William Black at OLA said something important yesterday....

[radhika]

I attended a teach-in down at LA City Hall yesterday, put on by Occupy Los Angeles. btw, it continues today also with various panels, livestream available.

http://occupylosangeles.org/

It was a wonderful event featuring Robert Reich, Robert Sheer, William Black, George Lakoff and many others. A lot of good information was shared. But something specific stuck with me that maybe we need to talk about more. For future actions.

Professor William K. Black, famous for his role prosecuting wrongdoers during the 80's Savings and Loan debacle, responded to a question about the Congressional Super-Committee. Basically, he said: "we cannot accept the LEGITIMACY of the Super-Committee". He said it several times. By year-end, the Super-Committee will do/not do it's thing. Whatteva. Whether we gag or exhale at their result, it's still not DEMOCRACY. It's still not our VOICE, and it is not in service to the 99%.

Questions: Is the Super-Committee legitimate or not? Do you have ideas for Direct Action?

[RB TexLa]

1. Of course it's legitimate. Or you could say any committee is not legitimate or any

committee to resolve house and senate bills together.

[Vincardog]

5. A super committee that has its results fast tracked thru congress without review or amendment

does not sound very democratic to me.

[RB TexLa]

7. Lots of things get fast tracked and have limits on amendments or allow no amendments

Not undemocratic or a big deal

[Vincardog]

8. WE are not talking about "Lots of things" we are talking about this committee designed to gut SSI

and social programs in general. Why don't you defend the cuts to the MIC when the GOP moves to renege on them?

[PDJane]

2. I truly don't believe it is, no.

Committees that make non-binding resolutions and recommend actions are, but as far as I understand it, what this committee decides is not subject to approval. That is a whole different thing.

[radhika]

3. I think he meant 'Legitimate' in a bigger sense...

Given the context and information on how the ruling elites are gaming the system, limiting access to voting...I don't think Black meant 'legitimate' in the narrow sense of: does it meet Congressional rules? is it a validly constituted committee?

I think it was a larger statement - a challenge - to the Occupy folks that this is our/their time to reject operations of government that do not serve The People or disenfranchise US and transfer ssets to 1% that owns Congress. These interests have been lining the campaign coffers of the 12SC members since they were named in August - do you think donors are paying them to raise taxes on the rich or strengthen the safety net?

I heard Black's words as a call for organized, co-ordinated civil disobedience or a national strike.

Just wondering how many DU-ers hear it that way, or agree.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Technically it s, a special committee, but he meant it at a meta level

And what it will do to the country. People overall oppose it.

[galloglas]

6. I have a suggestion

Use Social Security cards as Voter ID, after passage of a US law mandating it. Then the 99% can speak their mind, at the polls, without the disenfranchising attempts of the GOP and the 1%.


Have a US Rep, with a buy-in of support from a US Senator, introduce the legislation. Then have the Occupiers raise the that issue to equivalent importance with the economic issues.