# Suggestions for Specific Demands for Occupy Wall Street **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 3, 2011, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427 "2011-10-03T13:13:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/122 "2011-10-11T17:50:48Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Are you going to make this an _ex post facto_ law and violate the Constitution that way, or is the fact that it violates freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and the right to petition government for redress of grievances enough? > > Essentially what you are saying is that political contributions should be illegal. Fine, let’s pretend it would last fifteen seconds before being overturned. You have now made it the case that only self-funded campaigns are possible. > > Great idea - especially when one candidate is Barack Obama and the other is Mitt Romney. > > Regards, > Shodan I don’t see how preventing lobbying stops people from petitioning the government. I think that whole “petitioning the government” thing is more for actual individual people or groups of citizens rather than powerful corporations bribing politicians to get what they want.; Same for free speech. Until 1976 the SC agreed with me but it’s increasingly become another corporate tool. When was the last time it sided with an individual or a group of citizens instead of a corporation? It’s definitely before Roberts became head of the court. Same thing for freedom of assembly. Who’s stopping Nike top executives marching on Washington or down Fifth Avenue to make their voice heard? And self-funded elections would be out too. The government funds the whole thing, giving candidates sensible amounts of cash to run a campaign. They have enough to get their message out without every motherfunking commercial being some crappy attack ad for six months a year. Perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/123 "2011-10-11T17:59:30Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > I don’t see how preventing lobbying stops people from petitioning the government. Because it’s the same thing. > [@](#): > > I think that whole “petitioning the government” thing is more for actual individual people or groups of citizens rather than powerful corporations bribing politicians to get what they want.; Same issue - groups of citizens and corporations are the same thing. The one is a form of the other. > [@](#): > > And self-funded elections would be out too. The government funds the whole thing, giving candidates sensible amounts of cash to run a campaign. They have enough to get their message out without every motherfunking commercial being some crappy attack ad for six months a year. Perfect. So if the government doesn’t approve of your campaign, you don’t get any money, and you are forbidden from spending your own or receiving contributions from others. You really don’t see any problems with that? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/124 "2011-10-11T18:13:39Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > As far as why they haven’t made any demands up to now I think “We are the 99%” more than suffices as a high level answer. It’s quite a powerful message. It says “We don’t need to negotiate. This is our country and we want it back from the top 1% which has been selling us out.” The 1% know damned well what the 99% want, which is a more just society. 1. An unelected and mostly anonymous small fraction of 1% of the population is claiming to represent 99% of the rest of us. No thank you. 2. This small fraction of 1% of the population claim they have _the_ definition of “a more just society”, and think that people that earn more than they do have the exact same definition as they do, and therefore they supposedly know that what they are doing is wrong. This is comic book mentality-thinking in terms of “Good Guys who know and do what is right” vs. “Bad Guys who know what is right but deliberately do bad because, well, they are the Bad Guys.” ---
**Author:** ![Linear\_Crack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Linear\_Crack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linear_Crack)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/125 "2011-10-11T18:17:54Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Do you ever bother to check out the lies you’ve been told? A moment’s effort would have enightened you. Somewhat. > > Mr. Lewis was on his way to a scheduled event, and simpy dropped by the site of Occupado. He asked to speak, but was advised that other things were already scheduled, and asked if he could wait until they were done. He couldn’t, he only had a few minutes. Mr Lewis himself reports that he did not consider himself to have been disrespected. > > [http://blogs.ajc.com/the-buzz/2011/10/10/john-lewis-not-miffed-by-occupy-atlanta-dis/?cxntlid=thbz\_hm](http://blogs.ajc.com/the-buzz/2011/10/10/john-lewis-not-miffed-by-occupy-atlanta-dis/?cxntlid=thbz_hm) > > You got a source saying he was told to “fuck off”? Would you be embarassed to offer it? At any event, you should not trust this source so willingly. They lied to you. By any chance, does it rhyme with “lox”? “F off”, meaning miffed, shined on, rejected, or as it is now known as “to be Lewis’d”. Come on, you know that. Regardless of why Lewis was there, he wanted to speak, but the group would not let him. Not because of their scheduled events :rolleyes: , it was due to their “agenda”. You know, the unwritten, magical agenda of the OWS movement. Watch the entire YT video. It’s 10 painful minutes of strangeness, but it’s clearly a snub. Not convinced? Watch the show of magic hands to allow Lewis to speak. Ever see a wilderbeast migration? The whole repeating of phrases thing reminded me of my daughter’s preschool class. Oh, and it’s so funny you provide a link to the only “news source” (a no-name blog) that supports your claim that is wasn’t a snub. Face it, Lewis’ statement afterwards was a CYA. He never had any intention of going back to that lovefest and speaking. Plus, it doesnt get any more politically embarassing then to be shunned by a group that combines Sesame Street communcation techniques, with protesting against political/finanical corruption. -LC ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/126 "2011-10-11T19:15:31Z")
> [@Linear\_Crack](#): > > …Oh, and it’s so funny you provide a link to the only “news source” (a no-name blog) that supports your claim that is wasn’t a snub. … Its more than you did. According to this source, who claims to be Mr Lewis’ spokesperson: [http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2011/10/10/occupy-atlanta-john-lewis-is-invited-to-speak-were-sorry-if-we-offended-ya](http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2011/10/10/occupy-atlanta-john-lewis-is-invited-to-speak-were-sorry-if-we-offended-ya) > [@](#): > > “As a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, Congressman Lewis is very familiar with the dynamics of protest, and he respects the right of protesters to choose to follow their own pre-organized agenda. He is not concerned or offended in any way by what happened Friday. In fact, the group’s process reminded him very much of SNCC, so he was not disturbed at all by what happened.” That’s what I got. Whadda you got? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/127 "2011-10-11T19:29:09Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Its more than you did. > > According to this source, who claims to be Mr Lewis’ spokesperson: > > [search | Creative Loafing](http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2011/10/10/occupy-atlanta-john-lewis-is-invited-to-speak-were-sorry-if-we-offended-ya) > > That’s what I got. Whadda you got? [Cute reporters in short leather skirts?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=627446) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/128 "2011-10-11T20:29:21Z")
Compared to Rachel Maddow, with a girlish giggle, a swan’s neck and a mind iike a steel trap? Piffle! And what of the bonfire of female passion that is Elizabeth Warren? ---
**Author:** ![Cyclone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@Cyclone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyclone)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/129 "2011-10-11T23:54:33Z")
> [@nomdplume](#): > > Looks like some sort of attempt at a guiding principals doc. > Was passed on to me as a draft open for edits, additions etc. > > "We the people in order to better our Union hereby state our beliefs. > > We support Main Street, not Wall Street. This does not mean we are against all corporations or progress. On the contrary we believe in progress which enhances the common welfare, not merely the enrichment of the few. > > We are not simply anarchists opposed to all systems of government, but rather we believe in government of the people for the people, not one which beholden to corporate special interests and lobbyists. > > We are not looking to usurp your God nor steal the fruits of your labor. Our Democratic and Constitutional Republic assures us individual rights and freedoms that shall not be taken for granted. > > We are patriots in the truest sense of the word, and have more in common with Locke, Rousseau, Paine and Jefferson than the Rothschilds, Goldman and Sachs. > > We are your sons your daughters, your siblings, your parents and your friends. > > We are the poor trying to achieve the American dream, the middle class struggling to maintain our quality of life, and even the wealthy who realize that morality and humanity should always trump financial gain. > > We are not perfect, and have much to learn. There may be products we use, people we support, or corporations we patronize that we may change our views upon. Education is a lifelong endeavor. > > We wish to put an end to the following: > Too big to fail > Corporate personhood > Highly leveraged derivatives > Unfair tax advantages for the wealthy > Corporate tax loopholes > Undue lobbyist influence > Secretive Federal Reserve > > We the people shall do what is required as is required to assure our great nation the United of America, works equally for the improvement of the lives of its citizens and all humankind." > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Sounds like something a junior high school kid would write for his civics class. > [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Well, it is the _bottom_ 99%. You’re going to get that sometimes. > > What do you think of the list of things they want to end? See any merit there? Nomdplume, don’t take these posters seriously. Your points are well taken and could be turned into law. Like the American Revolution this is a time when the wealthy will decide how things turn out. Not all of the 1% are greedy bastards who do not care about our country. There is a group called “Patriotic Millionaires” who are on the side of the 99%. [http://dissidentvoice.org/2011/06/%E2%80%9Cpatriotic-millionaires%E2%80%9D/](http://dissidentvoice.org/2011/06/%E2%80%9Cpatriotic-millionaires%E2%80%9D/) [http://raisedonhoecakes.com/ROH/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Patriotic-Millionaires.jpg](http://raisedonhoecakes.com/ROH/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Patriotic-Millionaires.jpg) When it is all said and done those who care about America will prevail, and like the Tories after the American Revolution, they will either leave or assimilate to the changes. When Britain raised taxes to extreme levels many wealthy left the country, only to miss it in a few years, and return to pay their tax. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/130 "2011-10-12T14:41:59Z")
Wait, they love their country more than their money? Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/131 "2011-10-12T16:17:13Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Sounds like something a junior high school kid would write for his civics class. Damn smart junior high school kid. That list of things they wish to put an end to is very nicely thought out. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/132 "2011-10-12T16:23:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. An unelected and mostly anonymous small fraction of 1% of the population is claiming to represent 99% of the rest of us. No thank you. > 2. This small fraction of 1% of the population claim they have _the_ definition of “a more just society”, and think that people that earn more than they do have the exact same definition as they do, and therefore they supposedly know that what they are doing is wrong. This is comic book mentality-thinking in terms of “Good Guys who know and do what is right” vs. “Bad Guys who know what is right but deliberately do bad because, well, they are the Bad Guys.” Oh, come on, Czarcasm. We’ve got it down cold that the 1 percent is robbing the country blind. Generally, comic book thinking does not involve charts and graphs and so forth. This much wealth disparity hasn’t been seen since the fricking Guilded Age! Once again, I am disappointed in you. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/133 "2011-10-12T16:35:03Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > You got a source saying he was told to “fuck off”? Would you be embarassed to offer it? At any event, you should not trust this source so willingly. They lied to you. By any chance, does it rhyme with “lox”? While you are correct that John Lewis was not told to fuck off, he was treated rudely. And when one of the protestors tried to apologize to him, the speaker raised his voice in order to drown him out. But imagine this for a second. Imagine the EXACT same scene transpiring, but the people gathering were Tea Partiers. How do you think not allowing JL to speak would have been spun by the media then. Heck, how would it have been spun by you? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/134 "2011-10-12T16:40:14Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Damn smart junior high school kid. That list of things they wish to put an end to is very nicely thought out. Except when you actually think about them. Take closing corporate loopholes. Now I think that’s a great idea, and would do so immediately. But that would necessitate doing something else to reduce the cost of doing business, like a substantial/drastic reduction in the corporate tax rate—or else they will move and we’ll lose even more jobs. Do you think this crowd would be in favor of cutting the corporate rate to 15 or 20%? Good luck with that. And thank goodness he threw in the part about them being “your sons your daughters, your siblings, your parents and your friends.” Yeesh. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/135 "2011-10-12T16:45:45Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > While you are correct that John Lewis was not told to fuck off, he was treated rudely. And when one of the protestors tried to apologize to him, the speaker raised his voice in order to drown him out. > > But imagine this for a second. Imagine the EXACT same scene transpiring, but the people gathering were Tea Partiers. How do you think not allowing JL to speak would have been spun by the media then. Heck, how would it have been spun by you? Start with Mr. Lewis stopping by a Tea Party event on the presumption that he would be welcome. You think that likely? And, of course, we have Mr Lewis himself, who says you are full of beans. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/136 "2011-10-12T16:47:03Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Start with Mr. Lewis stopping by a Tea Party event on the presumption that he would be welcome. You think that likely? And, of course, we have Mr Lewis himself, who says you are full of beans. What does Mr. Lewis say that conflicts with what I have said? ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/137 "2011-10-12T17:50:28Z")
Occupy Chicago has released their own set of 12 demands: [http://www.suntimes.com/business/8144210-420/occupy-chicago-spreads-message-through-downtown.html](http://www.suntimes.com/business/8144210-420/occupy-chicago-spreads-message-through-downtown.html) > [@](#): > > Occupy Chicago’s > proposed AGENDA > > 1.PASS HR 1489 REINSTATING GLASS-STEAGALL. — A depression era safeguard that separated the commercial lending and investment banking portions of banks. Its repeal in 1999 is considered the major cause of the global financial meltdown of 2008-2009. > > 1. REPEAL BUSH TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY. > > 2. FULLY INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE THE WALL STREET CRIMINALS who clearly broke the law and helped cause the 2008 financial crisis. > > 4.OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED v. U.S. — A 2010 Supreme Court decision which ruled that money is speech. Corporations, as legal persons, are now allowed to contribute unlimited amounts of money to campaigns in the exercise of free “speech.” > > 1. PASS THE BUFFETT RULE ON FAIR TAXATION, CLOSE CORPORATE TAX LOOPHOLES, PROHIBIT HIDING FUNDS OFFSHORE. > > 2. GIVE THE SEC STRICTER REGULATORY POWER, STRENGTHEN THE CONSUMER PROTECTION BUREAU, AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR OWNERS OF FORECLOSED MORTGAGES WHO WERE VICTIMS OF PREDATORY LENDING. > > 3. TAKE STEPS TO LIMIT THE INFLUENCE OF LOBBYISTS AND ELIMINATE THE PRACTICE OF LOBBYISTS WRITING LEGISLATION. > > 4. ELIMINATE RIGHT OF FORMER GOVERNMENT REGULATORS TO WORK FOR CORPORATIONS OR INDUSTRIES THEY ONCE REGULATED. > > 5. ELIMINATE CORPORATE PERSONHOOD. > > 6. INSIST THE FEC STAND UP FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN REGULATING PRIVATE USE OF PUBLIC AIRWAVES to help ensure that political candidates ARE GIVEN EQUAL TIME for free at reasonable intervals during campaign season. > > 7. REFORM CAMPAIGN FINANCE WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE FAIR ELECTIONS NOW ACT (S.750, H.R. 1404). > > 8. FORGIVE STUDENT DEBT — The same institutions that gave almost $2T in bailouts and then extended $16T of loans at little to no interest for banks can surely afford to forgive the $946B of student debt currently held. Not only does this favor the 99% over the 1%, it has the practical effect of more citizens spending money on actual goods, not paying down interest. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/138 "2011-10-12T17:56:30Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Oh, come on, Czarcasm. We’ve got it down cold that the 1 percent is robbing the country blind. Generally, comic book thinking does not involve charts and graphs and so forth. This much wealth disparity hasn’t been seen since the fricking Guilded Age! > > Once again, I am disappointed in you. “We” do? I don’t recall any nation-wide poll asking us what do or do not know about economics, or what we do or do not want from Wall Street(as if Wall Street were this single group-mind entity). 99% of the wealth is supposedly held by 1% of the populace(close to 4 million people), and who among them speaks for me depends on who is doing the talking, because they are individuals with different ideas on how this country and its finances should be run. Other the other side we have an unelected group that, at best, consist of 1/100th of one percent of the populace, who claims to represent 99% of the populace, who claims to speak with one voice, and who claims to agree on what exactly the problems are and how to solve them. I do believe I’m being generous with the “1/100th of 1 percent” figure, because if you took away all the protesters whose personal causes have nothing to do with the concerns of Wall Street the number would be much lower. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/139 "2011-10-12T17:57:46Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Except when you actually think about them. Take closing corporate loopholes. Now I think that’s a great idea, and would do so immediately. But that would necessitate doing something else to reduce the cost of doing business, like a substantial/drastic reduction in the corporate tax rate—or else they will move and we’ll lose even more jobs. Do you think this crowd would be in favor of cutting the corporate rate to 15 or 20%? Good luck with that. > > And thank goodness he threw in the part about them being “your sons your daughters, your siblings, your parents and your friends.” Yeesh. Ah, yes, the old “we can’t do anything corporations dislike or they will move or just raise prices or something” line. Clearly, we need to think up something that corporations will dislike that they can’t do anything about. Me, I’m making a conscious effort to spend more money with local businesses and so forth, even if it means higher prices. Thinking globally, acting locally. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/140 "2011-10-12T17:59:00Z")
Think globally, act loco. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427/141 "2011-10-12T18:19:24Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Because it’s the same thing. > Same issue - groups of citizens and corporations are the same thing. The one is a form of the other. So if the government doesn’t approve of your campaign, you don’t get any money, and you are forbidden from spending your own or receiving contributions from others. > > You really don’t see any problems with that? > > Regards, > Shodan I don’t think groups of citizens and corporations are the same thing, especially when it comes to transactional lobbying to buy the policies and regulations/oversight you want. And public-funded elections work just fine in other countries. Maybe you can tweak it for America and allow a system where a hundred dollar maximum donations can be given to candidates, but you’d be able to come up with some kind of system which isn’t able to be entirely bought by the country’s biggest corporations/individuals. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-specific-demands-for-occupy-wall-street/598427.md?page=8)