Throw out some ideas: what can we do OTHER than march?

[DuaneBidoux]

I think that ultimately marching is fine but something has to happen with a little more bite.

I don't particularly have any ideas but there's got to be something.

Once upon a time Arianna Huffington encouraged people to move their accounts to little community banks. That seems like it would be a good idea to start doing things like that again.

[valerief]

1. And other than take a hatchet to electronic voting machines? Hmm. nt

[Kievan Rus]

2. Boycott discretionary spending...for starters, have a giftless Christmas

[NYC_SKP]

4. We should do that anyway: sustainable Christmases, nothing purchased... (nt)

[valerief]

5. That would be good. Would parents do that to their kids? nt

[Kievan Rus]

6. Buy toys secondhand instead of cheap Chinese imports

They're probably better quality and last a whole lot longer, too.

[aquart]

16. Or you could only buy American-made gifts from American craftspeople.

But thanks so much for the suggestion of starving the people who work 80 hours a week which is what small proprietors do in retailing.

How about getting your lazy asses out of WalMart and checking out the few small stores left struggling in our neighborhoods?

There are crafts fairs all over the nation. Full of magnificent things made by talented, hard-working, independent Americans. Try supporting some of them instead of China.

[DuaneBidoux]

25. Good idea.

About ten years ago my wife wanted a new dining room table. We lived in North Carolina at the time. That was the start of the strangling of the furniture makers that had been part of North Carolina for more than a century. Suddenly, in the heart of furniture making country, we couldn't find a table made in America let alone North Carolina.

So my wife, bless her heart (and this is one of the reasons I loved her so much) spent hours and hours online looking for a place that would actually make a table. She found this family in West Virginia where the sons and father made custom stuff. It was very expensive but it was an absolutely beautiful table (Louis ?), the kind of craftsmanship we have given up here.

It felt good to write that check!

[Kievan Rus]

26. I agree that's a better idea. Don't buy cheap imports from big corps

Local mom and pop goods put money into the middle class and are designed far better than cheap imports made from outsourced labor.

Problem is, stores such as those are hard to come by any longer, especially outside major cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, L.A. and San Francisco.

[calimary]

42. BESTidea! And you're guaranteed to find something that you know they won't have.

And you know nobody else will find for them. Always look to the artisans. The hand-crafted stuff is BEST! Try etsy.com - I've found some smashing things there - and very affordable!!!

[lonestarnot]

28. Did that for the last 5 or 6 Christmases.

[Cats Against Frist]

34. I've been doing that since '03

It's a way of life at my house. If I do buy something from a company, I'll buy higher-end goods made by higher-paid workers in industrialized nations.

[shanti]

38. if only people would actually do this

instead of lip service. we need to shut them down with our wallets.

[csziggy]

45. My family has had giftless Christmases since 2001

Suggested by my sister on December 12, 2001. We gave presents to the little kids, but once they grew up, we stopped that.

Hubby's family draws names so each adult gets one present. I'd just as soon skip the gift giving.

[WhiteTara]

3. find the democratic central committee in your country

find out where the clubs are. Find a progressive candidate and join her/his campaign. Write letters to your local paper. But if you find the democrats, you'll get more ideas what to do in your home town.

[customerserviceguy]

7. Vote?

And get others to do the same?

[Bonobo]

9. Or perhaps don't vote reflexively?

Your vote is your only real bargaining chip.

If it is assumed that it will be given away for free, with no recompense, you will get nothing for it.

[ixion]

15. There must be a candidate worth voting for

and the status quo won't allow that.

[customerserviceguy]

23. More often than not, quite true. n/t

[rurallib]

8. get a groups to try to start Low Power FM stations all over the country,

http://prometheusradio.org/start_a_station

LTTEs and guest columns in the paper
call the local call-in shows

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. Support those who CAN march, in your city or state or NYC.

Find out what they need, see if you can help.
http://occupywallst.org/
http://www.occupytogether.org/

If protesters are in your area, volunteer your kitchen or shower or spare room.


Donate to the Lawyer's Guild for bail money and legal services.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

O.K. You can start with an assult on the media.

The Arizona Star didn't have one peep about OCW. I started writing their editorial board asking why. Now they are covering it. I sincerely doubt that I caused this single handedly but I know what response they would have given if I remained silent. You can send your elected reps invitations to Occupy wherever you are. You can contact the AFLCIO in your state and ask them to show up. You can distribute information about the movement at a college near you. Anything you can do to spread the message that we, the 99%, have had ENOUGH will move us forward. At this point, in my opinion, just getting the message out that "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore" is the first step. Once we actually get the attention of the ruling elite, we can start negotiations.

[mitchtv]

11. "May a thousand freeway bloggers bloom"

[lonestarnot]

29. +500000000000000000000000

[NightWatcher]

12. Occupy to the extent that it jams the gears of the Goliath Machine

[Cleita]

21. That's what I think needs to be done.

They don't care if you march as long as you don't get in their way. That's what's necessary, getting in their way. I would prefer though that obstructionism be done in a way though that protects the people from being pepper sprayed and kettled. It would require using flash mobbing and some serious organizing.

[ixion]

13. Pull your money out of the bank.

A run on the banks would hit them where it hurts them the most.

[tama]

14. Stop illegal evictions

by mass civil disobedience. Support and participating in reclaiming homes stolen by banks. Forming neighbourhood committees of mutual help and support. Alternative money systems. Demand that your union withdraws all its money from Wall St. and financial speculation. Cash your 401, withdraw all money from big bad banks and stock market. Buy land, share it with others for community gardens etc. Strike.

Just some ideas, others have more and probably even better.

[silverweb]

17. Take your money away from them.

Sever any connections you have with the casinos on Wall Street.

Sell any stocks or other Wall Street-linked "financial instruments" you own, withdraw any money you have in commercial banks, and put it all in treasury bills, savings bonds, and credit unions.

Starve the beast.

[RegieRocker]

43. An excellent idea.

But unfortunately the hypocrisy runs rampant throughout the spectrum. Left, middle and right. They don't call earth a mental prison for nothing. A lot of crazies here.


My definition of insanity: Believing in two opposing ideas at the same time.

[silverweb]

48. No one is pure.

That's a given.

The credit union I've been with for more than 25 years offers money market accounts linked to Wall Street. Overall, though, they're 99% "more pure" than a commercial bank or brokerage firm.

I got a Working Assets credit card a number of years ago. It seemed like a good thing to use for small purchases, since 10 cents from every purchase went to 50 liberal groups, including Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. Nice, huh? But not at all pure. The card is through Bank of America, who I didn't particularly like then but loathe now. I'm in the process of paying this card off so as to deny BoA any cut at all.

There can often be found a point of balance between two opposing ideas (or ideals); failing that, it becomes necessary to make a considered choice between one and the other. Thus:

(1) I'm staying with my "impure" (but good) credit union, but am not participating in any of their (bad) Wall Street-linked services.
(2) I'm rejecting and boycotting (bad) BoA by ending use of the (good) Working Assets credit card.

We each do what we can, and with enough like-minded participants and some time, we can make a difference.

[mmonk]

18. Civil disobedience and arrests.

It is the tactic that eventually conquers the longer it goes.

[Earth_First]

24. THIS, THIS, THIS!!! n/t

[Cleita]

19. Moving to credit unions or community banks would be a start but really

it wouldn't hurt them that much because the really big money and accounts would still be there with them and the deals they get to keep their money in those banks.

[lonestarnot]

31. Oh yes it would hurt. Do it!

[RagAss]

20. Sit at home and starve?

[RegieRocker]

41. Is that what you're doing. Probably not a good idea.

[raouldukelives]

22. Best thing we can do is stop supporting Wall St.

Your money means more than your vote these days. Every dollar invested in Wall St empowers them that much more to rape the world. We have to stop empowering the fat cats. Refuse to play along.

[lonestarnot]

27. If you have even 2 cents in a bank take it out! Move it to a credit union!

And take your dough out of the market.

[lonestarnot]

30. Faux snooze should be included for peddling bushit.

[Cats Against Frist]

32. Be responsible consumers, live within your means, work hard, raise your children

to work hard, turn off the television, give to charity, use your hands to help someone, form a co-op, volunteer to drive someone to vote, invite a poor family to dinner, grow some of your own food, support organics, take care of yourself, share your own wealth, be creative, use protection, make good choices, don't borrow money.

[Cats Against Frist]

33. I also like creative solutions like joining credit unions and pulling your $ out of the big banks. n

[Modern_Matthew]

35. Boycott Black Friday. There's already a FB page started for it with like 4 likes. nt

[socialist_n_TN]

36. Strikes, wildcat, targeted, and general

Also work slowdowns and a "payment" strike ESPECIALLY on credit card debt.

The main weapon the working class has is it's work. So withhold it. And if we could organize it, don't pay your bills to a bank for a month. Or two. This really has NOT gotten serious yet at ALL.

[Trillo]

37. Stop having children. NT

[JI7]

39. Register voters, go door to door , set up in front of stores etc to get support for your issues

[RegieRocker]

40. I've said this before and I'll keep saying it.

The one thing these elitists do not understand is that they need us to make money. So....
for one day don't buy anything. Get the gas and the groceries you need, and then for one day do not buy anything, do not pay any bills, when all the stores remain empty and the money system is idle they will get the message. We have all the power. Just say no. They can't make us do anything. And without us they have nothing. That is our power and it is great.

[Occupied1]

44. They don't need us to make money. For one thing, they already have most of the money.

And they're investing it elsewhere, plenty more marks to run the same scam on.

They don't need americans except for the military.

[RegieRocker]

46. No that's malarky. They need us.

They would starve and freeze to death without us.

[Occupied1]

47. well, yeah, they need us to work. but only a small fraction of us are needed to meet their personal

needs for food, shelter, etc.

basically most of us are superfluous to their grand designs