This is where the internet stuff going viral can help us. People should see where the money is coming from and in what quantity and vote for those whose money best represents what they want. Big Pharma? Don't vote for them. Or - if you like Big Pharma, vote for them. See who they owe, see who is pulling the strings.
All of them get money from Big Pharma/Oil/Business. That's the problem. Why else do you think that Anti-Trust exemptions for health insurance companies were considered untouchable when the last health insurance reform bill was written? Both parties agreed to this.
Vote for the least monied candidates!
Assuming that this same cadidate also shares your views on how government should work for you.
What's really sad is that that horrid despicable concept of robo-calling potential voters actually works. USA voters really need a big slap upside the head.
I deleted a whole section of my first post that dealt with this. It's hard for me to separate "stupid voter" from "voter who does not vote like me". This is probably difficult for many of us. I would hope that this thread would not decay into partisan politics, but instead focus on a better system that actually gets our voices heard no matter what those voices are.
At the same time, how many of those voices are merely echoes from corporate driven PAC's and Astroturf movements? How many people vote according to an NRA pamphlet when none of the candidates will actually vote for a change in gun laws? How many people have actually thought through the implications of a socialized health care system? Why are you for it or against it? Do you have solid reasons for that stance?
I can respect a person who holds different views than me if they have solid reasons for holding that position. However, too many times I have seen people who hold a different position because of lies and misinformation. That is VERY frustrating.
Could this mark the beginning of an actual movement, or is it just some college kid protest that will amount to fuck-all?
I've been watching these protests grow over the last several years. Many many times they have not been shown on "lame stream" media, even when they have orders of magnitude greater participation than tepid TeaPee'er orchestrated rallies.
This is refreshing and encouraging to see on main stream media news ... this means a significant media consciousness level raising imho. We here in our local group have been encouraging the protesters, especially the ones dedicated to non-violent protest (in the Gandhi\King tradition).
Message 3 I don't think it's getting the desired effect though. There are videos circulating of the Wall St. employees sitting on the balconies, sipping champagne and laughing at the protestors.
Which are being seen in main street america homes, where champagne is a luxury they haven't had in years?
Message 5 I hope as time goes on that this protest will gain momentum and media interest, but saying "we have had enough" without no way to back it up seems futile.
We've had support protests in Providence to put our feet to the protests.
Message 7 This is where the internet stuff going viral can help us. People should see where the money is coming from and in what quantity and vote for those whose money best represents what they want. Big Pharma? Don't vote for them. Or - if you like Big Pharma, vote for them. See who they owe, see who is pulling the strings.
Vote for the least monied candidates!
What's really sad is that that horrid despicable concept of robo-calling potential voters actually works. USA voters really need a big slap upside the head.
In general, the more you see it advertised, the more utter shit it is. Buy against the advertising!!! And that goes quintuple for politicians.
Amen brotha!
Message 8 More importantly, I think we need the rest of the 99% to realize what is being done. They need to realize that the people they think have their best interests in mind, don't.
This is where local support protests at local banks and protest information campaigns on social media help out -- facebook twitter etc can spread the information, pictures and videos around the country without needing to get them on media news.
Message 9 There, IMO, just are not enough people suffering in the USA yet...it is coming as you have said. When we no longer have SS, welfare, food-stamps...ect then there will be enough people to make a difference....it won't be peaceful I suspect.
We now have the highest poverty level in decades, as people drop off the unemployment charts into the abyss, children starving, elderly getting shortchanged. There is a lot of anger out there.
The TeaPee'ers tapped into that anger initially, and there was a groundswell, but people have realized that the TeaPee party has been bought out by the Koch brothers and no longer represent the common man: attendance at their rallies has been steadily dwindling as people find they are betrayed.
Social Security, Welfare, Healthcare, Unemployment and other social programs being attacked by the TeaPee honchos leaves betrayed people looking for better solutions.
I deleted a whole section of my first post that dealt with this. It's hard for me to separate "stupid voter" from "voter who does not vote like me". This is probably difficult for many of us. I would hope that this thread would not decay into partisan politics, but instead focus on a better system that actually gets our voices heard no matter what those voices are.
You would think that a majority of the tea party type people would get behind this particular movement. Hell, this movement involves EVERYONE who isn't part of the 1%. However, I can almost guarantee this WILL come down to, and be viewed as, a liberal/progressive movement, and certain individuals won't see past that arbitrary line.
"Why don't you call upon your God to strike me? Oh, I forgot it's because he's fake like Thor, so bite me" -Greydon Square
Many many times they have not been shown on "lame stream" media, even when they have orders of magnitude greater participation than tepid TeaPee'er orchestrated rallies.
This is refreshing and encouraging to see on main stream media news ... this means a significant media consciousness level raising imho. We here in our local group have been encouraging the protesters, especially the ones dedicated to non-violent protest (in the Gandhi\King tradition).
Which are being seen in main street america homes, where champagne is a luxury they haven't had in years?
I can't attest to how this is being portrayed in american "main stream" media, because I don't follow it one bit. I've gone so far that my 7 year old son knows that we absolutely do not watch fox news at home. I even have to correct him when we watch local new because the local foxz station is one of the better local news stations. He says "No way, we can't watch fox!". I have to keep telling him the difference. I can only imagine in my wildest nightmares how this is being portrayed on national fox news.....
"Why don't you call upon your God to strike me? Oh, I forgot it's because he's fake like Thor, so bite me" -Greydon Square
Could this mark the beginning of an actual movement, or is it just some college kid protest that will amount to fuck-all?
I hope it matters, but how many of these protesters, do you suppose, have ever written a letter to their Congressman?
We are at the point where, if nothing is done, then apocolyptic type conditions will reign free (complete income disparity, utter destruction of earth making it near uninhabitable, 2 income classes: the ultra rich who run everything and those who have nothing at all, etc.)
I guess I'm feeling the cynic today, but I think you dramatically underestimate the degree to which income inequality is a sustainable situation. Across the entire planet Earth, there's only one country that doesn't have a lower median income than the United States (adjusted to dollars), and it's Luxembourg, which is populated solely by bankers. I point this out because it makes it obvious how much room at the bottom there is for us all to get so, so much poorer.
Don't get me wrong. Income inequality to this degree really is bad. But the average American still has quite a bit to lose. There isn't going to be the will for massive societal change and taking to the streets. For the forseeable future, that's going to be limited to college students hoping to get laid. Real political change won't be possible until we reform the Federal constitution to be more majoritarian. That's probably going to mean the end of state divisions of the country, the end of the electoral college, and so on. But what progressives are talking about that? Besides blogger Matthew Yglesias, I don't think it's on anybody's radar.
I hope it matters, but how many of these protesters, do you suppose, have ever written a letter to their Congressman?
What is that supposed to mean? I know I have, only to be met with "don't worry citizen, I know more than you and trust me, I have your "best interests" in mind". I was basically told to fuck off.
But the average American still has quite a bit to lose.
I know that, which is why I also said that it won't be overnight. The scenario I painted is where I foresee us ending up is some real change doesn't happen soon.
Edited by hooah212002, : No reason given.
"Why don't you call upon your God to strike me? Oh, I forgot it's because he's fake like Thor, so bite me" -Greydon Square
That mass protests have little to no effect, but mass communication with your congressman has been proven to have an effect. When a congressman's office gets deluged in letters expressing a viewpoint, it moves the needle. Just ask anybody who's interned for a congressperson. What doesn't move the needle is "raising awareness" or "freedom marching" or any of that stuff.
Why do you think the interests of senior citizens are nearly untouchable in American politics, even though you've never seen a mass protest by senior citizens down at your Social Security office? Because they write letters and have a voter participation rate of 60% or more.
In other words, they participate. These kids are demonstrating. Well, great. I hope they get some good press. I'm pleased by the news that unions are getting involved; maybe they can help take it to the next step. But the truth here is that even when the youth base has been the most energized anyone has ever seen, they can't get voter participation above 40%. It's not completely their fault; we still don't make Election day a holiday so some people have to work instead of voting. That's usually not a problem for seniors.
The fact is, what really causes political change isn't very sexy. It's not a turn-on for sophomore girls, it won't piss off your parents, and you're not likely to meet anyone with the really good weed doing it. So, the vast majority of young adults simply won't bother. I know I sure as hell didn't.
I believe mass protests make a difference--not because the government cares about what crowds of young people think or do, but because every protester has friends and, more important, families who already treasure their promise and idealism.
When people see their children and grandchildren treated as criminals for protesting a rapacious oligarchy, the ground can begin to shift: we have always relied on the young to fight our wars and ignite our changes. Armchair cynics hand-wave away street action, but that's what it takes to light a fire under complacency and apathy.
The Civil Rights Act didn't pass because people wrote letters to Congress; it passed because Americans saw the essence of the struggle in broadcasts of peaceful marches met by the likes of Bull Conner, dogs and nightsticks--and that drove home the injustice of the status quo. Change came after the movement led to dead freedom bus riders and blown-up little black girls. The civil rights movement won with courage and blood, not with written moral suasion.
You can write a million letters to GOPers in Congress, and it won't change one vote. But mass protests can change a million votes.
I wish George Carlin had lived to see the beginning of Occupy Wall Street. He'd have recognized those people.
Edited by Omnivorous, : No reason given.
"If you can keep your head while those around you are losing theirs, you can collect a lot of heads."
I believe mass protests make a difference--not because the government cares about what crowds of young people think or do, but because every protester has friends and, more important, families who already treasure their promise and idealism.
Does this apply to the Tea Party, or just to left wing protesters?
Two other things have equal power, mockery as used by Carlin, the Smothers Brothers, Woody Guthrie, Will Rogers and images like those shown during the civil rights era, the Vietnam War, and the glass print photos taken at First Bull Run.
Anyone so limited that they can only spell a word one way is severely handicapped!
Does this apply to the Tea Party, or just to left wing protesters?
Why do you think the Occupy Wall Street folks are left wing protesters?
Tea Party rallies and spokespeople have condemned the Wall St./bankers bail-out and escape from prosecution--so why is this a left-right issue for you?
"If you can keep your head while those around you are losing theirs, you can collect a lot of heads."
Does this apply to the Tea Party, or just to left wing protesters?
Why do you think the Occupy Wall Street folks are left wing protesters?
Tea Party rallies and spokespeople have condemned the Wall St./bankers bail-out and escape from prosecution--so why is this a left-right issue for you?
It's not completely their fault; we still don't make Election day a holiday so some people have to work instead of voting. That's usually not a problem for seniors.
I would advocate moving Election Day to Veteran's Day Holiday. No extra holiday for business owners to whine about. Build it up as part of your Patriotic support of the Veterans. Vote & see a parade.
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