If I ran the Occupy Movement

I have been thinking lately about the folks who make up the Occupy Movement and how I admire their resolve and selflessness.

I am in solidarity with the desire to bring attention to the need to reset the power shift in the country. As ardently as they, I want to see this happen. I am struggling though with how this movement is going to hhave a lasting impact if the present energy and awareness of the movement is not harnessed around a directive soon, my fear is that it will dissipate and will be for naught.

So, if I "ran" the movement this is what I would do:

Organize the movement around a guiding principle - get corporate money OUT of politics and the creation of public policy. This is the objective.

Goal #1

Determine that corporations are NOT people.

Goal #2

Public funding for all elections where candidates who garner a minimum number of signatures in their race are able to receive public funding. All candidates get the same amount and are prohibited from using their own funds. This creates a level playing field and requires that candidates are creative in how they use the funds for electioneering. this will, I believe require that candidates do more grass-rots type of organizing and less sound bite style politics.

We can fund this simply by redirecting the resources we currently assign to the volumes of regulations and paperwork and reporting that is required to oversee our current system of unlimited but regulated campaign finance.

Goal #3

Reform the lobbying system so ensure balance and with a thorough examination of outcomes.

I am not sure that any of this is doable or how to do it. I do know that if we don't do something to re-establish a more balanced system for ensuring that the needs of ALL Americans are met and that fairness be restored to our economic system, then I am truly afraid for my country for the first time in my life.

The time for change I believe is now. Yeah, I know that statement is so 4 years ago! We wanted it then, we want it now. We are in am even better position to assert our power now. We have taken to the streets with the Occupy Movement. We mean it when we say we want change! So lets not see this opportunity to create it ourselves. Let's rally behind an idea and lets work to demand an outcome.

Let's just do it!

Having recently closed my business, ( a small retail store showcasing antiques, women's accessories, decor, gifts), I find myself in middle age with too much time on my hands, full of ideas and no money! This is actually a scary time for me, as it is for many people.

I however do not want a job. I do not want to go back to working for someone else. This much I am certain of. I am certain of very little else.

I have all these ideas about things running around in my head. I want to create. I want to produce. I want to be creative. There is a problem however. I have very little talent! I am an idea factory, but I have no talent for working with these hands to actually produce something. I do have the ideas and the design sensibilities, I just don't have the manual talent. I also don't have the money now to be able to hire someone else to produce my ideas. So I am in a bit of a bind in that regard.

So these days, I spend time playing with my infant granddaughter, and that is an absolute delight.