Me with my “Occupy Wall St. Unity Day” sign taken by friend Joe at the rally last Saturday. Some (4 or 5) of the group decided to occupy the Court House Plaza last night, and it’s been so cold and rainy all day! Others pledged their support by bringing them food, blankets, etc. About 100 people marched yesterday mid afternoon from the Ball State University’s Bell Tower, over the bridge and past City Hall and on to the downtown where the banking and financial offices are located. I didn’t go although there were some older people there than I…. heard there was one man 99 years old!!!   Anyway, here’s the proof that this aging political activist is supporting the cause…and I look fat in this photo…darn!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shows part of the group with their signs and getting honking and thumbs up support from passing motorists. There is to be another meeting this coming Saturday and plans for further marches. Interesting time to be alive.

 

 

 

This is taken from the group’s website. They’re getting more organized and making plans. Already there are some Republicans taking a good look at this growing movement….and maybe getting a little worried. I think I’ll visit my Philadelphia daughter next summer when the OWS plans to be there. I’m glad democracy is not dead. These young people are giving me hope!

                  An OWS Working Group Committed to Elect a Non-Partisan National General Assembly

WHEREAS THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION PROVIDES:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

WE, THE NINETY-NINE PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in order to form a more perfect Union, by, for and of the PEOPLE, shall elect and convene a NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY beginning on July 4, 2012 in the City Of Philadelphia.

 I. Election of Delegates:

The People, consisting of all United States citizens who have reached the age of 18, regardless of party affiliation and voter registration status, shall elect Two Delegates, one male and one female, by direct vote, from each of the existing 435 Congressional Districts to represent the People at the NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY in Philadelphia. Said Assembly shall convene on July 4, 2012 in the city of Philadelphia. The office of Delegate shall be open to all United States citizens who have reached the age of 18. Election Committees, elected by local General Assemblies from all over the United States, shall coordinate with the 99 Percent Declaration Working Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the99declaration/) to organize, coordinate and fund this national election by direct democratic voting. The Election Committees shall operate similarly to the original Committees of Correspondence during the first American Revolution.

 

II. Meeting of the National General Assembly and Deliberation:

 At the NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY, the 870 Delegates shall set forth, consider and vote upon a PETITION OF GRIEVANCES to be submitted to all members of Congress, The Supreme Court and President and each of the political candidates running in the nationwide Congressional and Presidential election in November 2012. The Delegates of the National General Assembly shall vote upon and implement their own agenda, propagate their own rules and elect or appoint committee members as the Delegates see fit to accomplish their goal of presenting a PETITION OF GRIEVANCES from the 99% of Americans before the 2012 elections.

 

III. Proposed Petition for the Redress of Grievances:

The PETITION OF GRIEVANCES shall be non-partisan and address the critical issues now confronting the People of the United States. The Delegates shall deliberate and vote upon proposals for the PETITION OF GRIEVANCES in consultation with the 99% similarly to the first two Continental Congresses. Below is a suggested list of grievances respectfully submitted by the OWS Working Group on the 99% Declaration. The final version of the PETITION OF GRIEVANCES voted upon by the Delegates of the National General Assembly MAY or MAY NOT include the following suggested issues:

1. Implementing an immediate ban on all private contributions of money and gifts, to all politicians in federal office, from Individuals, Corporations, Political Action Committees, Super Political Action Committees, Lobbyists, Unions and all other private sources of money to be replaced by the fair and equal public financing of all federal political campaigns. We categorically REJECT the concept that money is equal to free speech because if that were so, then only the wealthiest would have a voice. These actions must be taken because it has become clear that politicians in the United States cannot regulate themselves and have become the exclusive representatives of corporations, unions and the very wealthy who spend vast sums of money on political campaigns to influence the candidates’ decisions and ensure their reelection year after year.

2. The immediate reversal, even if it requires a Constitutional Amendment, of the outrageous and anti-democratic holding in the “Citizens United” case by the Supreme Court, which equates the payment of money by corporations, wealthy individuals and unions to politicians with free speech. We, the People, demand that institutional bribery and corruption not be deemed protected speech.

3. Prohibiting all federal public officials and their immediate family members, whether elected or appointed, from EVER being employed by any corporation they regulate while in office and/or holding any stock or shares in any corporation they regulate while in office until a full 5 years after their term is completed.

4. A complete lifetime ban on accepting all gifts, services, money, directly or indirectly, to any elected or appointed federal officials or their immediate family members, from any person, corporation, union or other entity that the public official was charged to regulate while in office.

5. A complete reformation of the United States Tax Code to require ALL citizens to pay a fair share of a progressive, graduated income tax by eliminating loopholes, unfair tax breaks, exemptions and deductions, subsidies (e.g. oil, gas and farm) and ending all other methods of evading taxes. The current system of taxation favors the wealthiest Americans, many of whom, pay fewer taxes to the United States Treasury than citizens who earn much less and pay a much higher percentage of income in taxes to the United States Treasury. We, like Warren Buffet, find this income tax disparity to be fundamentally unjust.

6. Medicare for all American citizens or another single-payer healthcare system, adjusted by a means test (i.e. citizens who can afford it may opt-out and pay their own health insurance or opt-in and pay a means tested premium). The Medicaid program, fraught with corruption and fraud, will be eliminated except for the purpose of providing emergency room care to indigent non-citizens who will not be covered by the single-payer program.

7. New comprehensive regulations to give the Environmental Protection Agency expanded powers to shut down corporations, businesses or any entities that intentionally or recklessly damage the environment and/or criminally prosecute individuals who intentionally damage the environment. We also demand the immediate adoption of the most recent international protocols, including the “Washington Declaration” to cap carbon emissions and implement new and existing programs to transition away from fossil fuels to reusable or carbon neutral sources of power.

8. Adoption of an immediate plan to reduce the national debt to a sustainable percentage of GDP by 2020. Reduction of the national debt to be achieved by BOTH a cut in spending to corporations engaged in perpetual war for profit, the “healthcare” industry, the pharmaceutical industry and all other sectors that use the federal budget as their income stream AND a truly progressive income tax code that does not allow the wealthy and corporations to evade taxes through excessive deductions, subsidies and loopholes. We agree that spending cuts are necessary but those cuts must be made to facilitate what is best for the People of the United States of America, not multinational and domestic corporations.

9. Passage of a comprehensive job and job-training act like the American Jobs Act to employ our citizens in jobs that are available with specialized training and by putting People to work now by repairing America’s crumbling infrastructure. We also recommend the establishment of an online international job exchange to match employers with skilled workers or employers willing to train workers in 21st century skills.

10. Student loan debt relief. Our young People and students are more than $830 billion in debt from education loans alone. Payment and interest on these debts should be deferred for periods of unemployment and the principal on these loans reduced using a corporate tax surcharge.

11. Immediate passage of the Dream Act and comprehensive immigration and border security reform including offering visas, lawful permanent resident status and citizenship to the world’s brightest People to stay and work in our industries and schools after they obtain their education and training in the United States.

12. Recalling all military personnel at all non-essential bases and refocusing national defense goals to address threats posed by the geopolitics of the 21st century, including terrorism and limiting the large scale deployment of military forces to instances where Congressional approval has been granted to counter the Military Industrial Complex’s goal of perpetual war for profit.

13. Mandating new educational goals to train the American public to perform jobs in a 21st Century economy, particularly in the areas of technology and green energy, taking into consideration the redundancy caused by technology and the inexpensive cost of labor in China, India and other countries and paying our teachers a competitive salary commensurate with the salaries of employees in the private sector with similar skills.

14. Subject to the elimination of corporate tax loopholes and exploited exemptions and deductions stated above, offering tax incentives to businesses to remain in the United States and hire its citizens rather than outsource jobs and reconstruct the manufacturing capacity of the United States. In conjunction with a new jobs act, reinstitution of the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps and a similar emergency governmental agency tasked with creating new public works projects to provide jobs to the 46 million People living in poverty, the 9.1% unemployed and 10% underemployed.

15. Implementing of immediate legislation to encourage China and our other trading partners to end currency manipulation and reduce the trade deficit.

16. Immediate reenactment of the Glass-Steagall Act and increased regulation of Wall Street and the financial industry by the SEC, FINRA and the other financial regulators, and the commencement of a Justice Department criminal investigations into the Securities and Banking industries practices that led to the collapse of markets, $700 billion bail-out, and financial firm failures in 2007-2008.

17. Adoption of a plan similar to President Clinton’s proposal to end the mortgage crisis and instead of the Federal Reserve continuing to lower interest rates for loans to banks who are refusing to loan to small businesses and consumers, the Federal Reserve shall buy all underwater or foreclosed mortgages and refinance these debts at 1% or less to be managed by the newly established Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (and foreclosure task force described below) because 1% or less is the interest rate the Federal Reserve loans to the banks directly who hoard the cash rather than loan it to the People and small businesses.

18. An immediate one year freeze on all foreclosures to be reviewed by an independent foreclosure task force appointed by Congress and the Executive Branch to (in conjunction with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ) determine, on a case by case basis, whether foreclosure proceedings should continue based on the circumstances of each homeowner and propriety of the financial institution’s conduct.

19. Subject to the above ban on all private money and gifts in politics, to enact additional campaign finance reform requiring free air time and public campaign finances to all candidates who obtain sufficient petition signatures and/or votes to participate in the primaries and/or electoral process, to shorten the campaign season and to allow voting on weekends and holidays.

20. An immediate withdrawal of all troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and a substantial increase in the amount of funding needed for veteran job placement and the treatment of the physical and emotional injuries sustained by veterans in these wars. Our veterans are committing suicide at an unprecedented rate and we must help now.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that IF the PETITION OF GRIEVANCES approved by the 870 Delegates of the NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY in consultation with the PEOPLE, is not acted upon by Congress, the President, and Supreme Court, to the satisfaction of the Delegates of the NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY, said Delegates shall organize a THIRD, COMPLETELY NON-PARTISAN, INDEPENDENT POLITICAL PARTY to run candidates for every available Congressional seat in the mid-term election of 2014 and again in 2016 until all vestiges of the existing corrupt corporatocracy have been removed by the ballot box.

Usually I don’t post things that I’ve received via email, but this one was too good to keep to myself. I hope it won’t offend anyone….don’t think it will since it has no offensive language in it.

Nymphomaniac Convention

A man boarded an airplane and took his seat. As he settled in, he glanced up and saw the most beautiful woman boarding the plane.

He soon realized she was heading straight towards his seat. As fate would have it, she took the seat right beside his.

Eager to strike up a conversation he blurted out, “Business trip or pleasure?”

She turned, smiled and said, “Business. I’m going to the Annual Nymphomaniacs of America Convention in Boston .”

He swallowed hard. Here was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen sitting next to him, and she was going to a meeting of nymphomaniacs.

Struggling to maintain his composure, he calmly asked, “What’s your business role at this convention?”

“Lecturer,” she responded. “I use information that I have learned from my personal experiences to debunk some of the popular myths about sexuality.”

“Really?” he said. “And what kind of myths are there?”

“Well,” she explained, “one popular myth is that African-American men are the most well-endowed of all men, when in fact it is the Native American Indian who is most likely to possess that trait. Another popular myth is that Frenchmen are the best lovers, when actually it is men of Jewish descent who are the best. I have also discovered that the lover with absolutely the best stamina is the Southern Redneck.”

Suddenly the woman became a little uncomfortable and blushed. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I shouldn’t really be discussing all of this with you. I don’t even know your name…”

“Tonto,” the man said, “Tonto Goldstein, but my friends call me Bubba.”

 I made my sign: “Corporate $$$ Corrupts and Controls Congress” and met with a very diverse group but like minded people who are very angry at Wall Street and big corporations that now own our government. It was extremely windy, and my sign was too big…..like a sail! I fought to hang onto it! We made some decisions and composed a press release, took pictures and stood on the side of the road near City Hall. Cars and trucks passing by honked in support and gave us a thumbs up signal to let us know they agreed with our messages. We’ll be peacefully marching later this coming week from the university and in the downtown business and banking sections….staying on the sidewalks…..and not provoking our local police or fellow citizens in any way.

We all approved of the feelings and concerns expressed in this statement:

Before disbanding people were given a chance to share their personal experiences, frustrations, hopes for the future. My shouted message was a reminder to them that people, when united, can be heard and be a force for reform . It was short:

“Remember all of you that we’ve only just begun and the POWER of the PEOPLE is much greater and stronger than the people in power!”

 

There were more people than just those in this photo…some were standing by the road with their signs. This was toward the end of today’s event when some wanted to or were invited to speak and share their own stories about how this economic inequality has affected them and their families. 

 

I’m going to send this to my 2 senators and my district’s representative, although it probably won’t change any minds about corporate money’s influence on our elections and therefore on our democracy too. We should all copy and paste it into that box that pops up on their web pages when you click on the “contact me” link….and hope they read our comments.

 

Dear

As my State/Federal representative, I write to you to request that a constitutional convention be assembled as laid out in Article V of our United States Constitution. My specific grievance is the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which has perpetuated a long running fiction of Corporate Personhood which allows corporations all of the rights to freedom of speech that individual United States Citizens have. Through this fiction, it is even possible that a completely foreign owned corporation can establish “citizenship” by forming a corporation, and use their money to influence United States politicians and the political process.

 

This fiction of corporate personhood has been used and abused to the point that now through corporate money, Non individuals, have more say and influence over our United States than “We the People” do. I seek to have Amendment 28 to the United States Constitution that clearly defines personhood as an individual human being, and allows a limit to the amount of money that any one individual can use to influence the political process through campaign contributions.

 

I understand that this might make you feel that you are limited when the next election rolls around, but you will be on a level playing field with everyone else, and your record of having returned control of this nation to the people, the individuals, will be a proud record to run on. You’ll be making history and will be on the right side of it too.

Sincerely,

 

 

And now for some humor….hope it doesn’t offend anyone. Honestly, it made made me laugh outloud.

 

 

 

 

 

If you’ve been wondering why so many people are protesting in our nation and around the world, this picture and the letter that accompanies it might help you understand. A picture says a thousand words…..or even more in this case.

 LETTER TO THE RULING CLASS You control our world. You’ve poisoned the air we breathe, contaminated the water we drink, and copyrighted the food we eat. We fight in your wars, die for your causes, and sacrifice our freedoms to protect you. You’ve liquidated our savings, destroyed our middle class, and used our tax dollars to bailout your unending greed. We are slaves to your corporations, zombies to your airwaves, servants to your decadence. You’ve stolen our elections, assassinated our leaders, and abolished our basic rights as human beings. You own our property, shipped away our jobs, and shredded our unions. You’ve profited off of disaster, destabilized our currencies, and raised our cost of living. You’ve monopolized our freedom, stripped away our education, and have almost extinguished our flame. We are hit… we are bleeding… but we ain’t got time to bleed. We will bring the giants to their knees and you will witness our revolution! ~ A Pencos Reyes

 

 My niece had this on her Facebook page. It’s on the same message of tolerance and RESPECT for others and their beliefs which are often very different from our own beliefs. We need to recognize and respect those differences for they make life so much more interesting; however, it is very difficult for others to practice this tolerance and in the case of the church depicted here in the cartoon….it was impossible! I believe we’re called to speak up about these things, but God will be the final judge in the end. And God probably loves these fanatics even when they break His heart by hating instead of loving their fellow man.

 

 

I was so impressed with this message that I want to share it here. As a politically and socially liberal Christian, I feel it is important to spread this message of tolerance. It’ all about loving your neighbor no matter how much you may disagree with some of the details in your neighbors’ lifestyles, etc.

 

 

Have to share this article! It’s such a good and easy to understand explanation of how we got into this terrible recession and financial meltdown. If I lived in NYC, I’d be down there with these people carrying a sign and protesting too. By the way, Joseph Stiglitz is a Hoosier….born and raised in Gary, IN. His Nobel Prize autobiography was an interesting read also.

Stiglitz Speaks at Occupy Wall Street

This is my favorite cartoon of the week and not just because I am a retired school teacher either. I like it because it’s true!

 

Politico has a lot of really good political cartoons. This form of art and journalism and communication of ideas has always fascinated me. I have a book of political cartoons published in Punch from the time of Queen Victoria and her Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. That book is now available for viewing for free via Google.