Let us see if we, together, can make a difference by beginning to list an agenda with demands.
I will post one each day, you feel free to add yours via our comment thread. We will then publish a list of all suggestions - cleansed of duplicates - and compile an agenda we will submit to OWS.
MY FIRST ITEM:
Stop protecting criminal actions by corporations and their leaders.
Prosecute the corporate criminals.
We must stop selectively dispensing justice in this country. A crime is a crime regardless of who commits it and regardless of how much money the perp has. Criminality is not class sensitive.
Our lawmakers MUST begin to bring actions against those we have already gathered much evidence on as to the possibility of illegal activity. Our justice departments - state, local and federal - MUST begin the process of indictments and trials against those who have exhibited wrongful activity supported by "real" hard evidence and personal testimony.
This process is no different then takes place everyday all around our country but somehow, the elite have special immunity and dispensation from our laws.
11 COMMENTS:
Chris Hedges on Chomsky, Dostoevsky and democracy at Occupy Wall Street -- 10/9/11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QXIeVvskq4
The longer the list the less effective it will be. I think the single most effective change that would have an instantaneous and positive effect for main street would be to allow debt restructuring without defaulting.
Presently, Banks are stealing from main street by enforcing the following law, "The Restructuring of any debt first requires a default."
Change that one law to "The restructuring of any debt DOES NOT require a default", and main street can start to heal.
I feel sad that people really don't get this.
Tom Hayden, activist, former longtime member of the California State
Legislature and a founder of the 1960s radical group Students for a
Democratic Society, shares his thinking on possible next results of the
Occupy movement.
http://current.com/groups/current-video/93491044_tom-hayden-offers-extraordinary-insight-into-evolution-of-occupy-wall-street-movement.htm?
Yes, I agree as to not having a long list. However, if we take all ideas from all people we can then cleanse the list down to what is functional and reasonable.
Thanks for you addition. It is a good one. Forcing people into default was and still is a major cause of increasing foreclosures. Of course, that is what the banks want.
Thanks again Alessandro
Dylan Ratigan interviews David DeGraw about the political impact of Occupy Wall Street, and Bill Black joins to discuss legal strategies.
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/10/dylan-ratigan-on-the-political-efforts-to-hijack-occupywallstreet.html
Why Occupy Wall Street Is Bigger Than Left vs. Right
This whole episode to me underscores an unpleasant development for OWS. There is going to be a fusillade of attempts from many different corners to force these demonstrations into the liberal-conservative blue-red narrative.
This will be an effort to transform OWS from a populist and wholly non-partisan protest against bailouts, theft, insider trading, self-dealing, regulatory capture and the market-perverting effect of the Too-Big-To-Fail banks into something a little more familiar and less threatening, i.e. a captive "liberal" uprising that the right will use to whip up support and the Democrats will try to turn into electoral energy for 2012.
Tactically, what we'll see here will be a) people firmly on the traditional Democratic side claiming to speak for OWS, and b) people on the right-Republican side attempting to portray OWS as a puppet of well-known liberals and other Democratic interests.
What nobody is comfortable with is a movement in which virtually the entire spectrum of middle class and poor Americans is on the same page, railing against incestuous political and financial corruption on Wall Street and in Washington. The reality is that Occupy Wall Street and the millions of middle Americans who make up the Tea Party are natural allies and should be on the same page about most of the key issues, and that's a story our media won't want to or know how to handle.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/why-occupy-wall-street-is-bigger-than-left-vs-right-20111017
Oliver Stone Faces Down Wall Street
“Jamie Dimon
should be spending three weeks on a park bench, homeless, and get a
taste of what it’s like on the other side,” Mr. Stone said of JPMorgan Chase’s chief executive. “Might knock out some of the arrogance out of those guys.”
“My father would be shocked” at the current state of Wall Street, Mr.
Stone said in an interview before his onstage appearance with Mr.
Pressman. “The concept of a bank just existing to roll over profits for
itself, and taking bank deposits and leveraging like this — it was
against the law in the old days.”
Mr. Stone, whose father was a stockbroker, said he had gone down to the Occupy Wall Street
protests in Zuccotti Park on Sunday morning. Asked what he thought
about the movement, he hesitated and called it “a loaded question,” but
after a short pause began to express his support.
“The banks used to work for companies,” he said. “And somewhere along
the line they said, it’s more important that we make money for Goldman
than that we make money for our customers.”
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/10/17/oliver-stone-faces-down-wall-street/
You are so right (oops...I should say correct) about that. This is not Right vs Left or Democrats vs Republicans. It is about RIGHT (as in correct) vs WRONG.
There will always be and there always should be opposing positions that can and should be verbalized in a Democratic Republic. However, there should always be a sound foundation upon which the people and the Republic survive on.
I believe that was the intent of our founding fathers when they drafted what I believe to be one of the best literary works ever - the Constitution. It related to their times but extended through their wisdom into future centuries.
Part of our problem is that we have changed the notes of that wonderful musical piece and it no longer resembles the original score.
Unfortunately, the changes have been made - not by the people - but by those who would benefit directly.
OWS should remain bi partisan. It should as you say, encompass both parties, The Tea Party, Independants, Liberals, Conservatives, short people, tall people and MOST PEOPLE.
It will however, I believe, be difficult for any partisan side to "take control" as was the case with the Tea Party. OWS is becoming "the voice of the people".
Let us see how it plays out in the next elections. People, do not need to vote for on of the two major parties. There are other choices.
It is time to get rid of the Red and Blule and bring back the RED, WHITE and BLUE.
the reason there isn't just one focus is because the whole system is broken, from the halls of government to Wall Street.
Doing some browsing this is an important article to read:http://www.addictinginfo.org/?s=OW+protests+like+american+revolution
As it stands this is the voice of the people. We will not be co-opted!
I wrote this on my FB wall & Amped Status
To the CRIMINALS in banking, corporations & GOVERNMENT! You thought we would lay down & die- We didn’t & we WON’T!
You thought we would forget: We didn’t & we WON’T!
You thought we would disappear: We didn’t & we WON’T!
You thought you could continue as you were & we wouldn’t notice:
Guess what?
We won’t forget.
We won’t forgive.
EXPECT US!
You will not get away with what you have done!
WE ARE THE PEOPLE!
Here's a link that EVERYONE SHOULD CHECK OUT! This is a bit off subject but it's important to know just what the government can LEGALLY do under US Code.
http://wakenews.net/uws_2011_09_10_12_47_29Hal_Clint.mp3"
The people need to be reasoned with one at a
time. Ask what they want, provide that, move on to the next person. WE have
assumed, all of us, that we are less human than the wealthy. We are not as
smart or conniving as the wealthy but in volume, we might be dangerous. The
people should be dealt with by the authorities one by one. As they help people,
more people should line up down town until the line ends, until all are helped.
As the protesters start to dwindle, more protesters should replace them. Spread
this paragraph to your contacts.
Brian Elwin Pomeroy
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