Occupy Wallstreet Protest

[IndiReloaded]

Anyone here taking part ? Why or why not ?

No. Herd mentality. Most of them don't even know why they are getting involved. Vancouver has had its riots for the year, thanks very much.

[Lipp]

No. Herd mentality. Most of them don't even know why they are getting involved. Vancouver has had its riots for the year, thanks very much.

At least it seems way more sensible than hockey riots.

[Mish]

I think they are doing okay. Most protests start with no goal in mind, which later turn into something real.

Suffrage protests turned into women getting the right to vote, worker protests turned into 8 hour working days, civil right protests turned into end of apartheid in US. Whenever there is a popular dissent, there's an opportunity for change.

[Lovable]

Who the hell do we vote for these days?? IMO...NO politicians are right or even give a rats ass about any of us...so you vote for bad guy 1,2,3,4 etc.. They all blow smoke up our asses during election time, then forget what they promised us when elected.

[bluesummer]

I understand people's frustration at the government with regards to the economy......gov't is in the corporations' back pockets, including big pharma (another story altogether) and they don't look out for the general interests of the people. I personally believe the wealthy could afford a couple percentage points of extra tax, but I don't believe in punishing people for having more than others. Some people are wealthy from genuine hard work that took their whole lives to achieve and they're reaping the benefits of that work. How do we decide who is deserving and who isn't? I believe in corporate accountability and that they should be giving back more to the communities. I don't believe that any CEO is worth millions of dollars. I am still, however, a capitalist at the end of the day. I believe in a free market system and there will always be a gap between the have and the have nots; if there wasn't, we'd be communists.

What I'm also seeing is that 99% of the 99% don't really know what they're protesting or the real reasons for what's happening in the world. So no, I can't be a part of that.

[Lipp]

I believe in a free market system and there will always be a gap between the have and the have nots; if there wasn't, we'd be communists.

God forbid what's inbetween the two

[Mish]

I thought this cartoon is appropriate for the theme

[bluesummer]

God forbid what's inbetween the two

Which would be what, exactly? Where has this perfect system of politics and economics and wealth distribution been so perfectly married that the rest of the world has just missed it?

I'm PART of this 99%....and I have no issue paying taxes and making more money than other people. I also make less than lots of people. Such is the way of life. It has been this way since mankind has existed, albeit in different forms. At least we have a free market now and access to education and a way to improve your station in life.....once upon a time there were kings and feudal lords that took your money in much more unfair ways, and you didn't even get the opportunity to vote them in, or earn more than your station allowed you. They also knew how to live within their means, which most of our society doesn't. This whole Occupy thing to me is a giant waste of time and taxpayer resources that could've gone into the social programs most of these people are lobbying for. Lord.

As for putting bankers on trial......for what? I'm a banker. I don't make a ton but I do a general SERVICE for people that helps them manage their money. Like any business, there are fees for services. I can't speak for the US, but the strength of the Canadian banking system is what KEPT our country from a major recession. I help people evey day manage their mountains of unnecessary consumer debt. Yes, the corporations and the governements are greedy but so are the people and they're too afraid to look in the mirror and point the blame back at themselves.

[Mish]

Which would be what, exactly? Where has this perfect system of politics and economics and wealth distribution been so perfectly married that the rest of the world has just missed it?

I'm PART of this 99%....and I have no issue paying taxes and making more money than other people. I also make less than lots of people. Such is the way of life. It has been this way since mankind has existed, albeit in different forms. At least we have a free market now and access to education and a way to improve your station in life.....once upon a time there were kings and feudal lords that took your money in much more unfair ways, and you didn't even get the opportunity to vote them in, or earn more than your station allowed you. They also knew how to live within their means, which most of our society doesn't. This whole Occupy thing to me is a giant waste of time and taxpayer resources that could've gone into the social programs most of these people are lobbying for. Lord.

As for putting bankers on trial......for what? I'm a banker. I don't make a ton but I do a general SERVICE for people that helps them manage their money. Like any business, there are fees for services. I can't speak for the US, but the strength of the Canadian banking system is what KEPT our country from a major recession. I help people evey day manage their mountains of unnecessary consumer debt. Yes, the corporations and the governements are greedy but so are the people and they're too afraid to look in the mirror and point the blame back at themselves.

I agree with you Blue, but only to a point. The gfc wasn't caused by a one particular individual or even a group of people, it was caused by a dysfunctional system of systematic speculations built on top of speculations that came tumbling down like a house of cards with the slightest change of the wind. And it's not over yet, if the rumours are to be believed what's happening in Europe right now is coming back in a form of another gfc, which we may not escape as unscathed as before. And you yourself although you don't make a ton, but provide a general service to the people may not be able to survive it, you will be caught in the middle of the hurricane just like the rest of us. No matter which way you look at it, the financial system of unregulated speculations that we have right now is in need of a major overhaul if it doesn't happen we will all go down with this broken ship, it's only a matter of time. And that's exactly what all these occupy protests are about.

Also, money needs to get out of politics. A limit needs to be placed on every person and organisation that can donate of no more than $100 to a party. Then we'll have at least something more resembling of a democracy.