The Demands, Goals, and Visions Committee brought a demand to the General Assembly for today. The General Assembly of Occupy Atlanta reached consensus to formally adopt it:
End corporate influence in politics and government.
Those who participate in the Occupy movement have a wide variety of concerns, from the economic crisis created by the financial industry and the fallout from it in the form of record foreclosure rates, to historic levels of income disparity, to the assault on our traditional liberties, to all forms of social injustice. This is because the problems we face as Americans and citizens of the world are vast, complex, and interconnected. They do not lend themselves to simplistic solutions. However, the solutions to these problems do share a common obstacle.
A wall of money stands between us and our government. Vast sums of cash distort every aspect of our political process. Local government gives concessions to big-box stores despite public outcry. State legislators propose laws at the behest of corporations. Super-PACs conceal which donors pay unlimited amounts of money in order to influence national elections. “Corporate personhood” has become a way for the 1% to control us. Our rights as human beings are trampled under the illusionary rights granted to inhuman corporate entities. We want our democracy back.
This should’ve been done a while ago. I;m glad people have realized that we can at least say something about the heart of the matter. Way to go! The government should be of, by, and for the people! Remember that always!