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| Some thoughts on Occupy Wall Street | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 28 2011, 10:04 AM (234 Views) | |
| Pat | Oct 28 2011, 10:04 AM Post #1 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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I was driving home this afternoon from one of the job sites and happened to catch the Dave Ramsey talk show. Dave is a guy who has a three hour radio program where he teaches people how to get out of debt and become fiscally responsible for their lives. He's also a contributor to FOX Business channel. With 300 employees, his company is consistently voted "Best Place To Work" in Nashville year after year. He's a nice guy and displays manners and patience while discussing financial matters. Anyway, Dave asked people to call in and discuss the OWS movement, and I thought I would [pass along to the board what I learned. The lines were jammed calling in according to Dave so he decided before taking the calls to go over the protesters demands. He goes: 1.On Sept. 21st Troy Davis and innocent man was murdered by the state of Georgia. Troy was one of the 99 percent. (note: This is the opinion of OWS, not mine or the jury and court system that adjudicated his case). 2. On Sept,21st., four of our members were arrested on baseless charges. Ending intimidation is one of our demands. 3. On Sept. 21st., the 400 richest Americans owned more than half the countries population. Ending wealth inequality is a demand. (I assume they meant held more in assets not owned anybody) 4. On Sept. 21st. we determined that YAHOO lied about occuoywallst.org. being in spam filters. Ending corporate censorship is a demand. 5. On Sept. 21st., 80% of Americans thought the country was on the wrong track. Ending the modern gilded age is a demand. 6. On Sept. 21st, 15% of Americans approved of the Congress was doing. Ending political corruption was a demand. 7. On Sept. 21st., one sixth of America lived in poverty. Ending poverty is a demand. 8. On Sept. 21st., one sixth of Americans did not have work. Ending joblessness in demand. (I assume they mean working age Americans) 9. On Sept. 21st, 50 million Americans were without health insurance. Ending health profiteering is a demand. 10. On Sept. 21st, America had military bases in 130 out of 165 countries. Ending American imperialism is a demand. 11. On Sept. 21st., America was at war with the world. Ending war is our demand. During the call ins, Dave was his normal respectful self allowing every supporter of OWS to voice there opinion, but he also asked WHY they support it. Without exception, no one knew why they supported the movement except they were ticked off. Several times the callers said there was an unfair balance of the rich bankers. Dave asked is they believed in capitalism, they all said yes. He then went on to say "what about Lady GAGa making multi millions, and what about Taylor Swift making $28 million, what about basketball, baseball or football contracted players"? No surprise to me, they all said "that was different" One by one for almost two hours Dave put on a clinic educating the callers. Not a one know the demands I listed above by the organization. Several didn't even know Wall Street is just an address...on a street! We need reforms on many levels of the country. We all know that. Jim Miller posted a video today that explained how Americans have become so used to a privileged existence, they take for granted all that is done for them without them needing to so much as lift a finger. Clean drinking water, food processed and ready for consumption, gasoline readily available at the press of the lever. The hitting of a switch and bingo, lights come on and power to operated their Ipods, laptops, TV's, game consoles, you name it. No thought at all about the corporation that has workers manning oil rigs in the Gulf at high risk of capital and workers. Or Kellogg who has farms and workers bringing the cereal to the breakfast table. Or the bank who lends for the car and homes. You know, the Meany Wall Street crowd. The root system for this "movement" is nothing less than socialist. (where did you last hear the word "imperialism" tossed around a sin demand #10?) Everybody is supposed to have equal stuff, regardless of effort or risk. George Soros and a number of left operatives are up to their eyeballs in backing this movement. And the hapless public that has been riled up, for the most part don't even know what the demands are! I had to visit the website to find out. What we now need is a reasonable adult response to this protest. Pickets outside the homes of the heads of media conglomerates and left wing promoters. Politely handing out demands of their own. 1. A demand that the police remove any and all protesters from the protest sites who cannot recite the demands. 2. A demand that the media tell the other side of the story. Now that the corporations and business owners of America, the hard working entrepreneur, and the honest hard working financiers have been demonized and threatened, we need stories about how much they have given the protesters what amounts to a privileged existence. There are no bloated distended stomachs that signal starvation. No lack of drinking water. A roof over the head or a spot on the parents couch. Subsidized public transportation. Food banks and freebies galore. This capitalistic society has given these poor and abused protesters a seat at the table of the most generous and prosperous country in the world. 3. A demand for the backers of the movement to show themselves. Not the mouthpieces but the money man. Yep, only three simple demands that i can think of. smiley In closing this little rant, remind me to quit listening to talk radio. It riles me up sometimes and forces me to dig deeper for the facts. |
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| tomdrobin | Oct 28 2011, 11:17 PM Post #2 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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No doubt there are some radical nuts in the movement, but I also think there are some legitimate concerns. Politicians being beholden to big money to get elected is one of them. As well as the lobbying of politicians by special interest. The only way I see that changing is stricker rules on lobbying, and government financing of campaigns. It takes so much money to get elected these days that politicians can't afford to make decisions that stop the flow into their campaign coffers. |
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| Chris | Oct 28 2011, 11:39 PM Post #3 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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We agree, well, in part. I agree with your identifying the state as the problem: "Politicians being beholden to big money to get elected is one of them. As well as the lobbying of politicians by special interest." Yes, we could say big money and special interests are the problem, but isn't it simply human nature to seek what you want by the easiest means? Competing economically in the market place is much more difficult than competing politically. You can't change human nature, but you can deprive it of the means, namely the political means you've described. Regulating it at first glance appears to be a solution but at second glance not, for such a solution only empowers the state more, making it more likely to serve as the political means you want to control. What's needed instead is regulation of the state. Edited by Chris, Oct 28 2011, 11:40 PM.
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| tomdrobin | Oct 28 2011, 11:53 PM Post #4 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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Regulation of the state is accomplished by the election process. Problem is as I see it the election process has been subverted by money. For instance Obama and the dems have a very difficult time proposing any legislation that negative affects unions, as they are some of their greatest supporters, and conversely the Tea Party and Republicans have to sing the tune the Koch's and other wealthy donors favor or their money goes to someone who will. And, we end up with the worst government that money can buy.
Edited by tomdrobin, Oct 28 2011, 11:53 PM.
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| Chris | Oct 29 2011, 12:21 AM Post #5 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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How is the state regulated by voting, Tom? The state is regulated by the Constitution, or ought to be. All voting does is flip flop between Dem and Rep statists ever grwing government and government spending that can't be sustained. "And, we end up with the worst government that money can buy." Crony capitalism, corporatism. Edited by Chris, Oct 29 2011, 12:23 AM.
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