Occupy Wall Street

[FreakyLocz14]

I'm not really sure, since for every available job out there 5 applicants are applying. Plus the whole geographical displacement thing comes into play.

We are in tough economic times. There's no doubt about that. That is natural. No nation has a strong economy all of the time. We don't need to go about fundamentally changing our economic system just because we're going through some tough times.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

We are in tough economic times. There's no doubt about that. That is natural. No nation has a strong economy all of the time. We don't need to go about fundamentally changing our economic system just because we're going through some tough times.

I don't think most of the people who are hurting and frustrated are proposing we abolish capitalism. I think they just want it to be fair again. That's where I stand.

For the 99%, wages on average are the same that they've been since the 1970s. And yet our bills and cost of life have gone up.

It used to be that the salary for head of company had a salary that was four times that of middle management. Today, it's 40 times.

My grandfather made a good and honest living in an automotive plant. And he had a small cleaning business on the side. They had a nice house. All three kids put through school. Three cars. He's now retired and travels all the time.

My dad works as a director for a large company. And life is certainly harder financially than it was for the generation before. And we have a smaller house. What's it going to be like for my kids when it gets to that point? Things shouldn't be getting worse every generation.

Minimum wage should raised. In my province, it's $10.25 and we're thinking of raising it. In the US, I think it's $7!? And they don't want to raise it. That's crazy. Minimum should be something that you can actually live on and get by with. Not living a huge life, but enough to have a roof over your head. It's not just supposed to be just summer change for high school students.

Taxes need to be fair. There can't be loop holes. Warren Buffet's secretary shouldn't be paying out more than he his.

Wages should be fair. If "times are tough", workers shouldn't see wages and benefits cut (or even their jobs cut altogether) when at the same time the top of the company is raising their pay.

The loss of jobs to other countries and mechanical replacement is a real problem.

There shouldn't be companies that are too big to fail.

Companies who are sitting on piles of cash should pay back the bailouts their received.

Cost of living increases should be mandatory.

Schemes like what caused this crisis in the first place should be prevented.

The stock market has stop being run like a gambling ring.

Capitalism worked. But right now it's broken. It needs to be fixed or we're going to get nowhere. I don't blame solely corporations. It's corporations, the government, and lobbyists. And us, the people, for being so damn complacent for so long.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

I don't think most of the people who are hurting and frustrated are proposing we abolish capitalism. I think they just want it to be fair again. That's where I stand.

For the 99%, wages on average are the same that they've been since the 1970s. And yet our bills and cost of life have gone up.

It used to be that the salary for head of company had a salary that was four times that of middle management. Today, it's 40 times.

My grandfather made a good and honest living in an automotive plant. And he had a small cleaning business on the side. They had a nice house. All three kids put through school. Three cars. He's now retired and travels all the time.

My dad works as a director for a large company. And life is certainly harder financially than it was for the generation before. And we have a smaller house. What's it going to be like for my kids when it gets to that point? Things shouldn't be getting worse every generation.

Minimum wage should raised. In my province, it's $10.25 and we're thinking of raising it. In the US, I think it's $7!? And they don't want to raise it. That's crazy. Minimum should be something that you can actually live on and get by with. Not living a huge life, but enough to have a roof over your head. It's not just supposed to be just summer change for high school students.

Taxes need to be fair. There can't be loop holes. Warren Buffet's secretary shouldn't be paying out more than he his.

Wages should be fair. If "times are tough", workers shouldn't see wages and benefits cut (or even their jobs cut altogether) when at the same time the top of the company is raising their pay.

The loss of jobs to other countries and mechanical replacement is a real problem.

There shouldn't be companies that are too big to fail.

Companies who are sitting on piles of cash should pay back the bailouts their received.

Cost of living increases should be mandatory.

Schemes like what caused this crisis in the first place should be prevented.

The stock market has stop being run like a gambling ring.

Capitalism worked. But right now it's broken. It needs to be fixed or we're going to get nowhere. I don't blame solely corporations. It's corporations, the government, and lobbyists. And us, the people, for being so damn complacent for so long.

You're probably right in saying that most of the protesters don't want to abolish capitalism, but many of the organizers do... or at least make it seem like they do. You should see some of the signs people use during their picketing. One really stood out to me that said "Support Socialism. Abolish Capitalism."

 

[Livewire]

but their communistic/socialistic demands are what throw me off.

And yet you're fine with the Tea Parties fascist and racist ones?

At least they haven't done this yet.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

You're probably right in saying that most of the protesters don't want to abolish capitalism, but many of the organizers do... or at least make it seem like they do. You should see some of the signs people use during their picketing. One really stood out to me that said "Support Socialism. Abolish Capitalism."

They're not necessarily mutually exclusive. Here in Canada we have "socialized" medicine and a lot more social safety nets in place than you guys do.

Also, on a side-note... the Occupy movement went global over the weekend. I really support those folks down at Wall Street and in Washington, D.C. But... Occupy Toronto is kind of ridiculous. They have no coherent message. (Hence the name, Occupy *Toronto* instead of Bay Street, our Wall Street). It's just a big camping party. People are protesting native rights, there are 9/11 truthers, people who want their student loans paid off by strangers, just... way to not stay on point folks. How's it going in other parts around the globe? Are they sticking to message any better?

 

[Netto Azure]

A lot of the European protests are targeted against the austerity measures that are reducing safety nets I believe. And also reigning in the banks and stuff like that.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

They're not necessarily mutually exclusive. Here in Canada we have "socialized" medicine and a lot more social safety nets in place than you guys do.

Also, on a side-note... the Occupy movement went global over the weekend. I really support those folks down at Wall Street and in Washington, D.C. But... Occupy Toronto is kind of ridiculous. They have no coherent message. (Hence the name, Occupy *Toronto* instead of Bay Street, our Wall Street). It's just a big camping party. People are protesting native rights, there are 9/11 truthers, people who want their student loans paid off by strangers, just... way to not stay on point folks. How's it going in other parts around the globe? Are they sticking to message any better?

The ones here are the same way. They're camping out in the city plaza pretty much. It's starting to look like a homeless camp.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

A lot of the European protests are targeted against the austerity measures that are reducing safety nets I believe. And also reigning in the banks and stuff like that.

That makes sense. That's relevant to that population.

Canada weathered the initial global downturn better than most. We had a small stimulus. The car manufacturers have paid us back already. Our financial system was just... on a better foundation. Our banks were sufficiently regulated. We already have more social safety nets in place than the States. So, we aren't in as bad a position, so I can somewhat see why the #OccupyTO folks aren't super heavy on these issues...yet. But I don't know why the domain of complaints is still so wide and off-topic XD It's weird. Especially, since with one more bad quarter, our country is officially in a recession.

 

[Guest123_x1]

Mark Brewer doesn't seem to get it.

Saw this on the Michigan Democratic Party's Twitter feed (via the feedbox on the MDP website)

MichiganDems Wall Street candidate Mitt Romney: of Wall Street, for Wall Street and now paid for by Wall Street https://t.co/U751nqyC via @AddThis

Do they care to explain the financial sector's huge payoff (to the tune of $3.9 MILLION this election cycle so far) to President Obama in both 2008 and this election cycle, as shown in the article the Twitter post linked to, as well as Obama's policies which benefit Wall Street at every turn (Cap and Trade, offshore drilling ban (both big payoffs to energy traders) financial reform, stimulus and jobs bills, the health care reform-which is a big payoff to insurance companies with its individual mandate)?

(A plausible reason for the huge contributions to Romney is because of his health care reform in Massachusetts with its individual insurance mandate, which is the crown jewel of both the Romney and Obama reform packages.)

Also:

MichiganDems The Cain 9-9-9 plan: cutting taxes for the rich, raising taxes on the rest of us https://t.co/IENCT7ue via @TIME

Do they care to explain the fact that Obama's energy policies, which include capping carbon emissions and trading allowances and permits on Wall Street exchanges (a big way for the rich to continue getting richer and the poor getting poorer), along with his offshore drilling moratorium, and proposed punitive taxes on oil companies, will raise energy costs to the point that only the super-rich will be able to afford gas, electricity, and food? (Obama himself admitted that his plan would make prices "necessarily skyrocket") Not too long ago, Democrats were complaining relentlessly about skyrocketing food and energy prices, yet at the same time supporting policies that will make the situation even worse (punitive taxes on oil companies, offshore drilling bans, etc.)!

 

[ben cousins]

occupy movement

is it affecting the place you live? where i'm from yes,i wont say what country it is but i will say kangeroo and the riots over here are kind of pointless since australia is pretty erm..''wel off'' but i can understand why people in new york are pissed about poverty and wall street ''fat cats''

 

[Zet]

I know that the Sydney protesters stopped protesting and went back to work :P Though I heard there was a bit of crowd control in Melbourne, and I haven't heard anything from any place in any other place in Australia.

So no, the protests aren't affecting me in my area.

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

The protests are affecting me in that it takes me about 5 more minutes to walk to law school... I have to walk past the London Stock Exchange to get there, and that's where the bulk of the protestors - and subsequent police presence - are located. However, St. Paul's Cathedral, who have been supporting the protest so far, are asking people to move to the other 'campsite' a few miles away. Hopefully, in an entirely selfish way, that'll mean I don't have to leave the house 5 minutes earlier! [/lack of priorities]

 

[ben cousins]

these protesters are just jealous that there are wealthier people then them, if they wanna contribute something to society then they should go help the poor at a soup kitchen or something[especially in new york]

 

[Reddit]

OKAY. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I AM POSTING THIS. THANKS POKECOMMUNITY. I WISH I COULD SHOOT YOU RIGHT NOW.

I wholeheartedly agree with this movement, and I hope it gets larger than it already is and spreads. And may I add that this is not a anti-capitalism movement, Occupy Wall Street is pro-capitalism and pro-democracy. They are protesting policies that are not capitalist nor democratic. While also protesting policies that have failed time and time again.

An example of this is the fact that the government bailed out multiple banks and corporations (through policies that were passed by President Bush and enacted by President Obama.) Capitalism calls for business, banks, and corporations to fail if their own failed policies and investments put them in that situation. While Socialism calls for them to fail..wait lolwut?

People saying that these people are just jealous of the wealthy are exceedingly ignorant. This movement is protesting many things, and I shall list some of them for you:

• Government bailouts.
• Policies on Wall Street that have pulled our economy into a recession (and close to one multiple times) and is about to yet again.
• Money in politics. An example of this would be the fact that the oil industry collectively donated tens of millions of dollars to both John McCain and Barack Obama's campaigns to help influence their policies if they were to become president in favor of the oil companies.
• Poor being a death sentence (referencing health care and is the only socialist idea and policy advocated within this protest)
• Tax loopholes that are easily exploitable by the wealthy.
• Low taxes for the rich (generally speaking.)
• Politics being childish. Such as how Republicans and Democrats seem to be in a war for power and their objective is to screw the other party's policies.
• Politicians, instead of representing the people, represent the corporations who fund their campaign.
• Policies that encourage businesses to go out of the country.
• The pay gap between CEO's and the average worker. In the US 475:1. I would post a list comparing a list of countries together but I can't. THANKS POKECOMMUNITY

This list really does go on and on. This is not a socialist, communist, democrat, republican, rich, poor, liberal, or conservative movement. It is a movement of the people, who support policies that encourage growth, and who are pro-democracy and pro-capitalist. Corporations having power, any at all, is not a capitalist economy or a democratic government.

 

[ben cousins]

how many hobbo's are out there protesting? none! why dont these whining protesters become communists? oh yer they hate communists rigth? this whole occupy thing is so white yuppie middle class

 

[TRIFORCE89]

how many hobbo's are out there protesting? none! why dont these whining protesters become communists? oh yer they hate communists rigth? this whole occupy thing is so white yuppie middle class

Yes it is the middle class. It's the quickly dissappearing middle class.

 

[parallelzero]

if i where one of these so called ''protesters'' i'd just be thankful i wern't living in a 3rd world country like afghanistan or something i mean they are living in the world's wealthiest country that in it's self should call for celebration....then again they are more relevant then those ''tea party protest wankers''[the greed protests lol]

Are you taking your country's debt into account when you call it the "world's wealthiest country"? Likely not. Just because people don't live in a third world country doesn't mean they shouldn't have complaints about their own society. If something is obviously flawed, it's up to the people to start the movement to fix it. That's how societies evolve.

That said, I support this movement despite not living in the United States. You guys really need to make your system more fair and defend your rights.

 

[Ivysaur]

if i where one of these so called ''protesters'' i'd just be thankful i wern't living in a 3rd world country like afghanistan or something i mean they are living in the world's wealthiest country that in it's self should call for celebration....then again they are more relevant then those ''tea party protest wankers''[the greed protests lol]

If you live under the poverty line, it doesn't matter if you are living in the United States or in Ghana. In fact, if you live under the poverty line in the US, "the richest country in the world", you are more likely to feel anger at the incredibly rich people, that 1% that owns more money than the other 99%- if that 1% of billionaires left the US, the country wouldn't be the richest one anymore.

I mean, I'd celebrate that the CEO of Goldman Sachs is obscenely rich, but... what does that mean for me? He's the one who has the money, not me.

I'm just going to leave this quote here:

Most Americans (58.5%) will spend at least one year below the poverty line at some point between ages 25 and 75.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States

Yeah, let's celebrate that, shall we not?

 

[Zet]

A woman has been raped in the Occupy Glasgow camp in George Square. The protesters have been told to pack up and leave.

I honestly think some of these protests are just getting out of control and need to stop.

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

If anything, these protests are making it fun to come up with snazzy ways to satirize them, like these:

AND