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We'll see if the Wall st. protestors are having any effect on policy, or whether its all just hand waving and camping, when the jobs bill/millionaire's surtax bill gets to the Senate very soon. If it doesn't pass, I don't hold out hope for the movement being of much consequence after that.
Of course. it will have no effect on policy...nobody expects it to. Nobody in Zuccotti Park thinks anything other than stuffing Senator's pockets with MONEY has any effect on legislation. That's the problem: the 1% OWNS the government...the 99% merely pay the bills.
The point of a burgeoning revolution is NOT to make those in power "see the light" but rather to get rid of them and their crooked system.
In 1966 nobody expected anyone in Washington to end the Vietnam War by VOTING...but they demonstrated anyway.
One demonstrates against tyranny but it is only a fool who expects that tyranny to mend its ways.
Demonstrators in Libya and Egypt did not expect to make Khaddafi and Mubarek play nice...but rather to get rid of the criminals and their government.
The March headed North today into the UES and Park Avenue where the plutocrats live. A hundred were arrested in BOSTON.
And now the media IS taking notice...perhaps they were embarassed into it?
Rich liberals want everyone to pay more taxes. That's why Warren Buffet shouldn't just write a check. Then all the selfish people will hold on to their money and the generous people will pay. It would be rewarding bad behavior.
Dollar for dollar, Soros used to be the most philanthropic billionaire. Perhaps now Buffet or Bill Gates has taken the lead. The Koch brothers and the Walmart family are not nearly as generous.
This isn't about liberals vs conservatives. This is beyond that paradigm.
And there is an Occupy D.C. There are many in other cities.
About the NYPD wasting money...well this is a peaceful exercise of freedom of assembly, there is no need for a heavy police presence. And JP Morgan gave them $4.6 mil last week so I think they're good for a few more weeks.
This isn't about liberals vs conservatives. This is beyond that paradigm.
Amen to that.
Whether the 1% includes liberal, conservatives, or chimpanzees, that much wealth is concentrated in so small a group only in Banana Republics.
All power in a Democracy must not rest in the hands of a tiny cadre of immensely wealthy plutocrats...or else it has ceased to be a Democracy. And that is what the point of this demonstration, hopefully soon to be Worldwide, IS.
BTW,
Roseanne Barr's Net Worth is $80 Million
Michael Moore's Net Worth is $50 Million
The KOCH BROTHERS come in at 21.5 BILLION each. That's with a B (a billion is a THOUSAND MILLION for those who try to keep these things in perspective.) that makes the KOCH Brothers 331 times as rich as Barr and Moore combined.
So if we are talking about the money to buy and sell politicians, Barr and Moore are mere chump change.
Barr and Moore add their VOICES...that's what Democracy is supposed to be about. The Koch Brothers get their legislative wishes accomplished with satchels full of money. That is NOT what Democracy is about...except to a few addled brained high court judges (carrying their heavy satchels.)
Last edited by Kefir King; 10-12-2011 at 06:39 AM..
Just to put this into easy terms, anytime I've attended a meeting there has been a subject title. In this case it seems to be "Occupy Wall Street". Following the subject title there are agenda items (or goals). I've found, generally speaking, when you keep these short and simple, things tend to get accomplished. So let's try to find 5 coherent items that the protesters are looking to accomplish:
1. Increase government regulations - particularly in the banking industry (I personally have NO problem with this).
2. Decrease the presence in Washington of lobbyists working on behalf of the self-interest of corporations (I've been a long supporter of that).
3.
4.
5.
See? That's the thing. I don't know what else they want. It's all very cool and hip to have every idiot stroll up to a microphone and spout inane commentary - but unless this "face to the media" or spokesperson can intelligently state their hoped for goals, the main stream media is going to continue to make a mockery of all of them. And that really is a shame because I think there might be some REALLY good points among all the noise.
The one thing that every person has got to grasp is that to be angry at government is to be angry at oneself. We ARE the government. We the people. We are the ones that elect these people to office. They are there to act on OUR behalf. To be OUR voice. Why aren't they held accountable once they get into office. That's like you hiring an employee, paying him a salary, and letting him do what what he wants - including fleecing YOUR profits.
I'm going to say this one more time: You can be as angry as you want at "Wall Street". The fact is that they did NOTHING illegal. They followed the laws and regulations set out and manipulated by our representatives in congress and senate. All this protest is doing is making a lot of noise. But it is not going to accomplish anything other than arrest records for participants.
State the agenda clearly and be concise. Assign blame to named individuals who your group will hold accountable for change. And again: You are in the WRONG city to accomplish this change. The ability to change the things you want lies in Washington or at the local offices of your congress person or senator. Certainly lay siege. But for the love of God, do it in an organized manner and fight the right enemy. If you can manage to feed all those people down there, there ARE strong organizational skills. Use them in a powerful way.
Why do you say Wall St did nothing wrong? We already know what they did wrong, you just don't know or understand it. They made loans knowing they would fail to collect fees, then they bundled those loans and had the credit rating industry grade them highly (they were co-conspirators), so that it could be sold off, leaving them with no risk. They then knew the loans would fail and bet against them, making more money. And it wasn't just Wall St, it was the entire industry, from exorbitant appraisals, lax to little lending requirements, credit agencies complicit, and on and on....
This was complete and purposeful global fraud, and they knew exactly what they were doing. Regulators were either too simple, dumb, or overworked to address the issue and it all went to crap. And therein lies why we have a global recession 3 years and counting.....it was Wall st, plain and simple, and they then received bailouts, and in turn paid themselves even higher pay, bonuses....will the insanity stop?
Given that it is the public unions and obama's machine that is behind these laughable "protests" - the far left's attempt to offset the totally legit tea party agenda - there is really no credence to be given to these frauds, anarchists, dimwits, psychotics and other assorted human flotsam stinking up the souther portion of manhattan.
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