For the past several weeks I have watched and read news about the Occupy Wall Street protests with both interest and admiration. I thought the New York Times hit the nail on the head in an editorial Sunday:
"The message -- and the solutions -- should be obvious to anyone who has been paying attention since the economy went into a recession that continues to sock the middle class while the rich have recovered and prospered. The problem is that no one in Washington has been listening."
"At this point, protest is the message: income inequality is grinding down that middle class, increasing the ranks of the poor, and threatening to create a permanent underclass of able, willing but jobless people. On one level, the protesters, most of them young, are giving voice to a generation of lost opportunity."
From the economy to the climate crisis our leaders have pursued solutions that are not solving our problems, instead they propose policies that accomplish little. With democracy in crisis, a true grassroots movement pointing out the flaws in our system is the first step in the right direction. Count me among those supporting and cheering on the Occupy Wall Street movement.
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Van Jones: Defend Occupy Wall Street From Eviction
Jeremiah Sierra: What Is the Clergy's Role in Occupy Wall Street?
Any chance you'll come out against prohibition?
50% is pretty good public support to work with.
I wish you would encourage what we really need in this country, and that is public financing of campaigns. So many of our issues (including legislation to fight global climate change) could be addressed by a truly representative government -- one not run by the plutocrats, but by representatives of, and for, the 99%.
Therefore there is no need for a social movement anymore!
As the crowd chants, holds signs, take videos and sleep in the cold, the Koch, Murdoch's and Goldman-Sachs are purchasing the next election. Elections Have Consequences.
Voter Registration Booths at all Occupy Events. Celebrate still having a voice, but back no party or candidate. This will instantly take this movement several notches higher AND give National Focus on the fact only 32% of REGISTERED VOTERS VOTED IN THE LAST ELECTION. That 32% held a large portion of tea partiers and why we have the Congress we have now.
The system is not that flawed, but only WHEN WE ALLOW IT TO BE. There are sheer numbers on the side of the 99%, yet only 32% vote. And because of the results we throw up our hands and say the entire system is corrupt and can't be fixed.
Voter Registration Booths at all Occupy Events. This is still a democracy. Let's freakin act like it, and really show the rest of the world it does work.
You can't vote for an honest candidate if honest candidates cannot even compete in the big money process!
The RNC will not even let candidates debate unless they have over a million dollars.... how are they ever going to be heard?
This movement is to get the MONEY out of politics so that there will be someone to vote for.
Long Live America!!, Long Live OWS!!! Long Live Occupy Everywhere!!!!
Please explain.
What right, again, are any of us denied in NYC?
What group is legally disenfranchised, again? What group of US Citizens is denied a vote in a US election in and around Wall Street?
What group is legally denied the right to marry, to adopt, to divorce?
What group is legally denied the right to work, to amass capital (aka "save"), and to deploy that capital in any legal way they wish to better themselves?
How again, Sir, is democracy in peril?
Oh, right. In NYC you can't smoke a cigarette in a park. Unless it's Zuccotti park, of course, since they are rolling their own there and everyone thinks that's just fine.
The mayor of NYC is trying to tax soft drinks, and tell you what you can eat.
Since the majority voted for this mayor, however, you can't say that democracy is in peril. This is what the people want.
And, right now, according to the polls, most people seem to want you to go away. And take the "protesters" with you. And perhaps clean up the filth.
http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/straw-man.html
The revelation here for all of us should be that 1% of anything can never take away anything for 99% without permission. They didn't take it from us… we allowed them to take it. Maybe we weren't paying attention for awhile but now we are and If we gave it away we can take it back.
Maybe this is the 'Java Party' which is the answer to Tea Party. Lets do more than 'hope so'. Lets help make it so!