It’s great that people are finally turning off the Television (or don’t have enough income to afford cable) and getting out to voice their anger over the current economic situation. However–there needs direction–even if it’s broken into several areas that need reform. Here are my suggestions:
Student Loan reform, Bankruptcy reform, Forclosure reform, (all fall under comsumer protections from predatory lending) The current legislation was crap–written by and for banksters, not the 99% . Lets try to improve it.
Repeal Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act. This was a piece of legislation that created the mess we’re all in today–signed by our beloved President Clinton right after Bush was elected. That takes care of financial institutions being allowed to be banks, Investment houses and insurance companies all under one roof. It’s a major vehicle that allowed their shenanigans and created the bubble that lead to the 2008 crash/mess.
Repeal McCaran Ferguson Act This is why you can’t buy health insurance from Virginia, or NC if the prices in MD are too high. There is NO competition! Could you imagine if health care companies could compete for our business much like auto insurance companies do? Imagine THOSE “Flo” commercials! I bet you prices would come down overnight.
Introduce bills that prevent corporate funding of congress. We know that the Supreme Court gave corporations carte Blanche in secret funding of Lobbyists, Astroturfs and think tanks. Money talks loudly in Washington. Stop the money flowng to these faux organizations and all you have is voters. A Corporation may have the same rights as you and I, but they have significantly more money to purchase overpaid lobbyists. I used to be a Lobbyist in DC–the only way to gain audience with a senator or congress critter was to donate significantly to their election fundraisers. THAT practice needs to stop.
Change the framing of the debate. Republicans work very hard on calling things like Medicare/medicaid/SSN and food assistance “Entitlements”. As a person who was recently employed after TWO years of unemployment, I can certainly state that I never wanted a free hand out. I was entitled to nothing. I was free to apply and get approved for assistance, but I never once believed that I was entitled. I suspect that a large majority of people do not believe that, either. Why are they called “Entitlements”, Then? It’s the way we perceive the individual who applies for these benefits: a greedy poor, lazy person who demands their free money, as if they’re “entitled” to our tax dollars . See how easy that was? Now start to change the language they use and we can control the debate again.
Start discussions on laws that need to be enacted such as real healthcare reform. Phase out the insurance middleman–start to phase in a single payer system. I spoke to a Canadian recently and she told me her family pays a 400$ a year “tax” on healthcare. They never have an issue getting to a Dr, the healthcare is always good and all the major issues we hear are mostly fallacies. How much do we pay? $14,000 yearly for family coverage. And, Of course–we are always at the mercy of a bean counter in a cubicle who is really worried about making his bonus rather than the number on the spreadsheet of life–that number–your policy number–and weather or not your treatment will be approved and paid for.
I have many more suggestions for This movement that is starting to gain momentum. I think they really need a leader– perhaps a few (think Glen Beck and his Tea party minions) an effective leader/media piece who knows and can voice the many things we’re angry about. and it’s true–we are the 99%. That is a good place to start.
