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September 29th, 2011
04:55 PM ET
Dr. Cornel West Elaborates About "Occupy Wall Street" Protests
In New York, an investigation is being launched into a high ranking police officer's use of pepper spray during protests on Wall Street last Saturday. The protests began almost two weeks ago, under the name "Occupy Wall Street." But over the course of all the demonstrations, no clear goal or message has yet to surface from the protests. Dr. Cornel West, famous professor at Princeton University and a supporter of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement," explains to Brooke what the protests are all about.
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Why is this hugely important story being under-reported? The wall street raiders are who collapsed our economy and will do it again, unless we change the way they do business.
We are Many and we are going. In Phoenix we are organizing and we will be moving forth on October 15. Be Prepare this is just the begining
Great that you did this story, Thanks. However the newscaster's question indicate a bias, rather than seeking to understand. The people know what this is about...the millions who lost their homes and jobs. Who is the interviewer talking about when she says that someone wants to hear one message from one leader. That is the old paradigm. Get out on the street and talk to folks, you might understand. The people are waking up! Love the police, they protect us. keep the focus on the isues, not misdirected pepper spray.
The Republican Parties idea to fix everything is to suck the skin right off rich peoples backsides and make sure they have all the money, and then ask them real nicely if they wouldn't mind sharing a little with the other 99% of us!...the Rich are the reason for all the problems in this country, they dont need tax breaks they need Prison time! The rich have had the lowest tax rate in over 4 decades, and yet instead of hiring they hoard their profits, the RICH are the direct cause of our unemployment rate, not Obama, not Congress, THE RICH, they could lower that rate to 1% in a few months if they wanted to! TREASON!!!! How are these people even called "American" let alone coddled!!!!? How is it possible we have all become so deluded and aweful as a Nation to allow this, we are about one click away from putting a crown on their Head and changing our name back to "England"!
This movement is getting very big, very fast, but the silence from the mainstream American (corporate owned) news sources is deafening. Perhaps if Michael Jackson's doctor showed up at one of these protests, THEN the MSM would cover it.
The protests are ridiculous and have no meaning. The idea that "the rich" could somehow pay the bills for the rest of us is childish. The LA Times quoted a protester who said the top 1% pay "few taxes", when in fact the top 3% pay 48% of tax income to the country. A person who expects to be taken seriously can't also be clueless. I agree there were bad people at work in the mortgage meltdown, but people who borrowed more than they could afford were at fault too. The bad bankers got the publicity, but they don't represent the whole industry; Madoff was a private investor and those losses involved "the rich", no public money. The very people these protesters are hassling, everyday workers like you and me, are the ones who stand the best chance of saving us through job creation. And these morons think the solution is to attack them. The protesters are what's wrong with the country, not the Wall Streeters.
It seems like a group of people all jumped in a boat, and everyone wants to go to several places (the issues), and get there by different routes (reforms). No one is steering the boat, and people are not paddling in unison, so it is adrift, or spinning in circles. And the underlying philosophy amongst some passengers goes against having any captain. I saw Rep. Charlie Rangel out there trying to take a leadership role (good because of his being part of the House Ways and Means Committee, but equally bad because he epitomizes political corruption after resigning/taking a leave of absense from that same Committee because of ethics violations). So they need to form a set of guiding principles for each issue by consensus, then determine a strategy to get there (make a map and plan a route). If banking is the biggest beef everyone has, then now would be an incredible opportunity to form a new bank (perhaps a national credit union), based on those principles (like salary caps for executives, increased lending to small business, limits on speculative trading, etc). But that would require sailing quickly past the pirates (Bank of America, Citigroup, etc., & lobbyists/politicians that would shoot down the charter required for incorporating/regulating such bank). If they can find some experienced and socially conscious bankers willing to sit on the Board, and hire some freshly minted MBA students & Lawyers, it could be done. I see a tremendous opportunity to create lemonade from lemons, by transferring the deposits from the "Too big to fail" banks to credit unions controlled BY THE PEOPLE and acting in their interest. I've been looking into this a LOT, and would love to speak with Professor Cornel West at Princeton for input/ideas. Also checking airline tickets to NYC.
What jobs are you creating Stella? I'm sure there are plenty of people out there looking for one.
We need to outsource our leaders in D.C. with former British Parliamentary leaders. They would do a better job, be more ethical, and work for less. THEN, we would see a change in our economy.
Just food for thought.
We are witnessing the destruction of the middle class at the hands og the hands of big business and the political duelopoly. This is not a left-right issue. This is a class struggle. The middle class has lost economic and political power and are tired of having their fate decided my the fat cats in Washington and the big banks and brokerages. We want our future back. Both parties have the option to stop this, and didn't. They encouraged the exportation of good jobs, loss of benefits, importation of cheap goods, made available cheap money, impliemented policy that is encouraging inflation, established barriers to FREE MARKET on education and health care. They have stolen the American dream. We did not sign up for this, and we want out. These are historic times, and this is the beginning of the times where we TAKE BACK OUR POWER. I propose a consumer strike. If you don't need it, don't buy it. It's time to sacrifice for our future.
We all know the problems but what is the fix??? Thank you Brian for putting some much needed winds (Ideas) in the sail to get the convo headed in the right direction.
I was giving up on this country. But seeing this, gave me hope. What is needed is seed data to support goals. With that, build a road to arrive at destination. I am not out there yet, but once I see a road map and a destination. I will ride the wave. It is about time people gets the power back before this country goes in history of crumpling civilization like many before it. This is the only country where its people can make a change for the better and the law support people power.
to stella Warren Buffett has said he pays less in taxes than is own workers that don't even make a 1/4 of what he makes so is that not wrong and what is killing this ones great country is the lobbyist and the politicians that take the money it is bribery look at the definition of the word it is treason and the people must not just stand by and let this happen if you can buy a vote that what is it saying to the poor you don't have a vote so shut up no not the America that I was told about in school in America all men are equal because the poor had a vote not just the rich that has lobbyist
keep up the good work one percent. keeping buying off the border. keep letting ppoeple in here keep sending jobs out. keep getting bonuses , and keep on doing what ya doing...
and your gonna see this will have no end. its very easy go to bat for us. and this goes away. keep stabbing us in the back.
and we will make life impossbile for one percent !!!
the days of quick pro quo status quo and expeditevness will be a memory just like caeers have been for us.
stop stabbing us in the back. and this goes away.
The Tea Parties started as a good Libertarian movement which targeted a lot of this nonsense. The Republicans jumped on the bandwagon and steered the message away toward their agenda. This movement was good in the beginning but the Dems jumped in and are now turning it into a Communist agenda. It's quite sad that the two party system can destroy grassroots movements like this. I'm out because I don't want power to go from business to Washington. I just want the businesses to lose some power. Washington is just as vile and corrupt as Wall St. so be clear in your message people.
alright, just read some anti-Obama stuff on fox, man those people are so full of hate, venom and freaks, as for me i tire of living broke every month, and having to support the super rich who make a million every week. We need change, lots of it and these young folks are giving me a voice keep it up and the good work, wish i could join in. support the planet, support out children...
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