Occupy Wall Street protest

[Yvonne183]

China's economy and business climate is even more regulated than our own. I mean, you can't even use Facebook there. What you're considering won't be a beneficial option as long as:

1) The U.S. remains the world's largest economy
2) The Chinese want to tell companies how to do business
3) The U.S. Dollar is the reserve currency
4) The U.S. Supreme Court holds that a corporation is a legal entity in the same sense as an individual human being

Also, China already has a stock exchange. What you're proposing isn't moving 'Wall Street,' but moving the corporate headquarters of the companies that do business there.

~BB~

That is my point,, corporations are already doing business in china whether it be Walmart or Apple, they already work under Chinese regulations, so they can completely leave the US for China cause for the most part, they are already there. And what the protesters want is more regulations on the corporations, so in a way maybe we'd have not much a different work environment than China. I know china has an exchange just like just about very country has, but it's not Wall street. I mean the whole concept, the whole la-schmeal just get up and leave for China, leaving an empty building in NYC.

[Dino Velvet]

I'm not much good at protesting but would it have been possible to organize people through social media to line up at BofA to withdraw their funds? Get a long enough line and the media will follow. Maybe handling just a tiny problem but it would be peaceful and without any help from gov't.

[BellaBellucci]

If that is so, then why are the protesters down there? Maybe they should go somewhere else? is there somewhere else? I am not being mean or stupid, I really want to know how blocking streets on the Brooklyn bridge where Wall street no longer exists is going to hurt wall street corporations?

in a way this is sort of what i meant in my first posts about cry babies, if one wants to do any good then they should go to the source of the problem and from what i see,, wall street is not the place to have protests, all it seems to do is tie up traffic and cost lots of money for police.

Like he said, they're trying to use the symbolic nature of Wall Street to their political advantage. It's not about hurting the companies directly, it's about raising their profile in the news cycles from which the mainstream media is intentionally cock-blocking them. Yesterday, for example, the story on CNN.com regarding this was at the bottom of the list of the U.S. page, when it really should be the top story of the entire site.

~BB~

[MdR Dave]

1) The U.S. remains the world's largest economy
2) The Chinese want to tell companies how to do business
3) The U.S. Dollar is the reserve currency
4) The U.S. Supreme Court holds that a corporation is a legal entity in the same sense as an individual human being.
~BB~

Number one is changing. Number two will likely never change. Number three could easily change unless we get our $hit squared away before the latest Basel agreement goes into effect in 2013.

And number 4? We could get rid of that if the people forced corporations to pay personal income tax rates and face personal liability (instead of hiding behind a corporate shield) for debt and wrongdoings. It's not just about campaign contributions- if corporations really want to (people let them!

[Yvonne183]

I'm not much good at protesting but would it have been possible to organize people through social media to line up at BofA to withdraw their funds? Get a long enough line and the media will follow. Maybe handling just a tiny problem but it would be peaceful and without any help from gov't.

That is more or less what i said way back in this thread,,, stop using the products of businesses that we feel are harmful or bad, like you said, with draw our money from BofA. That would be a much better way to get action than singing songs on a bridge. Boycott the products, one product at a time, but,, sigh,, how many people will stop buying an Iphone, how many people will stop buying gasoline,, probably not many.

[Merkurie]

I'm not much good at protesting but would it have been possible to organize people through social media to line up at BofA to withdraw their funds? Get a long enough line and the media will follow. Maybe handling just a tiny problem but it would be peaceful and without any help from gov't.

Organizing a run on BoA would have gotten massive attention and would have had more impact.

[MdR Dave]

Times like these make me miss George Carlin.

[BellaBellucci]

That is my point,, corporations are already doing business in china whether it be Walmart or Apple, they already work under Chinese regulations, so they can completely leave the US for China cause for the most part, they are already there.

Well it's a combination of everything I listed. But let me add something else: if American companies picked up and moved to China and shipped their goods back here, en masse, without a corporate presence in this country, the U.S. government might be forced to close the trade gap even faster, and in the end, a lot of companies that off-shore jobs and materials and then import their goods back here will see their competitive advantage lost through tariffs. At least in principle, that's how it should work anyway, not accounting for the spinelessness of Congress.

And what the protesters want is more regulations on the corporations, so in a way maybe we'd have not much a different work environment than China. I know china has an exchange just like just about very country has, but it's not Wall street. I mean the whole concept, the whole la-schmeal just get up and leave for China, leaving an empty building in NYC.

Again, if they move away, the pressure to compete in our economy might intensify, not lessen. There are a multitude of checks and balances that could be utilized to ensure that the average American is getting the best deal possible, but the issue has been and continues to be a lack of political will IMO, as this would force prices to rise, and we as the world's most consummate consumers and materialists just may not stand for that.

That is more or less what i said way back in this thread,,, stop using the products of businesses that we feel are harmful or bad, like you said, with draw our money from BofA. That would be a much better way to get action than singing songs on a bridge. Boycott the products, one product at a time, but,, sigh,, how many people will stop buying an Iphone, how many people will stop buying gasoline,, probably not many.

Exactly. We need the products. It's no excuse for those who make them to gouge us. The problem, as I stated, is that we as Americans are broke (cheap?) and don't want to pay more for products made here, so as a result, eventually we could ending paying more for products made over there. Lovely.

~BB~

[Dino Velvet]

Organizing a run on BoA would have gotten massive attention and would have had more impact.

Makes sense to me. I realize some people might suffer penalties but that's the price you pay sometimes. BofA won't care about their customers unless they're forced to. The Hope & Change train isn't coming by to save anybody but they will accept campaign donations from BofA. You're on your own as Americans. Respect is everlasting but fear and intimidation leads to the penitentiary. Be peaceful and civil always playing the long game.

[otherguy]

US corporations had to give up all of their plant plans, designs, etc. to sell in China. Short term bottom line positive, your stock price goes up. CEO keeps their job for another 3 years before splitting with 50m in stock. Stockholders w00t.

Long term. Chinese government businesses open with the same plans, designs, etc., all with cheaper labor (slave?) from the provinces (HTC?). NYSE stock prices go down. Next CEO loses their job.

Short term. We care because our 401Ks depend on investment. We are as greedy/needy as the executives.
Long term. You want 薯条 with that?

Fucking clowns.