Occupy Wall Street better defend its identity

[bookitty]

What is the first regulation you wish to impose?

Me? personally? I've been working on smaller stuff. Specifically with people who interested in working towards a state bank of California, modeled after the state-owned Bank of North Dakota.

Because I, personally, believe that new solutions can be implemented faster than re-regulation and can have a similar effect although possibly on a smaller scale.

 

[Neally]

How long did it take the Tea Party to formulate goals and objectives?

Probably day 1: reduced government spending and repeal obesity taxes proposed by New York Governor David Paterson.

 

[Clayton Moore]

Weren't the banks limited to one state before they were deregulated?

I'd re-regulate the electric utilities back to one state.

 

[AlBell]

So the ultimate goal would be to achieve income and wealth equality - no one owns or receives anything more than anyone else? Sounds familiar somehow...

Tried for a couple years by the (now USA) Plymouth Colony 1620-22; failed and they nearly starved.

Went to private property in 1623, excess yields, and First Thanksgiving.

http://townhall.com/columnists/alan..._thanks_to_america_god_shed_his_grace_on_thee

 

[Brainster]

Yes, that is part of what OWS is asking for. Even that process isn't simple. First our politicians need to see that it is in their best interest to do so. Given that the candidate with the largest amount of donations will inevitably win, our choice of politicians not beholden to those dedicated to deregulation is very slim.

You're mistaking cause and effect. The candidate who will win inevitably receives the largest amount of donations.

 

[Ziggurat]

You're mistaking cause and effect. The candidate who will win inevitably receives the largest amount of donations.

The mistake is even more fundamental than that: regardless of the direction of causation, the presumed relationship doesn't even exist. It's not infrequent for the better-funded candidate to lose.

 

[NoahFence]

OWS supports no specific candidate.

Bookitty - that's a problem.

The only way to facilitate change is to vote people in with your values. How's that supposed to happen if they support nobody?

 

[NoahFence]

That seems like a usefully vague statement. What has he done that is idiotic, and why was it idiotic?

Listen kiddo - I'm done talking about Sgt. PepperSpray^*. If you really need to know what it was he did that I find idiotic, well....

What precedent do you base this judgement on? When was the last time the power of US oligarchy was seriously threatened and under mass attack from the people?

Police forces use all of the items I mentioned before they'd use live ammo versus people who weren't shooting back. This needs no "judgement". It is just a statement of fact.




^* Free for everybody to use if they'd like.


( i dunno.... i thought it was funny)

 

[WildCat]

Speaking of gawd-awful sonic thingies:

Don't ever use the term "gawd awful" in a sentence describing Warren Haynes.

 

[bookitty]

The mistake is even more fundamental than that: regardless of the direction of causation, the presumed relationship doesn't even exist. It's not infrequent for the better-funded candidate to lose.

http://www.uspirg.org/home/reports/...big-money-in-the-2006-congressional-primaries

Money was a key factor in determining primary election outcomes. According to FEC data, major party congressional candidates who raised the most money won 92% of their primary races in 2006. Candidates who spent the most won 91% of the time. Winning candidates out-raised their opponents by a margin of 3.5-to-1, with the winners raising an average of $1.06 million and losers raising $304,000. This pattern held true for open seat races as well. The biggest fundraiser won 82% of the contests without an incumbent running for re-election in the district.

This should get you started if you're interested. There's more but I'm heading out.

 

[WildCat]

That's not the message of OWS. OWS wants to reduce corporate influence within our government, see the banks that crash the worldwide economy be held accountable and to address a wealth disparity that allows the richest 400 Americans to hold more wealth than half of all Americans (156 million people) combined. OWS supports no specific candidate.

Even if they did, there is no hard left in government anymore. (with the sole and notable exception of Bernie Sanders) Even the failed super-committee was willing to make deep spending cuts, beyond the comfort level of even the most moderate progressive.

Please describe the changes in policy that would have, for example, kept Warren Buffet from amassing $39 billion in wealth.

 

[Robrob]

Please describe the changes in policy that would have, for example, kept Warren Buffet from amassing $39 billion in wealth.

I don't think "preventing" anyone from becoming rich is part of their agenda. Preventing the government from being manipulated by rich people in order to become even richer, that is part of their agenda.

 

[WildCat]

I don't think "preventing" anyone from becoming rich is part of their agenda.

I can't read her statement any other way.

 

[WildCat]

a wealth disparity that allows the richest 400 Americans to hold more wealth than half of all Americans (156 million people) combined.

Are 100 million of those people children? How much wealth do you think children should have?

 

[Brainster]

Are 100 million of those people children? How much wealth do you think children should have?

At least a hundred comic books each.

 

[Robrob]

I can't read her statement any other way.

Funny...

"That's not the message of OWS. OWS wants to reduce corporate influence within our government, see the banks that crash the worldwide economy be held accountable and to address a wealth disparity that allows the richest 400 Americans to hold more wealth than half of all Americans (156 million people) combined. OWS supports no specific candidate."

1) You focused on just part of one out of three stated goals. Why is that?

2) How does "addressing" = "preventing?"

 

[Clayton Moore]

You're mistaking cause and effect. The candidate who will win inevitably receives the largest amount of donations.

All the donations come from the same wealthy mindset.

 

[WildCat]

Funny...

"That's not the message of OWS. OWS wants to reduce corporate influence within our government, see the banks that crash the worldwide economy be held accountable and to address a wealth disparity that allows the richest 400 Americans to hold more wealth than half of all Americans (156 million people) combined. OWS supports no specific candidate."

1) You focused on just part of one out of three stated goals. Why is that?

Oh, they have many stated goals. See my next post.

2) How does "addressing" = "preventing?"

So they don;t want to prevent wealth disparity, just "address" it, whatever that means?

 

[WildCat]

OWS loses focus yet again:

Protesters are planning to Occupy Black Friday by hosting a series of demonstrations across the country, including an anti-fur rally at Macy’s Herald Square in Manhattan.

More than 150 animal-rights activists and Occupy Wall Street protesters will add to the frenzy outside of Macy’s flagship store on W. 34th St. starting at 1:30 p.m. Friday, organizers told The Associated Press

Several other demonstrations are expected in U.S. cities on the nation’s post-Thanksgiving shopping splurge.

In Seattle, protesters plan to carpool to Wal-Mart stores and there join other Occupy groups from around Washington state.

In the nation’s capital, protesters want people to donate unwanted items so others can go gift shopping for free.

And a few groups plan to hit the mall, but not for shopping. So-called “Consumer zombies” from the 75-person Occupy encampment in Boise, Idaho, plan to wander around malls in silent protest of what they see as unnecessary spending.

So now OWS is against fur, against black Friday sales or something, and against large retailers.

You get dizzy trying to keep up.

 

[Clayton Moore]

http://www.uspirg.org/home/reports/...big-money-in-the-2006-congressional-primaries



This should get you started if you're interested. There's more but I'm heading out.

And almost every penny is a tribute to the media.