How is the Occupy contingent feeling about the election at this point?

[brooklynite]

We now have a candidate who wants to brings taxes for the 1% down to almost nothing. Is Occupy still going to insist on staying outside the political process? Or do they see the clear differences being offered, and have the will to get the best of the two choices elected while pressing for their agenda?

[Vincardog]

1. Speaking as a member of the Occupy contingent I do not believe that we in Occupy can allow

Ourselves to be limited to electoral politics.
If we are forced to accept that the only choice is between the "moderate right" and the "Radical Right"
there is no hope for real change.

I am not saying that anyone should vote GOP or not vote.

I am saying that when the process is corrupt we have to work on changing the process.

[Xipe Totec]

2. Elegant response

You have my deep respect.

[Vincardog]

3. Thank U. Cheers.

[Summer Hathaway]

6. It isn't a choice between the radical right and the moderate right

No matter how many times a certain contingent declares that Obama/Democrats are 'moderate right', that doesn't make it so.

That aside, exactly how does Occupy intend to 'change the process'?

[Vincardog]

7. Speaking for myself: By demanding that we take the money out of politics. More completely

That we take control of our own lives by working in Worker controlled cooperatives.
IMO we have to change our whole way thinking about jobs and living.
We can no longer rely on a top-down model.

[Summer Hathaway]

9. You've cited two goals

both very admirable.

But I'm asking how you intend to go about making these changes, or causing them to be made - not what the ultimate goals are.

[Vincardog]

14. Taking control of our own lives by working in Worker controlled cooperatives is how we make change.

[Summer Hathaway]

10. Honestly

I am not trying to pick a fight.

I just wonder why, when anyone asks an Occupier how they plan to go about implementing their goals, they can't/don't/won't answer the question.

They are quick to recite what they want to accomplish - but never state how they intend to accomplish it.

[Vincardog]

13. It is not my job to make policy. You ask what we want I told you what I want. You

want to demand that I define the problem the solution and enact it.
If I had the power to do that we would not be in this mess.

You should be asking those in power how they will accomplish these things.

[Summer Hathaway]

15. That's my point.

I didn't ask what you wanted. My original question was: How does Occupy intend to change the process?

Your response was: "By demanding that we take the money out of politics. More completely
that we take control of our own lives by working in Worker controlled cooperatives."

The question remains: How does Occupy intend to accomplish these stated goals?

[Vincardog]

16. You seem to have a reading problem. It is not my job to make policy, ask those in power

what they plan on doing to satisfy US. They work for us.

[Summer Hathaway]

17. The reading problem seems to be yours.

It's the same story every time I ask the question.

Occupiers are quick to state what they want or demand - but have no answers when it comes to how they plan to go about getting what they want or demand.

The powers that be are not members of Occupy. Therefore, it is not their place to state what Occupy's plans are - nor, I'm sure, would you want them to. It is Occupy's job to state their own policy in regard to how they plan to "change the process", get money out of politics, etc.

It always boils down to the same response from Occupiers: This is what we want - but we won't/can't explain how we plan to get what we want/demand.

To say I should ask those in power what their plans are for changing things does not answer the question - it is one that only Occupy can answer about itself.

[Vincardog]

18. Repeating the same question without regard for the answer seem like stuck on stupid to me.

[Summer Hathaway]

19. I would agree, if that were the case.

But there has been no answer to the question:

"How does Occupy plan to go about changing the process, getting money out of politics, etc.?"

So far, your 'answers' have been non-answers, i.e. a reiteration of what Occupy wants to achieve, and a direction to ask the powers that be what their plans/policies are.

I am not surprised by that. I've had the same vague non-response every time I've asked an Occupier that simple question.

I can only assume that Occupy has no plans for how to go about making the changes they demand. They simply feel that making demands will somehow cause massive changes without their doing anything - which explains why the entire movement has so quickly become irrelevant.

What do we want? Change!
When do we want it? Now!
How will we go about changing things? We already answered that!

[Bjorn Against]

4. I think it is best that they stay out of the electoral system

There are really two types of activism, activism within the system that involves elections, lobbying, etc. and there is activism outside the system which involves protests, strikes, etc. Both types of activism are needed and Occupy is doing a great job outside the system, getting involved in elections would make that activism outside the system less effective. Politics is about more than elections, I am glad Occupy recognizes that.

[limpyhobbler]

5. I feel pretty shitty about the election at this point.

There is a significant difference between the two candidates, but neither one of them really represents me.

The two-party system presents the threat of Republicans to force me into voting for Democrats, even though I would prefer something more like the Green Party or Democratic Socialists.

So basically it's the same as it ever was.
Thanks for asking.

[msongs]

8. occupy? any of those people still around? hmmm nt

[CabCurious]

11. Which Occupy contingent? Those focused on the economy or those focused on everything else?

[BridgeTheGap]

12. It coud always be worse AND there is ton of room for improvement! The Dem

party has been pushed to the right in the last 3 decades but still has a strong leftist element for lack of anywhere else to go.
Obama has disappointed me in his approach to the wars we're involved in, the war on drugs, attempting to muzzle whistleblowers and a luke warm response to the crimes of wall street / banksters. I would prefer to have a single-payer healthcare system (Medicare for everyone works for me) but I also realize that it wasn't possible in this corrupt climate to make this a reality.
That said, the g.o.p. is clearly fascist in its orientation now and I will vote against them every chance I get.