The Occupy Wall Street phenomenon (not quite a movement yet) is the most hopeful sign that Americans are finally “getting it”. After years of a progressive take-over of the American political process by corporate money, we are once again confronting the threat of what Teddy Roosevelt called the “Robber Barons”. But America today is much less democratic and amenable to change than the America of Teddy Roosevelt’s era, when African-Americans and women were not allowed to vote. This is because the political process has been overwhelmed with corporate money, and the US Supreme Court ruling in the Citizen’s United case officially legalized the corporate takeover of the political process.
Hopefully, Occupy Wall Street can make the transition from making a statement to forcing a revolutionary change in the American political process – and a revolution is what we need. This depends on the 99% of Americans who are being systematically exploited and disenfranchised finally recognizing that the American dream of prosperity based on hard work has died, and that their only hope is to remove the corrupting influence of corporate money on government.
The US Supreme Court should have ruled long ago that there is no free speech right of a corporation to the political process written into the Constitution. In fact, the intent of the Framers was to protect individual rights from the powerful, whether it be the government or the rich. However, this present Court, having been constituted specifically to defend corporate rights over the rights of individuals, will never recognize their error. What is really needed is a Constitutional Amendment banning any contributions by any corporation to political candidates, period. Short of this fundamental reform, I fear that any non-violent, popular movement is doomed to fail. The 1% have no moral compunction against defending their money and the power. Just ask Scott Olsen, or the thousands of Occupiers who have been not only arrested but attacked by the police.
FiegerTime - Geoffrey Fieger's Blog 
What The 99% Must Demand!
1. Prohibit Corporations and Unions From Financing Political Campaigns by Amending The Constitution
2. Enforce Anti-Trust Laws against Oligopolies & Monopolies!
3. Bring Our Deficit Under Control and amend tax code!
The above are long term goals that will eventually bring more equally to the economy. The above goals will not be accomplished overnight and we need to do something that will bring the unemployment rate down now. A good start is President Obama’s jobs bill with some modifications brought about by sound ideas brought about by members of Congress and the Senate.
The purpose of a jobs bill, or any stimulus package, is not to directly create jobs that will be long lasting. Instead, its purpose is to create temporary jobs that will increase demand for goods and services. This in turn will create an atmosphere where the private sector will create jobs to meet the new demand created by the stimulus. Businesses will add to their work force because their profits will increase because they can sell more products. More: http://bit.ly/nHTA41
Rush Limbaugh made some comment recently that people who participate in these protests are lazy people looking for handouts. My grandmother also told me that on the news was some person on Occupy Wall Street said something like, “Why should I look for work? I’m on welfare.” So now my grandmother thinks that attitude applies to everybody. My grandmother needs to stop watching the news. Now. She takes it too seriously.
My favorite sign that I have seen circulating the Internet says something like, “I am 23 years old, have two science degrees, graduated at the top of my class, am 130K in debt, and my parents are dead. ‘Get a job!’ Where?? FUCK YOU! I’M TRYING!”
Julie
P.S. Please approve my other pending comments! 😀