Registration + Contact (Political Strategy)

[johnjaye]

Please declare yourself as being part of this group and provide any info about yourself that you feel comfortable with (i.e. contact info, skill-set, visual description, availability, reason for interest, and contribution level)...

[nate_r]

Hi, my name is Nate Radomski. I've been following OA for 3~ weeks. I'm a student at RPI, age 20. This workgroup attracts my attention because I want to know more about like-minded occupiers' feelings on political methodology. My inference is that this group is more like a discussion group that develops ideas on general politics. I'd like to stay involved unless this group's goal changes to making a list of demands of the movement. I feel strongly that Occupy is not here to issue demands, but rather exist as a living (and experimental) model of more pure democracy .

[sarahrose]

Hi everyone!

My name is Sarah Rosenberg. I have been wanting to get involved in Occupy Albany for the past couple of weeks, and was able to attend the GA meeting on Friday on the first night of the occupation!

I'm a college student at Williams College, which is in Massachusetts, but I wanted to be a part of a local Occupy movement, and Albany is the closest one. I'm interested in being a part of the working group because I care deeply about the economic inequality and disproportionate influence of corporate money in politics that has arisen in recent decades in our country, and I think the Occupy movement has the chance to do something about these issues.

Since I live about an hour and a half drive away, I won't be able to come every day but I am going to try to make it a couple of times a week, especially for the "big" meetings we talked about.

[michaelguidice]

Hello My Name is Michael T. Guidice and I work with the group AlbanyVotes.
AlbanyVotes was created as a resource for grass root campaigns and individuals who wanted accessible information about local elections. We have helped with a number of city issue focused campaigns and over the summer registered many new voters within the city. We are eager and interested in starting a dialogue with people at the occupation who would like to increase participation in local government. Is it possible to do a teach-in at the occupation?Please take a look at our website, AlbanyVotes.org or call me personally 518-421-7541

[johnjaye]

Hi, I am John Jaye from Troy.
I've been involved with OWS for about a month and have been involved with OA a little over a week. I am interested in the working group because in my opinion one of the core common goals of this movement is to get money and corruption out of our government.
Unfortunately, my availability is a bit spotty right now, but I am trying to change that.

[demodave]

Dave here. Big on the problem of political corruption. Second Nate's sentiments in part, though I'm willing to go after specific agendas too.

I'm a big believer in democracy and (true) representation as a broad-based solution to many problems. For example democratized media. Likewise I think there's a foundational reciprocal relationship between democracy and truth.

Love the bottom-up democratic aspect of the movement, probably, like Nate, more than anything else about it. My friend and I have actually wondered for a few years now what would happen if people just started being a democracy together. To see it happen is surreal to say the least.

I imagine campaign finance reform is the most likely agenda or demand of the movement (for now) but I have concerns about that which I've just written about and am about to post.

So then sometimes I wonder if a more radical change is needed. My personal fantasy is a direct democracy where Congress was limited to researching, writing, explaining and debating, and only we the people got to actually vote, with a robust democratized media playing a critical role.

My interest level in the movement and this part of it is quite high. But I work out of town during the week so can't be there except roughly Friday 7 pm to Sunday 10 pm.

[e-mail] (518) 944 - 5194 don't check email much contact me anytime about whatever for sure

[Albanius]

Mark Schaeffer
[e-mail]
[phone]

I have been an activist for peace, human rights, economic justice, environmental health since the 1960s, have some writing and editing skills, public speaking, organizing discussion, research and strategic analysis.

IMO the occupation movement is most powerful as a catalyst for a much broader movement in society, among the 99%, for economic justice, and energizing the struggle for democracy.

People struggle for democracy and social justice on many levels, local/interpersonal to national and global, over years, decades, generations. The occupation movement is already having an impact focussing attention on inequality, and inspiring many among the 99% to resume the struggle.

I want to see this WG engage with the challenge of how a small fraction of the 99% can help build a much broader activist movement.

The Occupy movement is diverse in political & cultural style, including people who can be described as populists, socialists, anarchists, and progressives, and more; those categories can overlap.

Many of us agree with the great Black abolitionist Frederick Douglass the "Power concedes nothing without a demand" but recognize that making explicit demands is problematic given the diversity of the occupation.

Some of the actions we have taken, such as protesting against Bank of America, and marching for a millionaires tax and a Robin Hood tax on financial transactions, show how we can raise issue in the context of this diversity.

[joshred]

Joshua Farina
joshuapfarina at gmail.com
518-496-0299

I'd like to contribute whatever I can. Please notify me of any meetings.

[nhiggins]

Hi everyone,

Nicole here, from Albany. I want to be a part of this group because I feel strongly about campaign finance reform. I want corruption out of politics.

I like the model of direct democracy that we use at OA, although practical applications on a larger scale I'm unsure of.....

I'd like to be part of the team that proposes how OA is going to influence politics and change in the "real" world.

I'm excited to get started! I unfortunately work 7A-8P every other weekend, and 2-3 shifts per week, so I won't be able to make today's meeting.

Keep me posted on developments.

[lesleynoel]

Hi. I'm Lesley. Attended Dec 3 meeting, want to see if I have something to contribute as this group develops. Is there going to be a meeting on 12/7? Where?

[ripley]

I'd be willling to contribute if this group's political strategy is to start a new political party. The two parties are both corporate, special interest driven machines. Without representation in government this movement will eventually fizzle out. For the first time in a very long time, people are standing up for themselves, it would be a shame to waste this moment.

If there are any other people out there who feel the same and are willing to put together a meeting to discuss some ideas on the subject please post.