The US Occupy movement is at a critical point. To succeed it must develop a message of specific solutions to fix our broken system. People are seeing the next step as advocacy for constitutional amendments proposed through an Article V convention.
by Joel S. Hirschhorn
(libertarian)
Monday, November 28, 2011
There is a growing convergence of thinking about where the US Occupy movement should go as a next step to turning its values, concerns and commitments into changing what most Americans see as broken government under control of corporate interests. When it comes to political and social movements, history shows us that they usually fail not because they disappear, but rather because they become marginalized, unimportant despite a core group of committed people and groups.
The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence community spend billions of dollars each year trying, with mild success at best, to predict the future.
They organize elaborate wargames, develop computer algorithms to digest information and rely on old-fashioned aggregation of professional opinion.
Past intelligence failures have been costly and damaging to U.S. national security. Trying to avoid previous pitfalls, agencies are on a constant treasure hunt for new technologies that might give them an edge.
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity in February solicited industry proposals for how to improve the accuracy of intelligence forecasting. Under the auspices of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, IARPA invests in research programs that provide an “overwhelming intelligence advantage over future adversaries.”
Applied Research Associates, a New Mexico-based firm, has launched a program it hopes will improve upon the traditional methods of gathering expert opinion by using computer software that could make better-informed predictions. The system chooses the best sources of information from a huge pool of participants.
ARA won the bid and started working on its Aggregative Contingent Estimation System, or ACES, in May.
While nearly all Americans head to family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving, the Senate is gearing up for a vote on Monday or Tuesday that goes to the very heart of who we are as Americans. The Senate will be voting on a bill that will direct American military resources not at an enemy shooting at our military in a war zone, but at American citizens and other civilians far from any battlefield — even people in the United States itself.
Senators need to hear from you, on whether you think your front yard is part of a “battlefield” and if any president can send the military anywhere in the world to imprison civilians without charge or trial.
The Senate is going to vote on whether Congress will give this president—and every future president — the power to order the military to pick up and imprison without charge or trial civilians anywhere in the world. Even Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) raised his concerns about the NDAA detention provisions during last night’s Republican debate. The power is so broad that even U.S. citizens could be swept up by the military and the military could be used far from any battlefield, even within the United States itself.
You are both on track, and one thing Richard pointed out, “creeping amateurism in the leadership” is becoming institutionalized by their hiring young college grads with no military background. These young folks are well intentioned but lack any understanding of military terms and thus do not understand when a combat commander asks questions. The leadership is also removed from the real world of those he supports so we have what
is called death by powerpoint.
On the other hand, I am currently working with a retired military intelligence type, who doesn’t understand that putting together a weekly powerpoint briefing and emailing it out does not constitutes intelligence support. We support a tactical organization and his brief goes to our higher-ups. No concept here of supporting our actual customer, the tactical commander. He is a product of PGIP and talking to others, that is what you get for your advanced degree, total disassociation from reality.
Phi Beta Iota: This was written well before Occupy, and there has been ZERO news on this since then. Obama’s first move was to send Van Jones to penetrate Occupy NY (which was already over-run with ACORN fraud). If he revives this theater, and goes after NYPD (highly doubtful), it will play with the left and be seen for what it is on the right–the usual crap.
Orlando to be site of Florida’s first Occupy convention
ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) – Orlando will host the nation’s first state-wide conference of the Occupy Movement to develop what organizers are calling “The People’s Plan.” The event is scheduled for the weekend of December 9 through 11.
The purpose of the conference will be to devise a list of desired legislative changes to be delivered on the first day of the Florida legislative session. A spokesperson with Occupy Orlando said that those involved in protests from all over the state will march on Tallahassee to deliver the plan directly to the State Capitol on January 10, 2012.
Occupy representatives from at least fourteen Florida cities will be attending the conference. Those cities include: Orlando, Bradenton, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Daytona, Tavares, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Miami, Palm Beach, Naples, Sarasota, and Key West. There will also representatives from Florida’s Space Coast.
“The first working day of the convention will focus on generating a list of proposals,” read a statement from Brook Hines, an Occupy spokesperson. “On the second day, a General Assembly will convene to consider which of the proposals to adopt.”
Hines said the convention will be broadcast live via the Occupy Orlando Livestream website . The location has not been announced.
Phi Beta Iota: Posted anonymously, this announcement has not yet been verified but is interested as one of the early signs that Occupy may be maturing.
THE DOLLAR HAS NO INTRINSIC VALUE : DO YOUR ASSETS?
