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this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2026
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Work Reform
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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
Our Philosophies:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
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I remain convinced (from my Canadian perch up above the USA) that if Occupy Wall Street had made repealing Citizens United as their main platform, it may have actually worked. Unfortunately OWS was instead a mélange of angst that couldn't organise itself effectively, for a hundred reasons that ten thousand people smarter than me could better speak about.
OWS didn't fail. It was brutally crushed in a coup coordinated by the Obama administration.
One problem is that it's a supreme court decision, and the only way to "repeal" those is a constitutional amendment, which requires support of a 2/3 majority of congress, or a new set of supreme court justices to make a new decision, but those are lifetime appointments and so you may have to wait decades for an opportunity. Realistically the only options are workarounds because a literal repeal has a very high barrier that's unlikely to be overcome even with a very successful mass popular movement.
it just needs at least some turnover at scotus and a new case, so it can get a new ruling that really narrows the previous one or shreds it completely.
As a Canadian, I was entirely ignorant of the Supreme Court's role in this travesty of a Law. Appreciate the explainer.
np, also technically it is not a law, it's a court interpretation about what laws the constitution allows https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._FEC
Supreme court's decisions are not technically laws, but they're treated as such as far as I can understand - they set precedent on how some law is to be interpreted and other courts follow it
Roe v Wade was another famous supreme court case that was essentially law, until the court was deemed republican enough to kick an abortion related case at them so they could undo it. Roe v Wade was what protected Americans' right to get abortions.
Congress made a law greatly limiting what corporations and organizations could do with regards to publishing electioneering material. Citizens United wanted to publish electioneering material. Federal Election Commission said no. Citizens United sued. Case was appealed to the Supreme Court. SCOTUS said the law violated the first amendment rights of corporations, and overturned it.
It would have been ignored, just like all their other platforms.
OWS was a moment for progressive organizing and collective altruism. But the biggest benefits of the movement came from their Rolling Jubilee, their local collectivism leading to shutdowns throughout Manhattan and other big urban centers, and their educational initiatives to turn the tide on anti-socialist propaganda.
This was never a Congressional lobbying operation. It wasn't designed to be.
Nothing short of a parade of guillotines could have made OWS successful.