Tax payers on STRIKE

[zeemike]

This is my solution to the trillion dollar bailout. It may sound radical to some and silly to others but I ask why not/

Strike the financial institutions by getting us all together and declaring a general strike in which a virtual picket line is set up around the finance industry
Each striker would send a letter of intent to there credit card companies and mortgage lenders saying that they would no longer make payments until congress acts to end the abuses we see on Wall street and on predatory lending.
I think that would get there attention.
Now tell me why not.

[tekisui]

1. I'm gonna lay down my 1040....

Down by the riverside....

[ixion]

2. rofl

excellent! :rofl:

[cabluedem]

20. Me too. I am not paying for this bailout.

[BlueCollar]

3. Good idea but they'll use the government

to screw you by siezing asset and garnishing checks. Better to stop all spending unless absoloutely needed for survival. They need the cash flow...

[zeemike]

5. If you strike you can't be afraid of a bloody noes.

And if millions did it they would not have the man power to foreclose on everyone. And we could just refuse to leave the houses and stop work if necessary.

[L0oniX]

17. Agreed. Pay off your cards and quit using them. Pay off everything you can.

What are they going to do when the interest profit cash flow drys up?

[demnan]

4. Then they'll send Blackwater out there

to shut your asses.

[zeemike]

6. That is a possibility. And we would have to have the courage

to race that.

[coalition_unwilling]

7. When leaders of both parties act

against the interests of the masses, the correct response is a general strike.

A couple practical questions:

how does one organize a general strike?

what % participation is necessary for a general strike to be effective?

what constitutes "effective"?

[zeemike]

10. I wish I could answer those questions

But that is above my pay grade.
But no doubt that there are people in this world who know how to do that, and I am just putting the idea out there.
But I do know that we have about 300 million people in the US and 10% would be 30 million and that is a powerful number.

[coalition_unwilling]

13. I have no easy answers to these questions. But please

allow me to elaborate.

When current surveys show that upwards of 90% of Americans are dissatisfied with the performance of Congress (even if they have fewer problems with their own representative and Senators), then one can plausibly argue that a pre-revolutionary climate exists.

To organize a general strike, does one utilize current labor structures (like the Teamsters and SEIU), taking advantage of the work they have already done but accommodating their agenda, or does one try to organize from the ground up (an almost insuperable task)?

10% participation (30 million) would scare the be-jesus out of the power elite, but would it be a high enough percentage to scare them straight?

My question about what constitutes 'effective' is meant to suggest that a general strike needs to have a terminus, an exit strategy, some point at which the masses feel the social contract has been acceptable reconstituted.

Looking forward to your response.

[zeemike]

16. I would think that the Labor Unions would be important.

But not limited to them alone. Organizations like Move On and other progressive groups could make a Solidarity movement like in Poland. And it would be made easier with the internet unless and until it is shout down.

And yes an exit strategy would be necessary and I think a good none negotiable point would be usury laws that would cap the max interest rate at something like 7% or less.
But I would bet that other DUers would would have a bunch of good ideas as well.

[jimshoes]

8. How does one petition the government

for redress of grievances in these times of abridged rights? Can we safely assume that when we petition the government, the government won't interperet that act of petitioning as an act of civil unrest, violence or even terrorism?

[zeemike]

12. No we can't.

And some courage would be necessary.

[sshan2525]

9. Yeah, that'll work.....

NOT! You couldn't get 10 people to write a letter to their representatives if you paid them to do so. Why in god's name do you think you could get more than that to do something like this, especially if it interferes with their watching Deal or No Deal or Dancing With the Stars?

[zeemike]

11. what you say is true, but I am not that pessimistic.

There are a lot of angry people out there. and many of them are being gouged right and left from gas to predatory lending.

[sshan2525]

27. I'm sorry if I sounded cranky...

but I'm losing faith in this country. I hope I'm wrong and you're right.

[tuckessee]

14. Because the gov't will kill you and your family...

...if you refuse to pay tribute.

[Buttercup McToots]

15. Mike, anybody seen this? Great American Cash Out

Anybody seen this? Great American Cash Out?
http://www.thegreatamericancashout.com /

Just flying around and saw it...

[zeemike]

18. That is an interesting idea.

Wish I had some I could add to it.
And I think it could be another good pressure point.

[BlueCollar]

19. You can...Pay cash

whenever and wherever possible. Buy generic. Stop/reduce all discretionary spending.

These pricks will only understand the power of the consumer to say enough...

[zeemike]

25. I already do most of that.

I do all of my shopping at a locally own grocery store and buy noting new.
And I buy only unpressed food which is healthier for you anyway.

[BlueCollar]

26. good...stay the course..n/t

[bemildred]

21. Whoa, Your're going to crash the banking system!

:thumbsup:

[zeemike]

23. If that is what it takes

But the bankers want that a whole lot less than we do.

[lynettebro440]

22. How about we just claim like 10 dependents

and then pay in installment payments after april 15th. that would at least hurt them and keep ourselves from getting hunted down.

[zeemike]

24. That would be perpetrating a fraud.

Then they really could get you.
But if one was worried I suppose they could put the money in a escrow account or something. Legal advice here would be helpful.
But you would have to have the guts to do something like this. Just like someone that goes out on strike they do take a risk.