Occupy Wall Street

The government didn't provide jobs; it provided grants and loans, primarily to small businesses, to create private sector jobs and the government is not providing health care but creating an environment for greater competition among private sector providers.

 

I tend to look at actions more than words.

 

Did you see Obama's jobs bill that just got voted down? It's all about government jobs. And a free market should be allowed to operate without government interference, period.

 

By that definition, every country with a progressive tax system, which is every industrialized country in the world, is socialist.

Most of the funding in the jobs bill is for investing in the infrastructure through grants to the private sector, not government jobs; an infrastructure that desperately needs fixing in order for the US to remain competitive. The bill also included small business tax cuts and incentive to encourage hiring.

There is nothing even remotely factual about your characterization of the stimulus, health care or the jobs bill.

 

In a small and supportive sense, yes. But please, enlighten me on what the private sector has been offering as an alternative? Dazzle me with their plan.

 

And where does this grant money come from? Working on infrastructure, ha!. Schools, roads, bridges, airports...sounds a lot like what China is doing to boost its economy.

 

If that were true, you wouldn't be complaining about OWS. It's pretty clearly partially a response to Obama's glaring inability to placate the left. Also, there are folks on the right who see the value in OWS. In fact, I would bet that the vast majority of americans who haven't drank the official GOP party line are at least partially in agreement with OWS.

 

I'm not clear on what you are saying. Is investment in schools etc. a "bad thing"? Is China doing badly?

What's your point?

 

How do you think the interstate highway system is maintained. Or the electric grid or water treatment facilities, etc. Where does this money come from? Taxes (and grants/loans) resulting in funding to private sector contractors and workers.

And yes, every industrial country is investing more (per capita) in infrastructure, not just roads/bridges, rail systems, schools, etc. but broadband and technology infrastructures as well, while the US continues to ignore it.

 

Because we don't think we should have to pay taxes for dumb shit that don't blow people up. Ain't that right, Eddie?

 

I think Eddie left us for a Tea Party.

 

The truly brainwashed don't seem to be able to stay long under the hot glare, I notice.

Sorry, that was mean and I don't like to be mean. Wiseass and sarcastic, yeah but meanness ain't cool.

 

Give him a break, we all have to eat sometimes! Living on here ain't an option.

 

eddie---i think your reaction to my post is funny. you appear not to have either read or understood it. maybe i should go more slowly. so let's review, shall we?

first, i addressed your silly "argument" concerning why wall street as an initial target and then dismissed your even more ridiculous speculations about why that was the case. obviously you didnt get it. but then again, you didnt get it when others said parallel things. what are we to make of this?

second, it's self-evident that ows is likely coming to dc in a variety of ways. but for the moment, it's a local matter. i dont really care whether you and your rightwing buddies think that's right or wrong. i merely pointed out what reality looks like.

third, if you really thought my point 3 ....let's go through the sequence shall we? the first part, the one that uses words like tenure-line faculty, administration and university, is about the university system.

here's a tip: look at the nouns. it helps you follow what sentences are about. just trying to be helpful, eddie dear.

the second part, the one that uses words like public educational system, is about secondary education. it's quick and i could elaborate, but at this point i have no particular reason to think you'd understand that either.

the last part, that uses words like policy and conservative morons, was an explanation for these situations which places the primary blame on stupid policy choices that follow from the kind of viewpoints that conservatives typically espouse.

i think that about sums things up.

o, one more thing: i would suggest that you not condescend in your posts directed at me. i'll modulate my posts as a function of what you choose to do.

 

Hi, I'm back. I went out for awhile...hope that's ok with everyone.

I think it's much, much easier to set up camp somewhere and start screaming at the rich man than it is to make changes in your own life. And that's why I don't like this OWS thing. We are consumers in this nation...it's what defines us and it's got to stop. Why do these corporations and banks have so much power? Among things, it's because we purchase their products. We buy all the crap that they're selling and then we complain when they end up with all the money.

Obviously I'm over-simplifying the problem...but until each American becomes aware and then takes responsibility for their own greed and materialism things aren't going to change. They're not. But like I said, I don't think the OWS is really about effecting change, it's more about playing the blame game. OWS will change nothing, absolutely nothing. It's just something for the unemployed to do while they're waiting for their next handout.

 

Consumerism has to stop? I'm not sure what that means.

But it certainly doesnt address the problems with Wall Street, where profits are made by a few by NOT producing any goods or NOT providing any service, but by manipulating the market for their personal gain. And you want to make it worse by eliminating what few regulations remain? What needs to change is this pattern on Wall Street that is enabled by Washington and change starts when enough voices are heard.

Corporations and banks have so much power because they have been systematically deregulated.

As to the characterization of the protesters as the unemployed waiting for the next handout, that is not worthy of a response.

 

Right, and standing in front of Jamie Dimon's house with a sign does address the problem.