What exactly do they want, and how might it be accomplished?
Aeryn Send a noteboard - 28/09/2011 03:55:32 PM
I'd like the protesters to have an idea of what they are protesting, what they want to accomplish, and how that might be done.
Everyone mentions unemployment. Guess what? No industry hates the high rate of unemployment more than Wall Street.
The vast bulk of problems are legislatively-driven, and a direct result of government policies. Real estate bubble? Mortgage interest deduction. Stock bubble? Favorable rates on cap gains and dividends. Threat of a double-dip? Not extending unemployment benefits (the best way to stimulate the economy), misguided initiatives like cash-for-clunkers. Commodities bubble and increasing inflation in spite of slowing economy - commodities speculation. Ok I realize this is EXTREMELY simplistic and biased at that, but seriously - pretend I'm a Wall Street banker. What exactly do you want me to do?
Not to mention, the protesters will only be harrassing local residents, as there are NO bankers there on the weekend! And very few left on the Wall St area altogether, they are all midtown now. Or Connecticut.
If people are going to protest and want news attention, then have some clear ideas of what your goals are. Here are some: aid to states, reverse austerity policies, vote out Republicans, extend unemployment benefits, support the law Obama proposed to bad discrimination for unemployed job-seekers, more stringent regulation for the commodities market, reduce defense spending...
Everyone mentions unemployment. Guess what? No industry hates the high rate of unemployment more than Wall Street.
The vast bulk of problems are legislatively-driven, and a direct result of government policies. Real estate bubble? Mortgage interest deduction. Stock bubble? Favorable rates on cap gains and dividends. Threat of a double-dip? Not extending unemployment benefits (the best way to stimulate the economy), misguided initiatives like cash-for-clunkers. Commodities bubble and increasing inflation in spite of slowing economy - commodities speculation. Ok I realize this is EXTREMELY simplistic and biased at that, but seriously - pretend I'm a Wall Street banker. What exactly do you want me to do?
Not to mention, the protesters will only be harrassing local residents, as there are NO bankers there on the weekend! And very few left on the Wall St area altogether, they are all midtown now. Or Connecticut.
If people are going to protest and want news attention, then have some clear ideas of what your goals are. Here are some: aid to states, reverse austerity policies, vote out Republicans, extend unemployment benefits, support the law Obama proposed to bad discrimination for unemployed job-seekers, more stringent regulation for the commodities market, reduce defense spending...
You're saying "deluded fools," he says "quixotically condemning the system," implying he thinks it's pointless to protest, or at least useless to.
Is it that you don't think there is anything to protest (that is, that the various banks/firms/anything else that falls under "Wall Street" have done nothing worth protesting), or that you don't think the protest will accomplish anything?
If it's the first, well, I won't get into that. If it's the second, I feel like you don't quite understand the purpose of a protest. It's not a legislative body- one protest is not going to get a law passed.
What a protest is supposed to accomplish is to register your discontent, in a way that is hard to ignore. Not that most news outlets haven't been trying- I've seen very little coverage- but it's supposed to make people go, "Hm, if this horde of people is so angry about something that they're willing to scream about it in the streets, maybe there's something there."
Tom, you saying they should come up with "constructive and realistic proposals for change" instead of protesting is a bit...well, silly isn't the right word, but it's close. I thought you said they should be spending their time getting jobs? Plus, for the most part, these people are not legislators, television personalities, or the like. Even if they did have some proposals (and I'm sure some do, though I'm sure plenty just wanted to broadcast their general outrage), there's little chance of them running for office and implementing them. I suppose they could write letters to representatives and newspapers... and some of them do. None of that precludes protesting.
Oh, and Tom and random? you both look like idiots when you make comments about bums, hippies, and "macing them all." Makes you sound like Eric Cartman.
Is it that you don't think there is anything to protest (that is, that the various banks/firms/anything else that falls under "Wall Street" have done nothing worth protesting), or that you don't think the protest will accomplish anything?
If it's the first, well, I won't get into that. If it's the second, I feel like you don't quite understand the purpose of a protest. It's not a legislative body- one protest is not going to get a law passed.
What a protest is supposed to accomplish is to register your discontent, in a way that is hard to ignore. Not that most news outlets haven't been trying- I've seen very little coverage- but it's supposed to make people go, "Hm, if this horde of people is so angry about something that they're willing to scream about it in the streets, maybe there's something there."
Tom, you saying they should come up with "constructive and realistic proposals for change" instead of protesting is a bit...well, silly isn't the right word, but it's close. I thought you said they should be spending their time getting jobs? Plus, for the most part, these people are not legislators, television personalities, or the like. Even if they did have some proposals (and I'm sure some do, though I'm sure plenty just wanted to broadcast their general outrage), there's little chance of them running for office and implementing them. I suppose they could write letters to representatives and newspapers... and some of them do. None of that precludes protesting.
Oh, and Tom and random? you both look like idiots when you make comments about bums, hippies, and "macing them all." Makes you sound like Eric Cartman.
/Survey: The "occupy Wall Street" protest.
- 28/09/2011 04:31:46 AM
758 Views
yeah with some popcorn to watch the wannabe hippies get pepper sprayed *NM*
- 28/09/2011 01:28:36 PM
232 Views
Sure. I don't quite understand the hostility you and Tom have
- 28/09/2011 02:05:06 PM
416 Views
Eric Cartman was right about the hippies
- 28/09/2011 03:34:26 PM
531 Views
This is 2011. Calling all protesters "hippies" is like saying everyone in Starbucks is a beatnik
- 28/09/2011 04:03:44 PM
489 Views
Uh, "back in the day" there were a lot of hippies in the civil disobedience camp. 
*NM*
- 28/09/2011 05:48:36 PM
190 Views
*NM*
- 28/09/2011 05:48:36 PM
190 Views
and all why have now is wannabes who cry when the police are mean to them
*NM*
- 28/09/2011 05:50:24 PM
214 Views
*NM*
- 28/09/2011 05:50:24 PM
214 Views
What exactly do they want, and how might it be accomplished?
- 28/09/2011 03:55:32 PM
477 Views
I generally agree with this, though my financial knowledge is lacking.
- 28/09/2011 05:51:33 PM
460 Views
I cannot speak for them, but imagine there are three overarching complaints.
- 28/09/2011 10:24:21 PM
579 Views
A relevant article to this thread, I think
- 28/09/2011 07:08:20 PM
708 Views
It's not being marginalized. It's not worthy of discussion in the first place to need marginalizing
- 28/09/2011 09:25:56 PM
509 Views
No, I have a life. *NM*
- 29/09/2011 04:01:50 AM
198 Views
*NM*
- 29/09/2011 04:01:50 AM
198 Views
After seeing the cops being ridiculous these lugs are starting to grow on me... *NM*
- 04/10/2011 01:15:34 AM
200 Views