Summations Only

Opinions? Could this mark the beginning of an actual movement, or is it just some college kid protest that will amount to fuck-all? Is the system too far gone to be repaired? Do we, as citizens, still have a voice in our government? Or has that voice been drowned out by corporate dollar signs? http://occupywallst.org/As far as my opinion? I think we are on the brink. A teetering point, so to speak. The next few years, IMO, are what could make or break humanity. 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.) or another enlightenment where true humanity is sought, the welfare of people is what is thought of instead of how much money can be made on the backs of others.That is not to say that the change is imminent, or that it will happen over night, but I feel that if we continue on the path we seem to be headed, turning back will be close to impossible.

Now I feel LESS pessimistic. Thanks for the Monday booster shot.

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.

IMHO, everything needs to start with campaign finance reform. Nothing in US politics can change unless this is changed. Politicians do not want to lose their office, and corporations offer them millions of dollars that they can then use to keep their office. While there may not be an overt quid pro quo, I think we can all agree that there is an unspoken "this for that".

Protest are good, when the media decides to give you a little air time. In order to make the 1% take notice you have to hurt them....where it counts, their pocket books.Our government officials know who gets them their campaign money...the 1%. That is where most our problems are at in many ways, the common man has no chance of getting elected without financial backing, and lots of it.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.

Right on, I just said something similar. Campaign finance reform is a crucial necessary first step.

Taq writes: 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.Given how close the 2000 election was, I bet if Al Gore had publicly ripped up the donation checks he got from big oil and big pharma, on national TV during, say, one of his debates, it would have made all the difference. Florida would have been nothing. That he didn't speaks volumes.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.

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.We've been fed the "american dream" since childhood. One where everyone can become a millionaire. Everyone can "make it", just so long as you work hard enough. We've been told to strive for just enough to get by: a spouse, two kids, a dog and a house in the suburbs. Be in debt for life. Take loans out for cars and houses you can't afford and pay on them until you die. It's time we all realized that is a pipe dream.

I also feel that the success of the protest in the middle east had a lot to do with innocent people getting killed by an unjust government, makes for good media.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.

Of course it does. Think about it. Get inside the mind of a random american. One who doesn't follow anything outside of their own little circle. A typical american, if you will. You go to the voting booth because you're a red blooded american and it's your god given right to vote! (but god never said anything about studying the ones doing the politicking). Who do you vote for? the guy you've never heard of? Or the guy who's name you see plastered everywhere and whom just called your house...because he obviously cares.

Hooah writes: Cocktail hour now, is it? Well, a few well-placed molotof cocktails should ruin those Marie Antoinette poses.....Hell, as Bruce Cockburn sings, "...I wish I had a rocket launcher..."

Armed conflict may be the only thing that would get our governments attention....(FnL and Xong are added to the do not fly list, potential domestic terrorist)

That's it right there, IMO. And I really hate to sound alarmist or like some kind of conspiracy theorist or some shit, but until the shit bag is on YOUR front door, why do you care? As long as you still have your comfy job and your house hasn't yet been taken away, why should you care? Why should you take stock in anything that happens outside of your little world because, let's face it, you've made your little world and they tell you everything will be fine as long as you keep paying your bills on time and maybe take another loan, why should you care? They tell you that the people who are up in arms are being un-american. Those people are "FUCKING LIBERAL COMMIES!"Now, be a good little american and shut up while you give me them freedoms. You aren't using 'em anyways.

Protest needs to happen to affect change, but I'm skeptical of the effect this particular chain of protests will have. Interviews with protesters (I've only heard a couple, mind) have shown that the only guiding principle to the protest is "we're pissed off," with no concise message or political goal. Without a clear message, I'm not sure what sort of effect this can have. While the "right" has been unified enough to deal with the half-formed "message" of the Tea Party (lower taxes; less government regulation; few specifics), the "left" is pretty spread-out. They need a more unified, clear-message grass-roots movement to provide the same "oomph" to stay true to the base that the Teabaggers have given the Republicans.Granted, there's an awful lot to be pissed off about at the moment. I can probably think of five or six individual topics to protest about right off the top of my head.

That' a good point. You also have to look at who is actually doing the protesting and who is getting interviewed. How many people get arrested and maced at Tea Party rallies?