Occupy Chicago protesters got plenty ideas on how Corporate America and government should be run: Many share their opinions through words and thought provoking signs

By Juanita Bratcher

Occupy Chicago protesters were staked out in the heart of the Chicago Loop, right dab in the middle of Chicago’s financial district at LaSalle Street and Jackson Boulevard, a strip with such occupants as the Federal Reserve Bank, the Chicago Board of Trade, Bank of America, Continental Illinois Bank Building, and Burling Bank, among others.

I visited the site on Wednesday, October 12, at LaSalle & Jackson, where the sounds of music were blasting through the airwaves with a commanding presence of drum beats permeating through the environment. There was a diverse crowd of protesters, mostly young yet, they were seemingly determined and energetic about their cause, unlike the Tea Partiers that were mostly mature adults and oldsters, and predominantly white. They occupied both sides of the street and in large pockets a way down the street on both ends. There were no mob or disorderly people (as had been described by some Right Wingers) embedded in the financial district during my visit there. And despite some reports that the protesters are disorganized and lack an agenda, they have a 12-part agenda in place and a cadre of signs that pointed out their grievances.

When I asked Vormarr Wyrd the reason why he was staked out at the site, he said it was a cause that he had believed in for a very long time. “I’m very happy that finally it has actually gained representation in the cause instead of, you know, just being something that I believed in, probably what some other people believed in, but it wasn’t like (with) organization in terms of exactly around these particular issues today.”

Wyrd was not an organizer of the event, he pointed out, explaining that this was his first time participating in Occupy Chicago. “I found out from the news. This is actually the first day that I’ve come out here to it. I’ve been out here since four in the morning, and it’s almost Noon now.”

How will he spend his time while there? “I will look at our signs, play on the drums, and talk to people.” He seemed proud to note that the sign he was holding up was made by him – “Vikings against corporate plundering.”

Explain your sign, I asked: “Well, I consider myself a Viking, at least spiritually speaking…and I’m against corporate plundering. I’m against corporations plundering people and plundering in general; but I’m not against corporations perse. I just think they need the whole structure. Corporations need to be changed completely. For instance, the fact that currently corporations are considered like a person but at the same time, how do you hold them accountable, really? You can’t. The only thing they really do generally is fine corporations…a lot of times they don’t care if they’re going to get fined for things.

“If a person does something illegal they’re held accountable for it,” Wyrd continued. “But how do you hold a corporation accountable when they have like so much money? So this whole corporate person – like you know, in abstract – has become something that has become very abused.

“Also, you have situations that started in recent years where they consider corporations can donate money to a certain political candidate as being free speech because of their person…that’s basically not good because all of the politicians are bought by the corporations. Corporations have a lot more money than most individuals other than the likes of wealthy individuals. And it shouldn’t be that wealthy individuals or corporations have more impact – their money upon government officials than regular people. And no matter what Party they are, those government officials are going to do the will of the corporations and the wealthy instead of take care of the issues that are important to the regular people.”

How would you move this economy away from the status it is in right now, and how would you do it? I asked.

“Well, there’s a 12-point (proposed agenda by Occupy Chicago) you saw there. That would be a good start right there. Also, very importantly, I would say abolish the two-party system; that’s really a very, very big problem…they’re not all that different as Democrats and Republicans. They’re really both a problem nowadays. They’ve kind of lost their way as far as actually being of any value in terms of like helping the country. Maybe in a sense they should do away with the whole party system in general and just have politicians run as individuals so it’s not this whole thing where the ‘A’ Team versus the ‘B’ Team; you know, the two teams fighting against each other. Each politician should run on their own particular individual platform instead of it being about Parties.”

How would you describe Washington at this point, specifically the U.S. Congress?

“Dysfunctional. Totally dysfunctional. Basically, it’s under the control of corporate interest and not really concerned with the other 99% of the people – the regular people that are not like the ultra wealthy.”

William Wright, another protester, was at Occupy Chicago with a guitar in tow. He had been playing the guitar but was told he wasn’t allowed to play. “I was playing but they won’t allow me to play,” he said, explaining that “you have to go three blocks that way if you want to play.”

But there’s music blasting away and the drums are playing, I said. Why not music from your guitar?

“They have a drum circle but we’re not allowed to play. They think that I’m trying to make money, but it’s not about that. People were coming up and tipping me. A guy came up and just threw like $67 on me and said, ‘there you go man, thank you.’ But it’s not about that, I’m about you. I’m not about me.”

And you’re protesting for what reason? I asked.

“Where’s our money going? Where’s all the money gone? It’s just like evaporating. It’s ridiculous; there’s got to be some accountability for our taxation because I pay my taxes, so where’s all the money going? Our country’s broke? We look like idiots.”

If you were in charge and asked to give solutions to put this economy back on the right footing, what would you suggest?

“I would lower the taxes on the corporations so we could open more businesses. People are just getting tired of working six days a week and only get Sunday off. It just doesn’t make any sense, you know. This is the greatest country in the world. Why don’t we just work four days, have three days off, enjoy each other, spend time with each other and love each other. It’s getting to the point where it’s just ridiculous.”

On Saturday, October 15, about 200 Occupy Chicago protesters camping out at Grant Park were arrested because they would not leave the park at its 11 p.m. closing time. They had been told by Chicago police that they had to leave at closing time. They did not leave and arrests began at 1 a.m.

What do Occupy Chicago protesters want?

Occupy Chicago has a 12-point proposed agenda:

1. Pass HR1849 reinstating Glass-Steagall – a depression era safeguard that separated the commercial lending and investment banking portions of banks. Its repeal in 1999 is considered the major cause of the global financial meltdown of 2008.
2. Repeal Bush tax cuts for the wealthy
3. Fully investigate and prosecute the Wall Street criminals who clearly broke the law and helped cause the 2008 financial crisis.
4. Overturn Citizens United v. U.S. – a 2010 Supreme Court decision which ruled that money is speech. Corporations, as legal persons, are now allowed to contribute unlimited amounts of money to campaigns in the exercise of free “speech.”
5. Pass the Buffett rule on fair taxation, close corporate tax loopholes, prohibit hiding funds offshore.
6. Give the SEC stricter regulatory power, strengthen the Consumer Protection Bureau, and provide assistance for owners of foreclosed mortgages who were victims of predatory lending.
7. Take steps to limit the influence of lobbyists and eliminate the practice of lobbyists writing legislation.
8. Eliminate right of former government regulators to work for corporations or industries they once regulated.
9. Eliminate corporate personhood.

10.  Insist the FEC stand up for the public interest in regulating private use of public airwaves to help ensure that political candidates are given equal time for free at reasonable intervals during campaign season.

11.  Reform campaign finance with the passage of the Fair Elections Now Act (s.750, H.R. 1404).

12.  Forgive student debt – The same institutions that gave almost $2T in bailouts and then extended $16T of loans at little to no interest for banks can surely afford to forgive the $946B of student debt currently held. Not only does this favor the 99% over the 1%, it has the practical effect of more citizens spending money on actual goods, not paying down interest.

What their signs are saying:

“To Million-Billionaires 1%: It’s time to pay your fair share”

“Top 1% owns 50% of all stocks, bonds and mutual funds. They pay 15% tax on that income. What is your tax rate?”

“99% withdraw your money from the multi-national banks. Support our local community banks.”

“Cheer up Congress. I’m sure your approval rating would be higher than 11% if they polled corporations.”

“83% of the top 100 U.S. corporations paid $0-zero federal income taxes. Wall Street needs adult supervision.”

“People before profits.”

“People are not disposable. Our future is on Main Street not Wall Street.”

“Before they fire one more teacher, make the corporations pay their fair share.” www.usuncut.org

“Vikings against cooperate plundering”

“Just cause you’re in a suit doesn’t make your part of the 1%.”

“What are we teaching our kids? It’s wrong to lie, steal, or cheat unless you work for corporations!! Reform Wall Street.”

“Give back our homes.”

“The 99% are too big to ignore anymore.”

“It’s not a recession$$$ it’s a distribution problem.”

“I am a small business owner. Where is my bailout?”

“Tax the top. We all should pay for the USA. Today’s tax burden is the lowest since 1950.”

“Give back our jobs. Stand up Chicago.”

“Stop foreclosures now.”

“Seeking a complex fundamental philosophical change in the social, political and economic infrastructure of the 99% our country.”

“Our government’s agenda should be to benefit its people.”

“Now or never.”

“Your freedom has been repoed”

“Balance the budget, tax Wall Street.”

“Solidarity.”

“Liquidate the Fed.”

“Stop corruption.”