occupy wallstreet is growing

It amazes me the number of people who don't understand what Occupy Wall Street is all about. We can thank the media for that one.

A flat tax won't mathematically work.

A big reason we are in this crisis is because we have been taught through societal standards that getting into debt and using credit is acceptable. Allowing people who can't afford a house and who don't understand financial planning to qualify for loans with adjustable rates was the final straw.

Any time I hear of people making major purchases on their credit cards, I think of the old South Park episode where the Japanese people are making fun to the round eye Americans, "OH, I'll just put that on my credit card."

People need to cut back, learn the difference between needs and wants and what they are capable of purchasing without putting strain on their budgets. Sure, it might slow down the economy even more. Just like a runaway train it takes a lot of use of the brakes, shit gets shifted around during the stoppage. But once we slow down to a manageable pace in our economy, we can finally regroup, learn from our mistakes and move forward... a stronger country.

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clip...my-credit-card

http://www.greenberg-art.com/.Toons/...gPoorFault.jpg

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Originally Posted by derekWwyatt

People need to cut back, learn the difference between needs and wants and what they are capable of purchasing without putting strain on their budgets. Sure, it might slow down the economy even more. Just like a runaway train it takes a lot of use of the brakes, shit gets shifted around during the stoppage. But once we slow down to a manageable pace in our economy, we can finally regroup, learn from our mistakes and move forward... a stronger country.

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clip...my-credit-card

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So you're saying we should be accountable for our actions? No way, I prefer to blame the little man behind the curtain playing the Wizard of Oz for all my economic problems.

No really though, your points are valid and I agree. I'm not saying I'm satisfied with the current state of our economy. We have one of the highest rates of unemployment and home foreclosure in a decades. I understand and feel the damage and understand why people are angry and want to rally. I just hope they do it intelligently and with unity vs what they're doing now. I think I heard quite a few "get rid of Wall Street" and "get rid of capitalism and install a communist state" type sentiments in there. I'm not saying it's not possible, but how about we focus on something tangible that we can fix immediately vs saying something obtuse like "fix the government."

Examples;

1. Stronger funding and support for the educational system. There is a direct correlation with poorly funded and/or complete lack of education and crime rates.

2. Researching and implementing social programs that create MUCH NEEDED jobs

3. Legalizing certain controversial psychedelic drugs which are known for their many health benefits. Just the taxation and jobs created for regulating this new market would be a step in the right direction to revitalize our economy. Not to mention the decrease violent crime rates in the US and Mexico by eliminating the demand for specific "currently illegal" drugs which would directly impact drug cartels negatively or destroy some of them altogether.

These are just my two centavos. I'm not trying to anger anyone or spark a debate lol. If you like communism, feel free to try it out and tell me how awesome living in a communist state is and how happy you are after leaving the USA. Maybe Cuba might treat you well? Or China perhaps? =D Yeah, they're living pretty good in China and Cuba.

I think the first, and best thing to do would make lobbyist and special interest groups completely illegal. This would make a huge difference in the state of the country. Mostly because these are the people that control the decisions politicians make.

Goldman Sachs contributed 1 million dollars to obama's campaign, and 240,000 to mccain's. you can find several banks at the top of the list of contributors to each candidate's campaigns. This alone, says something about why banks are given so much money, and the government refuses to do anything about their shitty behavior. In fact the government reinforces their behavior with bailouts and money gifts so they can give themselves bonuses.

Obama was also the biggest recipient of cash from BP. That explains why the corporation was basically given an "oh well" pass from the government.

Yes, our credit minded society had a hand in this but we're not all a bunch of Alan Greenspans when it comes to money management. Though the bad loans wouldn't exist without people to take them, that had nothing to do with how the banks bundled and resold them. The system created this course of action as an optimum money making strategy. It's not surprising that normal people on both sides of the fence would immediately jump at it.

The underlying problem is that our government and economic system is under the control of the very same people who exploit it. We need to get money out of government and increase the penalty for politicians who take part in this activity. At this point in time, I don't think that it would be insane to consider such an act as treason, and politicians should be regarded with that level of disdain.

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Originally Posted by AJ Camacho

Yes, our credit minded society had a hand in this but we're not all a bunch of Alan Greenspans when it comes to money management. Though the bad loans wouldn't exist without people to take them, that had nothing to do with how the banks bundled and resold them. The system created this course of action as an optimum money making strategy. It's not surprising that normal people on both sides of the fence would immediately jump at it.

The underlying problem is that our government and economic system is under the control of the very same people who exploit it. We need to get money out of government and increase the penalty for politicians who take part in this activity. At this point in time, I don't think that it would be insane to consider such an act as treason, and politicians should be regarded with that level of disdain.

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exactly. Lobbying is like legal bribery. I'm surprised this hasn't been discussed. I feel like this is the biggest problem.