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[sluissa]

I liked Howard Stern more when he was just this creepy guy who got oral sex under his desk while interviewing porn stars.

And that's not saying much, I didn't like him then, either.

I really don't doubt you could find people like that on the street at protests. There's a reason only some people get up and make speeches. There's a reason that these types of things have chants. Not everyone is well spoken. Not everyone knows what to say in an interview, not everyone can deal with being questioned after being awake for 2 days straight.

That still doesn't change that there are problems that need to be fixed.

[SalmonGod]

Results from a couple demographic studies of the protest

A plan has surfaced for a national general assembly.  Not sure what to think about this.

[ECrownofFire]

Another survey, with stupid results.

What the fuck.

[Levi]

A plan has surfaced for a national general assembly.  Not sure what to think about this.

That would be hilariously awesome if it works, but it really won't.  The government has too much power and influence to let themselves be taken out by a third party.  Worst case they could always just cheat.

[ChairmanPoo]

Isn't there a constitutional safeguard in the US which ensures that such assemblies can carry on constitutional reforms? I seem to recall there is

[SalmonGod]

A plan has surfaced for a national general assembly.  Not sure what to think about this.

That would be hilariously awesome if it works, but it really won't.  The government has too much power and influence to let themselves be taken out by a third party.  Worst case they could always just cheat.

There needs to be a threat of some kind.  I can't believe that this will be taken seriously any other way.

The movement isn't large enough to vote them out of office, and I doubt it will be.  It is large enough to threaten instability.

[mainiac]

Isn't there a constitutional safeguard in the US which ensures that such assemblies can carry on constitutional reforms? I seem to recall there is

There is right to assembly but no right to constitutional convention.

[ChairmanPoo]

I seem to recall that one of the provisions to ammend the US constitution was through a general convention of some sort. I don't know exactly how they were supposed to go about it.


(Incidentally, I have three funny stories related to how I came to learn this bit of pointless trivia)

[ECrownofFire]

I seem to recall that one of the provisions to ammend the US constitution was through a general convention of some sort. I don't know exactly how they were supposed to go about it.


(Incidentally, I have three funny stories related to how I came to learn this bit of pointless trivia)

A general convention of the states, not the people.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Isn't there a constitutional safeguard in the US which ensures that such assemblies can carry on constitutional reforms? I seem to recall there is

There is right to assembly but no right to constitutional convention.

I seem to recall that one of the provisions to ammend the US constitution was through a general convention of some sort. I don't know exactly how they were supposed to go about it.


(Incidentally, I have three funny stories related to how I came to learn this bit of pointless trivia)

Not exactly. The states are allowed a method of modifying the Constitution that does not involve the Federal government at any point. 2/3rds have to propose Article V amending, and then 3/4ths have to ratify the amendment in question once it's up for addition to the Constitution. This has never happened before.

Now, the convention can't enact this themselves, but they can pressure state governments to do it. Or, if they get their candidates in office, they can just do it themselves. What constitutes (har, har) a Constitutional Convention isn't exactly defined, so you could call the Occupy National Convention a constitutional convention if you really wanted to.

[ECrownofFire]

Also, it should be noted that the state convention method of amending the constitution has never actually been done.

[ChairmanPoo]

according to wikipedia, it was:

Ratification of proposed amendment has been done by state conventions once: the 1933 ratification process of the 21st Amendment.[1] The 21st is also the only constitutional amendment that repealed another one, namely, the 18th Amendment, which had been ratified 14 years earlier.

[ECrownofFire]

Hmm, so there has been ratification of an amendment before, my mistake.

There still hasn't been any convention to propose amendments though.

Also, the point still stands that the states generally leave it to the legislature anyway.

[sneakey pete]

Another survey, with stupid results.

What the fuck.

Stats are stats...

[Siquo]

And stats lie... But then there was Science!

Although/despite/because this link doesn't really support my earlier cause , it's all the more revealing.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228354.500-revealed--the-capitalist-network-that-runs-the-world.html