Demands

I try to keep politics off my blog most of the time; there are other people who write more intelligently and eloquently on the subject. But it’s impossible to ignore the growing #OccupyWallStreet movement- especially if you are as unemployed, uninsured and over-indebted as I am. I had two friends at #OccupySanDiego. Hell, I sent my dad down to Liberty Square. He said it was the most excellent protest he’s been to in ages: peaceful and engaging. Today my friend coerciveutopian is going down to #OccupyDenver. I’ve reblogged his list of demands, below.

I can definitely get behind campaign finance reform. If you haven’t read and signed Dylan Ratigan’s campaign reform amendment, you really ought to (read the petition and sign here). Ratigan’s simple and eloquent amendment proposes to keep corporate and private money out of politics. The current campaign system ensures that only candidates who are in bed with enormous donors can afford to get mass-market publicity, while innovative, unbought political thinkers who can’t keep up with multi-million dollar campaigns fall out of the race. It’s no surprise that politicians receiving huge campaign donations have little incentive to enact meaningful reforms to help the 99%; the 99% are not their constituents, corporate interests are.

Campaign reform is an important first step in enabling wider-spread political change. As unnatural as it is, even politics abhors a vacuum. If you take money out, then ideas will have to come in. When politicians are elected based on their merits and policies (instead of their allegiance to campaign donors) they will become truer representatives of their constituents. That’s when we’ll begin to see reforms that help the people.

 #OccupyOakland starts on Monday and I will be there. Hope to see you.

coerciveutopian:

I took a shower. Put my nice shirt and pants on.  Wore a belt. Heading down to OccupyDenver. Here are my demands:

  • Campaign finance reform, including overturning Citizens United, so that corporations have less influence in democracy.
  • Revise the tax code, particularly capital gains, so that the wealthiest Americans pay at least as much, if not more, than the rest of us.
  • Repeal government subsidies for well established companies such as oil, gas, and agriculture which do not need support and closing tax loopholes that allow these multi-billion dollar corporations to avoid paying taxes. 
  • Make the banks pay back the bailout either directly or in the form of debt forgiveness for Americans.  This may seem unfair but we bailed them out they now owe us. 
  • Break up banks so that “Too Big To Fail” can never happen again

Who says the 99% doesn’t have a message?   I have heard some other nice ideas like requiring that companies have a maximum discrepancy between max and min pay for their employees and requiring legislators excuse themselves from voting on bills that effect their donors but these are extra.  I have also heard a lot of stupid ideas but I will ignore those for now.  Maybe this movement will at lest give politicians some backbone to stand up and get some things fixed.