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Post by tdrivertom on Feb 3, 2012 11:10:44 GMT -5
 It's not a question of IF, but a matter of WHEN. When the U.S. Congress fails to act upon or consider the merits of the 99% Declaration, what then? Isn't it the plan to elect independent candidates to run against the career politicians in Washington in 2014 and 2016? How is that going to happen? Are these independent candidates going appear on the ballots spontaneously? How are we going to get them there? We need to be thinking beyond this NGA Show in Philadelphia. Yes, it's a step that most likely needs to be taken as a last resort, but don't get your hopes up people. Precinct activism is where this needs to ultimately go. It's boots on the ground, hand-to-hand "combat" to win the hearts and minds of the 99%. There's nothing flashy about it. It's door-to-door, neighbor-to-neighbor. Town hall meeting after town hall meeting. People like Bill Moyers are saying the same thing. We are never ever going to go head to head with the Mitt Romney Super PAC which just admitted to having $18 billion dollars. The media is corporately owned. Do you think they will allow the 99% Declaration to get its message out? They can not stop citizens from talking to each other. This is how the battle must be ultimately won. NOW is the time to get started. Let's not waste a whole lot of time on a meaningless "election" of delegates to a largely meaningless National General Assembly. The emphasis here should not be on signing up "voters," but rather on signing up citizens who agree with the basic principles of the 99 Percent Declaration's Petition of Grievances. We can get delegates seated by having them circulate petitions for their appointment as a delegate. To become a Precinct Committeeman it takes as few as 10 signatures. We should use this model to select delegates. The "election" is a huge waste of money and time! Attachments:
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Post by hendrimike on Feb 3, 2012 11:38:57 GMT -5
I pretty sure the simultaneous goal of signing up voters is getting them enthused at the prospect of changing the way things are done and to get them involved in the process. The message, or show, is to signal the start of the end of the way things are run currently. We have just set up a town hall committee that will be in charge of local outreach at town levels.
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Post by leewendte on Feb 3, 2012 17:40:15 GMT -5
If you listened to the State of the Union address from the pres. and listen close you would discover that many of the issues of occupy and in turn the grievances were indirectly addressed. We must believe in what we started here and perservere with patience in the direction of 1st the NGA in Philadelphia and wait a moment to allow big government to digest our doctrine before we move forward too fast. There is no crystal ball to see how the 3 branches of government will react. do like your post!
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Post by forbesmb on Feb 3, 2012 19:16:58 GMT -5
Tom,
I'd like to think of the National General Assembly as being symbolic in its actions as opposed to being meaningless. Certainly, it's a long shot... the odds of Congress actually working to directly apply any of our "final demands" (as it were) are slim; however, I believe it is the attempt that matters, not the results.
You want to hunt down and find people who agree with the 99% Declaration and get them worked up, motivated and putting on their activist hat? What better way to do it than to show them this sort of direct action... we're not just talking about crap, we're assembling to actually do something, even if it's nothing more than a symbolic thumbing of our noses at the powers that be.
We start with this. We start with the National General Assembly. It's not our one trick pony; rather, it's our platform from which we can reach out through media coverage, both mainstream and underground, and grab the attention of those who have been sitting on the sidelines.
We are just what the ambivalent citizens need a dose of... we're the first cup of coffee in the morning, the first drag from a cigarette, the first sizzle of the bacon hitting the pan. We're the wake up juice for American Apathy.
Believe me, I totally feel from where you are coming... but we have to start with something, right? Well, hell, let's let it be this.
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Post by christophercarney on Feb 4, 2012 23:21:52 GMT -5
leewendte,
With all due respect, I stopped listening to SOTU addresses several years ago. You want to know why? Because it's all EMPTY PROMISES FOR MASS CONSUMPTION.
Actions speak louder than words, I always say. Let's see what Mr. Obama does over the remaining year, and probably the next 4 after that. Let's see if but one grievance is somehow addressed by the end of 2012, in some meaningful manner. Hopefully this thread will still be here by the end of 2012 so we have some form of objective comparison.
Maybe you are right in your optimism. Time will tell.
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Post by The 99 Declaration on Feb 5, 2012 2:07:46 GMT -5
This thread is not going anywhere...EVER
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Post by tdrivertom on Feb 5, 2012 9:59:04 GMT -5
Why don't you come out from behind your anonymous title, "The 99 Declaration Administrator?" There have been too many people posting with this handle to suit me. I assume you are Michael Hendricks, but I may be wrong. If you are so certain that the 99% Declaration is on the right path, and that the National General Assembly REALLY WILL make a difference in Washington, then please tell me why you think my ideas won't "go anywhere."
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Post by forbesmb on Feb 5, 2012 10:10:26 GMT -5
Tom,
He was responding to the previous poster who had stated, "Hopefully this thread will still be here..."
I'm pretty sure he simply meant there would be no deletion of this thread and was not directing it at your original post.
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Post by peedropaula on Feb 5, 2012 12:37:55 GMT -5
That was my take on the comment, too, Tom.
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Post by tdrivertom on Feb 5, 2012 16:36:22 GMT -5
My mistake forbesmb and peedropaula. It makes sense now.
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Post by heatherdooley on Feb 7, 2012 13:49:44 GMT -5
I think the NGA and electing delegates is great education and outreach. Once someone gets involved once, they're more likely to be involved in the future. I agree with forbesmb's comment.
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Post by mikejaskula on Feb 11, 2012 22:59:54 GMT -5
tdrivertom has it right, the natural progression would be for the delegates to start organizing their districts down to the precinct level and then run candidates. It's an awful lot of work, but it can't be avoided. It would be great if we could use a map of congressional districts that was in some way computer generated to come up with districts that are less gerrymandered. That may placate some of the detractors of using the current corruptly drawn congressional districts.
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Post by mikejaskula on Feb 11, 2012 23:00:21 GMT -5
tdrivertom has it right, the natural progression would be for the delegates to start organizing their districts down to the precinct level and then run candidates. It's an awful lot of work, but it can't be avoided. It would be great if we could use a map of congressional districts that was in some way computer generated to come up with districts that are less gerrymandered. That may placate some of the detractors of using the current corruptly drawn congressional districts.
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