IHMO – A non-medical diagnosis of OWS protestors

In an earlier post, I mentioned that the OWS movement put out their Declaration of New York City online for the entire world to read. Well, guess what, I read it. (And using their childish logic, I should sue them for the three minutes of my life I wasted doing so.)

Their “symptoms” are as follows:

1. They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.
2. They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.
3. They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
4. They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.
5. They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.
6. They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.
7. They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right.
8. They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay.
9. They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility.
10. They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.
11. They have sold our privacy as a commodity.
12. They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press.
13. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.
14. They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.
15. They have donated large sums of money to politicians, who are responsible for regulating them.
16. They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.
17. They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives or provide relief in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantial profit.
18. They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.
19. They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.
20. They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.
21. They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad.
22. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.
23. They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts.*

Now, read between the lines. What are the common issues you see?

• Healthcare (see #6 – implied; 8, 10, and 17)
• Higher pay (see #6 and 8)
• Green energy/Environmentalism (see #16 and 18)
• Outsourcing/Eliminating Jobs (see #6 and 8)
• Free education (see #7)
• Inequality/Discrimination (see #3)
• Excessive military use/intervention (see #12, 20, and 23)
• Implementing a police state (see #12 and 19)
• Murder/Torture of civilians/prisoners (see #20 and 22)
• Economic Catastrophes/Bailouts (see #1 ,2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18, 19)
• Protected Status of Businesses (see #2, 9, 10, 14, 15)

So, exactly which side of the political spectrum does this represent? Despite their claims to the contrary, this is an extreme left-leaning agenda, which was highlighted in the poll put out by the Democratic pollster, Doug Schoen.

Now, the question is what is the point? What do they hope to accomplish?

Well, basically nothing since all of these ideas have been implemented (a large number have been done or expanded on by Obama).

The “prescription” for each “symptom” –

• #1 – Obama has already done a $3 billion bailout and a bailout of Fannie and Freddie with a worst case scenario of $1 trillion.
• #2 – Where do we begin with the bailouts? The stimulus – which has never lived up to the hype, a bailout of unions and for the teachers’ unions as well, and with more that were all done when Obama was in office and the Democrats controlled all of the government. (Do realize that the list of bailouts Obama has done is too unwieldy to all be listed in one place.)
• #3 – Have you ever heard of the EEOC? In case the OWS folks forgot, the EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. So, if the discrimination is so widespread and rampant; then why not sue them into compliance? But, wait – there is no increase in the number of lawsuits. What about Title IX? Another federal statute that says discrimination is illegal. But if you look at Section 1687, (3) (A), you will see that this applies to businesses as well — an entire corporation, partnership, or other private organization, or an entire sole proprietorship.
• #4 – OK. This one wreaks of conspiracy insanity, but I thought that I would google this thing anyway. The only things I could find about this are all related to OWS. However, what is the point of the FDA? According to their website – the FDA is responsible for protecting the public health…and advancing the public health. So, if this is as bad as you say it is – then why doesn’t the government investigate since they have this federal agency in place to do just that – monitor the safety and quality of food.     
• #5 – If they actively hide this; then how do you know? Better yet, what about the commercial where they semi-graphically illustrate what cigarette companies allegedly do in testing cigarettes on animals? (extended version) Exactly, how did they get this information since the companies are actively hiding it? Care to explain. Even better – are you advocating that this testing should be done humans instead? I mean really – is that what you are saying here?
• #6 – As of 2010, there were 14.7 million people belonging to a union. In grievance #2, the OWS protestors want to object to executives who were give outrageous bonuses while the middle and working class. Does this apply to union leaders as well – especially since they took bailout money as well?  The insanity that unions do not receive higher pay is beyond laughable – According to the DOL, union employees earned $200 more a week than nonunion employees. The UAW even used the higher pay advantage as a selling point for unionization. SEIU broke down this advantage across job types as well. (Do realize I could provide so many examples of the higher pay union workers receive as to the nonunion worker.)
• #7 – First off, education is not a human right. You do not have the right to an education. You have to take advantage of the opportunity of an education being provided to you. Also, going to college is not a requirement – it is an option people choose to undertake which also means they have to take the responsibility. Translation – if you don’t want the debt; then don’t go to college. (Or better yet – earn a scholarship for your academic prowess.) Georgia has the Hope Scholarship Program which was to assist students in affording the costs of college. The problem is that most HOPE recipients did not maintain their eligibility and the number of borderline students who did not graduate increased. A college education means nothing if you do not have the work ethic to complete it.
• #8 – Common sense should once again prevail. A business can only stay in business if it makes a profit. Otherwise, it goes out of business. But I am digressing here. The one thing everyone has to admit is that there are no hard numbers. (Sounds just like the stimulus.) So, what does that make this? Wait for it – a political talking point. Even liberal websites like Think Progress can only provide “estimates”, yet the OWS movement wants to claim that this is destroying the economy without hard numbers or proof. But if you look at the TP article, they are saying 240K jobs a year over the course of 10 years is destroying the economy. IMHO, if that is the case, then there are more fundamental flaws in the economy – but that’s a different post altogether.
• #9 – This one is talking about “influence.” How can you determine that? I mean, really – how did you come to that conclusion? Also, if you have legal grounds; then why weren’t these decisions appealed? With the investigative capabilities of the media, why weren’t these things uncovered and brought into full public view? This point wreaks of nothing more than a smear campaign – straight out of the Alinsky playbook – which can neither be proven or disproven. But it evokes emotions, sells newspapers, and generates ratings.
• #10 – In this age of “sue America”, everyone – including corporations – has the right to defend themselves against being abused by scammers who simply want to make a buck off of someone else’s work. So, the lawyer angle is moot. However, didn’t Obamacare fix this problem? Wait! They have already missed half of the deadlines for implementing this. They won’t be able to implement this until 2014 anyway. And then they have issued how many waivers again?
• #11 – And? Did you not provide them this information in the first place anyway? Better yet, most companies give individuals the opt-out clause for sharing your information. Then, with the advent of the Internet, more information is available online – personal and public – than ever before. So, should we shut down the Internet as well? Just asking?
• #12 – OK. Put down the kool-aid and commit yourself to a detox program immediately. The media has the ability to dig up anything on anyone at anytime. So, to say that they are controlled is an obvious sign that the OWS protestors are in dire need of psychological help and long-term counseling to help them deal with their delusional mentality.
• #13 – Product recalls…hmmm.  Approximately 124 million products have been recalled in the last year. So, care to explain – save the emotional heartstrings because no one will argue that.
• #14 – This amounts to political posturing – How do you prove this? It is nothing more than one person’s perspective. This anger is of course directed at the Republicans, George Bush, etc. But, on multiple different occasions, the Bush Administration tried to fix Fannie and Freddie only to be stopped by Democrats Barney Frank and Chris Dodd just to provide one huge example of the Democrats looking to costs taxpayers, in a worst case scenario, $1 trillion.
• #15 – Well, this is one they got right. Politicians do accept money from corporations, but don’t forget the number of individuals who have also donated to political campaigns as well. Approximately 320,000 individuals donated to the Obama 2008 campaign.
• #16 – With all of the stimulus funds being given to so-called “green” companies – electric car companies – in Finland, energy companies that go bankrupt, wind energy farms – that may produce radar holes and jobs in China, high-speed rail to nowhere, and other wasteful projects – here is a list of 102 doozies (just for fun).
• #17 – Estimated 44 percent of all prescriptions filled with generic drugs, there are approximately 4000+ different types of generic drugs, see the case of Barbara Wagner – yet companies are out to simply make a profit, are you sure?
• #18 – See your nearest psychologist immediately!! This does not even warrant a response.
• #19 – OK. Put down the kool-aid and commit yourself to a detox program immediately. The media has the ability to dig up anything on anyone at anytime. So, to say that they are controlled is an obvious sign that the OWS protestors are in dire need of psychological help and long-term counseling to help them deal with their delusional mentality. (This is not a case of déjà vu.)
• #20 – OK. What in the world are you talking about? Contracting out assassinations — If you were talking about Gitmo – then that would be the government and business. Better yet, do you even know what you are talking about?
• #21 — Definition of colonialism – the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people. I would think the appropriate word you meant to use is imperialism. Question – Since that is what Obama campaigned on, why hasn’t he corrected the situation? Better yet, if we do not exert our influence, what do you think groups like al Qaeda would do? Simple – they would be emboldened to attack even more than ever before – wait, they already have.   
• #22 – Once again, the loony bin is in search of some residents. Can we please get some proof? Where are your facts? What – you don’t have any? Why am I not surprised?
• #23 – OK. From a logic standpoint, you have that one backwards. Demand necessitates supply – otherwise, overwhelming supply would force down prices making this unprofitable. But I will ask again, proof?

It is my honest, non-medical, opinion, the OWS protestors are nothing more than attention-whores looking for their next “john.”