#OWS's most important demand

I can't help myself—I am utterly fascinated by the #OWS story.  The creativity and resilience of those people who actually go down to the various protests is beyond magnificent.  And goodness knows I would like to help—without getting in the way, sounding patronizing, or any of the other manifestations of old-fartiness.

But if I could stand up in front of the crowd in Zuccotti Park, it would be to say the following:

People keep asking to see your agenda.  And I LOVE your answer so far which seems to be "Go away, we're working on one."  The reason this answer is perfect is because IF you were to publish a list of demands—even one as good as Matt Taibbi's—the critics would be all over it.  I have a list, too, that I think is spectacularly well thought out but even I don't think the time has come to get that specific. 

But I DO think there is one demand that is so obvious that not only will the vast majority of the 99% of all political persuasions agree to it, but even the paid critics will have difficulty attacking it.  Are you ready? 

No more bailouts of the financial system. 

The reason I think this should be the first demand is simple—refusing to bail out the banksters is the only way their power can be checked effectively.  They may seem powerful because they own all the media, the politicians, the schools of economics, and the pundit classes, but they have one EXTREME vulnerability—their casino is bankrupt and very soon, they are going to need another blood-money transfusion to keep their evil game going.  This prediction can be made with mathematical certainty.  And the moment the long-suffering citizens of the world refuse to pay for the bankster crimes against humanity (and make it stick) is the moment these freeloaders lose their power.  Their magic will be destroyed. 

Of course, the screams that we simply cannot allow the casino to fail will resound again like in 2008.  Spineless politicians who have long relied on the financial sector to fund their campaigns will reliably sell out the rest of their constituents.  And solemn pundits will explain once more why the rest of us should cover the bad bankster bets.  And even more solemn folks will demand to know what we would do with the wreckage.  Whatever.  The idea is to make these jerks defend the outrageous idea of bailing out Wall Street one more time. 

One demand (and the threat of making it stick) would make the banksters treat #OWS very, VERY, seriously.

Regular readers know I HAVE covered the subject of necessary bank reforms but here's a link to one of my favorites Michael Hudson discussing some.  The link has a video and a transcript.