General strike in the US called for November 2

Let's participate (I bet most won't)... anyone who SAYS they support OWS should participate in the strike, otherwise they are just hypocrites.

GENERAL STRIKE NOVEMBER 2nd

Now we're talking.

I'm getting word (via Twitter) that the Oakland branch of "Occupy Wall Street" has finally done what I recommended as the only course of peaceful action that will matter:

They have called for a GENERAL STRIKE November 2nd.

Why will a General Strike work?

Simple: It attacks the government in a lawful, peaceful manner in the one way they cannot counteract: It cuts off their funding!

You can't tax what doesn't happen, basically. This is the people's way to peacefully withdraw consent to being governed.

You buy nothing, you perform no work, you do nothing that is taxable.

The implicit threat is that you cut the legs out from under the government's ability to fund itself.

This is legal, the police cannot beat you to go to work and they can't tax you. Win win win and the government can't do a damn thing about it.

So here's the deal folks: Do you have a pair of clankers or are you still sporting mouse-sized nerfs?

Yeah, I know, participating in a General Strike means personal sacrifice. Heh, that's how it is when you make choices. There are costs. Nothing's free, including doing nothing. Four years of constructive consent has not brought you continued prosperity. It has not brought the economy out of the slump and employment has not returned. It has done nothing for you, and everything for the scammers and fraudusters on Wall Street and in DC.

Four years into this and there's been no end to the fraud. No admission of what happened and who was responsible. No change. No honesty. No truth. And no prosecutions of any materiality. Yeah, I know, they are going after one former board member now. That's nice.

Freedom ain't free folks.

Don't spend. Don't work. Stay home.

I wish they would have made the strike later, I don't feel that there's enough time to disseminate the information fully so that the strike actually makes an impact. I do feel it is a good idea though.

reply to post by Vitchilo


Now your talking. Count me in. s/f op We need to hit them where it hurts!!

Ok, but how many people are going to be fired, if they do not show up to work? With the unemployment rate as bad as it is, companies know they will be able to fill the position fast.

I grasp the idea, but worry about the consequences.

Originally posted by chiefsmom
Ok, but how many people are going to be fired, if they do not show up to work? With the unemployment rate as bad as it is, companies know they will be able to fill the position fast.

I grasp the idea, but worry about the consequences.

If enough people in each office strike, they won't fire anyone. Bet on that.

I am living in a third world country, I am a licensed nurse, Graduated in a community college here in the Philliphines, no job or health care and unfortunately I was diagnosed with heart problems. I have no money for healthcare. Im still dependent to my parents. The prices of food and medicine here is going up rapidly like a hyperinflation.My government (puppet) is ignorant and conspire with oligarchs.Speculation here in basic commodities is so rampant like in the wallstreet. I am 1 of the 99%

I will try my best to stop OLIGARCHY on this Planet

reply to post by Vitchilo


Unless this strike is intended to last the entire fiscal year, I'm not sure it will create a big enough dent to get anyone's attention. As another poster mentioned, they can easily fire you knowing there is a massive line of people willing to take that job, for whatever crap wage you offer with no benefits.

In fact, depending on the job you might not show up for, this might HELP the 1% as they can replace you with a new worker at a lower wage without benefits.

I'd modify this to a services strike. Shut down transit, shut down government service offices, stuff that will actually bring things to a grinding halt.

A bunch of people not showing up for their shift at walmart means squat.

But one thing I completely disagree on is to stay home. No, go out and be seen and heard, they can't pretend this is a small thing if everyone gets boots on the ground.

I've already suggested that my local area try to occupy something of significance, not a soccer field on a damn Saturday.

Right now our city is split into 2 halfs divided by a river. One of the 2 bridges is closed for renovations, and has been for some time, and might not open at all this year, leaving 1 small bridge. This creates massive gridlock and havoc as workers and government civil servants, like me, try to get to work, the entire city is gridlocked because they have to use that 1 bridge.

you want your voice heard? Occupy that bridge at the morning and afternoon rush hours, no one comes across. They aren't prepared to do that here.

i got a better idea, lets all NOT file income tax this year.

Another example of OWS is failing to think before speaking. All you're going to do is tick off more people you're trying to get to support you.

Discretionary Funds
People who are complaining about notn having money aren't buying anything they can live without. They might just change the day they purchase it but they may still need it.

Failed Plan
Sales are always low the first of November as people are saving for Black Friday sales.

A better Plan.
Now if I was the one who was trying to organize this I would of mdone it on November 5th at midnight when MW3 comes out and 10-20 million people are out buying it. You've lost 10 Million people who have already spent their spare funds on Battlefield 3 this month.

Not to be negative but I just think the organizers don't understand. Also most Federal taxes are done in the manufacturing of the product. It's state taxes that you will be effecting by not buying on one particular day.

Originally posted by wlord
i got a better idea, lets all NOT file income tax this year.

Do you mean just the people that will end up owing?

Do as you please, but I want my refund!

in my opinion,cutting the fuel to the machine is were the solution is at, no work no buying equals no circulation of money.for a day?nothing would hapen, for a week or a month?people will suffer, for extended periods?now your starting to hit the machine.but as i said, people will suffer.change comes at a price in the system we have allowed to exist.survival skills a must in that senario.the machine will not be put on its knees that easy.we have made it strong,and we marvel at its power and saying to our self,(you know? this dam thing we created is going to kill us some day),yet we kept on feeding it and going into fear of it.i guess thats why we kept feeding it,out of fear.sounds familiar? when complaining about its abuses in ;laws,taxes,justice and so on.the big dum giant can not be angered or it will trow a tantrum and might hurt me.

Count me in this is a very good way to hit the our corporate government from getting their tax to keep financing corruption, waste and abuse.

People shouldn't go buy anything on Black Friday.

On Black Friday, stores should be EMPTY.

November 25 : National boycott of the chinese products stores.

A follow up by Karl...

To The Naysayers For November 2nd (And 25-27)

So you have a job and thus you won't risk anything to stop spending and participate in a General Strike.

Cool. That's your choice, of course.

But let me ask this: If not now, when?

Do you feel "better" that the DOW is up 300 points today? You did in 2009 when Kanjorski made fraud on balance sheets a business model, right? So let's tabulate the results of legislating fraud as a business model.

Did it get you a job? Why no, it did not.

Did it make college more affordable by resolving the cost-push problem? No, it made it worse.

Did it solve the medical cost problems that bankrupt millions? No, it made it worse.

Did it solve the housing crisis? No, it made it worse.

Ah, I get it. It's not "bad enough" yet.

Well, here's the deal folks: This is a lawful and peaceful action.

Now the inconvenient question: What do you think is going to happen when, not if, the government funding model breaks down and the Federal Government is forced to curtail 60-75% of its spending overnight? When the Social Security and Medicare stops? When the food stamps.... stop? When the military benefits.... stop? Will the people's reaction to that be lawful and peaceful?

Better think that one over folks..... because virtually all of you aren't considering this at all, and those who naysay now are betting not only their future but that of their children that when it does get worse it will be "business as usual."

Originally posted by Vitchilo

Originally posted by chiefsmom
Ok, but how many people are going to be fired, if they do not show up to work? With the unemployment rate as bad as it is, companies know they will be able to fill the position fast.

I grasp the idea, but worry about the consequences.

If enough people in each office strike, they won't fire anyone. Bet on that.

Yes, you are right on that. I remember about 15 years ago in a town i lived in in Northern Indiana. There was an RCA plant there that employed almost half of the residents of the town. There was a big marijuana bust, late at night. Over 300 people got arrested. The next morning on TV, RCA stated that anyone who worked for them that was arrested, would not longer have a job. Imagine their surprise when only two people showed up for the day's work shift. The others were all still in jail. Everyone kept their jobs, and RCA retracted the statement.

Isn't the point of a strike to ^&# up the system until the correct changes are made? What happens if 20-50% of the population, civilian or government, takes leave and protests? It's not really going to matter whether you get fired or not. They have food donations and places to sleep at most of the Occupy places. I'm trying to get the word about the strike to as many people as I can, I really wish this was nation-wide and not just oakland, seeing as how the whole movement is nation wide, almost global.

Bumping, flagging, forwarding!

I completely support this as an idea.

Considering the USA is a consumer based economy now, this will do nothing but makes things worse. That's fine with me, it's got to get worse before enough people really wake up. So hell yeah! Starve the system, force it's hand!

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


"A bunch of people not showing up for their shift at Wal-mart doesn't mean squat."

You don't think so? Man. I have to wonder what kind of cushy jobs you've worked, where a bunch of people not showing up has no impact.

I know that where I work, one person not showing up throws the whole operation out of whack - particularly in the nursing or kitchen staff (which, incidentally, are the two areas of our facility most likely to fall ill with something, for obvious reasons)

even though i'm SEIU, we've agreed to a no-strike clause in the contract where I work, due to the nature of hte job (Striking from a job where you work with dependents is pretty counter-intuitive.) Besides - I'm in Washington, not California. Even so, I'm all for these guys.

Originally posted by thejlxc
I completely support this as an idea.

Considering the USA is a consumer based economy now, this will do nothing but makes things worse. That's fine with me, it's got to get worse before enough people really wake up. So hell yeah! Starve the system, force it's hand!

That's the spirit! I keep getting into arguments with people over the fact that WE make up the economy, the market, and the government. we ARE America! If all of us drop what we are doing and stop being afraid of the government, the whole crooked system collapses!

I agree lets all strike, I hope I don't need a doctor that day, or have a car accident. or need to make a phone call, or have my house catch fire. and I guess we'll just shut off all the electricity. and water system so I can't take a dump. that will show'em. Damn good idea!