Hello,
After reading this thread I would like to contribute some things. Let me first start by saying I am 19 and a college student. I come from a wealthy family and I will graduate from college debt free (Thanks mom and dad!). While keeping this in mind I would like to try to point some things out.
Judging by your "My mom won't let me" comment you are probably in high school. Also if your History teacher is "letting your follow it" in class it leads me to believe that he is picking things that align with his views, and from what we have seen they seem to be pretty far to the left. All of this is fine, in fact while I was in my first year or two in High school while I was forming my own opinions, rather than simple regurgitating what my parents said, I was also influenced by a pretty far left of center teacher. Looking back during those months I said some things that I absolutely disagree with now. What I suspect s that you don't have a very full grasp of the effect of corporations on The United States.
People think that corporations are big nameless faceless entities who's soul purpose is to take money from the middle and lower class and "hoard" it. This is true in the sense that some of the profit stays in retained earning but the vast, vast majority of the money goes back into the company in a effort to grow the company. Do you know what growth means? Growth means jobs for the middle and lower class un-skilled workers and new posions in entry level skilled positions. Now these jobs are not high paying ones. But that what an entry level positions are, low paying. I am not going to get into why that is the way it is because its pretty logical, if you do not under stand please tell me and I will try to explane it to you.
What frustrates most everyone (Myself included) about Occupy Wall Street is the hypocrisy and righteous sense of self entitlement that seems to be a large part of the movement. People need to root themselves in reality. Right out of college you are not going to get a high paying job. You life will probably be really tough because you are in an entry level position. If you cannot find a job in whatever your degree is in bus tables at night. Work phone support for some company at night, cut grass, the options are endless. I truly believe that if you look for a job, not a necessarily a job that you want, but a job, you will find one. But it seems with the Occupy Wall street protesters want to have a mid to high level positions given to them right out of the gate. Those must be earned. Higher education should not be free, it is a service provided and should be paid for. Is tuition getting a little out of hand? Perhaps but the Government should not pay for your degree, particularly with the massive debt we are already in. It seems the OWS protestors do not believe in the "self made American man", and I think at its very root that is what a large portion of this protest is coming from.
In regards to legislation to limit corporate growth, I don't think you understand what the effects of that would bring. You think the market is bad now? Wait until companies can no longer grow at a free rate. Remember all the jobs I talked about from corporate growth? Well they would not be created leading to more unemployment. Corporations bring so much wealth into the economy and limiting their growth will backfire faster than you can say "berkenstock sandals".
To wrap everything up it just seems to me like you are pretty young, impressionable and passionate. All of which is awesome, its an amazing time when you start to think for yourself. But at the same time I don't think you understand fully what you are saying. The repercussions of what you have suggested would be devastating to the economy. I do not want to come off as if I am talking down to you or putting you down. It just seems you are passionate without much direction or enough knowledge of our economic system to understand the effects of your suggestions.
There are lots of elements of this protest. We are only scratching the surface in this thread. However from what you have said I hope you take the time to read this and perhaps it will shed some light on some things or maybe get you thinking in a different direction.
In the words of Winston Churchill:
"If you are not Liberal when you're 25, you have not heart. If you're not conservative when you're 35, you have no brain."
Thank you
Paul Levine
