99 percenters have the facts on their side
By MARTY O’CONNOR
The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement has been growing exponentially over the first two months of its existence.
They’re criticized for no apparent leaders or demands, and they’re accused of simply grandstanding.
However, no one can deny the facts are stunning:
• The top 1 percent of Americans possesses more wealth than the entire bottom 90 percent;
• The top 1 percent earns more than the bottom 50 percent combined;
• The 400 wealthiest Americans have a greater combined net worth than the bottom 150 million;
• The US has the highest overall poverty rate and the highest childhood poverty rate of any major industrialized country on earth; and
• The gap between the very rich and everybody else is the widest it has been since 1928.
The disparate treatment goes beyond the individuals to corporations as well. The country’s six largest financial institutions have assets equal to more than 60 percent of our country’s GDP. That is $9 trillion.
Thirty major corporations paid zero federal income taxes in the last three years.
Couple this with the U.S. Supreme Court decision that treats corporations as people and allows them to dump millions into political campaigns, and you have a very dangerous brew.
How have the leading Republican candidates for president responded to the OWS?
Mitt Romney said, “I think it’s dangerous, this class warfare.”
Herman Cain said, “Don't blame Wall Street. Don’t blame the big banks if you don’t have a job and you’re not rich. Blame yourself!”
Newt Gingrich said, “I think the people who are protesting in Wall Street break into two groups: ... left-wing agitators ..., and ... sincere middle-class people who, frankly, are very close to the Tea Party people who care.”
Romney is right. It is class warfare and we, the 99 percent, are getting our butts kicked.
Cain’s statement is bizarre. Wall Street and the big banks created this financial crisis. It’s not about being rich. It’s about the concentration of wealth.
Gingrich is very close. The aims of the people who joined the Tea Party and those who support the Occupy movement are the same.
We are tired of the 1 percent amassing more wealth while we struggle for the crumbs from their table. We are tired of them creating jobs in other countries so they can make another million or two. We are tired of the 1 percent controlling our government. We are tired of the 1 percent controlling our media.
We just want a decent job with decent benefits. We don’t want to be constantly under attack for having a pension and health care. We are the 99 percent.
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