From disrupter to builder -- this is one of the most difficult transitions to make. It has tripped many promising popular movements in the past. And it is the critical challenge that faces the OWS Movement today (or, to be more exact, the Occupy Movement given that it has successfully spread to so many cities around the world).
This peaceful grassroots movement has succeeded in raising awareness about growing income and wealth inequality and, more generally, a system that seems better at serving the privileged few than enabling jobs and income growth for the many.
Indeed, whether you agree with the core messages or not, the fact is that the movement has triggered lots of important discussions about the balance between rich and poor, capital and labor, current and future generations, and the financial sector and the real economy.
By striking a chord with many people in America and across the world, it is a movement that cannot, and should not be dismissed. Indeed, it will resonate even more as western economies continue to struggle with sluggish growth and very high unemployment.
Yet it is way too early for the movement to declare victory. It is not enough for it to provide for a better understanding of the past. It can also pivot in order to contribute to a better tomorrow.
No one should underestimate the difficulties of this pivot. It is far from automatic, inherently complex, and organizationally demanding. It has undermined many social movements and, today, is an important reason why the Egyptian revolution risks stalling.
Yet it is also a transition that has been successfully navigated, most spectacularly in South Africa. And while the contexts are very different, this history does contain some insights nevertheless.
Led by the inspirational Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa quickly understood the need to pivot from complaining about an appalling past to building a better future. This critical transition was captured in a sentence that only Mr. Mandela, with unquestioned credibility and standing, could sell to his nation: "We should forgive but not forget."
This was at the root of Mr. Mandela's tireless emphasis on "truth and reconciliation" as the key to mending a bitterly divided society. It also enabled his successful evolution from being a freedom fighter to governing -- one that historically has eluded many, if not most.
The Occupy Movement does not have a leader like Mr. Mandela, either visible or waiting in the wings; and it is unlikely to get one. Yet, to be successful and to avoid fragmentation, it has no choice but to attempt the pivot from the past to the future. So instead of a person, it will need to use structure to do the heavy lifting.
This structure must enable agreement and the wide dissemination of a set of core principles. It must provide for implementation steps, monitoring mechanisms, and appropriate modalities for midcourse corrections as needed. There are many issues to resolve and difficult decisions to make; and, as there are no easy answers, tricky compromises will need to be made.
The Movement must seek a way to join the political process and to insert itself into legislative procedures. It must evolve its umbrella setup into a more manageable structure with legitimate executive powers. And it must decide whether to continue building from the ground up or link itself to an existing institution, as imperfect as this may be.
History will show that, to the surprise of many, OWS succeeded in raising public awareness about growing inequality and the importance of social justice. It got traction, both domestic and international, because it is fueled by issues that are critical to society's wellbeing. Using structure, it now needs to pivot to a forward-looking mode if it is to make a long-lasting difference in the lives of millions.
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His plan is to constitutionalize the government, something that's never happened since its conception, as follows.
1) Make every elected official's oath to include WITH MY LIFE.
2) DRAFTING all elected officials and disallowing parties, campaigning, contributions and presidential conventions.
4) Eliminating the unconstitutional Electoral College.
5) Having the people to dictate how their congressman vote on every bill.
6) Eliminate all congressional, presidential and justice's retirement, all the way back to Reagan, for at failing on their obligations to the nation by conspired with its "Domestic Enemies" but, although TREASONOUS, they, except the last two instituters of the plan presidents, will not live their lives out on "Death Row" but by the laws they instituted.
Surely that which is inherently right, has balance inbuilt? Where this not so. Wouldn’t the scales of justice be depicted, with one pan weighed down by a poke full of gold?
"We should forgive but not forget."
We might forge a future, but not from a family fragmented.
"insert itself into legislative procedures."
Either laws are for the protection of all. Or each will be free to devise their own.
No major contributions have been made other than to flood our airways and flood our town commerce districts.
Really??
I seem to remember another movement based on civil disobedience spent at least four years achieving any legislative victories. Why did it take so long? Because first the greater majority of the American public had to be made aware of the reality of America.
Once again, the greater majority of the American public must be made aware of the reality of America. That may take many more years.
And yes, that will require some changes in tactics (perhaps a concerted effort to fight back against the marketing geniuses that are currently arraying themselves against the Occupation would be a good start), but political action should not be among the items on the menu right now.
Suggesting otherwise reveals either a serious naivete about the reality of our situation. Or more of a concern for the Party of choice (again, the Democrats are clearly the suggested beneficiaries), than the needs of the People.
GANG rape isn't a violent crime?
Invest In Education - Begin with the federal government paying tuition and fees for all students, part and full time, who are enrolled in two-year public institutions in the United States.
Make Health Care Affordable And Accessible To All - Medicare For All. Allow Medicare to purchase drugs directly. Give the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) more authority to drive down medical costs. End fee-for-service.
Create A Fair Federal Tax Code - The marginal tax rate ought to be raised to 50 percent on income between $500,000 and $5 million, 60 percent on income between $5 million and $15 million, and 70 percent on income over $15 million. There should be a 2 percent annual surtax on all fortunes over $7 million. The estate tax should be 55 percent and kicks in after $5 million. Capital gains should be taxed at 35 percent. End the home mortgage deduction on all homes over $1 million. End the home mortgage deduction on all second homes. Corporations should be taxed by a variable amount based on the percentage of payroll going to US workers.
Put together a slate of candidates that are honest people drawn from the occupy movement's ranks and elect them to Congress. The first order of business is to take big money out of federal politics. Pass the Fair Elections Now Act (S. 750 and H.R. 1404). A law where political candidates for federal office would raise a large number of small contributions from their communities in order to qualify for Fair Elections funding. Contributions are limited to $100.00. Strictly voluntary by the candidate to avoid legal issues. Require new FCC regulations granting 100% FREE TV air time to all federal candidates who obtain sufficient petition signatures and/or votes to get on the ballot and participate in the primaries and/or electoral process.
End Political Corruption - End the "revolving door" of politicians and their staffs from ever becoming becoming lobbyists and prohibit all federal public employees, officers, officials from ever being employed by any corporation, individual or business that they specifically regulated while in office.
Clean Up Wall St. - Break up the biggest banks. Reenact Glass-Steagall. Abolish credit default swaps. Derivatives must be traded on transparent exchanges. Tax all Wall St. financial transactions at 1%. Damp down speculation and raise $400 billion a year.
End The Wars - Reduce the military budget by half ($275 billion).
End The Police State - End the Patriot Act
Clean The Air - EPA to STRICTLY enforce the Clean Air Act.
The political process in the US is irrevocably broken and under corporate control. All government agencies have been infiltrated by business to the point that now corporations, government and the judicial system operate as one, to exploit the majority for their labor and resources.
Congress, the president, and the Supreme Court are for show. They are a front for the powers that control an essentially worthless fiat currency, backed by nothing except the threat of military force.