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99 Percent Declaration
Website logo
CreatedOctober 7, 2011
Locationthe-99-declaration.org
Author(s)Occupy Wall Street New York City General Assembly 99% Declaration Working Group

The 99 Percent Declaration or 99% Declaration is a document that originated from a working group of the New York City General Assembly of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement in Zuccotti Park on October 15, 2011. Neither the working group nor the document is considered to be an official expression of Occupy Wall Street sentiment, and the group is believed to be one of many similar groups that have formed to work on different demands. The document calls for a National General Assembly to be held beginning the week of July 4, 2012 in Philadelphia.[1][2][3] The Declaration includes demands for an immediate ban on all monetary and gift contributions to all politicians,[4] implementing a public financing system for political campaigns, and the reversal of the Citizens United case by the Supreme Court.[5][6][7][8]

Background

The Occupy Wall Street movement began as an advertised demonstration which posed the question "What is our one Demand?" This has led different individuals and groups to propose various demands including the 99 Percent Declaration.[9] There are reports suggesting that the 99% group has developed its own organization.[10][11][12][13][14] According to Canadian analyst Chris MacDonald, the document includes provisions encouraging persons to "buy American" as part of an effort to "appease the political right."[15]

The document

The declaration calls for a national general assembly to represent the 435 congressional districts, Washington D.C. and the five US territories to gather beginning on July 4, 2012, for the purpose of assembling a list of grievances and solutions.[5] According to the plan, delegates are to be selected by direct vote such that two delegates -- one man and one woman -- will represent each congressional districts. In addition, one delegate each will represent Washington D.C. as well as each of the five U.S. territories. These delegates would be instructed to vote on a list of grievances at an assembly in Philadelphia. The group filed paperwork in New York State to be identified as a not-for-profit corporation entitled The 99% Working Group, Ltd. The document contains the following suggested "grievances and solutions":

Elimination of the Corporate State.

Overturning the “Citizens United” Case.

Elimination of All Private Benefits to Public Servants.

Term Limits.

A Fair Tax Code.

Health Care for All.

Protection of the Planet.

Debt Reduction.

Jobs for All Americans.

Student Loan Debt Refinancing.

Ending Perpetual War for Profit.

Emergency Reform of Public Education.

End Outsourcing and Currency Manipulation.

Banking and Securities Reform.

Foreclosure Moratorium, Mortgage Refinancing and Principle Write Downs.

Review and Reform of the Federal Reserve Banking System.

Ending the Electoral College and Enactment of Uniform Federal Election Rules.

Ending the War in Afghanistan and Care of Veterans.

No Censorship of the Internet.

Reinstitution of Civil Rights Including the Repeal of the NDAA.

Curtailing the Private Prison Industrial Complex.

Responses

The general assemblies of Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Philadelphia have not officially endorsed the 99% Declaration. The Occupy Philadelphia General Assembly stated that “We do not support the 99% Declaration, its group, its website, its National GA and anything else associated with it.”[16] Co-Founder and attorney Michael Pollok has tried to distance the 99% Declaration from the Occupy movement, ""I understand why the New York City General Assembly distrusts representative democracy and fears 'co-opting' by Occupy spin-off groups like ours. We started in Zuccotti Park and I get it that Occupy does not want to bargain with the politicians who have sold out in exchange for a flow of super-PAC money. But with 150 million people living in poverty or low income households, a shortage of affordable housing and record unemployment, time is short to alleviate this suffering and imminent threat to our national security. In my opinion, occupations and protests will not end the corporate state and a petition for redress of grievances is a first, constitutional, and powerful step towards dismantling corporate control of our country and calculated disenfranchisement of millions of Americans. . ." Former Occupiers, The 99% Working Group, Release New Details About Independence Day Convention in Philadelphia

See also

 

Notes

References

  1. ^ Tyler Kingkade (October 18, 2011). "Occupy Wall Street Protesters Propose A National Convention, Release Potential Demands". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
  2. ^ Alesh Houdek (Nov 16 2011). "Has a Harvard Professor Mapped Out the Next Step for Occupy Wall Street? Lawrence Lessig's call for state-based activism on behalf of a Constitutional Convention could provide the uprooted movement with a political project for winter". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2012-01-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Quan Nguyen (October 19, 2011). "'Occupy Philadelphia' keeps growing as move looms". Philly.com. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
  4. ^ Ed Feulner and and Billie Tucker (Ed Feulner and and Billie Tucker). "FEULNER & TUCKER: Tea Party vs. Occupy Wall Street Contrary to Obama's assertions, movements are poles apart". Washington Times. Retrieved 2012-01-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b Walsh, J. (October 20, 2011) "Do we know what OWS wants yet?" Salon
  6. ^ Duda, C. (October 19, 2011) "Occupy Wall Street Protesters Call for National General Assembly, Put Forward Possible Demands" Juvenile Justice Information Exchange
  7. ^ Mike Dunn, (City Hall Bureau Chief) KYW Newsradio (October 19, 2011). "'Occupy' May Hold National Assembly In Philadelphia". CBS Philly. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
  8. ^ 99% Declaration site
  9. ^ Andrew G. Biggs and Jason Richwine (November 16, 2011). "Column: Public school teachers aren't underpaid". USA Today. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  10. ^ Haack, D. (October 24, 2011) "How the Occupy movement won me over" The Guardian
  11. ^ Hoffman, Meredith. "Protesters Debate What Demands, if Any, to Make". The New York Times. Retrieved 11-3-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ^ Lihle Z Mtshali (06 November, 2011). "Wall Street occupiers need a rethink on strategy: THE Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement in lower Manhattan enters its eighth week and before they go any further, the occupiers need to either re-evaluate their strategy or go home". Times Live. Retrieved 2012-01-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ ""The 99 Percent Declaration" from "An OWS Working Group"". TaylorMarsh.com. Retrieved 11-3-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  14. ^ "The NYCGA-True Hollywood Story: The 99Declaration Group, an Exposé". New York City General Assembly Official Website. Retrieved 11-3-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  15. ^ Chris MacDonald (October 25, 2011). "Should Americans buy American?". Canada.com. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
  16. ^ LaIntelligencia "99% Declaration Receives a Vote of “No Support” from OP GA" Occupy Philly Media, 15 December 2011

Further reading

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