Evicting the occupying 99% from America

The "Occupy America by the 99%" activities have puzzled me to some extent. It seems to be an effort to get lawmakers to tax the ultra-well-to-do corporations to proportionally pay for supporting the country, instead of just taxing the 99% non-wealthy. Yet the voting system says that things get decided by whom you put into office, and the only way to get things done differently is by voting them out of office and putting someone in there who can do the job. Meanwhile the incumbents are free to rule, including supporting the wealthy 1% who trickily got them into office so as to increase their hoarded wealth.

The Occupier's mass demonstrations might seem a bit like that which has gone on in places like Libya and Syria lately, the masses fed up with the pompous rule by the ultra wealthy who are not sharing the windfall wealth, but instead just using it to live high while scuttling any who oppose, through killing, prison, torture of the few who are so rash as to flip the rulers off. It seems to me to be same basics ongoing between the two.

What is clear is that the intent of Democracy, which we so proclaim is the answer to the world's woes, has simply become no better than the ruling of Syria and Libya. The voting in and out of lawmakers in a democracy, has mysteriously lost the intent of choosing those who can enable America to thrive and prosper among all. we are solidly setting the example this millennium so far, of having lost the path to support of every citizen and enabling all of them to be as productive as they individually can be, enabling the good life for all of them. Instead, it has become the "1% controlling the 99%, without regard to the well-being of the 99%" We as the shining example of Democracy, have fallen on our face, and apparently can't get back up.

I agree that "mere handouts" are not the answer. But, there is a need to give a person a fish so as to keep alive while the person is being taught to fish to feed for a lifetime. And the Social Security retirement system is necessary so the worker can focus on industriously thriving during the working years, while assured of at least a basic survival income in retirement years.

Playing the investment game is not for everybody, no more than is, say, monopoly, chess, kickboxing or football playing is for everyone. Especially for people many of whom struggle to get a basic income tax form done and sent in on time, once a year. Also, investment ideals just soon degrades into putting money into what is likely to get most interest income back, instead of supporting the development of that which will make all of their lives better. And just what are those indications of what will make life better as a nation of people, is not always clear even to those in the know, let alone the grunt who is slogging away at some employer's assigned job, like the proverbial being treated like a mushroom, kept in the dark.

Now, as a socially-dimwitted Aspey, am still aware that the situation is vastly more complex than just the above. People, their needs and motives and fleeting moments are lots more complicated than that. Yet, there are some fairly consistent patterns that seem to exist.

One is that America, declared to be led by self rule for the people and by the people, per that definition, does not exist anymore. Everybody would have a reasonably good job all the time, for one thing, if it was for the people and by the people. They don't, per "Occupy America," among other huge examples ongoing.

Another is that if the wealthy corporations provide jobs if not taxed, they have not been doing so. Look how many unemployed or underemployed exist. And wealth by its very definition means there is plenty extra available to share with that which provided the wealth.

Some of those localized ultra-wealth sources are from oil wells, oil that freely comes from the earth, after a bit of technology applied to drill and then to process and distribute. If the Earth were appropriately compensated for her part of providing that oil, what would the situation be, I wonder. Instead, Mother Earth is just totally ripped off without even a kiss and thanks, by those who grow fabulously wealthy from that ripped-off oil. Sure, the games of who owns what property adn thus gets a share of the takings, is ongoing and supposedly gives all their fare share. But part of the reason that the extra profit is getting hoarded by the "owners" is that the real owner, Mother Earth, is not getting paid.

Who would serve as the administrator for Mother Earth, I ponder in this fantasy that seems correct but would be totally ridiculed by those who like business as usual. Not just oil, but coal, metals, minerals, even drinking water and water of rivers in which to fish for sport, all come from Mother earth. And God the Father, to be complete. But does religion take on the responsibility for this? Not that I have seen, not at all. Not their job.

This fantasy of a proper factor is not about to happen, any more than the schoolyard bully is going to suddenly turn into a benign and caring helper for all the others on the schoolyard.

Who is going to take responsibility for America? Clearly such responsibility involves every American and guest of America. All need to thrive and share in the joy of life, not just those who have figured out how to grab most of the goodies and keep them from all the others, as played by the rules.

Much like the oil is freely ripped off from its source, so also the other wealthy have utilized the infrastructure and employee base of educated and skilled American workers, to gain their horde of wealth. Taxes traditionally are what enables this payback and sustenance of that which enabled the prosperity. If the highly successful profitable corporations could perform the responsibility of supporting that which provides their opportunity for wealth, surely they would have done so, be doing so. But it is not happening. Instead, the patters is similar to little kids, grabbing as many toys as they can possible hold at once, and declare that those are their toys an no one else can play with them, glaring around aggressively, not noticing that he/she is not having fun with them either.

Now, wealth accumulation is supposed to be a result of providing that which is needed and wanted by the customer base. Without the corporation having done the work, taking the risks involved, and producing welcomed goods and services, those goods and services might never have happened. They provide a valuable service for America.

The problem comes in when they forget that it was done for the people of America; instead of for gaining delirious windfall profits to hoard for status. Are such folks being responsible for America; do they deserve to effectively rule America; are they even capable of responsibly ruling America?

Part of the cause of this all is the principles of pricing set by what the market will bear. Thus we gladly pay a small fortune for a new iPod considering it worth it, but the profit is thus such a hue part of the price paid, that the makers of the iPod (and I thank them for that great product, don't get me wrong) reap and hoard great profit, wealth, instead of setting the price to achieve just a nice profit to live well and be able to afford R&D for next products. Yet I wonder, wouldn't it have been better for that extra $75 (or whatever amount it was) of the price I paid extra for the iPod over and above the cost of making it and providing the inventor and manufacturers and retailers a nice living, had instead gone back into supporting the overall system that enabled that product to exist, including way down the line increasing the skill sets of upcoming Steve-Jobs types?

Another part of it all is failure to fully take on the principle of "price-added equaling value-added." Instead, lots of other factors rule, such as scarcity, business territory, and especially the aforementioned "what the market will bear" parameter.

Am an expert at painting myself into corners, so I can easily recognize that phenomenon happening widely in America nowadays. Some it seems likely done deliberately by ruthless manipulators setting up for their future takeover of more "toys." But much of it seems a result of lack of farsightedness for our ruling ourselves wisely, the blind leading the blind into the ditch, thing. Maybe not blind, only tunnel-visioned instead; same result.

America needs to be governed to provide America's well being. Obama & Co seems to be making a fairly good effort at doing that, considering a limited knowledge set evident. Hemming him in and nipping at his heals while he does this, are those who crave ultra wealth and power, and devote their lives to such games, and are being quite successful at doing so.

And, it may be, that part of all the drama is that the public likes drama; to watch a knock down drag out fight ongoing. Winners are the righteous leaders, right? ... but are they there because they are experts in enabling all America to thrive; or are they there instead because they are best at knock-down-drag-out-drama? The Roman Empire provided occasional "bread and circus" to keep the masses happy, under their rule.

If it is truly the 99% who are trying to re-take America, so as for it to be a 100% America, and if "occupying" an area that is not fully their own, I wonder, do the "1%" consider evicting the occupying 99% from America?