The next step for OWS?

[kentuck]

The first step, in getting people disenchanted with the system together, has been mostly spontaneous.

However, there will have to be a second step and hopefully a third step.

The next step will be to clarify their demands. What do they want? How do they want the system to change?

Do they want publicly financed elections? Do they want trades on Wall Street to be taxed per trade? Do they want the tax rates on the wealthy to be raised? Do they want changes in the way student loans are handled? Do they want the wars to end?

They need to make a declaration of their demands. That is the next step.

The third step, and hopefully the final step, is to get political action on these demands. This is the only route to take if they are to remain a peaceful movement. They must become organized politically and vote for only those that support their demands.

The Republican Party is starting to realize the potential of this movement. They see it as perhaps the opposite of the Tea Party and one of potentially great influence on the Democratic Party. We are starting to see some of them, such as Eric Canter, change their tune already. They want to co-opt this movement and keep the Democrats from claiming it as their own.

However, the occupiers are much too intelligent to fall for their games.

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. Participation, participation, participation.

And you don't make demands of obsolete, dying systems. You create new ones which meet the needs of all involved, and they're doing that.

When the 99% are all participating in creating a system meeting the needs of all involved...

Our one demand of the systems that be? Get out of our way.

[sandyshoes17]

4. Well said!!

[OHdem10]

2. The Republicans have backed off their criticism(al least the loud)

Watch out. .....while the Democratic Party is afraid
to move....Ron Paul has been there. The Republican
Candidate Romer has been there and is capitalizing
on it.

Which id it Democratic Party: Your Corporate Masters
or the People.

[kentuck]

3. You make a good point.

The cautious politicians may be left behind?

[Ship of Fools]

5. That is a good point, but:

I don't think OWSers will buy into them. I saw a clip of Rohmer (sp), and he seemed WAAAAY out of his element. It's as if he'd never even been around working class people before. One woman was concerned about assault on voting rights, and he just grimaced. She kept pressing him, another man jumped in, and Rohmer then became all excited about it -- "Of course I'll look into it!!"

It's for show. It doesn't convince ME. I personally hope that NO politicians come to talk to OWSers. I personally hope that pols will REACT to the movement, not try to co-opt it. If I were there, I'd find myself wanting to take a long, soapy shower after Rohmer's visit.

[dotymed]

6. My hope for the OWS movement is far reaching.

1) ALL money out of politics (publicly financed elections)

2) Adopt the "Second Bill of Rights" that FDR proposed

3) Substantial tax increases for those who "earn" over 1 million annually

4) Repeal of "Citizens United"

5)Reinstatement of "The Fairness Doctrine"

6)Reinstatement of "Glass Steagall Act"

7) Simplified voting rights (no laws designed to keep "certain people" from voting, verifiable election results

8)People before profits

9) No ceiling for social security tax collections

10) Governmental requirement to bargain with pharmaceutical companies for the lowest price

11) End "for profit" health care

These are some of the demands that I hope are non-negotiable.

[kentuck]

7. That's a good list...

and something the occupiers should think about, in my opinion. It is difficult to change anything without changing the political reality.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. K&R!

I want to see your thread on the Greatest Page too!

:kick: