Plain & Simple

At the risk of sounding like I'm trying to speak for a movement of which I am not (yet) a part, I think there is a single, simple, fundamental equation and demand at the root of the protest, and indeed at the root of most problems average Americans face:

Money + Politicians = The End of Democracy

How on earth can we, as a society, choose to funnel billions of dollars to Wall Street, which turns around and pays obscene bonuses to its members, at the same time that we impose draconian conditions on students who need aid to complete their education and move on to jobs that will benefit society?

Looking at all the signs held by individuals in the We Are The 99% Tumblr site shows a huge percentage kids who either dropped out of school because of lack of funds, or who are now crushed by debt, with no hope of earning enough money to pay it off. (And thanks to Congress, such debt is no longer dischargeable in bankruptcy.) I truly feel for these individuals since I, for one, am one of them who are in debt for the long haul.

Others at the site describe their inability to access medical care, or overweening medical debt. I can also attest to being in this situation not too long ago.

In a cash-infused 'Democratic' political system, everything goes to shit. We can all plainly see that those with the means are literally able to purchase the policies best suited to meet their own selfish needs, snowballing the rest into socialized debt, for the future generations to clean up.

Thus, it's not so unreasonable to demand is that the cycle of Money + Politics be broken, so that public servants will once again represent those who vote for them, not those who pay for their television ads and junkets. The endless fundraising needs to stop. It's killing us. Politicians should be begging for votes, not money.

How is that going to happen? That's actually up to those who choose to run for office (which complicates the problem to no end). These protests, should they grow large enough, will eventually force those in office to make a choice.

I do know that good will come of it if it occurs. It will enable our system to begin healing itself, and optimism can again take hold in the American heart.