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[KaelGotDwarves]

Spoiler: I find it interesting what Philly is doing. (click to show/hide)

[Pnx]

Unfortunately, I'm afraid the kind of change desired would require an organized front akin to a political party, because they you could elect members with direct lawmaking/administrative authority. The problem being that the views currently being expressed are so wide in range that one doesn't quite know what to make of them sometimes. Though "inequality in the distribution of wealth" is a historical one people seem to agree on here, I dunno. Moreover, there's a danger of being Ross Perot as a spoiler party that takes democratic votes away and thereby hands the election to the party you least agree with. In this case, that would be Rick Perry....

I was wondering when someone was going to bring this up. I did sort of drop a hint at this a while back.

If you want to get some kind of change done you have to associate the occupy movement with a third political party. I've been pretty damn tempted to start one myself, although there's more than a few things standing in the way of that.

What I'd do is emphasize neutrality on most fronts to avoid splitting the vote too much, and in this theme I'd pick purple as the colour, and dove as the animal. Then set the main party hard line as being political and financial reform. Then start trying to get occupy protesters to take up the banner. Start handing out leaflets, encourage people to do so at all the other occupy locations, make them something with that purple dove at the top.
Start handing out pins, or heck, winter is coming, start dying winter hats purple, hand them out.
Once the media catches on to the fact that a lot of people at these protests are walking around with purple pins or hats on then the movement can snowball from there.

As for splitting the democratic vote, I think a lot of conservatives are feeling rather disillusioned, there's also a massive number of people who don't vote at all. If you can fight people's apathy and encourage them to vote you can do it. You can do it all.

EDIT:

... or heck, winter is coming, start dying winter hats purple, hand them out.

I can't believe I just said that.

[palsch]

What I'd do is emphasize neutrality on most fronts to avoid splitting the vote too much, and in this theme I'd pick purple as the colour...

Interestingly the UK reform movement that died a (partial) death during the AV referendum used purple for the Take Back Parliament campaign. I'm pretty sure a fair number of the same people are involved in both movements.

And note that they very much weren't and aren't a political party. I've known members from at least three UK parties (Green, Labour, Lib Dem) who held elected office at the time they supported the campaign and the protests it created. And that was just in York.

I'd argue that trying to get a third party elected or even just individuals to represent the movement is rather futile, especially in the US. I'm pretty sure you would need an entire stage of electoral and structural reform before a third party could have serious policy implemented. You are far better off trying to shift the positions of the elected officials from the major parties.

Take each politician as an individual. Confront them with your policy priorities and ask for their take on them. Those who are supportive get endorsed, those who aren't get condemned. Make peoples position over equality and other significant issues here as important and as much a part of public awareness as their positions on abortion.

It's only part of what should come out of this, but it would be nice to see.

[SalmonGod]

I think the system (economic and political) is totally fucked and we need to develop an alternative that people can turn to that exists in parallel with the existing establishment, without being in direct conflict.

I actually have an idea on this point that I've been mulling over the last three days or so -- and not my usual abstract daydreaming that nobody sees any use in.  An actual thing.  I've been imagining a web-based social media organization tool, designed to facilitate an informal, mutualistic economy.  I wonder if enough people at this point would be receptive to such a thing to make it a practical tool for relieving some of the burden of failure of the current economic and political structures.  Other such tools are already popping up all over the web, but not to the scale that I'm imagining.  I'll post more on it in the near future.

[kaijyuu]

Yeah I don't see a new political party working the US unless one of the current parties goes under. At best (worst?) you'll get a repeat of the bull moose party, and it somewhat unlikely you'll even do that.

[Pnx]

Eh, I was going to try to formulate a retort, but I just don't have the spirit for it at the heart of it all.
I'm not sure how on earth I'm supposed to fight voter apathy if I'm too apathetic to do it.

[Zangi]

Unfortunately, I'm afraid the kind of change desired would require an organized front akin to a political party, because they you could elect members with direct lawmaking/administrative authority. The problem being that the views currently being expressed are so wide in range that one doesn't quite know what to make of them sometimes. Though "inequality in the distribution of wealth" is a historical one people seem to agree on here, I dunno. Moreover, there's a danger of being Ross Perot as a spoiler party that takes democratic votes away and thereby hands the election to the party you least agree with. In this case, that would be Rick Perry....

Also, it might interest you that in certain legal circles, a lot of discussion has been made about the Officer who shot the protester in the head with a "non lethal" round. This is especially true if he dies from complications to that shot. Criminal charges against the officer would probably be limited to excessive force and he would probably (legitimately?) beat any manslaughter charges for one simple reason. He was told it was a non lethal round and probably honestly believed that. Now, an argument could be made that he knew not to shoot to the head and if it can be proved that was intentional, then it might stick. Simply, he probably lacked the intent to kill. This speaks only to criminal rather than disciplinary charges such as him getting fired.

Well... here is the kicker, current laws and regulations relating to elections make it so that it is really really hard for a 3rd party to come up.  Some may say its nigh impossible, considering the current politicians and lobbyists have every reason to keep the status...  knowing that money talks loud with the current seats and well... less competition.

[mainiac]

Take each politician as an individual. Confront them with your policy priorities and ask for their take on them. Those who are supportive get endorsed, those who aren't get condemned. Make peoples position over equality and other significant issues here as important and as much a part of public awareness as their positions on abortion.

Or the right to bear arms.  The NRA is the poster child for a successful public lobbying effort by public citizens on the nation level.  I hate the policies they advocate but admire the effectiveness with which they have pursued them.  They have not only organized supporters into an effective coalition but they have very effectively made use of the fault lines and quirks of our voting system.

[ECrownofFire]

Relevant to lobbying:

Why not just have politicians wear patches on their suits with their "sponsors" on it, like NASCAR drivers? With patch size relative to the "donations"?

[Bdthemag]

Relevant to lobbying:

Why not just have politicians wear patches on their suits with their "sponsors" on it, like NASCAR drivers? With patch size relative to the "donations"?

Im sure a majority of major politicians would just have an entire suit with a companies name printed all over it then.

[Protactinium]

Take each politician as an individual. Confront them with your policy priorities and ask for their take on them. Those who are supportive get endorsed, those who aren't get condemned. Make peoples position over equality and other significant issues here as important and as much a part of public awareness as their positions on abortion.

Or the right to bear arms.  The NRA is the poster child for a successful public lobbying effort by public citizens on the nation level.  I hate the policies they advocate but admire the effectiveness with which they have pursued them.  They have not only organized supporters into an effective coalition but they have very effectively made use of the fault lines and quirks of our voting system.

Another unfortunate detail about the NRA is how political the leadership of the group still acts. In current times, the NRA is still pro-Republicans even though President Obama has shown the gun-rights advocates no harm. The public citizens are still followers of a corrupt lobbying leader, so I'm a little hesitant to celebrate the NRA as an example of citizen-level lobbying.

Though I will agree with you on the greater timespan, yes. The NRA is an effective coalition that lobby for citizen rights.

[Dsarker]

Relevant to lobbying:

Why not just have politicians wear patches on their suits with their "sponsors" on it, like NASCAR drivers? With patch size relative to the "donations"?

Im sure a majority of major politicians would just have an entire suit with a companies name printed all over it then.

And that's a bad thing?

[Gantolandon]

I think the system (economic and political) is totally fucked and we need to develop an alternative that people can turn to that exists in parallel with the existing establishment, without being in direct conflict.

I second this and I'm surprised so few people seem to bring that up.

It's quite stupid to have a system where you're supposed to elect your representatives, but have no control over them. They are not even legally bound to do the very stuff they promised during the election campaign. How is this even supposed to work?

[Reiina]

I think the system (economic and political) is totally fucked and we need to develop an alternative that people can turn to that exists in parallel with the existing establishment, without being in direct conflict.

I second this and I'm surprised so few people seem to bring that up.

It's quite stupid to have a system where you're supposed to elect your representatives, but have no control over them. They are not even legally bound to do the very stuff they promised during the election campaign. How is this even supposed to work?

You're not supposed to elect them a 2nd time if they do that .

[ChairmanPoo]

Yeah, you're supposed to elect the other major party. Who did exactly the same the last time they got elected.