Why Occupy?

So, how do we get the economy moving again? According to this, [An Interview on Balance Sheet Recessions with Amir Sufi | Rortybomb] and this [A Quick Note on Wealth and Balance Sheet Debates], which include the following, it's going take a balanced approach.

Principal forgiveness is exactly such a transfer. Fiscal stimulus is a form of this transfer where we borrow from future generations to make up for the shortfall in demand. But it strikes me as much less direct and potentially more distortive than principal forgiveness.

and

The right measures here include having higher inflation targets for monetary policy and addressing the foreclosure crisis. It also means going beyond the comfort zone of deficit hawks and running large deficits to pump up demand for a number of years while deleveraging proceeds. Failure to do so will dampen the robust job growth needed to help households deleverage.

I agree with these economists that it'll take a balanced approach but I don't think we can get there given our current situation.

Principle or debt forgiveness would help,... but the banks and the rich, who would be hurt by that, own our government and won't allow it.

Fiscal Stimulus might also help but to pay for it the government would have to

• raise taxes,... but the banks and the rich, who would be hurt by that, own our government and won't allow it. 
• borrow money to pay for it,... but the banks are afraid that if we borrow too much, we might get in over our heads so they might not get their money back, and since they own our government, they won't allow that.

The Government could print money to cause some controlled inflation, which is generally favorable to borrowers (poor people) and hurts lenders (rich people, banks), but,... the banks and the rich, who would be hurt by that, own our government and won't allow that either. Now they will allow printing money if the rules of the game are set so that the printed money goes directly to the banks or the rich so that it cannot reach the masses to cause general inflation.

Most on the right believe we should cut government spending thereby freeing up resources for private business so that private business can make money that will eventually trickle down to all levels of the economy. I'm not sure this works since we've tried trickle-down for the last 30 years and according to our distribution of wealth statistics, wealth has really trickled-up, but anyway, assuming it could work, what could we cut?

We could cut defense spending but that would hurt the rich and the bankers because they own the defense contractors and, since they also own our government, they won't allow that.

We could cut foreign aid but there isn't really enough there to make a difference and anyway, most foreign aid is used to buy US products from companies owned by the rich, and, since they own our government, they won't allow that.

Which leaves us with the only two things we ever really hear about in our media, which, by the way, is owned by the rich.

Cutting waste and inefficiencies in the government bureaucracy. There really isn't enough here to make a difference, but since it doesn't really hurt the banks or the rich it is an acceptable option. It's just not enough.

Which brings us to the only viable option,.... cutting social programs like Social security, Medicare, Public Education programs, etc. These programs don't affect the rich, so,... they are presented as the only option we have.

So, how do we get the economy moving again? I agree, a balanced approach is needed but I don't think you'll see it unless the 99% can wrestle some power from the 1%.

tnb