But who wrote the system? If houses weren't so expensive, people wouldn't have to pay them off for 70% of their lives. If the economy wasn't so poor right now, houses wouldn't be expensive. Why is the economy so poor? Because you have people with billions investing their money and driving up the prices. Just like in Runescape only on a much larger scale.
Housing prices are driven by the free, capitalistic market; supply and demand. You surely can't blame the banks for that. And no, the economy is not doing poorly because people with billions drove up housing prices. People from all tax brackets drove up the prices by having a joint sense of confidence in the future of the real estate market. As I said before, pure, simplistic supply and demand.
Instead of asking for proof, can you find a counter example? The thing is, people always ask for names when defying someones opinion or facts regarding this topic. If I knew, I'd tell you. But it's not like the people are very public about what they're doing and who they are. I guess by corporate goons I mean people who are knowingly investing their money, even though they have more than enough, in places that are causing harm to the economy and taxpayers.
Conter-example: In the United States, you are innocent until proven guilty. Bring me proof that these "goons" who have worked just as hard for each cent of their money as you have are breaking the law and I'll listen.
By behind out backs, I don't mean literally. Do you read every sentence of every bill passed in this country? Of course not. They use this to their advantage and leave loopholes open for themselves. So I suppose everyone has the chance to read the typically 20 page+ bills, but they don't and everyone knows it.
Again, examples or gtfo. Congress does not equal the banks.
It's not against the businessmen and women, it's generally about the exceeding amount of input they have in the government's decisions. And have you ever tried to call a representative or senator? Good luck actually talking to one. Even if you do get through it's not like they'll take you seriously. You're a nobody to them. But if you have money that you can invest in their interests or to help them, be ready to top on their to-do list.
Well you and everyone else in the movement is protesting against the "greed" of the "banking goons", so yes, it is about the businessmen. If you want to make it about the government, it should be called Occupy Capitol Hill
If the politicians work for us, why can't we fire them? Because the system is corrupt. If they work for us, why did they bail out our debtee's instead of us? Sure, banks had debt, but only because they borrowed our money, loaned out more of it than we had given them, then when we all ask for it back they don't have enough because they never did to begin with.
We can and do fire them; it's called elections. The banks were "bailed out", aka loaned money at interest, in order to protect your wealth, the wealth of the nation, and arguably national security. If all the banks were allowed to collectively fail, you would lose everything in your bank account. The government would be in debt trillions more due laws ensuring all bank accounts, and our country would be in a shitstorm. Riots would erupt, the United States as a government may have disappeared. Which situation would you prefer?
Yes, they're just trying to make money for themselves and their company, but isn't everybody? $1 billion is more than enough to support yourself and family for the rest of your lives, but it's never enough for them. At some point, morals have to take over so they can realize that they're hurting the economy and in turn hurting the rest of the taxpayers. But they haven't, so what are we to do?
Fuck no, $1 billion isn't enough for someone who wants $2 billion. As said in the movie Wall Street, "Greed is good". Capitalism is driven by greed. A millionaire deserves to make a dollar just as much as you deserve to make one in a capitalistic system. How are morals supposed to take over; are you actually going to blame the bankers for "hoarding" the money? I support the government implementing socialist systems to help redistribute the wealth, but asking millionaires to feel the urge to spread their hard earned money around out of "morality" is completely absurd. If you had a billion dollars, I sincerely doubt you would give it all but $37,000 (avg amount of money an American has) away. Under capitalism, it's moral to keep the money. If you don't like the system, you should join a local communist group or found your own political philosophy.
Each and every one of your points has been moot so far. You have not given me a single reason why these bankers, honest, intelligent, and hard working men and women, should be protested against for acting as they should in a capitalistic system. I will be heading down to Occupy Wall Street headquarters tomorrow with a friend to question why people are there. I bet half of them don't even know TARP was a loan with interest.
A final point to all reading: Everyone is saying "why bail out the banks but not us". Well, there are two reasons. The first is that the banks are cornerstones of our country that if allowed to fail could cause the demise of this nation (I'm being literal). The second is that the government can trust the banks much more than it can individuals. You might not like how they trust these "greedy goons", but you yourself do. What would you rather do, give a $1000 to a random person to hold for you or give it to a bank?
I have no problem with calling for reforms in systems that need reform, but people need to get a grip on reality. America is a capitalistic country. Greed is good. You are as greedy as they are. They got lucky, worked harder, or just by events made more green than you did. If you can think of a better system, go for it. If not, suck it up. Don't hate the player, hate the game.
