It's Time to Occupy the Voting Booth

I support the Occupy movement. It has done a great job at creating awareness, World wide, about the inequalities that exist in our current political and economic systems.

But, to effect change by means of peaceful protests, there must be a political agenda. Ideas need to be discussed. Plans need to be made. Bills need to be created and laws need to be passed to complete the process.

This recent November election shows another drop in voter turnout. How can we change the current system if people don't vote? We want equality and fairness in the job markets. We want Government corruption to be exposed and punished. But, those things can not happen unless we use the power of the people to vote.

Unless there is a violent revolution which overthrows the entire political system and Government. It's not going to happen any other way.I would like to see the Occupy movement promote this idea below.

"It's time to occupy the voting booth."

reply to post by MathiasAndrew


I agree, people should use there vote, unfortunately there is never seems to be anyone decent to vote for, and most politicians are in the back pocket of someone or other. :-)

Originally posted by MathiasAndrew
Bills need to be created and laws need to be passed to complete the process.

Why should I have to pay law makers to make new laws when the existing laws are neither required learning is schools, nor are the number of them known to the voters.

What is the specific number of laws, ordinances, regulations, codes, etc.. that currently exist in America?

Can any child live long enough to learn them all, the number, what they all are word for word, and what they all mean when held in context with eachother simultaneously?

Congress was formed hundreds of years ago, when it took weeks, months, and even years to get information from point A to point B. Representatives were a necessity due to the limitations in communication. This is no longer a problem, but peoples' willingness to admit to themselves they are incapable of making an informed decision due to ignorance of what the laws are is a problem.

In the state of Illinois we tax payers get 25 cents of federal money for every dollar we put in. I can't afford to pay more law makers to make more laws. I already have more than what I know, or will in my lifetime.

This has been going on for decades. Our "leaders"are picked by those who pull the strings,not those who check the box.

It's not who votes that counts, but who is counting the votes...............gotta make sure the counting is done honestly.



Yes this is a long video................but maybe set aside your Xbox, Harry Potter, Twilight, Dancing With The Stars or going to the bar and make some time.

Because, if something is done, if we the 99% don't safe guard and make sure we really do have a real vote - we stand to get hacked again.

reply to post by Shminkee Pinkee


It's true, that there are not many politicians we feel we can trust. But that is still no excuse to not vote. Many other policies are passed during elections. There are many local measures and initiatives that are important to your local area.

Even if you don't want to vote for a politician, there are still other items that require your voice on the ballot. I think that this is a perfect opportunity to create a new political party that stems from the ideas expressed during the Occupy movement. I think that a new party of this type would have World wide support.

It's a long winding road ahead but to have your voice heard you must use it.

occupy needs people to elect into government.

honestly thats how you do it. you don't vote for the same old people who keep us in this situation.

you vote in new people to take over. using their own system against them

every occupy movement needs to find itself a candidate and vote them in all local, regional and national elections.


THATS HOW YOU DO IT.

reply to post by ILikeStars


Agreed. We need to take a long hard look at the laws and regulations we already have, and throw out a page or two from the 'ol book. Maybe when the general public understands their own rights and responsibilities as well as the way our society functions (and get rid of the excess), it will be easier to pinpoint the real issues and throw out the bad apples. It is next to impossible to identify right from wrong when everything is tangled up in a gigantic web of mess that .1% of the population understands it, and they're the ones who identify loopholes and use it to their advantage.

reply to post by MathiasAndrew


I always vote, sometimes reluctantly in the past, but my current MP is a decent bloke, unfortunatley the majority of the idiots in Parliament are too busy fiddling their expenses instead of doing their job. I think you are right about the New Political party, perhaps you should get the ball rolling :-)

reply to post by ILikeStars


I understand your point. But is this a reason to throw our hands in the air and just give up our right to vote? Maybe, instead of news laws being created, some old laws should be repealed.

Either way I don't see how this movement can accomplish more than creating awareness about the issues. The economic effect it is having on the 1% is much less than it is affecting local governments and putting a strain on local economies. Cities which get their money through taxes are spending outrageous amounts to police these events.

It's not helping any more. The message has gotten through to the general public. It's time for the next step. Which in my opinion is to use to current system built by our fore fathers. The system can work if we use it. By people ignoring the system is how many of the banks and corporations were able to create this mess in the first place.

What would you suggest the next step be in the Occupy movement protests?

reply to post by Shminkee Pinkee

I have read that only 50% of voting eligible Americans even vote, and 75% of those habitually vote the D or the R, so it means only 12.5% of the total voting public is actually using their brains when they vote. Not very good.


The 99% Political Party

reply to post by MathiasAndrew


They should get behind Ron Paul. The whole beef is with the corrupted system, bankers taking control of our government and controlling puppet politicians. But with Ron Paul, he's been sticking to his anti-establishment guns for decades, and is a strict Constitutionalist. But then ignorant morons are like "Derp, he's a politician! I don't trust 'em!"

Don't you get it.. It's not about occupying a voting booth. People have been doing that for years.

It's like buying the same old TERRIBLE cars every year that are costing you your money and your life..
Yet someone's says "Occupy Car Lot".

Need a new make and model.

reply to post by MathiasAndrew


Agreed....Citizen Voter-Watch groups should stand all over the balloting places....and, they should conduct exit polls.....if the tallies disagree with the exit polls, the voting place should be reviewed,all votes re-counted, and investigated....every school, church, library, post office...wherever the actual voting takes place....meanwhile, we can work on having some REAL candidates...but, we CAN patrol the voting booths....it is our RIGHT....

reply to post by CALGARIAN

Don't you get it.. It's not about occupying a voting booth. People have been doing that for years.

It's like buying the same old TERRIBLE cars every year that are costing you your money and your life..
Yet someone's says "Occupy Car Lot".

Need a new make and model.

I totally get that. IMO that is just an excuse and a poor one at that.

Please offer a better suggestion, if you feel the need to shoot down someone else's ideas.

reply to post by ofhumandescent


I agree that it is wise to have suspicions about the accuracy of the voting results. The elections of 2000 between Gore and Bush Jr. are a testament to that.

However, I don't see any other effective option that we have at the moment. Should we just throw the whole bath tub and the baby out with the bath water?

So who is your candidate? I am not voting Repubs or Dems. I am a Conservative and my vote sways with the Tea Party. I am leaning towards Paul.He has the most common sense rhetoric to back him up, and he has stuck to his guns.
Although he has put himself into the party, it is his best option for recondition.Romney is not even in his same league. Romney is no different than Obama from listening to him

reply to post by TupacShakur


I like Ron Paul and most of the views he express's. I'm still a bit concerned that he is a member of the Republican party though. I have been a Democrat politically. I come from the San Francisco Bay Area which is a highly Liberal area.

At the moment though I do see Ron Paul as a potential favorite of mine in the upcoming elections. I am going to consider all my options and research the candidates I find express my views best. I am finding it harder and harder to want to cast my vote for Obama again.

Although, I don't think Obama is at fault for the current economic turmoil and recession. I think it stems mostly from the costly wars started during the Bush/Cheney Republican era and of course the FED reserve banking system as well as the whole Real estate loans derivatives debacle

EDIT:
Here's a funny little satire video that kind of shows the state of political madness in the USA currently

Don't forget that Obama not only didn't take any real steps to get us out of those wars, but he also put us in more countries and let us into interventions/invasions of countries/situations that had nothing to do with us and posed no threat to us. ...And lets not forget about the huge war that if elected, he will surely lead us into in 2013. And I'm not just picking on Obama here. I know people go on and on about Ron Paul (ok I'm one of them I admit) but really, your choices are: Obama OR any other GOPers: huge war coming up, no matter what. It will ramble on and on like all of our other wars as of late. Don't prepare to get the truth on the necessity of this war or real reasons for it. Ron Paul: the truth, and the possibility of war IF things with Iran turn into a legitimate hazard for Americans. And if that war does happen, it will be swift and efficient.

reply to post by CALGARIAN


Yes, we need to make new laws through our votes that serve the people, not the 1%. Curretnly we are only voting for either side of their coin. We need our own coin for anything good to happen for us.

As of right now I am planning on occupying the kitchen I will not rest in till the food in the fridge as been disrupted and cooked to the rest of the 99% of us in this household. After my demands have been met I shall occupy the bathroom for a little bit.

OT: Yes I agree voting is important, if the OWS actually get people to do this then I will applaud them.

On a lighter note.

"I find your strong attachment to a working democracy to be extremely sexy"