Saturday, October 15, 2011

The 99 Percent Rule

The Nation reports that the bottom 99 percent is "risiing up" to demand its due. But the numbers just aren't adding up.

So far only a few thousand people across the country have joined the Occupy Wall Street protests. In a country of 315 million people that means only about .0000001 percent of the 99 percent are "rising up."

Unemployment is at 9 percent and not even all those people have joined the OWS protest. The vast majority of those people are actively engaged in looking for work, or not working until their benefits run out. Most are not "rising up," they are hunkering down, cutting their expenses and hoping the economy turns around.

The country's economic fortunes will not be turned around by demonizing corporations and taxing the wealthy more. But it obviously makes some people feel pretty to say so.

17 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Are you oblivious to what's going on?

October 15, 2011 at 11:25 AM 
Anonymous Wendy Jordan, Delaware County said...

I am sick and tired of people like you saying it doesn't make sense to demonize the very companies that put our country in this position, and that it doesn't make sense to tax the rich more. IF YOU HAVE MORE MONEY YOU CAN AFFORD TO PAY MORE TAXES, WE CANT!!!!!

October 15, 2011 at 12:07 PM 
Anonymous Wendy Jordan, Delaware County said...

Banks got Bail Outs, Car Dealership got Bail Outs. AT NO TIME Did I see them caring about the 99% working people, AT NO TIME Did I see the 99% get a Bail Out to pull us out of the trenches. The 99% Get it, We are your work horse and mean nothing to the 1% beyond that.

October 15, 2011 at 12:14 PM 
Anonymous Wendy Jordan, Delaware County said...

CORRECTION:
I did mean Car Companies.

October 15, 2011 at 12:15 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe it's time for you to get a new job...

October 15, 2011 at 12:37 PM 
Blogger Dannytheman said...

You folks do realize that there were much larger Tea Party rallies, right? And they have money, and they vote.
In a democratic republic, we vote for change. But you might want to change that,too! ANARCHY!!!
Most of you pansies wouldn't last 2 minutes in a revolution.

October 15, 2011 at 1:10 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yo, Wendy... If I have more money I can afford to pay more taxes? Whoops, you don't say what "more money" means. If I make $40,000 a year should I pay more taxes? I understand your plight because President Obama has never defined his often referred to "fair share"... I guess you'll have to wait for him to let you know that "more money" means...

October 15, 2011 at 9:29 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yo, Wendy... Bains got Bail Outs? Get a grip, lady. If you had any awareness of what has happened you would know that the big banks (which were forced to take the so-called bail outs) have all repaid them plus interest... Yes, you are a work horse but you are forced to slog behind the current administration in Washington, pulling their wagon of distored reality...

October 15, 2011 at 9:33 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My Dear Dannytheman... You ask about the Tea Party rallies? As you do, please let us know how much it cost the taxpayers of New York or Philadelphia or other cities to put up with their ignorant and ill advised so-called protests. And they still continue to abuse both public and private spaces by their protest of anything it is possible to protest. Will the DNC pay for the cleanup of these public spaces? No, after paying to keep the rallies alive they won't be able to pay for the clean up so the taxpayers will be left to pick up the bill. Yeah, that's the ticket... I'd call that a tax on the un-protesters but you'd just smile and say they can afford it...

October 15, 2011 at 9:38 PM 
Blogger Bob Bohne said...

LOL. This whole post is really getting weird.

October 15, 2011 at 10:16 PM 
Blogger steve mcdonald said...

Actually, Bush gave us bailouts twice and Obama extended unemployment benefits. Both lowered taxes either through wage or payroll deductions. Unless Ms. Jordan is the type that simply wants to be coddled with government care, I don't know what else she wants.

The government isn't going to be the one to bring back a thriving economy, we need the markets to do so. We need free enterprise to create and grow business.

The 'bail outs' you're arguing against were loans by the government to said companies. And as it stands, TARP is in the black, making a profit for the government. I wasn't wild about the idea in 2008, but the repurcussions of losing everyone's securities (pensions, 401(k)s, insurance policies, the list goes on) would have been much worse. In addition, a few of those banks didn't need the funds but were forced to take them in order to keep the credit markets moving as the lack of credit is what many believe to be a major cause of prolonging the great depression through the 1930s.

October 17, 2011 at 9:57 AM 
Blogger caardvaark said...

ochttp://www.meetup.com/occupytogether/cupy Media October 25th at 7 pm.

October 17, 2011 at 7:36 PM 
Blogger caardvaark said...

occupy Media October 25th at 7 pm Plum St Park

October 17, 2011 at 7:37 PM 
Blogger caardvaark said...

http://www.meetup.com/occupytogether/Media-PA/391222/

Be there!

October 17, 2011 at 7:38 PM 
Anonymous rickfindmeinupperdarby said...

Is demanding that corporations pay fair taxes as every American is expected outrageous? Is it fair that a few thousand institutional elite hold dominion over the fate of a few hundred million? Is it too bold to assume that the capitalistic model that America is currently operating on might not be the way to manage such a complex society? Further....
How can you demonize a demon? With that being said, are demons aware of what they are doing or is it just standard protocol in their demon worlds of what they have been taught to think, feel and practice, values transmitted and instilled? I do not believe that this movement is not a personal attack but rather the beginning of a dialogue that should have been started long ago when jobs started to be shipped out of the country for cheaper wage and a small group of people were able to profit in unspeakable ways. This short essay contains no information about the 99 percent or the one percent, which would be important to helping people form tangible opinions. It had some quick math designed to obscure the truth. Only the lowest common denominator would read this and think "ahhhh, the news". There is something wrong with a society when people are okay with such financial disparity and stratification to the point that they would scoff at sheer numbers, just the numbers, which should set off some kind of alarm in the conscience of the middle and lower middle class. It's easier to just be apathetic and mock rather than turn and face the strange....

October 18, 2011 at 12:14 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

People need to realize that just because this is a movement for change doesn't mean that it is specific to one political party. We are all being taken for fools; Democrats and Republicans alike. Open your eyes.

Also, this is not just about jobs. These hundreds upon thousands of people are not screaming because it's easier to do so than find a job. Know what you're talking about before you write a story like this or make a comment.

October 18, 2011 at 12:15 AM 
Blogger steve mcdonald said...

hey ricky:

Is demanding that corporations pay fair taxes as every American is expected outrageous?
-Not at all, but if they're already paying one of the highest rates on this planet, than whats your problem. technically if you want to boost the economy and awaken the economic cycle, wouldn't you want less taxes on corporations leading to less costs of goods and services to cosnumers and end users?


Is it fair that a few thousand institutional elite hold dominion over the fate of a few hundred million?
-Why should we care? Honestly? I don't care. You're complaining about the economy but you're going after the wrong people, so why should I consider taking your message seriously?

Is it too bold to assume that the capitalistic model that America is currently operating on might not be the way to manage such a complex society?
-I've asked on the other boards the same question I'll ask you - if you don't like capitalism as an economic model please suggest a replacement and explain in full detail how its better, why its better and how it functions. Otherwise, don't waste my time.

I can't read the rest of your commentary , the first paragraph alone was ridiculous.

October 18, 2011 at 8:57 AM 

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