Friday, October 14, 2011
What we are doing is not pointless
When the traditional channels are broken, all there is left to do is SPEAK. CRY OUT FOR FREEDOM. CRY OUT FOR OUR RIGHT TO GOVERN THOSE WHO GOVERN US. CRY OUT FOR EQUALITY AND FOR THAT WHICH OUR COUNTRY HAS FOUGHT FOR - DEMOCRACY.
Signs
There are a lot of mixed messages on Wall St. right now. There is no limit on free speech (which is good!), but it means that the core message -- the important message -- is diluted by "hippie" outcry.
WRONG
Capitalism isn't destroying America. Capitalism made America great! Don't forget that. What is destroying America is the fact that capitalism has influence over government. Government is the only institution that we allow to forcibly control our lives. It is a social contract that we all enter in which we agree to submit. We agree to abide by the rules in return for certain shared privileges: nation defense, clean air, clean water, respect of property, domestic safety. WALL STREET SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. It is when Wall St. and the rest of the 1% use their dollars to buy votes that things go down hill. Here are some signs that really hit the core of the issue:
WRONG
Capitalism isn't destroying America. Capitalism made America great! Don't forget that. What is destroying America is the fact that capitalism has influence over government. Government is the only institution that we allow to forcibly control our lives. It is a social contract that we all enter in which we agree to submit. We agree to abide by the rules in return for certain shared privileges: nation defense, clean air, clean water, respect of property, domestic safety. WALL STREET SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. It is when Wall St. and the rest of the 1% use their dollars to buy votes that things go down hill. Here are some signs that really hit the core of the issue:
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Capitalism
In observing the Occupations across the country, I've been hearing a recurring and unsettling theme:
"capitalism is bad"
"let's get rid of capitalism"
"how can we replace capitalism"
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH CAPITALISM. Capitalism is great! Capitalism spurs innovation -- invention! The free market gives the consumer choices. Do you want to use a Mac or a PC? Which type of apple do you want? Which brand of gum? Which car manufacturer? Which clothing designer? These choices are all the product of capitalism and the free market. The free market is not what is breaking our country. Wall Street alone and the greed of corporations is not what's breaking our country. What is breaking our country is the undue influence that those with money are able to have over government.
Our nation was founded on the principle of equal representation (assuming, of course, you were a while male land owner. We have since transcended those ancient stigmas. It is obvious that today's ideal is much more inclusive). What then, is to be said about the ease with which private corporations with agendas are able to fund the campaigns of politicians almost without limit? Money wins campaigns. Without money, politicians cannot travel, cannot speak, cannot advertise. Money wins campaigns. When small numbers of people hold disproportionate power in politics, our democratic ideals are in conflict.
The obvious question to ask of the protestors is, "Why not just vote for candidates that agree with you? Why not go through the channels that have been created for this sort of thing?"
"capitalism is bad"
"let's get rid of capitalism"
"how can we replace capitalism"
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH CAPITALISM. Capitalism is great! Capitalism spurs innovation -- invention! The free market gives the consumer choices. Do you want to use a Mac or a PC? Which type of apple do you want? Which brand of gum? Which car manufacturer? Which clothing designer? These choices are all the product of capitalism and the free market. The free market is not what is breaking our country. Wall Street alone and the greed of corporations is not what's breaking our country. What is breaking our country is the undue influence that those with money are able to have over government.
Our nation was founded on the principle of equal representation (assuming, of course, you were a while male land owner. We have since transcended those ancient stigmas. It is obvious that today's ideal is much more inclusive). What then, is to be said about the ease with which private corporations with agendas are able to fund the campaigns of politicians almost without limit? Money wins campaigns. Without money, politicians cannot travel, cannot speak, cannot advertise. Money wins campaigns. When small numbers of people hold disproportionate power in politics, our democratic ideals are in conflict.
The obvious question to ask of the protestors is, "Why not just vote for candidates that agree with you? Why not go through the channels that have been created for this sort of thing?"
BECAUSE THE CHANNELS ARE BROKEN
Corporations and wealthy individuals are able to buy lobbyists, fund campaigns, donate to PACs, etc etc etc. See a candidate who promises to deregulate and lower taxes on the wealthy? Of course the wealthy are going to pump their money into those candidates! Why wouldn't they? I don't blame them. They are doing what they are allowed to do in order to increase their own success. But this isn't democracy! This is why people across the nation are crying out!
DOLLARS ARE VOTES
Those in the top 1% have more votes than the 99%
The solution? Campaign finance reform. Don't allow corporations to donate millions towards campaigns. Limit corporate donations to the same realm as what most middle and lower class voters can donate. Flatten the playing field. No one is asking for wealth to be redistributed or for the poor to be given free money. What we WANT is to be able to have equal say in the government that determines how we live. That is what we WANT. Is that such a terrible thing to ask for?
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