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I suggest that everyone read the story of William Wilberforce. He was the guy who crusaded for the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire in the early 1800s. Spent years on it, and nearly killed himself with nervous breakdowns and health problems because despite his rightness, despite the petitions of hundreds of thousands of Britons, and the boycotts, etcetera, he couldn't get an abolition bill passed for more than 25 years, because he simply didn't have the votes for it in the Houses of Parliament.
Were I to run a protest campaign aimed at Wall Street, here's how I'd do it.
First off, forget the large encampments in favor of smaller "spot" events as needed. Too much energy is being tied up in keeping these running, not to mention the inevitable friction with the city governments and neighbors.
Put together a list of say three basic but serious Wall Street reforms, simple things everyone can get behind, like a transaction tax on stocks, bonds, and money market accounts. Point out that it would stabilize the market and keep big swings from wiping out people's investments.
Also, a legal cap on Wall Street compensation, say of maximum $500,000 a year including bonuses. Well below what goes on now, but high enough that anyone who argues against it will look like an asshole. A good point to mention is that these guys would still be making more money than the leader of the free world.
Lastly, a mechanism to write down the mortgage value on "underwater" homes, adjusting the value of the mortgage to what the current assessed value of the home is, in exchange for say ~25% of the difference to be paid for out of revenue from the transaction tax.
Get these three proposals together and publicly petition members of Congress, starting with freshmen and swing districts, to pass them. Any of them who don't sign on, haunt the fuckers. Show up at every public event, every town hall meeting, live in their offices. No need for ostentatious signs or theater, just be there, constantly, asking them at every turn why the won't support protecting the economy and helping homeowners. The tone is important: ask why, and make it seem like the most reasonable thing in the world. Get bloggers credentialed for press conferences, and ask it there. Do letter writing campaigns to local newspapers--you'd be surprised how effective this is at reaching people who don't get their news online. The less outwardly hostile it seems, the more effective it will be in putting actual pressure on them from their constituents.
I wouldn't expect it to pass while the Republicans still have control of the House, but with luck, some Democratic candidates would grab on to the opportunity and swing the House back to our control. Then we're in business.
If the first round of reforms is successful, it would pave the way for a second round, such as limitations on trading commodities--a simple requirement that you be able to take physical delivery of futures goods would curb speculation for profit on oil and other goods, and primarily limit it to less economically harmful areas like gold and precious metals.
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