Occupy Wall Street? Does anyone have a handle on this movement? Wall Street is not a legislative body so what is the objective? Demonstrators seems to be peaceful but I don't get the message to Wall Street which is business as usual with their eyes glued on Europe. What is your take?
Occupy Wall Street???
- Thread starter whitedust
- Start date
alwaysright
New member
Seems like a bunch of hippies that don't have jobs, if they did, they'd be at work right? But that's the case with most protests. I understand corporate greed has gotten a little out of control but you can't expect a CEO to be paid 50K a year (don't quote all the companies where the CEO doesn't take a paycheck, they get paid plenty in stock options). It would be nice to have a salary cap like sports, say a company is limited to 40% of it's budget on wages (or 30% or 20%, you make up the rate) and the rest goes to infrastructure, R&D, and back to the shareholers? Just a thought?
Sure, I'll take a stab at it.
"The participants are mainly protesting social and economic inequality, corporate greed, as well as the power and influence of corporations, particularly from the financial service sector, and lobbyists over government"
It is not a legislative movement, that is, it is not proposing or supporting a particular piece of legislation. It is a "populist" movement, which is, they are raising awareness to the public and the government of what they believe is a severely out of balance society that discriminates against "99% of the population", and the discrimination is not by race, religion, or sex, but by economics. The discrimination is caused by a corrupt government, funded by corporations and lobbyists.
Their key issues are:
Government corruption and the buying of our government by corporations and lobbyists
The redistribution of wealth to the top 1% of citizens and the destruction of the middle class in America
The lack of jobs and none coming in the foreseeable future
The lack of action or representation by the government
No prosecution of those that caused the financial meltdown and were rescued with bail outs
"A deeper issue underlies this outburst of discontent. Every community of any appreciable size has an elite--often more than one. Elites are tolerated, even respected, if the rest of the population sees them as using their wealth, power, prestige, and talents on behalf of the community's interests, as well as their own. Elites are not expected to be saintly altruists, but they are expected to care about the rest of society, not just themselves.
And that is the nub of today's populist revolt. It is very difficult to find anyone outside a couple of Manhattan zip codes who believes that the financial sector has added value to America's economy and society over the past two decades. Financial "innovations" ended up expanding risk, not opportunity; the Masters of the Universe redivided the pie without noticeably expanding it. While wages stagnated, financial elites became untethered from the real economy and sailed off into the stratosphere of nine and ten-figure wealth. A capitalist economy loses credibility when its results diverge too far from public sentiments about decency and fairness."
The objective of a populist movement is to urge social and political changes that represent the "Everyman", and make society "more fair" for the general mass of the people, at the expense of the Elites.
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Hippies?
Hippies?
You're kiddin' me, right?
Hippies all bought BMWs in the 80's, I haven't seen one in decades.
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Top 20 signs from Occupy Wall Street protests.
http://www.collegehumor.com/picture...unniest-signs-from-occupy-wall-street#6626964
http://www.collegehumor.com/picture...unniest-signs-from-occupy-wall-street#6626964
Holy Cow, DC! Did you write that all yourself? I had to go back and read that again and I'm still not sure.
You can bet as soon as the weather turns bad with cold rain & snow, the young occupiers will go back to their cozy dorm rooms paid for by Mom & Dad and enjoy that grant money from those evil corporations.
You can bet as soon as the weather turns bad with cold rain & snow, the young occupiers will go back to their cozy dorm rooms paid for by Mom & Dad and enjoy that grant money from those evil corporations.
Holy Cow, DC! Did you write that all yourself? I had to go back and read that again and I'm still not sure.
You can bet as soon as the weather turns bad with cold rain & snow, the young occupiers will go back to their cozy dorm rooms paid for by Mom & Dad and enjoy that grant money from those evil corporations.
Ya know, I'm not sure that dismissing this right out of the gate as stinky unemployed hippies (still can't get over that!
) is especially prudent. I haven't formed an opinion, and will remain observant until it either makes more sense, or , most likely, crumbles from the lack of media coverage as the presidential campaign heats up.But think about it, the issues are quite real. And, they are issues for the "Everyman". An out of touch ineffective government, high unemployment, foreclosures, loss of retirement benefits, fat cat bailouts with no repercussions...these are the issues you guys beyatch about all day. What's wrong with some people protesting this?
There is a new activist movement in the world right now, pretty much unseen since the late 60's. It started with the "Arab Spring", resulting in the overthrow of several entrenched despot governments (and they weren't hippies
). I don't know about you, but I can't afford to buy half a dozen politicians. Wouldn't it be interesting if this actually made the government do something on the "Everyman" issues?Nope, I don't think I will dismiss this as a bunch of stinky "Hippies". I'm gonna watch it and see what happens. It poses no threat to me, why would I want to condemn it?
Holy Cow, DC! Did you write that all yourself? I had to go back and read that again and I'm still not sure.
You can bet as soon as the weather turns bad with cold rain & snow, the young occupiers will go back to their cozy dorm rooms paid for by Mom & Dad and enjoy that grant money from those evil corporations.
Hey, I like to write!!!
The stuff in quotes was lifted, too lazy to cite the source!
So far I see no solutions from the Demonstrators & no USA political party seems concerned or embracing any of this other than saying "yep things are tuff out there". Unions dove in then pulled back not sure if the movement told unions to get out or unions felt uncomfortable & pulled back? I do hear unions are paying for some food for the Demonstrators but no real proof of this either. I feel we know what is wrong & we need solutions to solve the problems. If the movement wants to demonstrate ok with me but seems somewhat pointless unless you want to step up & support solutions for problems.
I agree. And I think that is one of the keys to the success of the Tea Party Movement is that they immediately provided solutions, then candidates. Just hangin' out in front of Merrill Lynch tryin' to pick up chicks loses it's effectiveness quickly. Be interesting to see if this catches traction.
Remember, the Tea Party Movement is a populist conservative movement. There is no populist liberal movement, but certainly enough political space for one to develop.
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Guest
A couple of things here. These same types of demonstrations occured in Germany just a few years after WW1. Many of the same circumstances. Very rich top end and nothing but hopelessness for everyone else. Then some guy named Hitler came along and kicked out the folks in charge and set up a nice powerful dictatorship. He gave the common man a purpose and a future once again or so they believed. The world conquest thing kind of got in the way. If Hitler would have just been happy with Poland and Austria things may have turned out differently. The average democracy lasts 200 years and is usually followed by a dictatorship. We are at about 236. A democracy as large as ours usually caves from within. Overextension of the military is a common theme. (See Rome) Also a frenzied preoccupation in sporting events interpreted as a way to temporarily step out of one's real life. (See Rome again.) Hitler blamed the poor Jews for the money issues in his time. It seems we are blaming Wall Street. Let us all be grateful that Hitler is too old to jump into this little vacuum that lacks only a charismatic leader to really get it cranked up. (Hitler is still alive in Argentina with Elvis and DB Cooper.) Whomever we elect next time around will not matter that much. It will either slow down or speed up the process but the process will continue all the way to eventual revolution. The few will only tolerate paying for the many for so long. This has all happened before. Many times. Ho Hum.
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G
Guest
This is a symptom caused by many problems that are getting worse instead of better. Sure, it may get too cold to stand outside in January. The problems are not going away. The upcoming elections won't make them go away. There is a sense of hopelessness and futility and frustration with the 'system'. Even many collecting long term assistance are unhappy. The programs and policies unleashed in the last 30 years will be all but impossible to suspend. To try to do the right thing will be political suicide and once elected nobody wants to get off the gravy train. Tic tic tic tic BOOM.
polarisrider1
New member
Good read!
booondocker
New member
Actually the press all but ignored the events which were slow to get going in the USA....and these events are not completely centered in just New York...the purported center of the universe...they are happening in nearly every state with cities of sizable populations.
Since these "voices" have not been heard much, or have had as they feel, deaf ears from their representatives, they are taking to the streets, and are showing a force of numbers which is real and truly representative of what is happening out there quietly but steadily....real discontent.
This is democracy in action. Only in this country would this be allowed to happen without government interferences.
Now the question is....what party, what politician is willing to take the ball and run with it.
I don't think we are in danger of over-throwing our government....YET!
Since these "voices" have not been heard much, or have had as they feel, deaf ears from their representatives, they are taking to the streets, and are showing a force of numbers which is real and truly representative of what is happening out there quietly but steadily....real discontent.
This is democracy in action. Only in this country would this be allowed to happen without government interferences.
Now the question is....what party, what politician is willing to take the ball and run with it.
I don't think we are in danger of over-throwing our government....YET!
I could go on for hrs on this bunch of Soros funded community organized heard of clueless sheepel. but I have been warned a few times to stay clear of this kind of posts.But if you want to get in to it I would be happy to play over on HCS.pretty sure most know my stance on these Idiots and the real reason they are out there it is all in Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals the Play book for the modern left movement
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lenny
Guest
I'd be interested in the source if your willing to give it up