Sunday, June 3, 2012

A Proposed "OWS" Manifesto

Speaking for myself, I consider myself Moderate and Pragmatic. I want a Centrist approach and government that WORKS, regardless of it's size. I want spending when spending is needed on food, jobs, unemployment extensions and healthcare, regardless of deficits. Deficits will take care of themselves when the economy recovers sufficiently. I believe tax reform is necessary to eliminate the loopholes that have contributed to the increasing income inequality that has been destroying the middle and lower classes over the last few decades. I want to make my own life choices and not have them dictated to me by some religious bombasts. I believe in COMPLETE separation of church and state (that morality and legality should be equal is an extremist-Christian/-Islamic ideal). Decisions such as pro-life v. pro-choice and other moral issues must be individual choices -- not legislated ones. Get and keep the laws out of the bedroom as regards consenting adults and out of women's wombs as regards their healthcare. I am sick to death of the GOP as the party of No New Ideas. I am sick of BOTH Parties putting a political spin on every least little issue. I am sick of them worrying about covering up their mistakes rather than correcting them. I am sick of them worrying more about their re-election plans than their constituents. I am most especially concerned by recent attempts -- by Lieberman, McCain, and others -- to chip away at our freedoms in the name of "national security." As a member of the 99%, I offer the following list of OWS demands. OWS Manifesto We are tired of the outright lies being told us by our elected officials. By your false reporting of facts you misrepresent and cheat the very people you are elected to represent. We are tired of having our elected officials being bought and paid for by the giant corporations. We are tired of the income inequality between the wealthiest 1% and all the rest of us. We believe that if you elected officials are caught in an obvious lie while in office you should immediately step down while investigated and if found guilty, face perjury or equivalent legal charges. We surely must realize that the stranglehold Big Corporations have on the citizens of our country constitutes a greater threat to the our security -- and thus the national security -- than the wars or even terrorism. The Corporate Conglomerates continue to use the "too big to fail" model to destroy the jobs and lives of MILLIONS of Americans, while they feel entitled to use their strength and our taxpayer money to lobby for more benefits for themselves. We could let them fail if our Congressional leaders weren't being paid in campaign donations to save them. It would be difficult and a bit risky, but it could be done. I've said this before and I'll keep saying it -- We the People demand swift and forthright action. We the People come first. The Big Corporations fail to realize that by destroying us, they destroy their consumer base. This goes not just for the Big Banks but for the medical insurance and Big Pharma companies as well. Breaking The Monopolies - That's the answer: Cut them down to size, so they are no longer "too big to fail." The United States of America is too big to fail. They are killing us. It must STOP. CITIZENS' RIGHTS 1) Repeal the Patriot Act. Stop allowing federal, state, and city police forces to use Gestapo tactics against peaceful citizens - whether we are protesting or not. 2) Eliminate all consideration of the Enemy Belligerents Act. If it has not been passed, DON'T PASS it. If it has been secretly passed, REPEAL it. 3) Repeal the Citizens United decision. Giant Corporations -- especially the multinational ones-- ARE NOT and MUST NOT be treated as citizens and voters. Stop letting them buy elections by "voting" with their money. WALL STREET REFORMS 1) Use the Anti-Trust laws to break up the Corporate Giants so it is no longer possible to be "too big to fail." 2) Reinstate the Glass Steagall Act. 3) Repeal the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1998 and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. CONGRESSIONAL REFORM 1) We demand that the Congress and Senate set non-retroactive term limits for themselves. No elected legislator may serve more than four terms in office. This acknowledges that it does take some acquired experience on their part. 2) We demand reform of the system of campaign contributions. Each Legislator may add to their individual "war chests" only the contributions of individuals. All corporate contributions must go into a general fund to be distributed equally to ALL candidates for election. This includes not just the Reps and Dems but the smaller parties as well. This would effectively level the playing field and give us voters more options. "Money talks" in campaigns. We voters must therefore control the money. 3) We demand the right to recall our elected officials by referendum. Our letters to our officials can be -- and often are -- ignored. I suspect that getting dragged back to their home states to explain to their constituents WILL get their attention. If they fail to explain adequately, let us THEN replace them. 4) We demand the right to determine by vote when and IF our elected officials are deserving of pay raises, and we will control when they are enacted. 5) Eliminate using the filibuster as a threat to force a super-majority vote. Eliminate the filibuster "cloture vote." Make them actually DO a filibuster. Bring out the cots. Lock up the bathrooms. No food, no water. Make the filibuster so difficult to accomplish that Legislators will hesitate before thinking of using it. 6) Eliminate unrelated "rider" provisions, i.e., one bill = one provisional law. JUDICIAL REFORM 1) Eliminate lifetime terms for Supreme Court Justices. Demand the right to recall them by referendum.