They are a new kind of movement. They call themselves the 99%. They started out by occupying Wall Street, and now, Occupy movements are springing up in every city and nearly every major college campus.
I applaud them for wanting to bring change to something that they see as being wrong. After all, we live in a country that was founded on that (and related) principle.
However, what is it that they want to change and what do they want to change it to? They seem to be against capitalism. Yet, most of them carry items routinely that you just don't see people carrying in countries that are not based on capitalism. Where else but the United States would you see the unemployed carrying the latest iPhone, a Kindle, an Eddie Bauer backpack? And, where else but the United States would you see an unemployed worker driving to a demonstration in a new BMW? Surely, this has come from capitalism, the very thing that the Occupy-ers want to see go away.
They also appear to be very communal, as compared to individual, in nature. In fact, in their occupation in Atlanta, they are not allowing outside speakers. Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) made an effort this morning to speak to them, and he is a supporter of theirs. They turned him down saying that would make him look more important than the movement. And, when people within the movement speak, no applause is allowed as this would interrupt the speaker. Instead, they hold their index fingers in the air and wiggle them.
Interesting.
While I don't think I agree with the Occupy movement, I think they could make a positive difference. But, they need a plan. They need to identify what needs to be changed and what it needs to be changed to. And, then they need to work within the system to change it. I'm sorry. We are a country with a Constitution and we have laws. You don't get to just take up space and effect change.
Perhaps we shall see. In the meantime, I remain mystified. I just can't see the point of camping out forever to protest something, and not even present a potential solution.
Maybe I've gotten old.
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Monday, October 10, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Too Much Rhetoric - The Fools on the Hill
Congress sucks!
That's right, I said it. The House Republicans are claiming $100 billion in budget cuts, but their starting point is a budget that was never passed. Their cuts from budgets that ever existed total $61 billion if enacted for a full year. The Democrats in the House retorted by saying that their proposals cut $45 billion from the budget which is roughly 3/4 of the $61 billion cut by the Republicans. ow did they get their $45 billion? They worked from the same Administration budget that was never passed.
The issue isn't about how much they cut, and how they miscalculate the amount. The issue is how close we can get to a balanced budget, and how quickly we can get to one that is balanced.
Little more than a decade ago, we had a balanced budget. Yes, we had events occur (9/11 and others) that caused increases in certain components of the spending side of the budget. But, just like you and me, when the US has a sudden unexpected expenditure that comes up, the government needs to tighten its belt elsewhere.
Ain't happening. There are too many pet budget items out there.
So, with all due respect to Messrs Lennon and McCartney, here is my ode to Congress:
Day after day,
Up on the hill,
The House with the foolish grins in sitting perfectly still
We all want them to do something
But they are a bunch of fools,
And they never give an answer,
But the fools on the hill,
See their polls going down,
And the eyes in their heads
See the world spinning round
Well on the way,
Brains in the clouds,
Millions of voices out there speaking perfectly loud
But Congress never hears them,
Or the sound they appear to make
And Congress doesn't notice
That's right, I said it. The House Republicans are claiming $100 billion in budget cuts, but their starting point is a budget that was never passed. Their cuts from budgets that ever existed total $61 billion if enacted for a full year. The Democrats in the House retorted by saying that their proposals cut $45 billion from the budget which is roughly 3/4 of the $61 billion cut by the Republicans. ow did they get their $45 billion? They worked from the same Administration budget that was never passed.
The issue isn't about how much they cut, and how they miscalculate the amount. The issue is how close we can get to a balanced budget, and how quickly we can get to one that is balanced.
Little more than a decade ago, we had a balanced budget. Yes, we had events occur (9/11 and others) that caused increases in certain components of the spending side of the budget. But, just like you and me, when the US has a sudden unexpected expenditure that comes up, the government needs to tighten its belt elsewhere.
Ain't happening. There are too many pet budget items out there.
So, with all due respect to Messrs Lennon and McCartney, here is my ode to Congress:
Day after day,
Up on the hill,
The House with the foolish grins in sitting perfectly still
We all want them to do something
But they are a bunch of fools,
And they never give an answer,
But the fools on the hill,
See their polls going down,
And the eyes in their heads
See the world spinning round
Well on the way,
Brains in the clouds,
Millions of voices out there speaking perfectly loud
But Congress never hears them,
Or the sound they appear to make
And Congress doesn't notice
As the fools on the hill,
See their polls going down,
And the eyes in their heads
See the world spinning round
And nobody seems to like them
Their rating is ten percent
But they ignore those feelings
Cause the fools on the hill,
See their polls going down,
And the eyes in their heads
See the world spinning round
Ooh, ohh
Round and round [my apologies, I just can't do anything with those lovely lines]
And they never listen to us
They know they are just fools
They know that we don't like them
They're the fools on the hill,
With their polls going down,
And the eyes in their heads
See the world spinning round
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