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Labor Unions Join Wall Street Occupiers for "Mass Rally'

The majority of the U.S. population cannot eliminate lobbying or reform the financial industry. Congress can do that -- and they choose not to. Obama hasn't done it; Bush didn't do it; nobody in Washington is going to do it -- and they're the only ones who can. As to raising taxes? We can't do that either. Thank Washington. I'm tired of regular ordinary American citizens being blamed for the problems our Congress has created. And people foolish enough to believe that "the people" are responsible are part of the problem. They are not!

It's 'the people' who are electing these buffoons and likewise becoming dependent on unsustainable social programs politicians offer in order to get elected.

It's not the fault of China or Big Business. It's the fault of too many Americans harboring unrealistic expectations from government, just as we see now in Greece.
 
No, never! But most Americans are not lazy and ignorant. That tends to be the reserve of the you-know-who.

Most Americans know their country has been politically hijacked and they want something done about it quickly. It has to be done quickly.

The problem they have right now is, as the great William Buckley said, selecting the most conservative candidate who can win. And if they feel he or she is not conservative enough to get the country back on track, they'll certainly let it be known. Whoever it might be will be a one-termer, like Obama, until a genuine conservative is elected.

You are correct, most Americans are not conservatives. We are tired of the tea party and how they hijacked this country because they are not the one taxing and spending.
 
The majority of the U.S. population cannot eliminate lobbying or reform the financial industry. Congress can do that -- and they choose not to.

People are supposed to direct their representatives, is the point!
But you're right, that some members of congress have championed this, and when they do the public reception of lobbying reform, is lukewarm, so they drop it. People just don't really care about it. It's lonely at the top Maggie. If you have your head screwed on straight, and I think you do, you are in the MINORITY. You always will be. A quarter is too young to know better. A quarter is too old to care. And the rest of us are trying to raise kids and earn a living while taking care of aging parents and the black sheep of the family.

Make a post about lobbying reform, and then make one about gay marriage. Which one gets the press more reliably?
Why is CNN almost like a tabloid? People don't really care about the key issues, they care about the interesting ones, the emotional ones, etc.

Obama hasn't done it; Bush didn't do it; nobody in Washington is going to do it -- and they're the only ones who can. As to raising taxes? We can't do that either. Thank Washington. I'm tired of regular ordinary American citizens being blamed for the problems our Congress has created. And people foolish enough to believe that "the people" are responsible are part of the problem. They are not!

Who does congress answer to again?
 
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You are correct, most Americans are not conservatives. We are tired of the tea party and how they hijacked this country because they are not the one taxing and spending.

Even fewer Americans are Liberals, so don't say, "we", as if you're speaking for a majority of Americans.
 
It's 'the people' who are electing these buffoons and likewise becoming dependent on unsustainable social programs politicians offer in order to get elected.

It's not the fault of China or Big Business. It's the fault of too many Americans harboring unrealistic expectations from government, just as we see now in Greece.

It is the fault of the system that allows unlimited terms in Congress...incumbant advantage...and, most of all, the fact that Congressmen have put us on the road to ruin by giving away the U.S. Treasury in order to be re-elected. 545 people create all the problems and then run on platforms that tell us how it needs to be fixed. I figure it's pretty much hopeless.
 
People are supposed to direct their representatives, is the point!
But you're right, that some members of congress have championed this, and when they do the public reception of lobbying reform, is lukewarm, so they drop it. People just don't really care about it. It's lonely at the top Maggie. If you have your head screwed on straight, and I think you do, you are in the MINORITY. You always will be. A quarter is too young to know better. A quarter is too old to care. And the rest of us are trying to raise kids and earn a living while taking care of aging parents and the black sheep of the family.

Make a post about lobbying reform, and then make one about gay marriage. Which one gets the press more reliably?
Why is CNN almost like a tabloid? People don't really care about the key issues, they care about the interesting ones, the emotional ones, etc.



Who does congress answer to again?

The reason most people wouldn't care about lobbying reform is that they don't understand it. They don't know how big of an impact lobbying has on our government and that it almost always comes back to hurt them. There needs to be more transparency about how lobbying works and the effects that it has. These issues need to be described in a simple way that most Americans can understand.
 
Even fewer Americans are Liberals, so don't say, "we", as if you're speaking for a majority of Americans.

Depends actually. Self labeling, you are correct. When presented with issues, liberal issues are more popular.
 
Depends actually. Self labeling, you are correct. When presented with issues, liberal issues are more popular.

Not anymore, they're not.
 
Depends actually. Self labeling, you are correct. When presented with issues, liberal issues are more popular.

Popular can be a lot of different things.... popular as in agreed with or neutral, or popular as in hated and "unpopular"? I'd certainly agree liberal issues are sexier than conservative issues.
 
You are correct, most Americans are not conservatives. We are tired of the tea party and how they hijacked this country because they are not the one taxing and spending.

Most Americans were, and are, conservative, which is what made their country great. It inspired people around the world and attracted the best and brightest from everywhere.

The Tea party has largely gone silent. They have sent their message and the politicians have received it. There is nothing the Wall street protesters can do about it.
 
Most Americans were, and are, conservative, which is what made their country great. It inspired people around the world and attracted the best and brightest from everywhere.

The Tea party has largely gone silent. They have sent their message and the politicians have received it. There is nothing the Wall street protesters can do about it.

How did conservatism make this country great? I guess I'll break it down into two questions:

1. Why is this country great?

2. How are those reasons related to the conservative ideology?
 
Popular can be a lot of different things.... popular as in agreed with or neutral, or popular as in hated and "unpopular"? I'd certainly agree liberal issues are sexier than conservative issues.

Popular as in poll higher.

Two things Bush was rated highest for in his terms as president: Afghanistan and Medicare prescription drug coverage. One is nonpartisan(at the time), one is a very liberal policy. SS/Medicare are two of the most popular government programs. It goes on and on.
 
Most Americans were, and are, conservative, which is what made their country great. It inspired people around the world and attracted the best and brightest from everywhere.

The Tea party has largely gone silent. They have sent their message and the politicians have received it. There is nothing the Wall street protesters can do about it.

I know this is a lost cause...but you can back this up somehow? You have some data to show this is true?
 
Calling names is cool!
So you concede that point. Glad I could help.

Because that's completely what they've said! The politcal spectrum cannot be fit into two boxes, more taxes and less taxes! Like you told me earlier read a book!
Quote them. The quote from the link on this thread I posted was that the 1% needs to pay. By all means, tell me what they are precisely protesting and what their suggested solution is. I'm all eyes!
 
People are supposed to direct their representatives, is the point!
But you're right, that some members of congress have championed this, and when they do the public reception of lobbying reform, is lukewarm, so they drop it. People just don't really care about it. It's lonely at the top Maggie. If you have your head screwed on straight, and I think you do, you are in the MINORITY. You always will be. A quarter is too young to know better. A quarter is too old to care. And the rest of us are trying to raise kids and earn a living while taking care of aging parents and the black sheep of the family.

Make a post about lobbying reform, and then make one about gay marriage. Which one gets the press more reliably?
Why is CNN almost like a tabloid? People don't really care about the key issues, they care about the interesting ones, the emotional ones, etc.



Who does congress answer to again?

They clearly answer to their sponsors.

94% of victors in federal elections had the most money.

And that money DID NOT come from "average citizens".

It DID come in the form of investments, with hope for return, from monied interests.
 
Depends actually. Self labeling, you are correct. When presented with issues, liberal issues are more popular.

As Obama would say .... "WTF". Where are they "more popular" ? Not in Nov 2010 they were not. Not in the latest polls that show Obama dropping like a rock, losing by 6 points to "any Republican". Not in the way Democrat Senators won't touch his JOBS plan.

A bunch of astro-turf loons on Wall Street does not a popular movement make. ;) If you believe this will translate to momentum for liberal politicians in the polls 13 months from now ....... I'll be one of the first to say "I told you so" to all this failed liberal nonsense.
 
It is the fault of the system that allows unlimited terms in Congress...incumbant advantage...and, most of all, the fact that Congressmen have put us on the road to ruin by giving away the U.S. Treasury in order to be re-elected. 545 people create all the problems and then run on platforms that tell us how it needs to be fixed. I figure it's pretty much hopeless.

I agree with your assessment but don't think it's yet hopeless. The American people have had setbacks before but their spirit and resilience have always led them back to the top. And while I don't believe the present crop of Americans have the same backbone as their ancestors, I think there are still enough around who take sufficient pride in their country and themselves to turn it around.
 
Quote them. The quote from the link on this thread I posted was that the 1% needs to pay. By all means, tell me what they are precisely protesting and what their suggested solution is. I'm all eyes!

Where does it say Wall Street needs "to pay".
Occupy Wall Street | NYC Protest for American Revolution

Occupy Wall Street is leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.

I see greed and corruption mentioned not anything about paying...
 
Make a post about lobbying reform, and then make one about gay marriage. Which one gets the press more reliably?
Why is CNN almost like a tabloid? People don't really care about the key issues, they care about the interesting ones, the emotional ones, etc.

You're spot on, but who is it that draws attention to abortion rights, Gay marriage, more social programs, etc. while economic responsibilities go unmentioned?

That is not to say these issues are not important, but surely the economy and welfare of the country should come first. Only then can any other issues be seriously addressed
 
I agree with your assessment but don't think it's yet hopeless. The American people have had setbacks before but their spirit and resilience have always led them back to the top. And while I don't believe the present crop of Americans have the same backbone as their ancestors, I think there are still enough around who take sufficient pride in their country and themselves to turn it around.

I tend to believe we succeed in SPITE of government shenanigans. Of course we won't give up, because the ACTUAL battle we are fighting is raising kids, putting dinner on the table, staying healthy, sleeping, and trying not to think about cancer and heart disease. Politics is just a side-show for most people. Except seniors, because their income is tied to government. Hmmm.
 
........... look at the date of this report: http://www.fhfa.gov/webfiles/747/FNMSPECIALEXAM.pdfit it is may 2006. AFTER it was learned that fannie mae was cooking the books. and still the shrub did nothing. because profits were still flowing. it wasn't until the meltdown that the taxpayers picked up the ongoing tab for the now massive losses

I am going to site an additional official Fannie and Freddie report, issued just two months after yours (Jul 2006). While you note corruption in FF, this one notes the growth of FF over that whole time period, and how it helped inflate the bubble. Here is an exact quote from it:

Another way to look at this unconstrained growth is that during the last 15 years, the nation’s GDP doubled, the mortgage market tripled, Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s (the Enterprises) guarantees quadrupled and their portfolios grew ninefold (Chart 1).

...... Second, Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s low capital requirements and unusually low
funding costs because of their GSE status allow them to build huge mortgage asset
portfolios. Fannie Mae’s mortgage assets grew from about $124 billion in 1990 to $905
billion in 2004, and then declined to about $727 billion last year. That’s equivalent to
average annual growth of more than 13 percent over the 15-year period (Chart 4). Freddie
3
Mac’s mortgage portfolio grew 26 percent per annum from less than $22 billion at year-end
1990 to $710 billion in 2005. In contrast, the residential mortgage market grew at an average
rate of 8.5 percent. Absent regulatory constraints, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could each
increase their portfolios by well over $100 billion without exceeding the present minimum
capital rules including the 30 percent operational risk requirement that OFHEO imposed.

http://www.fhfa.gov/Default.aspx/webfiles/reports/webfiles/js/webfiles/2206/gsereform71906.pdf

Like yours, the above report talks about the need for immediate reform, which went virtually unheeded. However, it also supports the fact that Fannie and Freddie, and therfore the government, underwrote the bubble from its very beginning. But as we see, Obama wants folks to blame Wall Street. Because Obama, after all his spending and promises, now relizes that he has faile dmiserably. So now it is no longer about fixing things, as he can't, but about blame. What a loser.
 
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You're spot on, but who is it that draws attention to abortion rights, Gay marriage, more social programs, etc. while economic responsibilities go unmentioned?
Unfortunately we do. TMZ is popular not because of TMZ's marketing. Let's face it, celebrity crotch shots are just more appealing than the intricacies of finance policy.

That is not to say these issues are not important, but surely the economy and welfare of the country should come first. Only then can any other issues be seriously addressed
I agree. I'm just jaded, because I have seen consistent reliable evidence that most people are able to focus on the root problems, much less identify them. All experience in life, work, DP, all suggests those will always be in the minority. Lifes hard, I don't have any easy answer :)
Let me add, even if we look hard at the problem, and are smart, we can still get it wrong half the time. It's just that complicated...
 
Where does it say Wall Street needs "to pay".
Occupy Wall Street | NYC Protest for American Revolution

Occupy Wall Street is leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.

I see greed and corruption mentioned not anything about paying...

This is their world.

The American Dream has been stolen from the world. Workers are told that they aren't allowed health care, shelter, food. Students are told that they aren't allowed jobs, and that they will be in debt for the rest of their lives, unable to declare bankruptcy. The 1% has destroyed this nation and its values through their greed. The 1% has stolen this world. We will not allow this to occur.

I cannot read that without laughing!

It seems certain that they'll soon burst into song! "We are the world. We are the children".

The former no, the latter si.
 
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