Occupy Movements Are Focused on the Wrong Goal

Occupy wall street and other protest movements are springing up all around the country and the world. I believe in the right they have to protest but I believe the focus of their protests is all wrong. Here's why:

The occupy movements are mainly focused on the banks and how they have reaped the benefits of our tax dollars, leaving us out of work and struggling. Its all the corporations' fault. That seems to me like they are really missing the root of the problem and rather, attacking the middle man. I'm not suggesting that banks are all angels, looking out for the greater good, but the real problem here is who allowed this to happen. THE GOVERNMENT.

Our elected officials felt it would be prudent to use our tax dollars to bail out national banks and other large industries. They demand (steal) our money and use it in ways we (the people) would never have used it. Think about it.

If a small business fails, the bank forecloses, people lose their jobs, have to start over, change. If the people are dissatisfied with that business enough for it to stop making profit, that business is no more. If the bank fails, the government bails them out, no change. Allowing the same CEO's who made the mistakes make them again.

This would never have happened without government interference. In fact I would have to say we would have been better off without it. The economy might have suffered for a brief period but even after the bailouts, which were supposed to help the economy, we have already had a major recession and the unemployment rate is at the highest it's been in over 50 years. And it's not looking up in the near future. But the more important thing, for all you OWS people out there, is that the banks you're campaigning against wouldn't be doing all the awful things you protest against. If the government offered them no amnesty from their shady dealings and unfair practices, they would be left to the people.

People think of a free market as allowing big corporations to do whatever they want with no repercussions, when it is exactly the opposite. If the people had their way, and didn't allow the government to meddle, those banks and lenders would all be out of business. Allowing governmental control of our money does nothing but hurt us.

These are the people we elected, we pay their salaries (officially). Unofficially is a different story. We should be able to fire them. I mean, we are, technically, their bosses. They work for us and they should have to answer to us. Yet they are the only organization that can tax what we earn and penalize us if we decide we don't want to pay. Unless you count mandatory unions, and everybody loves those. They steal your earnings and call it stealing when you don't give them the money you have worked hard to earn.

This is America. The home of the phrase "No taxation without representation!" The people aren't being represented anymore, only those fortunate enough to be able to pay our elected officials enough money. We need to wake up and confront the root of the problem, the disease we willingly accept called the government.

Ron Paul supporters should really use these protests to spread the word. I have a feeling these things may last through the primaries and if the OWS protestors got a chance to hear about Ron Paul and that he is not supported by big business like the others he may gain a lot of support. They can take care of Wall Street and allow him to help clean up Washington. I have already seen a lot of his supporters out at the protests, but the Paul fans that haven't been "for" these protests should really take advantage of a large group of people that are hungry to find solutions. The are open minded people out there.

I myself think they are focused a little too much on wall street when they should be splitting it between wall street and washington.. but it's a start. I mean maybe politicians that are helping out Wall st. in legislation will think twice before continuing.

reply to post by rockintitz


"THE GOVERNMENT" - Stop you there, the banks own the government. However, I like your train of thought.

Jamie.

reply to post by rockintitz


It's not really the government's fault. Well, it is, in some respects, but, only so far as the government is a sock puppet for banks, and corporations.
The banks, oil, pharma, and a whole slew of others own the government.

If you are an elected official, you need money to get reelected. If you disappoint or go against the people that own you, your campaign contributors like the banks, oil, and pharma, well, you get fired, you lose your job in respects that you won't get reelected.
If you, as an elected official really make the people that own you angry, then, well, it won't be very hard for Main Stream Media to find out about all sorts of nasty things you never knew that you ever got up to, since evidence is really easy to fabricate, and also because the same people that own you, also own the Main Stream Media.

Thus, yeah, it's the banks. Well, mostly the banks.

The governments of the world are nothing more than a HR extension for the big banks and multinationals.

They have been brought and paid for by the banks and multinationals making our votes meaningless.

reply to post by nineix


That's correct. But if our elected officials actually worked for the people and not for whoever has the deepest pockets, then the banks wouldn't run America. Most people just accept the fact that our civil servants can be bought off and instead blame the corporations for doing it. If you could pay to have a bill passed that would help you, you would. The problem is the government allows this to happen when they are supposed to be looking out for us.

reply to post by pandapowerjamie


Hope you really didn't stop there. The banks do run America. The question is why? The banks don't have a military, they can't possibly persuade the government by force. The problem is our leaders have forgotten what they have sworn to do, protect and uphold the constitution. When you just accept that officials can and will be bought, don't you see a ridiculously huge problem with that? It isn't the banks fault for trying to get ahead, it's the person who looks out for himself rather than the people he is pretending to help

reply to post by rockintitz


They are depending on our natural Human instinct to over-reach, which we all know of as "greed" just a shift in words really. This wire to over reach is a means of survival and psychological evolution hasn't caught up with us I'm afraid so all we've done is renamed it. And this feeds into another part of our power hunger so it's a pretty vicious circle.

Equation: Human greed + young handsome politician + rich banker = Economy feck over, manipulated media, war, energy crisis, religious conflicts, impending doom of nuclear war, all everything evil you can possibly think of... and clowns.

Jamie.

Originally posted by colin42
The governments of the world are nothing more than a HR extension for the big banks and multinationals.

They have been brought and paid for by the banks and multinationals making our votes meaningless.

Exactly. The governments need to be violently purged, and the multinationals must be brought to their knees.

The corporate and financial subjugation of our planet must end.

reply to post by rockintitz


Absolving the bribers from guilt?

I disagree. The bankers are thieves whose hands need to be cut off.

reply to post by rockintitz


Your not wrong but to me it is the money that corrupts. We vote for A and make that person have a value which should be used for us.

Instead big money buys the power that we gave one person or group.

How do you stop the corruption? You cut off the money supply, the power source behind the corruption.

Then we deal with those that should have worked for the greater good be that prison, expulsion ultimately the ballot box and then we play our part. Hold these sleazy people to live up to their promises and never again accept their lies.

reply to post by illuminatislave


If there was no one to bribe bribery wouldn't be a problem. All they are focusing on are the corporations that are able to bribe officials. Not the officials willing to accept the bribes.

I dunno...this whole thing smacks of 'whining' to me. Whining, instead of actually going out and acting to do some good. It just doesn't sit well with my gut instinct. Like something is off...and it worries me. We have the haters and we have the whiners. But, where are the healers and the fixers?

reply to post by colin42


You stop corruption by making it an act of treason, and making it punishable by death. Extreme? Yes. But people would think twice about what it means to be a public servant.

As stated above, all long serving Congressional members need to go, but that is up to the people. Term limits need to be implemented,I'll give them 8yrs as the President. All lobbiest must be banned. All political funding removed and each given a set amount from the tax roles to spend on elections.

reply to post by pandapowerjamie


The Banks do not own the Government. But the elected officials do owe the Banks for helping them to get were they are. Get rid of those individuals and you are on your way to fixing the problem. However, you have to replace them with honest people who really could care less about the (D) or (R) after their name.

Government/Corporate cronyism is a revolving door that needs a crowbar stuck in it.

Bankers = Politicians. I like this thread, where did Phil Gramm go after his reap ling of Glass Steagall. City bank.. Making how many 10 of millions from them,,

Jud Gregg where did he go after begging for the bailouts and suspension of Mark to market accounting.. Goldmen

Hank Paulsen Hmm where did he come from ya Goldmen,,

This is just a few examples These Bankers contribute to both sides, Now you put GE in there and they have close ties to CNBC stock channel, That channel did not have one person that warned us about the huge crash, All the guys on that network that tried to bring it up were cut off, Its the same with Fox news, So these elite have control have the airwaves and spread the propaganda daily. Just watch cnbc tomorrow they will only criticize these protesters, same with Fox socialist channel.. So when you talk about the Gov your talking about these Bankers..

Originally posted by rockintitz
Occupy wall street and other protest movements are springing up all around the country and the world. I believe in the right they have to protest but I believe the focus of their protests is all wrong. Here's why:

The occupy movements are mainly focused on the banks and how they have reaped the benefits of our tax dollars, leaving us out of work and struggling. Its all the corporations' fault. That seems to me like they are really missing the root of the problem and rather, attacking the middle man. I'm not suggesting that banks are all angels, looking out for the greater good, but the real problem here is who allowed this to happen. THE GOVERNMENT.

The "disease" is not our government, that is just another divide & conquer strategy being promoted by the Tea Party. You know; "Job Creators Good, Government Bad." The Truth of the matter is that the "disease" is actually corporate lobbyist and our current system of allowing private money into political campaigns. The situation was radically exacerbated by the "Citizen's United" supreme court decision. Therefore, if we take the time proven advice that "Deep Throat" gave to Bob Woodward during the Watergate scandal, which was to "Follow The Money," then it would appear that the OWS protestors are indeed in the right place. By the way, Banks are Corporations too.

Furthermore, by choosing to direct their protest at the corrupt influence that "big money" has on our government as opposed to directing it against our government itself, they've broadened their support base and now the protest is going global. People all over the world recognize the problems created by allowing "big money" interest to influence their own government officials and thus the growing support worldwide. If they had instead chosen to protest our government officials, I think the movement would have been viewed by outsiders as more of an American problem not necessarily related to their own.

I used to think that our government officials were being bought off after they got elected but that's not the case, they're bought off prior to being elected. Don't you understand that under our current system and without the influx of corporate money into their campaigns, they would never have gotten elected to begin with? Needless to say, the end result is a government "Of, By & For" special interest and not the people. This is exactly what we have today and this is what they're protesting against. Until we as a nation, collectively decide to completely outlaw private campaign donations and paid lobbyist, we shouldn't expect to see the return of a government that represents it's "People."

The Tea Party movement is focused on eliminating our government whereas the OWS movement is demanding the return of a government representative of it's "People." They want better, more effective government, not less government. They want more stringent EPA & SEC regulations and they want them enforced to the letter of the law. They want some legal accountability from the 1%ers who drove our economy off the cliff. The want to see Medicare & S.S. programs protected and fully funded. They are demanding an end to the legalized robbery of the american middle class by the corporate elite.

At first I thought that their choice to occupy Wall St. was kinda odd but the more I think about it, Wall St. was a perfect choice. "Follow The Money!"

reply to post by Flatfish


But they aren't really following the money, they are attacking the source. If they wanted to follow the the money don't you think they should be attacking the politicians that accept bribes to serve special interest? I agree it's a good movement, and now that they have so much support they could start an occupy Washington movement. Their one goal should be to stop corruption in the government, because nothing will change before that happens.

reply to post by Flatfish


I"m sorry but the premise of your entire post is BS. You in NO WAY hold your elected government officials accountable for their complete lack of integrity. Again TOTAL BS here. People with integrity will NOT be bought off. This entire problem begins and ends with integrity or the LACK thereof, and it is the collusion of our government officials WITH our corporations that is the heart of the matter.