When the Wall St. protests stared, it was kind of exciting. When I heard it would spread, I was equally excited. I supported them and I still do, but nothing will come from their efforts because their message, or slogan or whatever, is absolutely ridiculous. 99% versus 1%....really you think that is the problem? Unfortunately it is not the reason why we are in this mess and it is not the reason we can not get out of this mess. The issues facing our nation are bigger than that. I am 100% annoyed that not many people can see the big picture, or put forth a realistic agenda.
I realize my mistake. Honestly, I am continually frustrated because there are no politicians who voice my concerns, except for maybe Jon Huntsman and Hillary Clinton. Democrats and Moderates are not really in the news, they are on public broadcasting, but they are preaching to the choir there. I really thought the message that would come out of the Wall St. protests would speak for me and sadly they just are missing an amazing opportunity. I keep hoping that someone will move me, someone will say something or truly make a difference that affects the whole country in a good way. I am waiting for someone to stand up and say:
Listen our situation sucks right now. We are facing one of the hardest times this nation has seen and for many generations it is the worst that they have seen. However, we can not let hard times dictate how we move forward to the future. It might seem hopeless for many of the unemployed, the underemployed, and those that wake up everyday to march forward in their struggle to survive. It is the time to focus on the big picture that effects everyone and not become distracted by issues that are of little consequence. There is no class warfare, it is not 99% versus 1%, but it is about being a decent human being and living up to your civic responsibilities. If corporations what to be considered the same as people, dictated by the Supreme Court, then they have every civic responsibility that regular American's have. How can we all make our communities and our country as a whole better? Is it not about setting record profits for your investors. It is about treating your employees like human beings and providing them a living wage. If your answer to "How can we make things better?" includes making more money and that is it, then you are missing the big picture. If you respond like the CEO of Bank of America that "We have a right to make a profit." Then we are not going to get out of this mess. To work hard and make money is part of the American dream and if you become a millionaire all the more power to you. But if you make your millions dishonestly and off the backs of those who trust you with their hard earned money, then you do NOT deserve to continue on the way you have always done business. That is what the Wall St. protests should focus on. Why, banks and investors, are you to big to fail, but your neighbor is not important enough to have their house saved? Why has nothing changed with the way YOU do business, but my friend who owns a small business can not get a loan, from...well...you? Tangible reforms are needed and they are needed badly, and that is what we need to demand and what we need to focus on. If Jeffery Immelt wants the Tax Holiday for offshore accounts to come back to America, fine. Lets do it at 10%, but if you still can not create jobs, invest in research and development, or in short invest it into the future of America, then you know what, we will take that extra 25% out. I am tired of empty promises by those who are in charge and I am tired of the ineptitude of Washington D.C. I am tired of extremist setting the agenda. If you refuse to compromise, you are not living on principle, you do not belong in the government of our great republic and if you champion this behavior, you certainly are not a patriot. The simple truism, that if you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem, is ever present. It is not making the our current issues better, it is making them worse.
These are the types of messages I sincerely wish those who are given a voice should focus on. I know it is wishful thinking and I know my best course of action is just to open another bottle of wine and forget it, because I fear we have all lost our minds to either end of the spectrum...I guess if you read this and are angry, republican or democrat, then maybe I am hitting the nail on the head...or you just are engulfed in the bitterness of the situation that you are stuck thinking unfortunately that it is the 99% versus the 1% or that those Wall St. protestors are nothing but a bunch of hippie anarchists. I am going to continue to hope that a leader emerges among the movement that has a real vision and can make a change. Then again, if nothing happens in a few weeks, I will just give up, but it does not mean I will not stop looking. Like David "Blow Your Mind" Brooks said today, "Don’t be fooled by the clichés of protest movements past. The most radical people today are the ones that look the most boring." Maybe Huntsman will pull something off, or Obama will come to his senses.
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