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Written by: Nelson Strasser

Published: 03 November 2011

One of the differences between the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street Movement is that the target of the Tea Party is the puppets, and for The Movement, the target is the puppeteers: those who pull the strings.

Obama has received $7 million from the financial sector, and Romney $3.5 million. Republican v. Democrat is a category of no relevance to the power structure. What is important is to hedge your bet.

How much difference will the president make? Years ago, I read a book called “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe.”

A space ship picks up a hitchhiker who happens to be President of the Galaxy. Surprised, the operators of the ship ask how it can be that the president is hitchhiking. To which the president replies, “The role of the president is not to yield power, but to attract attention away from it.”

It is true that a Democrat could restore the court, if appointments came up, to a traditionally conservative body, as opposed to the extreme right-wing activism that characterizes it now. (How much more activist can a court be than to appoint the president instead of calling for a re-vote in Florida? Would the country have descended into chaos had the results of the election of 2000 waited a week or two?)

Lest anyone accuse me of hyperbole, a retiring justice, I believe, Justice Stevens, said something to the effect that he came on the court as a conservative, and left as a liberal, but that he had not changed.

That notwithstanding, we need radical change: The conventional wisdom had it that the genius of our economic system is that each person, trying to maximize his individual position, would lead to a greater good for all.

This is a spurious notion. Clearly, reality has demonstrated, with the savings and loan scandal of the 1980s, and the derivatives scandal of the 2000s, etc., that many of those in positions of incredible power are like the character of Jack in Lord of the Flies: When the good of the group (keep the rescue fire burning) conflicts with the “id,” (we must hunt), the interest of the group is at peril. Similarly, in their lust for greed, and like a cancer, they would destroy the host (our economy).

We need to change this system radically. If not, the forces of darkness will return again and destroy whatever safeguards we put up.

For example, after the depression, Congress passed the Glass-Steagal Act, which separated commercial banks from investment banks. It was repealed in 1999 under Clinton, at which time, dire, but accurate predictions were made by the 10 senators who voted “nay.”

However, first the 99 percent need to unite. The first thing that is needed is to eliminate two of the most divisive issues among us: welfare and immigration. First, I propose the end of government aid except for the disabled and the aged. But, for every person that wanted a job, one would be found or provided. Welfare makes the middle class hate the poor, and the poor hate themselves.

Secondly, let us understand that no person wants to leave their home and their family and go to a foreign land to be despised and do menial labor, unless they are desperate.

We need to pressure Mexico to create social justice: Imagine thousands of miles of Malibu Beach? If Mexico became a just society they might have to keep the Gringos out.

Just “Git ‘er done.”

Nelson Strasser lives in Kelseyville, Calif.

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Written by: Deb Baumann

Published: 02 November 2011

A funny thing happened when staffers from the famous conservative think-tank, the American Enterprise Institute, visited Occupy Wall Street to see it with their own eyes. The AEI staff approached their tour of Zuccotti Park with certain negative preconceptions, so they were very surprised to find the OWS protestors as articulate and well-informed as they are passionate.

Everywhere the AEI staffers looked, they saw evidence of free-market fundamentalism. They were impressed by the OWS camp's order. They were impressed by its water filtration system. They were impressed by the "can-do spirit" and abundance of entrepreneurship.

The AEI's conclusion? The OWS protestors are actually “conservatives, they just don’t know it.”

I’d like to suggest a different conclusion: Perhaps the AEI should re-examine its own preconceptions of “liberal.”

For the past 50 years, a fierce war of indoctrination has been waged in this country, with corporate media forces in print, TV and radio focused on a single aim: to divide the American people, and to keep them divided.

Because, divided we fall.

Divided, we are helpless to resist the one percent's relentless hijacking of our government and our economy.

People like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity are richly paid because of their talent for dividing the American people, for their skill at pushing the buttons that makes certain segments of the 99 percent hate other segments of the 99 percent.

Fox “News” is a propaganda machine devoted to dividing the people, and keeping them divided.

Occupy Wall Street is striking a chord because it is uniting people across the political spectrum. The prospect of such unity is the worst nightmare for Corporate USA and its subsidiary, the US Congress.

OWS has reinvigorated the “Move Your Money” movement, with people across the USA closing their Big Bank accounts and moving their deposits to local banks and credit unions. There is a nationwide Occupy Bailed Out Banks day this Saturday, Nov. 5.

Since I've enjoyed free checking, free checks, and fee-less, friendly services at small banks for 20 years, I was shocked when I read an article today about the Big Bank push for customer fee-hikes in 2012.

I was stunned to learn about the monthly fees that big-bank customers apparently pay on a regular basis, just for the “privilege” of banking.

So let me get this straight: Costumers deposit their hard-earned cash into Big Banks, which in turn use that money for the purpose of creating profit for Wall Street CEO's, and the Big Bank charges ever-increasing fees to those customers for this “privilege” … ? And people pay these fees? Are people crazy?

If you have savings or checking accounts with one of the Big Six, you are paying way too much. Consider moving your money to a locally owned bank or to a credit union. You will enjoy better service at a lower cost. And keeping your money local means you are investing in your own local economy. It’s a win-win!

To learn more about move-your-money and Occupy events near you, google www.OccupyTogether.org and search on your town’s name.

Deb Baumann lives in Upper Lake, Calif.

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Written by: Randy Ridgel

Published: 31 October 2011

The actions of the brave souls in the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) group in New York parks are somewhat contradictory when their stated objectives are compared to their performance.

Those who were coherent enough to state their purpose announced that they wanted the government to take the wealth from capitalist fat cats and spread it around.

In that endeavor they have a strong ally in the White House; that’s what President Obama declared to “Joe the plumber” should be done. Furthermore, with his “stimulus” and “jobs,” he’s earnestly tried that.

What’s more, there is historical precedence that it can be successful: With the Soviet revolution in 1917, the capitalist fat cats disappeared into exile right on schedule. They were replaced with government fat cats. The remainder of the population lived in misery for 70 years but, by golly, they did get rid of those capitalist fat cats.

What surprises me is OWS missing an opportunity to support not only their president, but another kindred spirit, Al Gore, who has been trying to bring down global warming capitalists for years.

According to Al, manmade global warming is settled science needing no further discussion. Therefore the record October snow storm in the East didn’t happen; it’s a figment of the imagination of deniers.

Since the OWS campers are faithful believers, I don’t see why they accepted arctic tents and expensive thermal gear to protect them from a frigid snowstorm in October, one that just couldn’t happen if Gore is right.

However, it is reasonable that they accepted such gear from fat cats, obviously capitalists. That was spreading the wealth. In addition, other fat cats provided gourmet food from nearby restaurants – the kind of food, normally, only fat cats eat.

All was well until the local homeless people, being of sound body, if not mind, abandoned their sidewalk cardboard boxes and newspaper blankets, and moved in to share the wealth that the OWS had accumulated from capitalist fat cats. OWS went ape. That was too much; capitalist fat cats sharing fat cat wealth with OWS folks was one thing, but OWS sharing wealth with homeless bums was another.

After all, it was their wealth; they earned it by demonstrating in the park, and they saw no reason to share it with those who didn’t earn it. I understand that part; I’m just surprised that they do.

Sadly, however, they missed their chance to live frugally and spread their own wealth, just as the Obamas and the Gores do to demonstrate their beliefs.

Randy Ridgel lives in Kelseyville, Calif.