Most of the businesses on Wall St. would not even exist today if it weren't

[ixion]

for a bailout from the 99%.

Let me rephrase that: If We, the People had not allowed them to pilfer TRILLIONS from our treasury, they would be out of business.

These same people, who are now thumbing their nose and poo-poo'ing the Occupy Movement would be out of a job if it weren't for the 99%.

Think about that.

[KansDem]

1. And we stood by and watched as Congress gave them our money.

I remember thinking, "Hold on a sec! The tenets of capitalism dictate that these folks should perish. Why are we doing this?"

But voices kept warning us, "Oh, but if these banks and brokers were to crumble, there would be job losses and lost pensions, and...and..." (and so on).

So what? Someone else more savvy and less corrupt would emerge to fill the void. Regardless of what we may have been told, these criminals were not the "best and brightest."

It's quite ironic, however; the economic system they loved was killing them and the economic system they hated was saving them...

[ixion]

5. Yep, I was thinking the same thing.

Wall St. loves crony corporatism, and hates REAL capitalism.

And the fortune 500 hates the idea of a truly 'free market', because it means they would have competition.

Wall St. and International corporations colluded with government to tip the playing field in their favor. That's not capitalism. It IS the reason the Occupy Movement has come into existence, and when so-called 'pundits' and 'reporters' sit around and scratch their heads and wonder out loud what the movement 'wants', it more intellectual dishonesty.

It's very clear what the Occupy Movement is all about: Ending the corruption and collusion of corporations and government, and a return to a level playing field.

Of course, this means that most of these companies would tank. I say, so be it. Let them tank. They should have been out of business years ago, or better yet, should have been indicted years ago for racketeering and fraud.

[mod mom]

10. and watched as big bonuses were still handed out despite the bailout!

This action was so audacious! A total slap in our collective faces, as in we'll continue to do as we please and you'll fund it or else! Both parties.

[girl gone mad]

16. We didn't just stand by..

some of us fought like crazy to try to stop it.

:(

[CJCRANE]

2. They created enormous profits through creating failure.

That's the opposite of how the freemarket is supposed to work.

[ixion]

6. exactly

[YellowRubberDuckie]

3. Millions of people called and told their people to vote against it.

They didn't listen. WE didn't give that money to them. Their buddies in congress did. And then we reelected them. So, while we didn't directly do it, we did help make it happen.
Duckie

[ixion]

7. we didn't protest loud enough, and we elected the people who gave them our money,

and this is why I don't like to vote for the 'lesser of two evils', as it were, because when you vote for someone, you're giving them your proxy to act in your stead. So indirectly, through our proxies, WE did do just that.

[Lizzie Poppet]

13. Well of COURSE they didn't listen!

Like Carlin said, they don't give a shit about us. The corporate sockpuppets in office know that all they need to do is convince enough people to vote for them (usually as the lesser of two evils these days) every few years, and they can go back to completely ignoring our wishes. And like you say, we'll just keep reelecting them anyway...

[malaise]

4. 100% correct

Rec

[dkf]

8. If most of the businesses on Wall Street went under the economy would be trashed.

I would hate to imagine what obligation the Federal Government would be under providing FDIC insurance.

Pensions and retirement savings would be decimated.

Then everyone would be equally poor and more miserable than ever before. If you think there is no middle class now just imagine what they would be like stripped of all wealth save a fully owned house. If you have a mortgage you will probably lose your house after you lose your job.

[ixion]

9. if we're a free market economy, and they screw-the-pooch, they go under

that's the way it works for everyone else in the US. Making exceptions for Wall St. only leads to fraud and racketeering, as we're seeing now.

[butterfly77]

11. I think about it everytime I hear...

McConnell,Cantor,Ryan,Henserling,Sessions,Rep.King of New York,fruitcake racist,King of Iowas,etc..aka the TEABAGGERS,who tell us we need to cut the spending and we can't use OUR MONEY to help OURSELVES.

[ixion]

14. Yep, I think the same thing

the whole idea of paying into a common fund (E.g. 'taxes') is that the common fund is to be used to make our lives better, not enrich a bunch of beltway insiders, and the security/military industrial complex.

[butterfly77]

15. I still remember when Bush...

would tell the seniors to remember that it was "their money" when he was begging them to let him put it in the stock market..

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. Yes. But, look at all we got in return for our money......