Not actually a supporter of Occupy wherever but a few points...
FAIRFAXIAN Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let's take these one by one.......
> (MY RESPONSES IN CAPS)
>
> We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right,
> to let these facts be known.
> AGREED
+1
>
> They have taken our houses through an illegal
> foreclosure process, despite not having the
> original mortgage.
>
> THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN TAKE YOUR HOME IS IF YOU
> STOPPED PAYING YOUR MORTGAGE, IN WHICH CASE YOU
> DESERVE TO HAVE YOUR HOME TAKEN BACK AS IT WAS
> COLLATERAL FOR YOUR LOAN.
>
Actually, it's happened repeatedly, the story that comes to mind first though is the one where the couple took Bank of America to court and won...and then foreclosed on the bank when they wouldn't pay them the amount the court ordered. There's a history of sloppy paperwork and the repeated selling of mortgages without actually owning the mortgage in the first place. Lots of court cases going on with that.
>
> They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with
> impunity, and continue to give Executives
> exorbitant bonuses.
> A SMALL NUMBER OF COMPANAIES (BANKS, AUTO MAKERS,
> FANNIE AND FREDDIE) HAVE RECEIVED GOVERNMENT
> BAILOUT MONEY TO KEEP THEM FROM GOING OUT OF
> BUSINESS. MOST HAVE PAID BACK THOSE FUNDS. 99%
> OF CORPATIONS DID NOT GET BAILOUT MONEY AND THEY
> HAVE TO ANSWER TO THEIR SHAREHOLDERS, WHO OWN THE
> COMPANY, ABOUT THE COMPENSATION OF THEIR
> EMPLOYEES
>
While essentially true, I think the point is the 'shareholders' are part of the 1% and therefore part of the problem. Also, not everything has been paid back (http://projects.propublica.org/bailout/main/summary) well, at least according to that source.
>
> They have perpetuated inequality and
> discrimination in the workplace based on age, the
> color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and
> sexual orientation.
> THERE ARE LAWS AGAINST SUCH DISCRIMINATION -
> (ALTHOUGH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE NOT GENDER IDENTITY -
> WHATEVER THAT IS)
Gender identity is covering the transgender population (the men that dress/act/etc as women and vice versa)
>
>
> They have poisoned the food supply through
> negligence, and undermined the farming system
> through monopolization.
> I EAT FOOD EVERYDAY AND HAVE NOT BEEN POISONED SO
> THIS IS NOT A TRUE STATEMENT.
>
Actually, there are numerous lawsuits everyday around the country regarding businesses dumping hazardous substances in the ground or local waterways or through the exhaust from smoke stacks, etc. The big businesses also have the funds to hire lobbyists to neutralize/lessen the government regs, and they've been pretty successful. (one case,
http://blogforcleanair.blogspot.com/2011/07/public-health-groups-protest-what.html)
as an example, there is an investigation into the Listeria outbreak to see if there was a water contamination that was the original cause. ANd there was a whole controversy over chicken waste as well (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/us/29poultry.html?pagewanted=all)
>
> They have profited off of the torture,
> confinement, and cruel treatment of countless
> nonhuman animals, and actively hide these
> practices.
>
> AGAIN, THERE ARE LAWS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS DEALING
> WITH ANIMAL ABUSE. IN MOST CASES I READ ABOUT
> ITS PEOPLE THAT ABUSE ANIMALS BECAUSE THEY ARE
> NUTS (I.E. MIKE VICK) NOT CORPORATIONS.
>
It still happens though, and it is corporations. (http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r-video/19073199/detail.html) & (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=chicken%20farm%20abuse%20video&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCoQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ktvu.com%2Fnews%2F16177636%2Fdetail.html&ei=ejeoTsehPIbk0QHagPGJDg&usg=AFQjCNGch5qMEW-KPkLnACFqDqjnekAi9Q)
>
> They have continuously sought to strip employees
> of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer
> working conditions.
>
> I THINK YOU MEAN TO SAY STRIP EMPLOYEES OF THE
> RIGHT TO "COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN". IN OTHER WORDS
> UNIONIZE. THERE ARE LAWS ON THE BOOKS TO GIVE
> BOTH UNIONS AND COMPANIES RIGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT.
> IN A NON-UNION ENVIRONMENT, YOU NEGOTIATE FOR
> YOURSELF WITH YOUR EMPLOYER. ARE YOU EQAUALLY
> OUTRAGED WHEN UNIONS ABUSE WORKERS? DID YOU KNOW
> THAT MOST UNION PROTESTS - THE ONES IN FRONT OF
> BUILDINGS WITH THE DRUMS ETC -- ARE DONE USING DAY
> LABORERS MAKING MINUMUM WAGES AND NO BENEFITS?
> THEY ARE WORKING FOR THE UNIONS ALLEDGEDLY TO
> PROTECT WORKING CONDITIONS YET THE UNIONS
> THEMSELVES DON'T PROVIDE BENEFITS THAT THEY WANT
> THE EMPLOYERS TO PAY! HMMMMM i WONDER WHY?
>
This is entirely in response to the Wisconsin public employee debacle, I suspect. Though I agree with you, Unions are not the entirely wonderful things they make themselves out to be.
>
>
> They have held students hostage with tens of
> thousands of dollars of debt on education, which
> is itself a human right.
>
> STUDENTS APPLIED FOR THOSE LOANS AND AGREED TO
> REPAY THEM- THE DEBT WASN'T FORCED UPON THEM.
> THEY COULD HAVE VOLUNTEERED, APPLIED TO A CHEAPER
> SCHOOL, EDUCATED THEMSELVES, GOT A JOB AND SAVED
> MONEY FOR COLLEGE, JOINED THE MILITARY AND TOOK
> ADVANTAGE OF GI BENEFITS ETC. HOWEVER, INSTEAD,
> THEY CHOSE TO APPLY FOR LOANS AND TAKE DEBT
> OBLIGATIONS UPON THEMSELVES. CORPORATIONS HAVE
> NOTHING TO DO WITH A TRANSACTION BETWEEN A BANK
> AND A BORROWER.
>
I agree wholeheartedly, and education is not a right, it's a privilege, something more Americans need to understand and teach their kids.
>
> They have consistently outsourced labor and used
> that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’
> healthcare and pay.
> IF YOU DON'T LIKE A COMPANY'S POLICIES, YOU HAVE
> THE RIGHT NOT TO BUY ANYTHING FROM THEM. IF ENOUGH
> PEOPLE DID SO THEY'D BE FORCED TO CHANGE THOSE
> POLCIES OR GO OUT OF BUSINESS. IF ALL CLOTHES
> AND SHOES WERE MADE IN THE USA BY UNION WORKERS A
> TEESHIRT WOULD COST $200. WOULD YOU BE OUTRAGED
> BY THAT AS WELL? WOULDN'T THAT BE OUTRAGEOUS TOO
> IF ALL COMSUMER GOODS COST DRAMTICALLY MORE THAN
> THEY DO TODAY?
+1000 And outsourcing was in direct response to GOVERNMENT actions.
>
>
> They have influenced the courts to achieve the
> same rights as people, with none of the
> culpability or responsibility.
>
> UNTRUE. READ SARBANES-OXLEY, DODD-FRANK, THE TAX
> CODE OR ANY OTHER OF THE THOUSANDS OF STATUTES
> THAT HOLD CORPORATE EMPLOYEES CRIMINALLY LIABLE
> FOR THEIR ACTIONS. BY THE WAY CORPORATIONS ARE
> JUST A GROUP OF PEOPLE RUNNING A COMPANY.
>
>
> They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams
> that look for ways to get them out of contracts in
> regards to health insurance.
> AND OTHERS HAVE SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO FIND
> WAYS TO FORCE THEM TO PAY MORE FOR HEALTH
> INSURANCE. ALL IN ALL, ITS A WASH.
>
>
> They have sold our privacy as a commodity.
> OPT OUT OF THEIR MARKETING PROGRAMS.
>
> They have used the military and police force to
> prevent freedom of the press.
>
> WHEN? WHERE? I HADN'T HEARD THAT THE MARINES AND
> SOLDIERS WERE USED TO FORCIBLY PREVENT NEWSPAPERS
> FROM REPORTING STORIES. I ALSO DIDN'T REALIZE
> THAT CORPORATIONS CONTROLLED THE US MILITARY.
>
>
> They have deliberately declined to recall faulty
> products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.
> WE HAVE LAWS TO PUNISH THOSE WHO DO THIS. CALL
> THE CPSC IF YOU HAVE ANY KNWOLEDGE FO SPECIFIC
> PRODUCTS CAUSING HARM.
>
Plenty of cases out there, there is a vagueness to the law that allows for businesses to continue to sell a product even if a person has been harmed by it. Though you are correct that contacting the government can usually precipitate a recall.
Amazingly, like so many of these topics, if the citizen actually assumes some responsibility they can make a difference.
>
>
> They determine economic policy, despite the
> catastrophic failures their policies have produced
> and continue to produce.
> THE GOVERNMENT, NOT CORPORATIONS, SETS ECONOMIC
> POLICY. WE ELECT THE GOVERNMENT LEADERS AND WE
> CAN AND SHOULD HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE
> ACTIONS THEY TAKE ON OUR BEHALF.
>
+1000
>
> They have donated large sums of money to
> politicians supposed to be regulating them. They
> continue to block alternate forms of energy to
> keep us dependent on oil.
> UNDER US LAW, CORPORATIONS CANNOT MAKE CAMPAIGN
> CONTRIBUTIONS ONLY U.S. CITIZENS CAN DO SO.
> CONGRESS HAS PASSED HUNDREDS OF LAWS PROMOTING
> WIND, SOLAR, GEOTHERMAL, NATURAL GAS, CLEAN COAL,
> ETC TO GET US OFF FORIEGN OIL. BY THE WAY,
> COPRORATIONS DON'T JUST INCLUDE OIL COMPANIES,
> MANY CORPRATIONS MAKE SOLAR PANELS, WINDMILLS, AND
> GREEN PRODUCTS AS WELL. ARE YOU OUTRAGED BY THESE
> COPRORATIONS TOO?
>
Actually the Supreme Court said that they can, Corporations CAN and DO make contributions to politicians.
(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/jan-june10/supremecourt_01-21.html)
>
> They continue to block generic forms of medicine
> that could save people’s lives in order to
> protect investments that have already turned a
> substantive profit.
> I TAKE A GENERIC EVERYDAY SO THEY HAVEN'T BLOCKED
> ALL GENERICS. ALSO, THEY INVEST BILLIONS PER YEAR
> IN R&D TO CREATE DRUGS THAT FIGHT CANCER, MS, AIDS
> ETC. IF THEY DON'T MAKE MONEY ON THE SMALL
> PERCENTAGE OF DRUGS THAT GET APPROVED, WHO WILL
> FUND FUTURE R&D TO FIND CURES? TODAY THEY CAN
> EXCLUSIVELY PROFIT ON THE DRUGS THEY MAKE FOR 8
> YEARS (i BELIEVE) THEN THE DRUGS CAN BE PRODUCDED
> GENERICALLY AT A LOWER COST. SEEMS FAIR.
Actually, the big companies DO block certain drugs, particularly to sell in the US and they overprice the drugs in the US market. That would be why there's a number of people that travel to Canada and other places to get cheaper drugs.
>
>
> They have purposely covered up oil spills,
> accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive
> ingredients in pursuit of profit.
> AGAIN, WE HAVE LAWS AGAINST ALL OF THESE THINGS.
> MANY PEOPLE HAVE GONE TO JAIL FOR SUCH CRIMES.
> YOU CANNOT INDIGHT ALL PEOPLE OR CORPORATIONS FOR
> THE ACTS OF A FEW BAD ACTORS.
>
> They purposefully keep people misinformed and
> fearful through their control of the media.
> I READ MEDIA ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL
> SPECTRUM AND THEM USE MY OWN COMMONN SENSE AND
> KNOWLEDGE TO FORM MY OWN OPINIONS,- YOU SHOULD TRY
> IT, IT WILL INSURLATE YOU FROM THIS CONCERN.
>
Ditto
>
> They have accepted private contracts to murder
> prisoners even when presented with serious doubts
> about their guilt.
> CORPORATIONS MURDER PRISIONERS? NOT SURE HOW TO
> RESPOND TO THIS ONE BUT AGAIGN WE HAVE LAWS
> AGAINST MURDER,
>
I suspect they're talking about some of the mercenary groups that were hired for Iraq, like Blackwater.
>
> They have perpetuated colonialism at home and
> abroad. They have participated in the torture and
> murder of innocent civilians overseas.
> ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT US CORPORATIONS?
Not a clue what they are talking about.
>
>
> They continue to create weapons of mass
> destruction in order to receive government
> contracts. *
> THE GOVERNMENT ORDERS THE WEAPONS - IF THERE WAS
> NO BUYER, THE COMPANY WOULDN'T MAKE THEM. IF YOU
> DON'T WANT THEM TO ORDER MORE WEAPONS, YOU NEED TO
> HOLD YOUR ELECTED OFFICALS ACCOUNTABLE.
Oh there are plenty of non-us gov customers out there. Really. It IS a business after all.
>
> To the people of the world,
>
> We, the New York City General Assembly occupying
> Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert
> your power.
>
> Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy
> public space; create a process to address the
> problems we face, and generate solutions
> accessible to everyone.
>
> AGREED. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE. LET'S
> HEAR YOUR SOLUTIONS.
>
> To all communities that take action and form
> groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer
> support, documentation, and all of the resources
> at our disposal.
>
> Join us and make your voices heard!
>
> Together we can make this country great again, run
> by the people for the people. No more Corporate
> Irresponsibility!
Sounds like they want a lot of regulations enacted. Not that they've actually given any real solutions.