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AND him showing up to add his face helps the movement with credibility. He did say he was NOT the group leader. He was acting as a concerned citizen. His is the face of a politician who was not bought and I do believe he tried to do good things for the people, rather than corporate masters.
He's not the only politician that has voiced support for the protests. However, as a former Governor of a state, who is Independent of the parties and of corporate sponsors, his showing up and actually walking the walk, instead of just talking is a good thing.
If the Democratic Party had any sense within itself, it would take this opportunity to re-group and become the People's Party again. The issues many people are voicing are a part of the Democratic Party Platform, however, many politicians, especially at the upper end of power, forget the platform completely when they are taking the checks from the wealthy who are buying them off. Both parties are sell outs. There is a reason many, many, many people in this country identify as an Independent or are completely politically apathetic to the process of democracy.
Obviously, one of the biggest issues is getting money out of the process. AND opening the process up to those who are not already wealthy. Why is it that an average, educated person, say a teacher or a scientist or an artist or a working stiff unable to run for congress? The process of running is cut off from many because of the time and the money it takes to run in the first place. Most congressional seats cost $10,000.00 to place one's name upon the ballot. If you don't have money, you must gather petitions from voters within the district of some % that has been deemed fitting to place one's name upon the ballot. AND say one does get the petitions needed to be placed upon the ballot, then the person is running for recognition. The first step is to run against members in your own party in a primary. Many, many, many people do not take part in a primary, unless Presidential, because many, many, many don't know who is running or when it is. So, say against the odds, you find enough of a pool of people to vote for you in a primary, then you are taking on an opponent, and if its a Republican, they will have deep coffers. If its an off year and people are pissed off at the President, then the opponent Republican is going to have that upper hand anyway (like we saw in 2010). All the candidates who have name recognition, money assets, knowledge of the upper crusts of the area one is running in from hob knobbing with the rich and country club type, are going to have an easier time running... they will have the money, the backing, the face time with the media, and a staff that is paid for and/ or dedicated (especially with an incumbent candidate). If you are the average person with an average bank account and dependent upon your paycheck to make the mortgage payment, where in the world are you going to find the time or the money or the staff to help you run your campaign... And I know the finance rules are in place to try to stop the crooks and the cheating and the out right bribery, but for someone new to a campaign process, the rules for reporting donations, etc are rather complicated. So, we are stuck with a continuation of legacy posts, wealthy individuals that think it might look neat to add Senator or what not to one's portfolio, or another lawyer who writes the law in a manner that most people cannot understand so that lawyers are continuously needed to read the law and jump thru the loopholes or what not... There's a reason that the people who write the law, can insist on being paid $300-$600/ hr to interpret the law. Job security for sure.
Not really sure if I'm making any sense? Basically, the entire political game is rigged. Unless one of us wins the lottery and decides to run and remember the poor and working class folk, the political process of representatives has been closed off to most of America, much like the hedge funds or iron gates protecting the wealthy one's mansions. After the Great Depression, the wealthy decided to find ways to insulate any of their losses. If the stock market crashed, they would protect themselves from feeling the pain with their scams like derivatives and CDO's along with paying for the politicians to insulate their wealth... ANd now many can afford to pay for Black Water...oops, I guess its Xe now... types of security to protect themselves. They also learned that American soldiers would most likely not turn on its own citizens, however hired mercs from around the word could care less. We've seen what they do in our name over the last 10 yrs of war in Afghanistan and Iraq.
One of the first issuers is getting money out of the process. A second would be for all laws, tax code, and contracts must be written in a manner that a layman can understand without the need of a lawyer. What good is a law if only a small sector of the citizens can actually truly comprehend it? I'm not saying the length of a bill is an issue.. but when they do these little shady techniques like change the may to shall and subsection of 13.aC will be changed to read... blah, blah, blah.. How do we call anyone to support anything when we don't even know what they are doing with the bill or changing or what not because its an important spending bill for say FEMA? Look at the Presidents current "jobs bill"... 1/2 of it is tax breaks. The wealthy don't need anymore tax breaks. If he wants the middle class to have more money, raise the minimum wage. AND we all know free trade is jobs lost, so why does that crappy shit have to be added to this jobs bill? Wouldn't it make more sense to make teacher's pay a National Government item? Take the burden of paying for teachers, principals, and support staff off of the backs of cash strapped towns, counties, and states? The mandates are Federal, so why not the pay check... AND if the Federal Govt is mandating an educational standard with the equipment and books for all students everywhere, then President Obama could just go on a Federal spending spree with updating schools and such under the Education Dept... What are the Republicans going to say no to improving schools? That would be like saying you aren't going to pay for a military.
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