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Dear 99,
I write to you as a fellow, concerned 99. I want a better future. However, I know that without clear vision, goals are harder to achieve, and a haphazard vision will guarantee a haphazard future.
That is why I write to you all now.
That is why I write to you all now.
Right now, those of us that have visions are not all on the same page, and more of us lack a clear vision. Intuitively, we all desire a better future, so why should we differ so greatly in our opinions? Why do so many of us propose goals (demands), sometimes at least enough to make it difficult to re-conciliate them? Because the majority of us do not have an adequate understanding of how our problems are created, factors that stand in the way of our vision for a better future. What we do understand is also limited by our knowledge – our certain frame of thinking. Each of these visions reflects on an understanding of how the world works, but it is not complete. They still offer a way of correction our problems, but because these visions are not complete, the are means to solving our problems, not ends.
Our visions, as individuals, no matter how thoroughly investigated, cannot achieve our ends. If you were to achieve all of your vision for the world, you would likely be subjecting it on another. As individuals, we need to develop and understanding of our problems so that as a groups we can create a vision for the future, and set goals to get there.
If this is to be a real movement, everyone must feel and be able to participate, from the 8 year old to the eighty year old, from the city slicker to the country folk, from the bottom rung to the top rung.
As individuals, our limited knowledge cannot achieve this. As a group, we at least have a chance.
Need for vision.
- Because of the disparity of ideas (that can be reconciled), the process of working out a vision should help people learn why other people think a certain way and build understanding.
- The process should also help people begin to get more engaged, once they realize they have a say and influence over their lives
- It will help coordinate and hold Americans together. The more various groups participate, the more societal cohesion we will have in the long run, the more real democracy is upheld.
- The more cohesive a vision is, the more appealing it is to others, the less resistance. The only problem with this is that it could be co-opted.
- However, I urge for a vision because I think that it will give life to the movement; its benefits will outweigh its costs. It will also make the following steps in organizing the movement easier and more agreeable.
Process of organization OWS
- Make a vision
- identify obstacles to obtaining vision
- identify causes of obstacles (problems)
- Identify key issues (those that need to be dealt with first before others can be handled)
- Make demands with timeline (some shorter, some more flexible). This is most important, as a timeline will push more people to act and will help shift the burden for producing results (at least, important ones) to the officials.
- Where limitations at that level exist, whether local or regional, go up next level of government or to higher economic level
What this Forum asks you to do
As brief as possible, list the top 1-4 things you would like as a vision for America. This keeps people from pushing out the opinions of others, aids going through the information faster, and helps you prioritize those ideas that you see as most important for our future. Try to keep these ideas as general as possible – more like your ideal world, not so much goals you see for getting your ideal world. Start goals as new posts. Comments to this page are intended to help modify the content/direction of this page and forum.
121 comments:
marijuana
one sentence. 2012 THE END OF GREED.
PEOPLE WORKING FOR PEOPLE
Education. Let us begin sorting out fact from fiction in this sea of information. http://www.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/37470/9_11___The_Great_American_Psy_Opera___Opening/
1) Funding Education
2) Health Care for all
3) Tax reform
4) Ending Iraq/Afghanistan wars
5) Campaign finance reform
Education. In this sea of information we must sort out fact from fiction. And please stop censoring. http://www.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/37470/9_11___The_Great_American_Psy_Opera___Opening/
A patchwork quilt of homesteads. self sufficient people. Home gardeners. connection to the earth.
Get rid of %100 salary retirements for elected officials. Cut military spending by a minimum of 35%. Let more tax money stay locally; communities know better than the federal government. Raise taxes on the wealthy to make up for Bush era tax cuts. Increase spending on Education. Take Corporate money out of Government. Cap spending on campaigns to $1 million. End media monopolies and push for true freedom of the press. Legalize and tax marijuana like alcohol and tobacco. Tax all religious institutions earnings. Push for Green jobs creation and better protection of the environment. Cut foreign aid by 35% until we can get our own country back on it's feet. Then we can become a humanitarian super power rather than a military super power.
sorry this is more than requested; just need to get that off my chest.
Yes! This is an excellent start. I hope others will contribute.
1.) An infrastructure that emphasizes clean energy
2.) A larger and more influential middle class
3.) A world leader in education, technology and medicine
4.) Large organizations that have a sense of civic responsibility
1. End the Fed
2. Reverse Judgement from Supreme Court that Corporations are "People"
3. Healthcare that is either free or more affordable for all
4. Bring our troops home from all of these other countries, we are the only country that occupies so many other nations, we don't need to stick our noses in the worlds business, lets get our own nation together before we go trying to command another.
1. Separate corporations and the government
2. Increase industry in the U.S.
3. New unbiased news stations
4. Stop teaching students how to pass a test and actually teach them how to survive in real life and not a test
5. PEOPLE OVER PROFIT
My Vision:
1. Unanimous Equality
2. A money system that works. (will happily explain what I mean if asked)
3. A government that is truly by the people for the people. (again happy to explain thought, likely has holes in theory)
4. Honesty.
1. Government out of Wall Street and vise verse
1.2 Campaign Finance Reform
1.3 An end to all PACs
2. Fair and equal taxation of the rich, individuals and corporations (just to be clear)
3. Investment as a country in the education of our youth. Access to education on all levels, primary, secondary and higher education.
4. The US out of the War business
Renounce the wars. Immediately.If you don't then this is all fake and for nothing.We must bring the troops home now.
Student loan forgivness.
Abolish PRIVATE central banking(end the fed)
1% Tobin tax (a sales tax on wall street transactions)
Bonus requests: arrest dick Cheney and bush for war crimes and take back Obama's "peace" prize.
1) The end of financial institutions creating diversified investments out of mortgages. A mortgage should be a contract between a lending institution and the people who are buying the property, it should not be divided up and sold in parts to other investors.
2) The end of financial institutions right to subject their customers to random fees just because they are not making a profit.
3) The end of corporations receiving tax incentives and tax breaks to off-shore jobs.
4) The beginning of reform as it pertains to the cost of health care and more specifically how the insurance companies drive-up the cost of health care so if someone does not have health insurance they cannot afford to go to a doctor.
1) End Corporate Personhood
2) En Lobbying - End Legal Bribery. Money should no longer be considered a form of speech if it is more akin to bribery for votes. http://www.facebook.com/EndLobbying
3) End shorting in the stock market. It allows people to place bets AGAINST the market, just those vampires that place these make money, everyone else loses.
4) Make the SEC accountable. Not one banker, fraudster, has been put in jail.
5) Demand our money back from banks, corporations, and the federal reserve, abolish the federal reserve and what we owe it. Pay back other countries debts.
6) Educate everyone!
1. Focus on power disparity and wealth disparity in the United States. The top 1% of households in America control over a third of the wealth (in 2007). And as you approach the top, even within that 1%, they just get exponentially wealthier.
The top 5% of households controls over 60% of the wealth. How can our country be fair if so few people have so incredibly much? If wealth = power (economically, and to an extent politically), then the top 1/20th of the people have the majority of the power in the United States.
Forget about making Occupy Wall Street about the environment, or about student debt, or even about unemployment. Because those aren't the end problems; those are symptoms of the underlying malady, which is POWER INEQUALITY in the United States. We need to tax the super-rich. We need to tax corporations. We need to stop allowing those people who have a hugely disproportionate amount of wealth to call the shots. We need to stand in unison and say that we understand the game they're playing, and we refuse to take it anymore.
1. FDR's Second Bill of Rights http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bill_of_Rights (does this count as 5?)
2. A "JFK-esque" commitment to generate our own clean energy with zero purchase of oil "before the decade is done"
3. Guaranteed health care for all (public option)
4. Re-investment/Infrastructure tax on the wealthy above $500,000
1) Reduction of economic inequality through a progressive revision of the tax code that eliminates loopholes for the wealthiest Americans (i.e. "Founder's Stock" loopholes, Capital Gains tax rates, corporate tax rates, etc.)
2) Instituting laws that promote greater fiscal responsibility on the part of the investment banking industry (i.e. Tobin tax on financial transactions, Volcker rule establishing restrictions on the use of commercially deposited funds for speculation and risky investments)
3) Systematic purchasing of public debt (i.e. student loans, mortgages, etc.) in order to shift money back into the hands of people who will spend it in the market, not make further risky investments.
4) Campaign finance law reform (including revisiting Citizen's United vs. FEC)
No corporate political spending, they can outspend us a million times over.
No chemicals allowed in food....our current food is killing us.
Socialize our medical system. It works well all over the world. Chile, Finland, Sweden, etc....
Stop all wars, I don't want my $$ going towards killing "enemies".
http://youtu.be/AZU0c8DAIU4
This should point you in the right direction...
1.Restore complete independence of the United States
2. Return to a gold backed currency.
3.Reduce size the the Federal Government.
4.Withdraw troops from everywhere except from formal congressional declarations of war.
5. Get government out of areas not authorized by the Constitution.
Facebook> Joseph Eruantano Rucker
1. Enforce severely strict requirements for corporate bonuses: The company must be profitable, must NOT have laid off employees, and the bonuses must be capped at a drastically lower level than they currently are.
2. Reinstate music, the arts, sports, and foreign languages into our education system, from kindergarten through college.
3. Reinvent Congress so that these logjams and voting along party lines cannot paralyze our country.
4. (Not in this order) Bring home ALL the troops. What on earth are we doing in Afghanistan? in Iraq? in Korea? in Pakistan? In Cuba?
5. Focus on quality living for all. This is not a fantasy; it is a reality, if we work for it.
6. End the abuse of earmarks in Congressional bills. Why should a healthcare bill have an earmark attached to it for cleaning up cow shit in Texas?
7. Inform the far-right, born-again Christians that there are many religions in our country and that the vast majority of Christians consider these extremists to be in the same category as the jihadists who have assaulted innocent people in Israel, Iraq, the USA, and most other countries.
8. Make loud and clear to all of corporate America, as symbolized by Wall Street, that WE ARE WATCHING YOUR EVERY MOVE and that we are sick to death of your corrupt, sexist, homophobic, devious ways of profiteering at the expense of honest, hard-working employees.
1. Corporations are not living, breathing people. They should not be treated as though they are. Eliminate their ability to secretly donate mass amounts of money to their politician of choice.
2. If your company outscources jobs, it gets penalized. Heavily!
3. Make the top 1% pay their fair share. Also, eliminate all the corporate loopholes which allow major corporations to pay nothing in taxes.
4. Prosecute the criminals on wall street just as you would prosecute any "normal" individual guilty of such crimes.
Maybe a variable scale tax system that favors the working class?
1. financial transaction tax
2. transparent political donations with hard enforced limits and an end to corporate donations.
3. forensic audit of all corporate taxes
4. fair tax applied to oil companies
1) People First
2) End all lobbying
3) Public funding for political campaigns ONLY
4) Term limits for congress and senate (i.e. Maximum of 2 terms of office)
5) Re-boot the FDA
6) Stop subsidizing oil and corn and other big business
7) End the 2 party tyranny
8) Close and Enforce abuse of tax loopholes
9) Fund the war on poverty not the wars for oil
I went over 4. Oh well.
1.) i want a cooperative america where competition is the exception, just something we do for fun and exercise in the back yard; where the emphasis is fostering the accessibility of things like healthy foods instead of turning a huge profit by peddling poisonous Petri dish food; where the need to have more than the next man is nullified by ample resources and good will; and our clothing was not made by nimble little brown fingers in a sweatshop somewhere: where the need to be on top is nullified because people legitimately care about each other.
i want hate, bigotry, violence, greed, oppression, and discrimination to be the new taboos, to be shied away from and shunned by all like so many plagues, to be a tremendous source of shame, humiliation, and alienation for those who cling to them
i want an america that is ever so proud of the cleanliness of its air, water, and land; where the ruling class exists only to ensure that it stays that way for endless generations; that the beauty and splendor of mother nature is preserved for all and not just the leisure class and their employees.
i want an america that acknowledges that a healthy, educated society is a good thing for the nation, and not some insufferable tax burden; in this vision of america, each person knows this because they stopped letting tea party maniacs hiss madness into their ears, and they've all turned off the television and the radio, disconnected with party affiliation, and really started to think about the difference between right and wrong.
Education, health care reform, a true government BY the People and for the People
1. A government that works for the people electing them, not the corporations buying them. Get money out of politics.
2. Get that 1% to carry their weight.
3. Tax corporations HEAVELY for every job/employee they outsource and/or lay-off.
4. Restructure taxes EQUALLY based on income, more income=higher taxes
5. Tax financial institutions on foreign investments, put money back in the USA.
4.
Our New Nation, Founded in our Unalienable Rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, will obtain...
1. Complete Military Disarmament. The Age of America as a World Police and Arms Dealer must End. We shall swear No Enemies. We shall swear Allegiance to the Citizens of this Planet.
2. Sustainable and Enriching Housing for Everyone.
3. Sustainable and Enriching Food and Water for Everyone.
4. Lifelong, Enriching Education for All.
5. Sustainable, Pollution-Free, Energy for Everyone.
6. Freedom from the Burden of Monetary Debt for All.
7. Health Care for Everyone.
These basic necessities must also be considered Natural Rights granted to every person no matter Age, Gender, Sexuality, Skin Color, Class, Group or any other imagined dehumanization. This Nourishing Environment we will provide for All People of the World by welcoming any Global Citizen to share in our Renewed American Dream
1) End the inherent stalemate of the two party system
2) End lobbying
3) Get religion out of government
4) Eliminate tax cuts and loopholes for everyone (people and corporations)
Enact mandatory military service for ALL American children between 18-21 yo, male and female. No exclusions for children of presidents, politicians or tycoons. This will serve 2 game changing functions. The USA will have one of the biggest armies in the world. More importantly, the decision makers will have a very difficult decision to make when going to war. Everyone will have a loved one at some capacity who will be affected.
I suppose that my vision for Occupy Wall Street is less specific than a "Vision for America," as you put it. I see this gathering as an exercise in direct democracy in a society that has known little of democracy in generations. We know a lot about corporate rule, and have been socialized within that power structure. I think that we have no more practice in democracy than do the democratic movements of the Middle East. In fact, I would say that we stand to face some challenges that will not crop up in those countries; namely, that we presume to know something of democracy, because we have been raised to believe that we live in a democratic state. This simply is not the case, and we would do well to understand that the practice of democracy will be as foreign to us as it is in most corners of the world.
With that in mind, the first point for a vision would be:
Showing up.
Without this, we have no democracy. It's part of the first amendment, and it's the first step in participatory democracy. If you've lost your job, then Occupy Wall Street needs to make a job for you. If you've lost your home, Occupy Wall Street will be your home. If you feel disenfranchised and powerless, Occupy Wall Street will plug you in. With so many people unemployed, homeless and disempowered right now, any movement of real meaning will seek first to address these things. We cannot hope to bend the economic and political forces which are influencing us so adversely, until we have begun to diminish their effects upon us. Democracy is the way, and our power lies in accomplishing what we can, and working slowly towards what we currently cannot do.
It is our common plight right now that can bring us together. Joblessness, homelessness, hunger, injustice and confusion. These are things that so many of us experience right now, regardless of our stated political creed. They go beyond our class and our beliefs. We can come together because we face these things, and by facing them together we can address them. Addressing them each day must be the core of Occupy Wall Street's vision, or it will be just another irrelevant political gathering.
Supply chains must be established and food must be brought in, stored, prepared and distributed. Winter is coming, and without shelter, people will freeze out in the open. Together we will build a movement by working to provide these things for one another each day.
The rest of the vision will come when the promise of the first is fulfilled. Make it possible for people to show up each day, and through their fulfillment, the movement will form.
Dan,
You make a good point. However, the reason I developed this blog is because there are a lot of people in America who are 1. not near Wall street and would have problems getting there and 2. Not as bad off. Even if it threatens on the horizon, many do not see it. Hence the need for a vision to maintain a momvement.
Also, a lot of people not in these areas are having a hard time being heard. Here they can have a voice
1. Clean Water
2. Clean Air
3. Healthy, affordable food
4. Affordable, decent and safe housing
M. Cruse,
I don't think you need to be at or near Wall Street in order to build a movement off of showing up and providing for one another. I live in Binghamton, NY and though we have no Wall Street, we still have rampant unemployment, disenfranchisement, hunger, homelessness, injustice and confusion. Some of these things apply to most people, even if none of them apply to all.
I understand that some people "aren't as bad off," right now, but I simply cannot see a movement forming that does not redress the most pressing physical and existential issues that most of us are dealing with right now. I simply haven't got the ability to get food, supply myself with adequate shelter, struggle with injustice and find meaningful employment for my skills if all of these things cannot be done within the context of this movement. It's a full-time job doing all of those things, and if I have to do them separate from this movement, then how much time to I have to actually show up each day?
If our society cannot find useful employment for so many millions of people right now, I think that a movement can be organized by usefully employing those people in work that fulfills, feeds, and houses them.
1. Separation of Government and Corporation, END LOBBYING!!! The government should work for the people of this country, not only for the 1% of the people with the biggest wallets. Enough is enough.
2. Stop rewarding companies that send our jobs out of the county. Stop letting companies set up false headquarters in other countries for tax breaks when they are really US companies. Regulate the banking industry!!! NOW!
3. Hold politicians accountable for their actions! Fines and/or jail time for dereliction of duty. Make it easier to fire them like we can get fired. Want to hold a public office? Well, be expected to do some public service. Period.
4. End corporate greed by ending these ridiculous tax breaks for billionaires, millionaires and corporations. It's killing the country. We get it, they have money for investing and get tax breaks. END THAT PRACTICE! We get it they have lawyers who find loopholes so they pay little to no taxes, we get it. END IT!!! Pass stricter laws.
5. Lets tackle some tough issues. Job Creation, Social Security, Immigration and Health Care. It's time to not only talk about these things but finally do something about it! Have some balls guys, it's time.
6. Worry about this country for the next 10 years. Let the rest of the world worry about itself. USA has done great worldly good, I'm proud but now we need help. We need all our resources, ideas and strength. We are falling apart at the seams. Civil war is right around the corner.
7. End our dependency on natural gas. We MUST look to clean energy. We absolutely must stop raping and killing our precious planet. We don't have another one.
1) End corporate America's involvement in politics
2) Equalize taxation, and get rid of loopholes & ridiculous write-offs for the wealthy and corporations
3) Have politicians receive the same health, welfare, and retirement benefits as the rest of us working stiffs (after the same number of years) If Social Security & Mecicaid go away, so should all of their pensions and medical.)
4) Tax corporations for overseas employees and tax their products when they get shipped back to the US. Give them a reason to "Make in America."
I would like to add this line of thinking....
That kind of language... 'you' SHOULD do 'this' - or 'what i say is right'... or have to and must- is exactly what the protest is not about. We are protesting MANY things... but thats okay because we all have a right to our opinions and perspectives, and to share them peacefully. Its about unity. A house divided will fall. We have realized that all our many different causes are related and are showing those in power we are awake. We may not have the answer right now- thats McDonalds instant satisfaction sort of thinking... but we are not blind to the problem and its intent. Rome was not built in a day- and rushing sloppy demands will result in what over achieving Rome ended with- FAIL.
There is more than one answer anyway... saying there is only 1 important cause or answer is like saying theres a magic pill for weight loss.
People are allowed to say different things, but there is still SOLIDARITY. We are all still the 99, you and me.
I have an urban farmer friend that refuses to support because she believes the causes shouldnt mix in case of confusion- the media is backing and spreading this thinking like a virus.
However, with knowledge one realizes that all the causes are VERY connected and we all actually want the same things... freedom from fear, security, freedom.
All of us, self realized- awake- are hear to spread the knowledge- show the path. Others will wake up when they are ready- they cant be forced, but they still need to facts to decide for themselves, just like we did!!!
environmentalists, truthers, preppers, animals rights activists, civil activists, union members, anti-monsanto and codex alimentaris, survivalists, farmers, pro peace, anti islamophobia, social workers, teachers, educators, chemtrail activists, ecologists, zoologists, social movements, seal/whale/tuna/dolphin defenders, the boys in blue, and the girls in urban fatigues, students, monks, retail clerks, natural practitioners, healers, bee keepers, bird watchers, clean energy, green homes, LGBT, pro womans rights, feeding children that are dying, peace corp, volunteers, missionaries, habitat for humanity, twola, anti-FED, you are beautiful.org, anonymous, wikileaks, social security, healthcare for all, moms, dads, sisters, brothers...
OUR WANTS ARE THE SAME and now for the first time OUR VOICE IS ONE! WE ARE 99!!!
1. End corporate personhood by repealing the Citizens United decision, to increase corporate accountability.
2. Institute campaign finance reform, including public financing, and increase restrictions on lobbying to limit corporate influence.
3. End corporate subsidies for industries that defile the planet and undermine our health.
4. Remove the loopholes and reform the tax code so that unearned money is taxed higher, corporation pay their fair share of taxes, and corporations that ship jobs overseas are not allowed "tax holidays."
1 Separate corporations and government
2 Remove our combat forces and aircraft from nations we have not declared war against.
3 Over-regulate large financial groups and banks
4 Nationalize healthcare
5 Abolish the death penalty
A nation that accepts and encourages every individual to be themselves and provides the means for all to realize their dreams. Difference of belief, religion, race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity are not just tolerated but celebrated. Jobs, education, housing, health care and transportation available to any who seek it or need it, as a right. Fair taxation that rewards contributions to the mankind not greed.
Can't think of 4 but the main problem is the bankers and big money people blew up the economy, but the little guys, homeowners and working stiffs are paying the price. Basically all the debtors should get some kind of relief from the creditors, across the board but especially in the real estate market. Seems to me the creditors are more to blame than the debtors, but somehow they don't have to suffer.
lol good one that number 3 is Anonymous.
"3 Over-regulate..." LOVE IT!
Let's go after every monopoly and monopolistic entity.
By riding the monopolies, smaller business can rise up, the creation of new jobs, instead of monopoly bureaucratic coverup and illegal market subversion.
Also, be aware of foreign influence that is duping the American capitalist system
1) Ending wealth polarization...
which can be a signpost for action in all types of areas that need addressing:
2) Free Universal Healthcare.
3) Full Investment in Public Schools (no charter schools or vouchers) as well as full investment in our public university system.
4) Vigorous government regulation of large corporations, especially in finance.
Wealth polarization will also, by default hopefully, lead to other necessary reforms: workers' rights, end of prison-industrial complex, no more wars and many more things that need addressing.
Vision: Lobbying should be made illegal. Obstacle: Legislation is needed to make things illegal, and legislation is operating in the context of lobbying, so it will not make something that it already participates in (and profits off of) illegal. Vision: End of "revolving door." Obstacle: in a democratic republic society, people are allowed to have whatever jobs they want, so in theory, it is part of our rights and freedoms to have a job in a governmental position and then go have a private job that is influenced and benefits from the legislature that they created in their government job. Timeline: History will tell us revolution is not overnight. I will say that I do not think the restructuring of the entire political-economy will come abruptly, there are global institutions (IMF,World Bank,WTO) involved that contribute to and are based on our systems' free market/no regulation ideology.IT TOOK 30 years to implement the neoliberal state, so it will take just as long to completely change the system. A complete change is needed because of the level of corruption (see lobbying)so therefore my timeline is 30 years.
Agree with some others and second:
-Universal health care; not because one group forces it on another, but because it's a sensible way to have a healthy society;
-A simple cap on the CEO:worker pay ratio. There will still be the rich and the wealthy, but the concentration of wealth at the top is about to topple our economy.
-Some kind of discussion about curbing the obstructionism that paralyzes the governing process.
-An end to lobbying and the ability of companies to buy policy.
-Empowerment of individuals over corporations, not the other way around.
Anyone who doesn't see the goal of this protest is thick.
Don't fall into their trap. Of Course... They are playing hard of hearing. Now they claim they don't understand?!?!
DOES THAT REALLY SURPRISE YOU?
They are trying to trick us into making demands, which will NEVER work in our favor. As you can see, it is tedious and sounds downright silly in that form.
What we need to do is show up in NUMBERS. No Demands (no demands). Our demand is our MOB.
To repeat: No Demands. They know what we want. They need to make a Peace OFFERING to us. Then the negotiations can begin. No sooner than that. They must be the first to give.
Might makes Right(s).
1) Education - I don't want to be punished with debt for going to school and I don't want my professors to be there teaching because it's a means to an end; I'd like them to be able to teach because it's what they love to do. It sucks to hear my brother and friends say college is an adult daycare.
2)Monetary system - I'd like to see this disappear completely, but I don't think that's going to happen this soon, so at least the dismantling of the federal reserve and moving towards a system that isn't based around debt. If anyone has heard of a resource based economy or the Venus Project, you'll catch my drift, if not, Google it.
3)Universal Health care - I'll be honest, I don't know much about the medical system, but we should all be able to get medical help when we need it. I don't know how we got to the heights we got to with out health care for everyone.
4)Marijuana - If not recreational, for science sake at least for medical purposes. Also, how about we get some legitimate studies done on the stuff. As someone who smokes everyday (Crohn's like symptoms, never been diagnosed) I can personally attest to it's healing powers for not just my body, but my mind as well. I've seen studies that say one joint is equal to twenty cigarettes and I just don't understand how that can be.
I'd like to see a whole remodeling of our society but I know, baby steps, so these 4 things are closest to my heart right now.
THEY KNOW WHAT WE WANT.... we have come for their money!!! We are the Poor!! We are demanding money from the Greedy Rich!! Simple as that. If you still don't get it, read a history book. This isn't the first time the poor have risen up against the greedy rich.
Big Money Out of goverment. Shutdown the Federal Reserve.
I think a lot of these comments are great, such as with education and sustainable energy, but, none of this will be possible until the income distribution problem is fixed. With the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, and our middle class almost gone, we need to make these adjustments. The Republicans promise "trickle down" economics, but, what happens when the rich want to get richer and hold onto all the money and don't create jobs.
1. Dissolve teachers unions -
2. Become self reliant not on the gov't or the "evil rich" The evil rich are who create jobs.
3. Take responsibility for your actions
4. Be nice to others
I suppose I'm with the anonymous poster up above who urges Occupy Wall Street not to make demands at this point. It's sort of the nature of a crowd to make demands, and it's the nature of our media-lobbying complex to hollow out a crowd's demands in their echo chamber.
I think that a sustained protest movement that builds upon itself is what's needed above all-else. If some 'sunshine patriots' can only climb onboard with a movement with defined boundaries, and with the trappings of other movements of our generation, then those 'summer soldiers' of our time can continue sitting upon their hands, occasionally scratching their heads debating the theoretical concepts of this movement.
Nothing but a sustained and steady presence can bring about the goals stated up above. In order to get to the point of issuing demands and being heard, we must first become a force to be reckoned with.
A few more:
1. Abolish the IRS and go to the "Fair Tax" Plan
2. Term limits for all Politicians
3. Get rid of all Lobby groups and PAC's
4. Repeal the draconian corporate tax laws. This will invite corporations to base themselves in the US and us hire US citizens.
I've posted 22 possible structure issues and potential fixes at robertpiton.blogspot.com
1. A Constitutional amendment declaring the right of free speech as the right of a person, not a corporation. (Only way to abolish the Supreme Court's citizen's united decision)
2. Publicly funded elections
3. Multi-Party System to increase political competition.
4. End Federal Prohibition (Marijuana)Let the states work it out.
Lots of laudable and conflicting visions. I think the bottom line is the people need to take back the government from the moneyed interests. This means we need to align the interests of the politicians with those of the people, not with financial supporters. I suggest forbidding contributions and gifts of any kind to politicians and public financing of political campaigns, but would be agreeable to alternate reforms that would lead to the same end.
1. Reform corporation law. Because corporations are persons under the law, with many of the same rights people have, and much less accountability, the law of corporations should be reformed so that greed is not their only mission/duty.
2. Reform tax laws.
3. Reform employment laws.
4. Reform health care and overhaul the health care system. If necessary, socialize medicine.
1) Everyone continuously weeds out growth of power, with a goal of zero domination.
2) Diversity on our planet and in our minds is encouraged and defended.
3) We live today in ways sustainable for all future generations.
4) Accurate and relevant information flows freely to achieve and sustain our vision.
Off topic, but is it feasible to add NO MORE NUCLEAR POWER to the list?
1. End wars, close bases abroad, cut military spending by 75%.
2. Institute single-payer universal health care, free preschool and low-cost universities with the money from #1.
3. Ban private money from our elections at fed, state and local level. Institute public finance of elections.
4. Boost taxes on corporations, millionaires, and financial transactions. Strengthen SEC enforcement and end "free trade" agreements that encourage slave labor and no jobs in USA.
1. elimination of FED
2. corporations not allowed to back political candidates
3. end corporate personhood
4. universal healthcare
1. Call a Constitutional Convention and begin rewriting our antiquated Constitution. We live in a different world than our courageous founding fathers and we should have a constitution that reflects the world we live in.
2. Universal basic health care for all Americans
3. Ending corporate welfare, subsidies for big business and tax loopholes for corporations
4. The best most progressive environmental regulations in the world that encourage green technologies and green jobs.
i love the opportunity you give for feedback it is so important. True many people have many opinions. The problem here is staying focused on your message. The message of finacial dislosure and reform. If this is achieved the rest will come as the walls of greed crumble.
My advice stick to ONE MESSAGE. Say decentralization of banks. Then another goal then another etc.
Rick is living in his own little world where those who are oppressed can just magically be not oppressed, even though there is a physical oppressor.
WOW, denial of death and reality all in one.
Showing up is a great first step.
Removing corporate stranglehold on the country and government is a great thing that will solve most of the problems stated. The don't need citizenship, personhood, lobbyists, PACS, Tax breaks, or anything like that.
Congress and he president or any politician needs short term limits, no retirement benefits, and they DON'T NEED campaign contributions.
Corporations need to have fiscally responsible pay practices and not pay obscene amounts to execs who will do immoral things to boost the company bottom line.
Ethics, there needs to be a cohesive ethics law in place to give people a guide to go by. As an adult there can be no excuse valid for not knowing right from wrong other than insanity or incompetence.
no more tax breaks for the wealthy. everyone pays their fair share
1.) Separation of CORPS & STATE.
NO corporation or company should be able to buy politicians or walk into congress and force a vote in their favor (like the bailouts, for example).
2.) End Corporate citizenship.
I won't believe corporations are people until Washington waterboards one of them.
3.) UNIFY the 99%
We are the working class, regardless of race, creed or political affiliation. This isn't a democratic or a republican movement. It isn't even liberal or conservative... Too many people have be led around by the nose and convinced that OTHER WORKING AMERICANS are the problem. If the poor are the reason we're going broke, then WHY ARE THEY POOR?
4.) Keep American resources IN AMERICA.
Not only are our jobs going overseas (creating human rights concerns, where corporations like APPLE allow workers to be abused) but the 1% are banking outside our borders as well. They wonder why we are hemorraghing money?
I love you all! Way to envision!
1) Less federal more local government and economy
2) Financial system overhaul and severe penalties on white collar crime/abuse
3) Healthcare access to all
4) Educational, environmental, technological center of learning for the world
1) Eliminate corporate person-hood
2) Reverse the privatization of education
3) Encourage a return to the earth, or a more agrarian based economy
4) Encourage the return of family oriented values
1 a peoples party established by the protest movement
2 this peoples party developing into a legislative branch with legislative authority.
3. Remove the house of reps, which is modelled after the house of commons but does not represent the commoners.
4. Make higher learning a publicly accessible option without putting half the country into 10's or even 100's of thousands of dollars
5. Destroy the military and prison industrial complexes and retrain the people to work in fields of green energy, education, and/or human services.
1. Eliminate corporate personhood
2. Health care for all. It is possible, other countries do it.
3. Cap costs on health care to reasonable limits. There is no need a hospital should charge 2000$ to stitch a wound. Other countries do it and it's a way to stop the rise of health care costs.
4. Tax the corporations so everyone pays their share
5. End the big-war business. All that money can used far better, and the world will be better off.
6. Fund education, end the privatization for higher education. The American Dream relies on education.
7. End agricultural subsidies. the US produces more (bad) food than necessary, and food aid is used as a tool for foreign policy.
You are all making me so happy! The very fact that this discussion is possible now gives me hope for me and for my young son. Maybe things can get better for everyone. I can now say I feel proud to be a (recent) American!!!
a moral mandate for businesses and people that takes into account the health, dignity, and wellbeing of the planet and its inhabitants-including mandating a living wage
educational reform (high priority)
withdrawal from armed conflict
healthcare, wholesome food and shelter as "civilised" rights for everyone-
1) Corporate money out of politics.
2) Corporate money out of politics.
3) Corporate money out of politics.
4) Corporate money out of politics.
The rest will fall into place as legislators begin to legislate for the PEOPLE and not for the highest bidder.
1. Greater economic equality
2. Replacement of the Fed with more legitimate, credible, and stable market-based system
3. Overhaul of NAFTA, bring manufacture back to the US
4. Wealthy and corporate America to pay their taxes (related to goal 1)
5. Publicized health care
6. An end to unfettered capitalism! It is only working to perpetuate the wealth in the hands of the wealthiest.
Forgive my abuse of the privilege...
1) A new corporate charter, tying executive salaries directly to the performance of the company and the compensation of the employees.
2) An end to globalization. Emphasis upon restoring our manufacturing base and a drive toward complete economic independence for America. encourage slow, steady growth as opposed to explosive growth, which usually leads to depressions.
3) Restoration of the pre-Reagan income tax system. Tax capital gains as regular income. Cap personal wealth at $100 million. Also, make everyone part of the Social Security system, including elected officials. Eliminate the threshhold income amount, subjecting all income to the SS tax.
4) Major infrastructure overhaul/modernization, to include compatibility with renewable energy. Federal takeover of the energy industry in order to help provide a cohesive direction rather than executives making cash cows of these companies. Mass trasportation upgrade and emphasis upon it to reduce congestion and fuel consumption.
5) Reorganization of the nation into 10 provinces, or 5, eliminating 40-45 state governments and all the bureaucratic waste. This will help simplify and standardize a national education system, one standard for all, with the goal to challenge, to identify and exploit strengths rather than encourage conformity and mediocrity.
6) Financial system overhaul. Restore the regulatory safeguards from the FDR era. Outlaw risky, damaging Wall Street practices of derivatives, futures, hedge funds and anything like that. The stock exchange should be about trading stocks and commodities, period. Outlaw amortization of loans and lines of credit. Establish a reasonable simple rate of interest for both. Eliminate insurance companies.
7) Election and campaign finance reform. Outlaw party-specific primary elections and mandate open primaries. Outlaw private and corporate contributions. Every individual will contribute via taxes, perhaps payroll taxes of $2 per month for federal and $2 per month for state/provincial and municipal. No political ads on network or cable TV or radio. Equal airtime on public TV/radio for every viable candidate in regards to interviews and debates. Outlaw lobbying.
8) End privatized healthcare. Return to the way it was before Nixon, with healthcare as a service, funded by taxes with the prices regulated. Also, move from a supposed cure based system with big pharma and its suspect drugs to a preventive care system, with mandatory comprehensive exams, and emphasizing stem cell and genetic therapy. Prioritize fitness as well, and individual responsibility.
9) Two years of mandatory national service after high school, be it military, healthcare, public service, or anything along those lines. We must do all we can to foster the sense of community, of pitching in together, utilizing our individual strengths and abilities, to work to ward a common goal. We must destroy the 'me, me, me' attitude from the 80s that unfortunately still pervades like a disease.
1) Hold the Banks AND Politicians accountable for their fraudulent actions.
2) 1% Pays THEIR SHARE
3) U.S. Citizen BAILOUT, Student Loan Forgiveness
4) Regulate Elections making it illegal for corps/banks to "privately" fund campaigns. Actually, they shouldn't be able to fund campaigns at ALL.
5) Make lobbying ILLEGAL
This is all well and good, but how do you propose to accomplish any of these goals? May I suggest pushing for Auditing the Federal Reserve Bank (FED). They directly control inflation and interest rates, they elect their own members and have never been Audited before. The FED is A PART OF THE GOVERNMENT THAT IS RESPONSIBLE TO NOBODY!! You guys are trying to stop corporate greed and corruption, well this seems to fit the ticket.
1. Remove corporation's influence over politicians.
2. Improve public educations-- treat our teachers better, give our schools more credit, don't insist it's the teacher's fault if a student doesn't do their work.
3. A health care system that is competitive, which keeps rates low, and available to everyone, even if it's not mandatory.
4. Reduce our dependence on limited resources such as oil and fossil fuels.
1. end the wars
2. independent investigation of 911
3. boycott the scoundrels of wall street from the top down. i know they weave a tangled web but we can start with chase, and go on from there. we take away their money we take away their power.
4. Obama 2012
Our power so far has been based on a certain ambiguity of cause and an amorphous structure allowing anyone to join. This is our strength, and we shouldn't be quick to dismiss it. However, we need things to work towards. Progress needs to be made, both for the sake of the movement and for the sake of the country. So what should our goals be?
These are all (for the most part) legitimate visions. They are all things we desperately need to work towards. So how can we possibly choose a handful to the detriment of all the others?
So this is my vision, my one single hope. To begin an open, lasting conversation with all levels of government. We can debate, wrestle with ideas and bring solutions to light in the places they're really needed. We can look for pieces to the puzzle, and in that way truly change our country for the better. My goal is a lasting conversation that brings complete accountability to our government.
Here is my fear- that, should we choose a few of these visions, easy words and the promise of action can placate us. Even action is sure to miss the underlying issues. Or worse still, they could give us what we want- that simple list of demands. Then our energy dissipates and the crowds go home without having achieved a fraction of what we could have. Our ability to make real, lasting change is contingent upon the survival of this movement, and I'm afraid the creation of a handful of demands would undo all of it.
Our Constitution was based on the idea that a government should fear its people. With this movement, we've put a shot of fear back into the government. The 99% have started this. We've surprised them with our growth, our organization and our sudden shedding of apathy and cynicism. We have started something they can't even name, much less understand how to react to. This is our strength, and we must continue it if we want a chance to really push for all the changes we need.
So let's open a dialogue. Let's use this social capital to open our representatives to a whole new level of accountability and openness. We can continue this for years, searching for and finding the places where change will really matter.
The movement would have to grow and transform into something our government could more easily talk to. There would have to be some organizers authorized to speak on the group's behalf. These are issues to think about, but are less important right now than deciding where to go with ourselves and why we're fighting.
When voting numbers are high, our local elections have high standards of debate and discussion, and our system is so lean and transparent that the president can't run a red light, then we will have earned the right to dissipate. The 99% will be the 100%. But this can only be achieved over time, and the setting of demands now will only shorten our movement's lifespan. So let's open a dialogue. Let's keep this thing going. Let's make this our chance to sit at the table and have our say. I think we'll find that most of us, in the end, are willing to see this fight into the long run.
1. Universal healthcare, government option.
2. TV - reporters should be that, stations should go back to giving equal time to political parties, no more trying people in the news (they are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty remember?), they should not push their own personal agenda on everyone else.
3. Money out of politics. (i.e. lobbyists, campaign contributions, out right buying them off)
4. Education - it should be free, and teachers should get better pay, and more help.
Not sure why my post was removed, but I will put it back up:
1) A new corporate charter, tying executive salaries directly to the performance of the company and the compensation of the employees.
2) An end to globalization. Focus on America, emphasize restoration of our manufacturing and agricultural base, and a drive toward economic independence. Encourage slow, steady growth as opposed to explosive growth.
3) Restoration of the pre-Reagan income tax system. Tax capital gains as regular income. Cap personal wealth at $100 million. Also, make everyone part of the Social Security system, including elected officials.
4) Major infrastructure overhaul/modernization, to include compatibility with renewable energy. Federal takeover of the energy industry in order to help provide a cohesive direction rather than executives making cash cows of these companies. Mass trasportation upgrade and emphasis upon it to reduce congestion and fuel consumption.
5) Reorganization of the nation into 10 provinces, or 5, eliminating 40-45 state governments and all the bureaucratic waste. This will help simplify and standardize a national education system, one standard for all, with the goal to challenge, to identify and exploit strengths rather than encourage conformity and mediocrity.
6) Financial system overhaul. Restore the regulatory safeguards from the FDR era. Outlaw risky, damaging Wall Street practices of derivatives, futures, hedge funds and anything like that. The key word is, simplify. Outlaw amortization of loans and lines of credit. Establish a reasonable simple rate of interest for both. Eliminate insurance companies.
7) Election and campaign finance reform. Outlaw party-specific primary elections and mandate open primaries. Outlaw private and corporate contributions. Every individual would contribute via a small, spearate tax. No political ads on network or cable TV or radio. Equal airtime on public TV/radio for every viable candidate in regards to interviews and debates. Outlaw lobbying.
8) End privatized healthcare. Return to the way it was before Nixon, with healthcare as a service, funded by taxes with the prices regulated. Also, move from a supposed cure based system with big pharma and its suspect drugs to a preventive care system, with mandatory comprehensive annual exams, and emphasizing stem cell and genetic therapy. Prioritize fitness as well, and individual responsibility.
9) Two years of mandatory national service after high school, be it military, healthcare, disaster relief or some other public service. We must do all we can to foster the sense of community, of pitching in together, utilizing our individual strengths and abilities, to work to ward a common goal. We must destroy the 'me, me, me' attitude from the 80s that unfortunately still pervades like a disease.
10) FDR's second Bill of Rights.
One last point: solid, definitive backing for our currency rather than the disastrous fiat currency system we have now.
1) Reverse the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act to separate investment banking from commercial banking.
2) Reverse the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 that allowed $75 Trillion worth of gambling bets (Credit Default Swaps) to be placed on top of the $11 Trillion US mortgage market.
3) Reverse, via legislation, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission SCOTUS ruling
4) Election Reform - Eliminate all private campaign funding to remove corporate influence from our politics
5) Outlaw lobbying across the board..over $3.5 billion per year spent by special interests to influence our elected officials.
Hello my friends. October 15th the rest of the world will be joining you. Here in Toronto, we have come up with the idea of a Global Video Chat between the masses of people around the globe to begin at some point on or after the 15th. We would encourage all groups to acquire a laptop, projectors and screens, generators, sound systems and mobile internet capabilities. It is my personal hope that together as the 99 we can develop a better way of living around the globe. A world without war, oppression or greed. A world where we the 99 are not forced into convoluted wars against one another. A world where life is valued and respected, where hunger and famine are footnotes in our history, a world that establishes and protects the rights of individuals and stands boldly in defiance of the status quo. This is my hope and prayer that together we can stop being Canadian citizens, American citizens, Haitian citizens, Chinese citizens, Russian citizens and begin to see how we are the citizens of Earth.
Earlier, I made a post successfully only to have it disappear. The same thing happened again moments ago, when I re-posted. Can someone tell me what's happening?
1. Universal health care. Please. We need it.
2. Repeal DOMA once and for all!
3. Hold our broken financial system accountable for what it has done- remove corporate personhood, remove the lobbying power and money that has allowed corporations to so greatly influence our politics, and redistribute taxation such that the 1% are paying their share also.
4. I agree, call a Constitutional Convention. The Constitution has many excellent things in it, but also has many outdated ideas that made sense at the time it was written, but must be reexamined in light of our modern world.
5. Forgive student loan debt. My generation is crushed under so much that few of us will ever be able to repay fully; if we didn't have this debt, we'd be able to do so much more with our educations and contribute so much more to our country.
6. Rebuild our educational system. Provide support for all students, from special-needs to gifted. Make college affordable without the debt that we are plagued with now. Make school no longer about passing the test and more about actually learning.
7. Invest in green jobs, moving towards renewable energy, funding more environmentally friendly technologies.
8. End the wars and bring our troops home! We had no business being there in the first place and we shouldn't be interfering. It isn't worth it.
John Hoffert -
sorry it was marked as spam. That has been happening and I dont know why.
* but it should be fixed now. Thank you for your comment, even if it was long, because every little bit is worth it
This is a question concerning the ways to implement whatever vision gets selected. What about organizing a referendum at a federal level (or an in-synch state-level referendum for all states) to push for legislation?
A referendum is a form of direct democracy, so it would hopefully bypass the complicated legal system that right now is dominated by corporate interests.
Does anybody know the legal challenges to organizing a referendum at a federal level?
To anonymous: I dont think the idea isnt really to select and implement a particular vision, but to bring people together so they can decide how to overcome the common problems they have.
As for how to implement it, I think that depends on the problem. When it comes to specific reforms, it may need to have legislation on the federal level. But then we also just need some laws repealed. But then again there are issues that can and should be handled at the local level. I personally would like to see the whole government more decentralized (i guess thats my vision), in part because if everything is done at the federal level, then people have a reason to become disengaged and they have less influence
1) Higher taxes on the wealthy, with extremely high taxes on the most wealthy. Revenues to be used to fund national health care, education to the university level, and other public services provided by the rest of the civilized countries in the world.
2) Require risk to be put on the balance sheets.
Has anyone considered a corporate income restriction on any business receiving governmental aid, bailout, subsidies, grants. Whether the business is for profit or nonprofit I think that the annual salary could be limited to that of the federal employees e.g. congressional or presidential salaries. I am tired of my tax money going to businesses that pay executives unreal amounts of money.
I am going to be quite Frank here, and you can still be Garth.
The system as a unit is broken. Fixing one piece here and one piece there will not suffice. Yes, it may take care of the problems, but only on a temporary basis. The roots are still planted in contaminated soil...
I am proposing we use this forum as a way to basically write a new government. We can get the citizens involved, spread the word, etc.
The Leaders of Tomorrow should be the people, there should not be pay higher than the "average Joe's " typical paycheck. I think term and career limits should be established, because if it is a career, your in it only for yourself and deems the system void. We can as a people make the decisions, approve budgets (regionally set) (through vote), determine our money system, education system, military (If any), and so on. We can conglomerate ideas and debate them publicly.
The time is now, the future is now.
VIVA LA REVOLUTION!
End corporate personhood.
Healthcare for all.
Send my teaparty representative packing. Occupy his office and harass his rude staff:
Representative Paul Gosar
504 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Call 202 225 2315
The biggest problem is that the big corporations have too much political power via money for campaign support.
-Demand a law that limits the amount of any donation to $200- no more meg-donations for favors from the megarich. Under the current system candidates could also choose the public funds option. Doing that would go a long way to leveling the playing field so they would HAVE to listen to the masses, not the 1%.
-Ask for a reverse of the decision to allow corporations (including foreign corporations) to donate to campaigns, and to allow anonymous donations. The more political power the %1 has, the smaller and more rich and powerful they get.
-Demand they raise the minimum wage.
-Demand a proportional cap on CEO's total earnings (only x% of earnings, no more).
-Demand a proportional cap on profits for corporations (the money that goes to shareholders) with some proportion of what doesn't go to shareholders going directly to all levels of employee, or to new hires (the company does better, it must be passed on to everyone working for the company or to making new jobs). This could also come as stock grants for all levels of employee.
***the last two are different than taxing organizations for very specific reasons. If we tax them, it won't come out of the CEO's paycheck, it will come out of the worker's paycheck and conditions. This would need to be federal so companies don't just move state-to-state. Yes, companies could move out of the US... but tightening other laws and loopholes or raising taxes on companies that outsource might help that (yes I know what I just said about taxes, but when they outsource I think that's the only option- that and more regulations).
The biggest problem is how uneven things are and that the people with the %1 are able to control the political system because their money is feeding it. If we change that, there's hope we can balance things out more.
1) Reduce the defense budget by a third to help pay for...
2) Universal Single Payer Healthcare
3) Transition to higher percentage of energy from renewable energy sources
4) Drastically increased spending on Education
1) Form a unified, peaceful, global effort to prioritize people and earth over profit. Seek to move global barriers (purchasing power) to a healthy quality of life and lift people out of poverty and into equality.
2) Term limits, stringent campaign finance, AND political access & influence reform. Reverse the effects of Citizens United. Campaigns can only receive money from organic, capped, individual, hard-money donations. Reduce the amount of access lobbyists have to congress and outlaw corporate contributions and any monetary (present or future promise) incentive to sitting congressional representatives or candidates.
3) End too big to exist and restructure corporate hierarchical structure to include employee representatives on board and restructure executive pay (i.e. - not from shareholder stock and caps)
4) Evaluate whether global economic and social structure is working, can be upgraded, or has timed out and needs to be replaced with something new.
Basically from what I've been reading from the rest of the comments I would say that the majority can agree that corporate lobbying needs to come to an end. The only influence of politicians should be that of the people. America's government is supposed to be a government by the people for the people.
Additionally, I would like to add that the lowering of the cost of higher education needs to also occur. Everyone is always talking about keeping up with the global community as far as education goes but how are we supposed to keep up if the cost of attending school continues to be so outrageously high. Thus, not only should the cost not be raised anymore but it should in fact be lowered so that the attendance of public universities is able to be something that all can participate in.
To conclude I would suggest that a main goal should be to end corporate lobbying and the raising of the cost of education.
Make a TREE DIAGRAM of the problems and then the roots can be identified. Find the root and solve the problem. Mind mapping software can help. Perhaps a simple tree will clarify our argument and eradicate the concern that we lack focus. That will be a highly organized structure where parts can be identified and worked with. Interactive maybe...I am not computer savvy but others may be able to code it, develop an application on a website or such and allow for participation with submission of each tree modification and addition numbered and ordered by date - submitted with the approval of any trusted member.
Then we can work on each problem in a highly organized fashion without excluding on single issue or concern.
Allow for nature to select leaders as it currently is, as in nature, tribes, animal packs and so on. Voluntary groupings such as Occupy Wall Street has its leaders without law set election. We will follow who we choose to follow when we choose not in a set time frame. Someone may be invaluable for 10 minutes others may be good for 26 years...something to consider
Organize and identify issues one by one.
• Tariffs on imported goods, proceeds to go to rebuilding US industries. Rebuild textile, steel, electronics manufacturing.
• Rescind all natural resource contracts to any corporation exporting raw materials to foreign countries for manufacture. All resources to be converted to product by US manufacturing jobs.
• Public ownership of all energy resources and supply systems, all energy jobs become public.
• All graduating University students are given an option to pay off student loans in some part by working in public sector positions in urban, rural or under-served communities.
Embrace some form of Socialism and move away from individualism...Darwin's theory of evolution is not going to get you far, and sadly that is the only way I can think to describe your current way of living. All must embrace the notion that they did not get to where they are at simply on their own merits. Embrace Progressive taxing. Your Government is for you and you have the power to do something about how it is run. Create a bill by the people for the people and vote on it. Make sure that bill is simple to read and straight to the point.
Heed Thomas Jefferson's words and get rid of the Internationally and Privately owned Federal Reserve Bank!
Accept and embrace progressive taxing. It levels the playing field. No one man can claim his riches purely on his own merit. The reality is that if one makes 500,000 and ends up only taking 250,000 home net, it is more than enough to live comfortably.
Stop Privatizing things that should be state run but if you have to make sure that the government can subsidize it.
Accept that you should pay more for luxury items (tax them) so that everyone can have access to necessity items (health care, education, daycare, housing, etc...)
Embrace the notion of what the name of your country is; UNITED! You in the end are only as strong as your weakest link...and right now 99% of you have been deemed part of the weakest links in one form or another!!
Good Luck...your system is broken and it needs to be fixed from it's core!!
@ M Cruse: thank you, I appreciate that! Of course, now it shows up twice. :-) You can delete the first, if you like- don't want to clutter up the forum unnecessarily...
Well as a 99 percent we need to end it as we know it. There are self help groups with a 12 tradition process to their governance..self relying, no outside contributions, trusted servatns are volunteer,etc.... . why not looking at it!!!! we must change the status quo. Let's also look at the popular vote verse the electoral vote,end the 2 party system, primaries and we must have term SENATE and congress...
1) Revived democracy: electoral reform including complete public financing of elections, end to the 2 party system.
2) Reinvigorated secular state. we need a tax for religious organizations that have accumulated wealth above a base line operating budget. Pro-corporate elite have turned to churches as tax shelters and political soap boxes.
3) Reinvigorated local governance structures so that people feel that their government is within reach.
4) An understanding of an "economy" as something more than stocks and bonds. Economic indicators should be measured and invigorated on a local level. There should be incentives for the creation of membership-based credit unions which facilitate and share the wealth of a community with the development of that community.
1. End media concentration, Limit ownership of news outlets of an individual to one.
2. Reverse the Citizens United decision.
3. The wealthy should be wealthy but not obscenely wealthy. Any individual worth over one billion should be taxed at 90% of their existing wealth.
4. END LOBBYING!
My profile is anonymous but I am a 57 year old man, I'm a proud union member and I am looking at a pension in trouble and am unsure if my social security will be there in 5 years.
1) Keeping corporate interests out of all political functions and personnel.
2) Tax hikes for the ultra-wealthy and multi-billion corporations.
3) A cease to spending in idiotic endeavors, such as maple syrup research and oil research.
1.No more federal tax cuts
2. Stop all foreclosures
3. Re-enact the Glass Stegal Act
4. Indict and prosecute the Wall Street executives who started the fire!
An end to capitalism and a movement towards small, local government that operates democratically and collaboratively. An end to dependence on fossil fuel. A focus on nurturing the advancement of the human spirit and on the human condition rather than on acquiring wealth and possessions.
Start this process by states seceding from the United States and forming new unions with others in the region or just being on their own.
Capitalism is about businesses rising and falling on their own. The 2008 bailout went against that. A free market isn't the problem. If someone works harder than someone else they deserve to have a higher income BUT taxing needs to be put in place so that everyone participates. Our tax money should NEVER be used to bailout private corporations and our economy shouldn't rely on the decisions of private bank CEOs.
1. End lobbying- it is a conflict of interest. If lobbying becomes illegal, corporations lose a lot of the power they have over OUR congress.
2. Tax companies exporting jobs overseas. Bring our jobs home.
3. Adjust the taxing brackets so that no matter what the salary everyone is impacted the same. Not necessarily a flat tax rate, adjusted as needed.
4. End the federal reserve. There should be no private aspect over our money.
If these four things change, political leaders will be elected that genuinely want to serve the people, not the corporations. This will cause our tax dollars to "trickle down". Our money will go to education, hospitals, police officers, fire fighters, disability, infrastructure etc., therefore, creating jobs and giving the people back the power.
1. immediate financial reform - nationalization of energy industries, breakup of megabanks, reinstitution of controls on investments, strong corporate regulations, reform tax policies to reinstitute progressive taxation as highest priority
2. redistribution of wealth to establish a living wage income for all humans; nobody should starve throughout the world, but be able to live in dignity in whatever the local milieu, which implies universal healthcare, worker safety and right to unions, public education and human rights to a reasonable/middle class lifestyle
3. reduce militarism and imperialism. Reform of "free trade" agreements and corporate controls on trade that oppress;
4. moral and social reforms that inculcate a respect for the earth and for humanity; ability to take perspective of the other
The America I wish for is
(1) a society in which all members (politicians, government officials, business owners & private persons) take their civic responsibilities as seriously as they value their rights and privileges;
(2) a society that embraces a nonviolent political process, and works to identify and dismantle all forms of oppression;
(3) a well-informed society;
(4) a post-capitalist society (i.e., a society that has evolved beyond the worship of financial profit as the ultimate good, and that doesn't shrink from confronting and rooting out the obscene economic injustice that exists in America today.)
There should be one objective for this movement. The reason everyone is occupying wall street. To remove the control of the rich and corporations (the 1%) and greed from our politics, elections and government. EVERY OTHER ISSUE THAT IS BEING ASKED FOR CAN BE SOLVED ONCE WE ACHIEVE THAT ONE POINT. Do you really want the current politicians to legislate the other issues that are being brought up? These people are being controlled by the forces i mentioned, take away the control first then ask for the other changes. Having one simple, clear message that every member can stand behind and state clearly is vital if this is going to succeed. Remove the confusion. One objective, One demand, in One unified voice across the nation.
1. END THE WARS.
2. TAX REFORM. Raise the top tier income tax rates to 1950s levels, and tax capital gains at a higher rate (ideally at or higher than the rate for labor) with exception of retirees below a certain income level. Close tax loopholes, especially those for corporations--and do all this in place of the AMT which was supposed to accomplish this but is just complex and burdensome, and has not been adjusted for inflation since it started, and doesn't really do what it is designed to do.
3. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE. Nationalized single-payer or any form of non-profit health care that covers everyone. Anything that is not an OPTIONAL purchase can not function in a for-profit system. Adam Smith (1723–1790) even said as much. We need nationalized single-payer health care the same way we need public schools, public water system, and fire departments.
4. LIVING WAGES. Stop the education inflation, we don't need a bachelor's degree to do half the jobs that say they now require one. We don't need another loan to be $50k in debt to be a $12/hr secretary. We need more living-wage jobs for people without degrees. We can do that by creating dis-incentives for companies to take their jobs overseas, repeal NAFTA, impose tariffs on imported goods, raise the minimum wage. Get the US out of the WTO.
5. FUND HIGHER EDUCATION AND NASA. For those of us who want higher education because it's necessary for us--not just to earn a living, but to follow our dream of being a teacher, social worker, lawyer, doctor--don't make us a slave to debt to follow our dream. (Income-based repayment www.ibrinfo.org/ is a good start, but need to allow two years of a good campaign to advertise it, and those two years to let those already in default apply for it.) Also public colleges and NASA are our future. They do the research that makes new technologies, new medicines, scientific advancement and knowledge, possible.
6. SUPPORT UNIONS. End the war on workers and unions, repeal laws like the one that expands the definition of exempt employees.
7. BAIL OUT HOMEOWNERS. The bailouts for banks will be paid back with interest. Give homeowners at least that opportunity. Let them restructure or refinance unfair and often racist sub-prime mortgages. Let bankruptcy judges restructure mortgages.
8. PUBLICLY FUNDED CAMPAIGNS.
9. PRISON REFORM. End for-profit prisons. We have more people in prison per capita than any other nation in the world.
10. END CORPORATE PERSONHOOD.
(P.S. I'd recommend this book--an easy read--to help anyone understand why the younger generation is upset. I think she makes excuses in some places, but the generation gap in policies like education is enlightening.
"Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-Somethings Can't Get Ahead" by Tamara Draut also
"The Two Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke" by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi. Both good books to explain the generation gap issues and changes in the economy and national policies.)
Why not just tell them it'll be over when the Gini Coefficient drops below .35? Leave it nice and open ended. Tell the 1% that they always remind us our country is a Constitutional Republic that since they are so smart they can throw out ideas how to get there.
I agree with other posters that having people willing to take a stand and join a movement is the first step to taking back our Democracy. However, I think that the name "Occupy Wall Street" implies a cause. To me, this movement is about:
1) Holding corporations responsible for the harms (economic, political, and environmental) they have caused our society and individuals throughout the globe. Especially in relation to the financial crisis.
2) Creating a transparency between government and corporations that does not currently exist. This encompasses campaign funding laws, lobbying, disclosure of contracts awarded through the DoD, and acknowledgement of corporate ties of politicians.
Those are extremely lofty goals, and honestly, those two things alone would require the restructuring of our entire economy and political system. It is something that would take all of the people of our democracy to do. To me OWS is about making people care and finding that support.
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