How do you get the protest movement to survive the winter? You build a shelter. And it was going well in Washington today, 2 blocks from the White House, until police moved in. The shelter is being dismantled as I write this.
The site for the Occupy shelter was well chosen, being so near the White House. It was President Obama who made the Occupy Wall Street, now occupy everywhere movement, necessary. I will leave it up to you as to whether his lack of experience, aversion to conflict or a sympathetic attitude to Wall Street was to blame, but it was his doing or, lack of doing, that caused the Occupy movement to flourish. But clearly, as he entered the White House he had a rare opportunity to make big changes in the financial industry. Instead, with his appointment of Geithner and Summers, it soon became obvious that he would not or could not, bring change. The sly foxes on Wall Street got $ 7.77 trillion, instead of major reforms.
All would be forgiven and forgotten until Occupy Wall Street came along. They ruined everything, didn't they? Now everybody in those $6000 suits have been getting very worried that the tide is turning against them, and it is. The outcome will very likely be those changes that will reverse a 30 year trend, in national fiscal policy, trade agreements and financial industry regulation. We are looking ahead to years of struggle to bring this new direction about. It would have been easier for the White House to have done this in 2009, but that did not happen.
Here is what Occupy Wall Street must change and I shudder to offer my ideas. OWS has been brilliant so far, and it is not my job to tell them what needs to be done. They are quite able to chart a course of action.
1. Money and politics go hand in hand. They must be separated.
2. Tax cuts. Not good. Not for the 99%.
3. Free trade agreements. These are a disaster for American jobs.
4. Deregulation. Might be good for multinationals, not for the 99%.
5. The cap on wages subject to Social Security payroll taxes. Remove the cap, everybody pays on all their earnings.
6. The wealth gap has widened for many years. Tax the rich.
7. Wall Street Casinos. Many things can be done to make them honest, not rigged for you know who.
8. Homeowners in distress. Bail them out.
9. Austerity. This is bad medicine, at this time.
The site for the Occupy shelter was well chosen, being so near the White House. It was President Obama who made the Occupy Wall Street, now occupy everywhere movement, necessary. I will leave it up to you as to whether his lack of experience, aversion to conflict or a sympathetic attitude to Wall Street was to blame, but it was his doing or, lack of doing, that caused the Occupy movement to flourish. But clearly, as he entered the White House he had a rare opportunity to make big changes in the financial industry. Instead, with his appointment of Geithner and Summers, it soon became obvious that he would not or could not, bring change. The sly foxes on Wall Street got $ 7.77 trillion, instead of major reforms.
All would be forgiven and forgotten until Occupy Wall Street came along. They ruined everything, didn't they? Now everybody in those $6000 suits have been getting very worried that the tide is turning against them, and it is. The outcome will very likely be those changes that will reverse a 30 year trend, in national fiscal policy, trade agreements and financial industry regulation. We are looking ahead to years of struggle to bring this new direction about. It would have been easier for the White House to have done this in 2009, but that did not happen.
Here is what Occupy Wall Street must change and I shudder to offer my ideas. OWS has been brilliant so far, and it is not my job to tell them what needs to be done. They are quite able to chart a course of action.
1. Money and politics go hand in hand. They must be separated.
2. Tax cuts. Not good. Not for the 99%.
3. Free trade agreements. These are a disaster for American jobs.
4. Deregulation. Might be good for multinationals, not for the 99%.
5. The cap on wages subject to Social Security payroll taxes. Remove the cap, everybody pays on all their earnings.
6. The wealth gap has widened for many years. Tax the rich.
7. Wall Street Casinos. Many things can be done to make them honest, not rigged for you know who.
8. Homeowners in distress. Bail them out.
9. Austerity. This is bad medicine, at this time.
