Wall St occupied by protestors

[Disclaimer]

wtf, working 60-70 hours a week is akin to a human rights violation? lazy fucks. that's a slap across the face of any semi-serious small business owner.

Are you working for min. wage and barely supporting your multi-bike & trackday habit?

[jbot]

Are you working for min. wage and barely supporting your multi-bike & trackday habit?

are you begging the question?

[Disclaimer]

Not so much as the point that working 60-70 hrs a week over two or more jobs and barely scraping by is ridiculous.

I can only surmise that YOU work those kind of hours because it's worth it for you, and not because you HAVE to in order to feed your family.

But, it's only a guess.

[jbot]

Not so much as the point that working 60-70 hrs a week over two or more jobs and barely scraping by is ridiculous.

I can only surmise that YOU work those kind of hours because it's worth it for you, and not because you HAVE to in order to feed your family.

But, it's only a guess.

you're begging a bunch of large questions when you present the "point" that working 60-70 hrs a week over two or more jobs and barely scraping by is ridiculous. as if one could take that at face value.

tell me, did you do well enough in school to get into college, pay for college somehow, spend all those hours going to enginerd (or whatever it is you studied) classes, study, getting STD's, and find a way to get into the position you're in now where you can own 2 awful colored bikes and a house, and probably lose half of everything to that girl you're going to get preggers by pulling out too late? did you do all that so you could work 2+ minimum wage jobs and barely scrape by?

that was me making a point while begging many small but almost irrelevant questions. i could've made that story about me, but it would've had a lot more "r"s in it.

[Disclaimer]

This is how you protest... (pic)

imgur.com

[kawi kid]

I just got my pay stub for the last two weeks and I worked over 100 hours. Just thought I would throw that out lol

[Uncle Punk]

No one FORCED that money to be lent subprime, maybe incentivized it, but not FORCED.

Forced into it at risk of being put out of business.

It was a poor social experiment that didn't work. People who had money were forced to lend it at a risk they weren't going to accept so they packaged the risk and sold it to others. Smart money on their part and the results were very predictable. All of this could have been avoided if the government wouldn't have had the power to interfere with business and make sure poor people who shouldn't or couldn't afford a house got one. The risks shouldn't have been forced onto the banks and the banks end running the risk was the only option they had to protect themselves.

In the end the government had to bail out a problem they created and we paid for. Had they been up front about their social experiment and subsidized the loans up front the political backlash from that decision would have prevented the whole mess.

[kawi kid]

^^ agreeeeeee

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

There is no Occupy Coshocton yet:D

They heard all the gun shots and decided this wasn't the place for them.

[ReconRat]

...People who had money were forced to lend it at a risk they weren't going to accept so they packaged the risk and sold it to others. Smart money on their part and the results were very predictable.

Yes, but... the shear volume of the demand took everyone by surprise. Everyone was making money off the creation of these crappy (for the consumer) loans. Including the US Government, which was getting it's cut. Plans were made and carried out, to increase the volume. Shear greed. Some saw the future problem, but money speaks louder. Neither party is blameless. One may have initially set the stage, but both let it go on.

[Rod38um]

Protesters asking for Social Justice........ Just amazing to me that anyone could actually ask for that.

Social justice = The concept of charging the government to take wealth from those who have been productive and redistribute it to individuals who have not been productive in order to prevent them from ever being motivated enough to attain social, economic or mental independence. (modern slavery)

[ReconRat]

[Disclaimer]

Point:

Counterpoint:

My response to the "Not the 99%" pic that gets posted once every 10 seconds

Enlarge this image

[Disclaimer]

Methinks that 1% has a lot more clout (read: monetary influence) than the other 99% though.

I just watched Limitless Friday night, I kind of see things working like that, except less NZT.

[ReconRat]

Actually, the voter turnout in the USA is just about the worst in the entire world.

If the 99% actually voted, something might actually happen.

If the 99% actually had a consensus of opinion.

Voting in the USA generally results in a 50%-50% opinion split on everything.

imho that indicates people are simply guessing, ergo a 50/50 split on voting.

That's a story for another time.

[ReconRat]

...We asked for this' date=' whether we actually spoke a word, or not.[/quote']

Exactly. We The People are responsible for all of it. One way or the other.

Also, the old "careful what you wish for".

[Rod38um]

Class envy.... class warfare..... its ridiculous. The idea of being ok with a football player making tons of money because he's "cool" and "plays" so well yet demonizing a CEO who makes tons of money when he's responsible for silly things like:

manufacturing a product

distribution

marketing

thousands of employees

insurance

advertising

competition

stock price

etc. etc.

I cannot understand how these people think that by bringing down productive people and rewarding non-productive people that jobs will be created or their life could in any way be better in the long term. Sure it might be better this year. But as fewer people strive to be productive because its penalized and more people choose to be non productive because its rewarded, as the super rich move assets to other countries, all you wind up with in the end is an unproductive nation where everyone is equally poor except the few political elite at the top running things. Will these people be happy when they no longer have opportunity for success?

If you are not happy with your level of success, why not become a student of any position you envy and work toward becoming as successful? Is it the word "work" that these people are really protesting?

[Disclaimer]

Right' date=' but the 1% has more clout than the rest because we don't flush our Capitol Hill toilet often enough. The system is damn near as perfect as it can get. However, it's up to us to make sure the system stays free of clogs. (read: lobbyists, special interests)

We get the system that we allow. We don't pay attention to our politicians. We just assume they're in our corner. We asked for this, whether we actually spoke a word, or not.[/quote']

Well shoot Pauly, just gather up your dollar bills and declog it.

At this point, the only way to get rid of the lobbyists is to become a lobbyist against lobbying. Chicken-egg, man.

Just to give you a quick perspective on what you're up against...

Congressional Aide Lies About Identity To Avoid Answering Questions

Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) was named by John Boehner to be part of the Super Committee on Debt, due in part to his chairing the Ways and Means Committee. It is a choice assignment which Camp has been eager to cash in on:

On the same day that House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., got picked to join the 12-member Congressional super-committee that is charged with deciding the country’s spending and taxation fate, his political action committee sent out [an invitation to a $2500 a head "meet & greet"]

Just think, for $2,500, you too can have “fun” as Camp’s PAC refills your wine glass over chats about mortgage interest deductions, profit repatriation and S-Corporation pass through rates.

We need no longer guess whether Pfizer will have a chance to play a role in the upcoming negotiations, thanks to the Pfizer PAC host duties.

Ah...capitalism! The privilege of hosting Camp's meet and greet came with a steep $5,000 price tag as well. So being on this extra-constitutional Super Committee is a profit deal...that makes so much sense. But if you can't pony up the cash, it appears to be much more difficult to get through to Rep. Camp, no matter what lip service he pays to being available to his constituents. After attending the American Dream rally in DC, internet radio goddess Nicole Sandler, Marcy Wheeler of Emptywheel, Andrew Harman of Change to Win, Sandy Carpenter of ForRespect.org paid a visit to Camp's office on the Hill. After being told that Camp was in Congress and they could speak to an aide, the group was asked to wait in the hall. But Camp's staff wanted to make sure they stayed there, locking the door of the office. Then a gentleman came out and distributed the card of the Legislative Director they should speak to, saying that the director was busy with the congressman.

Funny thing, that. Turns out that Camp's Legislative Director, Rob Guido, was the guy handing out the cards, telling the protesters that the Legislative Director was busy with the congressman.

Bet you if they had $2,500 checks in their hand, Guido would have had no problem introducing himself properly.

And that's why we have Occupy Wall Street protests.

[ReconRat]

I see what JRMiii is saying with the two images of writ.

And I can easily see both viewpoints and agree with both.

But how do I say this. It's complicated, as it should be, life is not easy.

For some one to succeed, some one must fail. All cannot succeed.

For each person that works their way up in life, one will work their way down.

Taoism? Yeah, sure. Yin and Yang.

I picture previous generations, that worked a life time, not so much for themselves, but for their children to have a better life.

Not picture perfect success, just something better than what they had in their generation.

We aren't there anymore. We have ideas that success can be short circuited and be given immediately.

It isn't true. Nothing about it is true. It's Work, luck, opportunity, and generosity. Education also, but not necessarily.

And given our current social/economical situation, in addition to the not so rosy vision of the future... We all need to take a step back, and reassess our goals and where we want to be in the future.

It's a period of time of change. Didn't want it, but it's here.

And it's likely to be permanent.

Choose wisely.

[Disclaimer]

Class envy.... class warfare..... its ridiculous. The idea of being ok with a football player making tons of money because he's "cool" and "plays" so well yet demonizing a CEO who makes tons of money when he's responsible for silly things like:

manufacturing a product

distribution

marketing

thousands of employees

insurance

advertising

competition

stock price

etc. etc.

Really? A football player is equivalent to the CEO? The football player IS the worker being exploited for profit and gain, so their salaries are based on the money they bring in. I'm not condoning or saying that professional athletes should make those exorbitant salaries, but without them there would be no professional sports. It's 'profit sharing' in that sense, and their share is WELL above the median income -- and we still have pro sports teams, so it's obviously a successful business even paying those salaries.

All those things you listed, the typical CEO (at least the ones you claim we're demonizing) has little to NO direct involvement in any of those things, and still reaps all the rewards.

Yet without the line workers and the lowly graphic designers in the marketing department, etc., the CEO would have nothing to be CEO over, and the "little guys" aren't making CEO money. Most of them don't get huge profit sharing checks or bonuses.

Perspective.

[ReconRat]

Protesters asking for Social Justice........ Just amazing to me that anyone could actually ask for that.

Social justice = The concept of charging the government to take wealth from those who have been productive and redistribute it to individuals who have not been productive in order to prevent them from ever being motivated enough to attain social, economic or mental independence. (modern slavery)

That's worth repeating. Yes, it's what I think of when people ask for social justice and re-distribution of wealth.

Also makes me think of this:

History lesson: In the British occupation of India, any and all individuals of merit and skill were given scholarship to British Universities. Part of the purpose of that was to indoctrinate and subjugate those individuals, and prevent them from leading a revolution in the future. Didn't work too well in the long run.

[Rod38um]

All those things you listed, the typical CEO (at least the ones you claim we're demonizing) has little to NO direct involvement in any of those things, and still reaps all the rewards.

Yet without the line workers and the lowly graphic designers in the marketing department, etc., the CEO would have nothing to be CEO over, and the "little guys" aren't making CEO money. Most of them don't get huge profit sharing checks or bonuses.

Perspective.

No direct involvement doesnt mean that you are not responsible, direct, set policy and hire competent employees. As CEO you ARE responsible for all those things and more. If you drop the ball, you wont be CEO for long.

I've worked on the bottom rung. I'm glad it was there and I'm glad that when working at any level, I can look up the next level and make a decision on whether or not I want to WORK hard enough to achieve that level of success. I want ALL those levels and ALL the different pay scales. I want my children to strive for something better than being satisfied with what some government bureaucrat says they can have or make. I want them to be able to achieve what ever level of success makes them happy. I want them reap what they sow. No work = no money, Much work = much success.

[Gooner]

I have been watching CNN and Foxnews

I think the main reason no one is covering this is because when they interview the protestors none seem to have a clue about what the hell they are protesting against!

It is quite funny to hear a bunch of these wasters get interviewed, they really are a bunch of muppets.

I am all for the banks and wall street being investigated!

I love the way some are protesting against the "rich" when they all use facebook, iPhones, software on computers so on and so forth that the "rich" people created that made them Rich!!!!!!!!!

Lets go back to the stone age man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ReconRat]

[Casper]

I have been watching CNN and Foxnews

I think the main reason no one is covering this is because when they interview the protestors none seem to have a clue about what the hell they are protesting against!

It is quite funny to hear a bunch of these wasters get interviewed, they really are a bunch of muppets.

I am all for the banks and wall street being investigated!

I love the way some are protesting against the "rich" when they all use facebook, iPhones, software on computers so on and so forth that the "rich" people created that made them Rich!!!!!!!!!

Lets go back to the stone age man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This picture says it all about the majority of those protesters: