupywallst.org/forum/we-dont-see-the-power-we-have-in-our-hands-to-tran/
Regarding #5 about the SEC: Obama is in the process of appointing someone new to the SEC right now, and the assumption is that he'll appoint someone with a Wall-Street-first mentality (Mary Miller).
Inside Job talks about how Obama was disappointing when he came into office because he chose a status-quo administration. If we want to stop this from happening again, we need a major demonstration.
I created this page to promote it: http://occupywallst.org/forum/time-for-obama-to-hold-wall-street-accountable/
We're going to have to act fast, though, because Obama will appoint someone by January. The OP asks if we can achieve any of these 8 goals in the next 5 years. Here's a chance to achieve one in the next month, if we unite around this issue. If we don't unite and spread the message widely, I fear that we'll just get the status quo again.
I really like how you think. This is exactly the kind of individual / group push we need to get behind however we can. I think part of the trick is to get a few wins under our belt related to the execute and legislative branches so we realize what we're capable of. What you're suggesting is right down that alley and would make a huge difference. I'm heading over to check out your page now. Thanks!
The appointment is less important than the policy. We can protest his appointment, I would not object. but we MUST mainly focus on strengthening the fin regs & reimposing Glass Steagal rules.
Remember FDR appointed Joseph Kennedy as the1st SEC chairman who made his fortune gaming the stock market. But FDR appointed him because he knew the scams and in fact imposed the rules that prevented much of those scams. So much so that when he left the SEC he never played the stock market again. He went into real estate.
So as always it must be the policy we are focused on. Anything else is a distraction. Protest the appointment in the context of the policy but 'keep your eyes on the prize.'
Great reply, with nice historical evidence. My goal in providing pressure for appointments is only to see policy change, but I agree that it could happen despite who gets appointed.
My question, then, is how do pressure government to make these simple regulations? Much of the public doesn't seem interested and much of OWS seems to have moved on to other things. What can breathe new life into this particular cause?
nothing simple about it. The forces against us in agitating for stronger fin regulations are vastly powerful, All Wall st, banksters, 95% of repubs, some dems (we betray progressive principles).
We must pressure all pols! through street protests (as we have) through petitions, phone calls, social media, We must continue informing the 99%, and growthe movement.
Occupy ain't moved on! We are working on many issues, this one will bubble up to the top again.
Today we are fighting for workers against Michigan repubs 'right to work for less' laws.
Support decent hard working Americans. fight against 'right to work for less'
Great post!
Everyone should watch Inside Job!
"You're gonna make an extra $2 million a year, or $10 million a year for putting your financial institution at risk. Someone else pays the bill, you don't. Would you make that bet? Most people on Wall Street said, 'Sure, I'd make that bet.'" - Frank Partnoy, Inside Job
5 minutes with the gentleman from Ohio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khTUzI9JeTw
"It’s a Wall Street government" - Robert Gnaizda, the Greenlining Institutue
I forgot to tell you, TrevorMnemonic, that your Frank Partnoy quote stuck with me and I made a little visual about it after reading your comment: http://www.switchyourbank.org/why_did_wall_street_blow_itself_up
that's awesome!
Inside Job is an incredible film. Also, if you haven't seen the films Manufacturing Consent, Why We Fight and the Corporation, I'd strongly recommend. They are of equal quality.
Haven't seen Why We Fight. Do you know if that is on Netflix?
I consider this campaign to be a blue print example of how the people take meaningful action:
The National Campaign to End Corporate Personhood and Demand Real Democracy! Move to Amend
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The Best Democracy Money Can Buy
Immediately following Election Day, the rhetoric flowing from our elected officials in Washington was all about the ‘fiscal cliff.’ Unfortunately they were not referring to the costs of this election.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, this campaign season was the most expensive in history, topping out at an estimated $6 billion.
The presidential race was slightly less costly than the last one; slightly more money was spent in House and Senate races this year. “Dark” money from Super PACs, unleashed by Citizens United, totaled over $540 million, while non-profit interest groups spent $351 million. Incumbents, who spend 30% to 70% of their time raising money, continued to retain a big advantage over challengers.
When you consider the amount of money flowing into our elections and the time elected officials spend raising money, it’s no wonder we are nearing a fiscal cliff. Policies that benefit only corporate America and their wealthy allies have brought us to this precipice, and there’s no end in sight. It is more than likely that the majority of us will be further victimized by pending austerity measures on the horizon.
It is said we have the best democracy money can buy. We wonder how long our democracy can survive under the principle that money is speech, which is why Move to Amend is calling for a Constitutional amendment that clearly states money is not speech, and corporations are not entitled to the same rights as people.
In this election awash with corporate and dark money, over 150 of ballot initiatives supporting our amendment language passed in communities across the nation. Folks are waking up to the damage these huge sums of money have on our democracy, which proves Move to Amend is on the right track.
We’re part of a movement to reclaim our democracy, and we’re winning. Please help us expand our reach -- ask your friends to sign our petition so we can grow our numbers and repeat these successes in the next election.
In solidarity,
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Move to Amend Executive Committee
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We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling, and move to amend our Constitution to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.
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Here's the video link I was looking for from previous post. Really shocking. You may have already seen but just thought I'd post it here in case others have not. ELIMINATE "PERSONHOOD" LEGAL STATUS FOR CORPORATIONS. The film "The Corporation" has a great section on how corporations won "personhood status". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SuUzmqBewg . Fast-forward to 2:20. It'll blow your mind. The 14th amendment was supposed to give equal rights to African Americans. It said you "can't deprive a person of life, liberty or property without due process of law". Corporation lawyers wanted corporations to have more power so they basically said "corporations are people." Amazingly, between 1890 and 1910 there were 307 cases brought before the court under the 14th amendment. 288 of these brought by corporations and only 19 by African Americans. 600,000 people were killed to get rights for people and then judges applied those rights to capital and property while stripping them from people. It's time to set this straight.
I have this one bookmarked along with others. Thx. Good Food For Thought - needs to be kept in circulation. An individual may be presented information 50 or more times and not look at the information - but perhaps on the 51st or 101st opportunity they may decide to take a look. One opportunity presented to look at information may come at the right moment for that individual to be in the right frame of mind and with the time to spare at that moment - to stop and consider the information presented.
People - Share/Circulate information. "The Corporation" has a great section on how corporations won "personhood status". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SuUzmqBewg .
Thanks for helping to spread the word. It really is surprising! I am shocked every time I watch that 2 minute clip.
Also, I like the way you think regarding spreading info and how it can break through. To me that's really key.
Thank you very much. We all have an odd mix of what we will respond to. Some of us will look at everything - but that is rare.
Thanks so much for laying out some detail on Move to Amend. I need to study it further but seems right on target. Such a key thing to get rid of corporate personhood. I once read that the origin of this corporate personhood was the corporate lawyer's twisting of the decision protecting freed slaves...... And oddly and tragically the decision ended up being used very little to protect freed slaves and used countless times to give corporations a whole slew of rights and advantages (see the excellent documentary "The Corporation" if you haven't already. Lays this out quite well. Here's that short description / paraphrase I found someone did on that particular scene in the film:
About 100 years ago the corporations were associations of people chartered by the state to do particular funcitions like building a bridge and stuff like that. There was very few chartered corporations. They were like, a gift from the people to serve public good.
The civil war and the industrial revolution created an enormous growth in the number of corps: many railroads were created and the corps had large loans and subsidies in land, a lot of banking and manufacturing was going on etc. Then the corporate lawyers relized they needed more power to operate so they wanted remove some of the constraints that had historicaly been place on the corporate form (how long they can operate, the amout captialization they need, what they made, what they did, forbiden to do anything else, can't own other corps, shareolders are liable, etc)
The end of civil war brought equal rights to black ppl: from now on no state can deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law. That prevented the state to take property of black people like they did in past.
So... the corporations went in court, and said "You can't deprive a person of life, liberty or property, well it happens that the corporation is a person!" And the supreme court went along with that.
In the docu someone remarked how that was grotesque, the 14th amendment was passed to protect newly freed slaves and, for instance, between 1890 and 1910 among the 307 cases were brought before the court under the 14th amendment, 288 were made by corporations and 19 by african americans.
Six hundred thousand people were killed in the Civil War to get rights for people and within the next 30 years, with strokes of the pen, judges applied those right to capital and property while stripping them from people.
Thanks for your reply - in all of the talk about removing corpoRAT personhood - there has been little talk of it's origins.
I think reigning in the corpoRATions is one of the largest efforts for good that the people can undertake.
I completely agree. So much depends upon that! We need to fight the good fight now, to preserve our environment, our freedom, our humanity, our well being and that of our children, grandchildren and so on.
You are preachin to the choir. SoKay though - we need to spread the word - keep it in circulation.
Yes! Reign them in we must.
There is no alternative - none that is good for the human race.
I'll tell you..it feels so damn good compared to 15 months ago when it felt like no one was speaking up. All of a sudden we realize that millions feel the same way! That's huge. That is a genie that can't be put back in the bottle.
The cat is out of the bag and running for it's life. We the People have to make sure it is successful.
We all have to keep our collective foot on the proverbial gas.
Damn straight - drive home the issues - do not stop.
Relentless. Consistent. Creative. Kind. Plus it ought to be fun. Those folks who've done mic checks in Walmarts revealing how bad the company is with customers right there.... Brave, effective and fun!
Love people who have backbone and a proper use for it.
More and more people are rising up by speaking up. It's a revolutionary act.
See my Thanks Giving Day Post. ( tweet worthy? )
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Wow. Thanks for taking the time to review and comment. I need to spend more time thinking about what you've said here, but my initial comments are:
Thanks again Zendog.
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You have my wheels turning. As I think about it, I realize that there are countless opportunities to introduce a new perspective on events, a perspective that counters the corporate lens that leaves one feeling powerless and nihilistic (the "oh well just go shopping" feeling). Instead, our new perspective, promoted collectively and relentlessly could show the same events while at the same time showing many opportunities for participation in making real change related to that issue! I realize this is obvious but for some reason it feels like a revelation to me. Forgive me. I'm a little slow to catch on to the possibilities.
One thing is for sure. We need to band together to capture the imagination of the general public so they awaken to the fact that their democracy has been hijacked. We can remove the corporate rider. It is entirely possible to do so. The trick, it seems, is for people to discover their collective power. Once they get a taste of it, there's no turning back (hence the Walmart strike emergence....).
Here's a great short clip that shows that absolutely unbelievable way that corporations initially inserted themselves.... If you haven't already seen it, the film "The Corporation" has a great section on how corporations won "personhood status". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SuUzmqBewg . Fast-forward to 2:20. It'll blow your mind. The 14th amendment was supposed to give equal rights to African Americans. It said you "can't deprive a person of life, liberty or property without due process of law". Corporation lawyers wanted corporations to have more power so they basically said "corporations are people." Amazingly, between 1890 and 1910 there were 307 cases brought before the court under the 14th amendment. 288 of these brought by corporations and only 19 by African Americans. 600,000 people were killed to get rights for people and then judges applied those rights to capital and property while stripping them from people. It's time to set this straight.
80% of Americans + 100 congressmen advocate for an amendment
http://corporationsarenotpeople.webuda.com
Virtually everything we want hinges on disarming our opponent –
……………………………………………………..GREED
by stopping the flood of bribes into our government.
YOU WANT TO GET IT DONE ?
Join the NYC OWS
Corporations are not People and Money is not Speech Working Group
This is the first REAL step to REAL change .
government OF the people BY the people FOR the people
JOIN US >
Join the NYC OWS Corporations Are Not People and Money Is Not Speech Working Group
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………………………….no signup or password
check out our comprehensive analysis of
the 17 existing proposed amendments
and our detailed historical timeline of corporate personhood
and our voting bloc plan
http://www.nycga.net/groups/restore-democracy.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NYCRDWG.com
Are you ready
.....................FOR ACTION ?
Are you ready
.....................TO DO SOMETHING REAL ?
Are you ready
......................TO JOIN 80% OF YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS ?
We must not
DEMAND that we WANT THEM.to give to US
We must
DEMAND GOALS THAT WE WILL ACHIEVE FOR OURSELVES
Because of the Supreme Court's decision,
we cannot accomplish anything significant, without FIRST -
Overturning Citizens United !!!
Ending Corporate Personhood !!!
80% of Americans already agree on it
as stated in the ABC/Washington Post poll
In the the PFAW Poll -
http://corporationsarenotpeople.webuda.com
http://www.nycga.net/groups/restore-democracy
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NYCRDWG
http://bit.ly/vK2pGI
regular meetings Wednesdays 5:30-7:30PM @ 60 Wall St – The Attrium
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Thanks for your comments and links. Checking them out now. 2 questions:
Are you getting the impression that after a lull, the movement / the great idea / consciousness about the corporate takeover of our democracy is picking up steam again?
Also, have you ever seen the film Manufacturing Consent? It speaks directly to one of the key aspects of the growth of the movement.
do you have a link to the movie?
Here's the preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LVsiP0s33A&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Here's one link I saw online to watch film at "Free Documentaries" site: http://freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=138
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I like the way you think. I think the more board based the better because there's more of a chance for the message about the initiative to break through capture the imagination of the general public. It takes a huge number of people to really make a difference and yet, paradoxically, it doesn't take long to reach that critical mass if the core message is honest and heartfelt in a way that connects to a broad spectrum of people. I'm fascinated by this stuff. Not sure how relevant he'd be, but I suppose the author of "The Tipping Point" Malcolm Gladwell would have a lot to say on this topic.
I really do think Glass-Steagall could be the breakthrough item if you had to pick just one. You wouldn't stop there, of course, but a great place to focus and continue the effort.
The only one of these which even marginally has to do with job creation is the one about the Buffett Rule.
But that's hardly preventing us from raising taxes on the rich—which is exactly what the President is trying to convince people to do right now. What was that about a hijacked democracy?
I think the other goals that relate to breaking corp 1% plutocrat control is necessary to create well paying jobs as well.
Current efforts at increasing wealthy taxes is inadequate. A buffet rule is not being discussed and must be, and a fin transaction tax would raise a great deal of revenue, but also not being discussed yet.
They might form some sort of barrier to creating more high-paying jobs through government spending... but they are irrelevant to creating more jobs through working less.
Since this would reduce inequality, it would raise purchasing power for people with 'bad' jobs but would lower it for people with highly-paid jobs.
The latest thread which was too crazy for people to reply to on this topic:
http://www.occupywallst.org/forum/the-us-is-1-including-rampage-killings-among-devel/
Are you trying to get me to comment on your other thread.?
Just making sure you know about it, as well as anyone else who reads the discussion. I don't like discussing a problem without being able to offer a solution.
Among other things, it can cause the discussion to evolve towards whether there is a good solution, or what is the next best thing to do on the assumption that an ideal solution doesn't exist.
Cool.
20 hr work weeks! 3 day work weeks! Early retirement! Full employment now!
Now if you can only get GirlFriday to support it as well...
Girlfriday?
We appear to be gearing up for a big conflict because I believe it is wrong to murder shoplifters. LOL.
Don't think I can convince Girlfriday of anything.
Here. Please watch this to see answer to your question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5kHACjrdEY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
That's a very general answer. Money has always played a part in politics. Do you have any specific suggestion on what the government should be doing that it isn't?
Not everyone supports higher taxes on the rich. The Tea Party thing was about people who opposed any higher taxes or spending at all; they thought the government was wasting tax money on Wall Street, very similar to what many people in OWS think. So, your suggestion?
Please keep in mind that jobs are the main issue for most people. Polls show this, and the President has also said that he considers jobs to be the main issue. Talking about corporate personhood is just making yourself irrelevant.
(If you are not aware, working less would fix unemployment, inequality and war)
I guess I understand that people want to find someone to blame for the situation. I am just describing the situation as it is.
What if we describe the problem as the idea that "everyone has to do the same thing because it's the right thing to do"..? The point of some people working less is so that other people don't feel like they have to work less to help with job creation. Neither working less, nor working more is the single "right" thing to do; they would both be fine and neither would be better.
IMHO, Occupy should be forcused on these primarily:
1) SIngle Payer Health Care
2) Reinstate Glass Steagall
3) Overturn Citizen United/Campaign Finance Reform
4) Revoke Corporate Personhood law
5) Close corporate tax loopholes
6) Raise taxes on upper incomes
7) Address US job outsourcing
That's certainly enough to keep anyone "occupied" for a very long time. Personally, I would like to see most of the postings and comments on this forum focused on these. The issues are well known and defined by now. The means to bring about the desired goals should be the focus.
I think we're in agreement on most of these and so are many of the people in the country. The trick seems to be continually identifying ways to raise public consciousness so more join in whatever specific initiatives arise. I'm with you and am focused on doing whatever I can in my own small way to follow the principle of "each one teach one (or more if you can)."
At the same time natural human weaknesses and also very intentional corporate forces will push back. And then the trick is, which force will be stronger.
I'd like to think that there are ways that virtuous cycles large and small can begin and grow with a momentum that can't be stopped. What immspecifically interested in are strategies and tactics that will facilitate those virtuous cycles. Gene Sharp, Gamdhi, Martin King, Jr. and many others have a lot to say about that and I think we'd be wise in the second big wave of Occupy to utilize even more of their tactics.
In the end, I agree that it's the heart of the message that's most important. I'm just personally fascinated by how we can spread that message exponentially.
Martin Luther King, Jr. said the following in his "Letter from the Birmingham Jail":
"Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks to so dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent-resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension." I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth. Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, we must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood."
"The purpose of our direct-action program is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation. I therefore concur with you in your call for negotiation."
Here's the entire "Letter from the Birmingham Jail": http://abacus.bates.edu/admin/offices/dos/mlk/letter.html . It's a treasure and is as timely as ever.
I am encouraged by what I see happening since Occupy raised initial awareness about banking and government corruption. The fact that there are now voices that once did not exist like those on MSNBC and Current to offset the Rightwing propaganda of Fox, Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, and other spew like that is very encouraging. But I would like to see Occupy gain some additional ground by perhaps developing a Legal arm to take our issues that we would like to see challenged to court (sort of like the ACLU except more focused on challenging some of the things in my list previously posted). Ultimately I think that is where the battle will end up. And we need to develop a strategy to grow the Left in this country, because it is a relatively small minority compared to the Right. How Occupy can help that happen I am not sure, but it needs to grow that voice through well-reasoned argument that is convincing. It helps that the statistics clearly show the imbalance and how it has occurred over the last 30 years. If we can keep up the pressure, we can gain soldiers for our cause, but we must never relent because if we lose this Class War we may never see a resurgence of the Middle Class for many, many generations, if ever (a new dark age).
Fighting on the legal front sounds good to me. But I think that will need to be paired with direct nonviolent action to put pressure on.
I just watched the "Manufacturing Consent" documentary that you recommended in another post. Classic Chomsky. I actually was not very aware of him until I starting spending time on this forum starting back in January of this year. He is a great "voice in the wilderness", and it certainly is not hard to understand why he has been marginalized in our society by the power-elite. But it's a great thing that his views have finally started to gain ground, and the alternative media possibilities of the Internet certainly contributed to that.
I'll bet to this day if you asked the average man/woman on the street if they have ever heard of Chomsky many would say no. But how many have heard of Donald Trump? It is so obvious that Chomsky is correct regarding media bias and filtering that it is almost laughable. Yet millions of people get all their information from the MSM.
Thanks for the documentary recommendation.
You are very welcome. So glad you were able to see it and connected with Chomsky's message. It's really incredible how many of us in this nation are unaware of how we're living in a manufactured dream. The beautiful thing is that more and more are waking up and once you do, there's no going back to the lie. It's a beautiful world when viewed unfiltered. Here's to the rising underdog!
"congress" comes up for review every two years, any ideal as to how we might hold them accountable?
We could fire them. The real trick is who do we replace them with. Such a nasty process to get elected these days. Can you imagine having you private life scrutinized and having to do all that fundraising (even if you raised funds from individuals who are regular folks who were genuine supporters from inside or outside the movement. You need at least some money. Who can we find to take on this daunting task to run for congress?
the money will be an issue, we need to push hard for public funding, as the message gets out we will find fewer and fewer friends among those on the TV, they all stand to lose in a more fair economy, as they realize this I am not sure why the Bill Maher address to OWS from June 2012 was taken down still can't find it, I wonder if it is like what happened to the 15% tax cut.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/wheres-the-15-tax-cut-has-anybody-seen-it/
In AZ we have public funding for state office it helps but the state is very red so stuff like SB 1070 stills comes out of here. I like what Bill Maher had to say about becoming the "loony left" of the Dems as the TEA party is to the Rs, here he explains it, of course this involves, getting involved and picking a side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M84Jk9-3O-I&playnext=1&list=PL34A074E0C1471A0C&feature=results_main
There was another one where he say OWS should be the TEA party of the left, it has been "taken down by user"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/09/bill-maher-mocks-occupy-wall-street_n_1583616.html