"A Promise To The American People." How OWS Can Achieve It's Objectives.

There is still time for Occupy Wall Street to shape the face of the 2012 election and the strategy is rather simple. Take over the Democratic Congressional primaries.

There is no situation in American politics like a party primary. Turnout is low and there is rarely strict adherence to a single (Democratic) candidate.

In this setting, a very disciplined and cohesive minority can exert tremendous leverage; dramatically shaping the candidate field. One needs to look no further than to the evangelicals and the tealbuggers for examples.

If the Occupy Movement created a pledge detailing three core issues and then required primary candidates to sign said pledge.....I think you would rapidly see the crystallization around most of what you seek. Now, there are a lot of "pledges" going around out there, so I would title this one "A Promise To The American People" instead.

Of course, you must enthusiastically support those primary candidates who sign the pledge and you must energetically punish those who do not......Otherwise, what is the use of the damn pledge.

If you want to create a hurricane, then this pledge is the butterfly that needs to flap it's wings.

Many of you will feel uncomfortable with this strategy. You would like to create a third party, work around Washington, have direct Democracy, or overthrow the government. But these methods, as well as remaining an ill-defined mass of energy, are just not going to work.

What will produce real and gradual change is providing disciplined support of Democratic primary candidates who pledge their support to your core issues. You must identify these individuals now and begin applying your leverage.

This mechanism has turned the GOP into a party of crazy evangelical neoconservatives and has destroyed the tradition of Northeastern GOP moderates.

However, the same mechanism can be used for good and could easily transform the Democratic party into a servant of the people and a representative of the 99%.

I do not wish to distract from the strategy I've laid out by suggesting the three core issues of OWS. But, I do feel that chief amongst them should be getting big money out of our political process. Until you accomplish that, everything else will just be window dressing.

HERE IS THE PROTOTYPE PLEDGE. SOMEBODY PASS IT TO KEITH:



A PROMISE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

I, _____, Promise To The Citizens Of The ___ District Of The State Of ____ And All

Of The People Of This State That I Will Support The 28th Amendment To Our Constitution That

Shall:

I. Ban All Corporate Donations To Political Campaigns And Election Activities,

II. Limit Personal Donations To One-Hundred Times The Amount Of The Federal Minimum Wage,

III. Require That All Lobbyist Interactions With Congress Be Recorded And Made Public Information, and

IV. Forever Ban Employees Of The Federal Government From Engaging In Lobbyist Activities Or From Being Under The Employ Of Such Firms That Do.

Signed

Date

Witness

Witness

Please Sign And Return To: Occupy Forward P.O. Box Blank Blank, Blank 555555