OWS: The next step? We must get our “representatives” to represent us.

[rhett o rick]

How do we do that?

Occupy Congress (or local congress-critters’ offices).

Boycott corporations that are working against the middle class. The big four banks are obvious, but how do we affect BP or GE or the Koch Brothers?

Withhold financial support for candidates unless they vow (I know, a politician’s vow is next to worthless) to institute election reform. If we cant get corporate influence out of politics we are doomed.


Any other ideas?

[msongs]

1. the big shots from GE are already represented, so why not someone for us? nt

[ixion]

2. Correction: We need to replace the representatives

with people who will actually represent the people. Further, the system needs to be changed so that it doesn't favor corporate interests over populist interests.

[TheWraith]

5. Wow--you and I agree about something for once.

As much as people are going nuts over "Occupy Wall Street," the ONLY real solution is throwing out the obstructionists and getting back a Democratic supermajority to continue the work of fixing all the shit that went wrong over the last decade plus.

[rhett o rick]

7. You seem to be in denial that the Democratic Party has coopted by CorpAmerica

Granted,not to the extent of the republicons, but we need to get rid of the corporatist Democrats as well as the republicons.

[TheWraith]

18. Yeah yeah, give me the "they're all the same!!1" Nader-style line.

After all, there would be no difference between Gore and Bush, right? :eyes:

[rhett o rick]

20. Shame on you. I said nothing of the sort. But if it makes your argument so much easier, so go for

it.

The OWS movement is happening on Obamas watch. It isnt just the republicons.

[BOG PERSON]

3. i don' t know

one would think OWS wants to avoid the hamster wheel of electoral politics.

[Fire Walk With Me]

4. When the 99% represents itself, the politicians have no choice.

[rhett o rick]

8. We need legislation to reform the election process. nm

[Fire Walk With Me]

11. Or participate in #OWS to such an extent that politics as normal ENDS.

Envision something Better.

[rhett o rick]

14. I dont think that ending politics as normal and hoping for something better is a good plan.

We have the foundation for a constitutionally controlled representative democracy. I dont think we want to start from scratch.

[Fire Walk With Me]

15. "Total Spring Cleaning", to quote the crazy lady...and we ARE creating something new and better,

right now. This is good, trust it, support it.

[laureloak]

6. Just continue to express dissatisfaction and let those in power

come up with solutions. We can see who is there "for the people" and who isn't.

[Rageneau]

9. Eliminate elections.

I'm serious. The reason we don't have a representative democracy is that our representatives don't represent ordinary people; they represent millionaire attorneys, because that's what most of them are. So, rather than have elections with all the attendant money-grubbing, selling-out, and mud-slinging, why not choose Congresspeople like we choose jurors? -- from a pool of registered voters. Say, we draw ten names and give those ten people two weeks to campaign and an equal budget to do it with. The winner -- an 'ordinary' citizen -- would go to Congress and serve a single term; no reelection possible. Meanwhile that person's employer would have to "hold" his/her job ala the National Guard. I think such 'citizens-congressmen' would proudly do the best job they could, as jurors usually do, honored by the responsibility to their fellow citizens.

Just a thought.

[valerief]

10. We need a legit voting process first. Electronic voting with proprietary software and crooked

Supreme Court suppresses democracy.

[2pooped2pop]

12. agree

[rhett o rick]

16. A great first step. We need to make that message clear to our "reps". nm

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[badtoworse]

17. This thread is ridiculous

The ideas I've read here are unconstitutional and will never happen. Anyone have any ideas about getting past the Constitution? The required amendments will never happen. What's left?

[BOG PERSON]

19. how about abolishing the senate

[badtoworse]

24. How do you suggest we do that? - nt

[rhett o rick]

21. And your suggestions are so much better? Oh wait, you didnt give any. nm

[badtoworse]

23. Try working within our existing framework of laws

This thread completely ignores them. Unless you plan to accomplish these changes through a violent revolution, they're not going to happen and we're wasting our time here. I'm fine with the system of government we have now - it's worked for more than 200 years.

[rhett o rick]

25. I agree and that's what the OP is intended to say. If I didnt make that clear, my error. nm

[Hutzpa]

22. As for Koch brothers all we do

is to do a search on DU about Koch industries and take to OWS, get them to
publish all of Koch's network and the rest would be history.

Pass the names of all those Congress Reps and Senators that are running
for re-election next year including their no votes.

Do not forget their contact info either.

[mdmc]

26. ..