An open space for global conversation
NOTE: this discussion is now closed to additional posts. Our dialogue on Occupy 2.0 continues with our Round 3 thread here: http://www.occupycafe.org/forum/topics/occupy-2-0-inquiry-round-3-1...
Occupy Cafe has stepped into the movement-wide conversation now swirling around the evolution of the #Occupy. This thread continues the discussion begun here and on our 11/15 Cafe Call.
If you have not already done so, please examine the Mind Map produced with prodigious effort by OC Member Ellen Friedman, attached. We want this conversation to build and evolve, so this kind of harvesting is invaluable.
We offered these questions as the second round of our inquiry commenced:
Please note that this is a hosted discussion. We will periodically be asking people to step back or step up, to make sure it is balanced and there is space for all voices to be heard. We will also ask that side conversations that emerge be taken onto new discussion threads so that this core conversation remains focused and readable. Thank you in advance for your help with this!
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To affect Real and DRAMATIC change we must eventually take over the levers of political power. We need to put together a slate of candidates that are honest people drawn from the occupy movement's ranks and elect a lot of them to Congress.
The first order of business is to take big money out of federal politics. Pass the Fair Elections Now Act (S. 750 and H.R. 1404). A law where political candidates for federal office would raise a large number of small contributions from their communities in order to qualify for Fair Elections funding. Contributions are limited to $100.00. Strictly voluntary by the candidate to avoid legal issues.
Require new FCC regulations granting 100% FREE TV air time to all federal candidates who obtain sufficient petition signatures and/or votes to get on the ballot and participate in the primaries and/or electoral process.
End Political Corruption - End the "revolving door" of politicians and their staffs from ever becoming becoming lobbyists and prohibit all federal public employees, officers, officials from ever being employed by any corporation, individual or business that they specifically regulated while in office.
Clean Up Wall St. - Break up the biggest banks. Reenact Glass-Steagall. Abolish credit default swaps. Derivatives must be traded on transparent exchanges. Tax all Wall St. financial transactions at 1%. Damp down speculation and raise $400 billion a year.
Create Jobs - A ten-year federal program that involves a New Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to create millions of jobs rebuilding America that includes infrastructure banks run by engineers, not politicians to extricate ourselves from the Great Recession now and increase productivity later.
Create A Fair Federal Tax Code - The marginal tax rate ought to be raised to 50 percent on income between $500,000 and $5 million, 60 percent on income between $5 million and $15 million, and 70 percent on income over $15 million. There should be a 2 percent annual surtax on all fortunes over $7 million. The estate tax should be 55 percent and kicks in after $5 million. Capital gains should be taxed at 35 percent. End the home mortgage deduction on first homes over $1 million. End the home mortgage deduction on all second homes. Corporations should be taxed by a variable amount based on the percentage of their payroll going to US workers. A small business employing 100% US workers should be taxed somewhere between 15-20% while a company that has completely shifted its production overseas should be in the 50% range. Eliminate corporate loopholes, unfair tax breaks, exemptions and deductions, subsidies, end offshore tax haven abuse. Expatriation of capital should be subject to a maximum tax-rate penalty with violation considered a felony act.
Invest In Education - Begin with the federal government paying tuition and fees for all students, part and full time, who are enrolled in two-year public institutions in the United States.
Make Health Care Affordable And Accessible To All - Medicare For All. Allow Medicare to purchase drugs directly. Give the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) more authority to drive down medical costs. End fee-for-service.
End The Wars - Reduce the military budget by half ($275 billion).
End The Police State - Repeal the Patriot Act
Clean The Air - EPA to STRICTLY enforce the Clean Air Act.
David: I can align with most or all of these actions. How do you see "Occupy 2.0" fitting into their manifestation in a way that is distinct from Occupy 1.0, where this has already been in the conversation. Also, I request that you make your responses brief, so that this feels more like dialogue. Imagine that we are sitting together in a cafe!
Ben Roberts
From what I've seen, there is no collective vision for action possible unless we begin with the premise that the world we all want is diverse and so we need different strategies to achieve that diversity. In this regard, perhaps we can each state our individual vision as briefly as possible, and use the rest of our time this week to listen, avoiding criticism and debate until everyone feels they have been heard.
During the last two years, after decades of consideration by our collaborators, built on fifty centuries of lessons, we have created a model that pays people with a new kind of money to build sustainable community marketplaces that use that money. In this way, the people who build our future are rewarded for their work with the capitol that will power their creations.
Our work over the past two years has built a team that has designed a pair of pilot projects to demonstrate how this strategy can transform the global economy, serving everyone, from the poorest people to the most affluent communities.
If you are interested in being paid to build the community you want, or reading a little more about this, here's a link to my "Occupy: Reconomy" blog that introduces this offer:
http://community.acumenfund.org/profiles/blogs/occupy-reconomy
Thanks,
Kevin
P.s. Please feel free to share this offer with your friends - we are rewarding the first ten people to join our team from each community with a bonus of one day's pay.
You can get occasional updates for this project by following @reconomydotnet
So, Kevin... I am hearing a suggestion that Occupy 2.0 begin to more tangibly manifest the New Economy in many ways. I connect this with the phony criticism that Occupiers are "jobless" and lazy. In fact, many jobs are being performed, and more might be created, e.g. feeding the homeless. There is huge need for many such services. Meanwhile, the old economy doesn't know ow to pay people to provide them, even as it creates more and more of a a need.
Interesting. That makes sense - that this evolving discussion of economic reform is re-framed by detractors as merely the gripe of jobless protestors. Well, I think we ought to avoid that bait. The fact is we don't need to argue to change their minds. We will change the world and the changed world will change their minds!
Peace.
I'll research this but curious how this Cafe and call is funded?
Notes in progress for group 3 focusing on how to nurture the energy of the movement at this time of transition.
Learn from Spain:
Bat Signal- Spain
Spain has moved into many unoccupied dwellings. Go into places that we can benefit that neighbours will appreciate.
Be able to send out mobile occupations. Good to make a visible presence constant but be hard for authorities to track.
Making lists of venues.
Demonstrating how G.A.'s can run and showing films. Exporting all over cities.
Ways to publicize and overwhelm the mainstream medias distortions.
To subvert Xmas towards Occupy message
Merging with solstice and bringing candle lit vigil. (Return of the King/Lord of the Rings mythic dimensions)
Harm reduction around drug and alcohol issues. Publicizing the solutions and best practices of community to these issue that pre-existed.
Moving from charity to participation. This has valuable challenges for all. Allow more to experience this.
We need to look at what's happening worldwide more.
Enlisting people who haven't shown up yet who want to help but haven't to help the homeless Occupiers.
Movement is molting right now. A need to reflect and gauge where we're at.
http://www.occupationalist.org/
Emphasis positive successes. Trumpet those to feed the energy.
Maintain the sense that everyone is heard.
Problem solving solutions that can be used. How can we strengthen the unity of the movement and get resolution on tension on the marginalized and other occupiers.
Strategies needed.
Council, Tools of Council (Ojai Foundation) for discussions not decision making like in the G.A.
Conflict resolution
Thrive Movement- http://thrivemovement.com/
Fifth Sacred Thing- http://www.starhawk.org/writings/fifth-sacred-thing.html, Magical Activism
Process Oriented Psychology (Arnold Mindell, Portland)
Maestro Conferencing, Skype,Global Forum Online Discussion Groups are cutting edge tech to use as much as we can and protect the Internet from any clamp down in privacy.
Evolver Network- http://www.evolver.net
Awakening the Dreaming Network- http://www.awakeningthedreamer.org/
Invite small groups to come to Occupy from all of our Occupy groups.
NOTES FROM HARVEST OF ALL 3 TOPICS:
Grab policy successes quickly. Keep doing the slow work of addressing underlying aspects.
Occupying rural areas, bringing roving occupy.
Occupying places where more people more willing to participate.
Look at 3 Segments:
Encampments/
G.A.-Direct Democracy evolution
Issues, Campaigns, Movement Building
These 3 areas can be bridged with heart centered councils after people are taught how to use them along with educational workshops,salons, reading groups, writers circles, cyphers,collaborations of all kinds.
Keep putting forward key themes of resource conservation and sustainable management, rich infrastructure of caring is being demonstrated. "The medium is the message"
Emphasize Positive successes: we are the people we have been waiting for; we are here.
Listen to everyone: come together everywhere by breaking into very small groups, bringing those groups ideas to a more representative assembly, etc, until we accomplish a general assembly representing all, where all have been heard.
On 2nd thought, Sobey, I second your suggestion that you represent our group 3 discussions. Thanks for all.
Regular Calls are no longer being held. Below is the schedule that was maintained from the Fall of 2011 through Jan 10, 2013.
Mondays
"Vital Conversations"
8-10a PDT | 11a-1p EDT | 3-5p GMT
Tuesdays (except 10/16)
"Connect 2012"
1-3p PDT | 4-6p EDT | 8-10p GMT
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by Brian E Shumsky Added November 27, 2012 at 11:36pm
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