Forum Post: 1% Ball Busting @ Occupy Chicago
Posted 13 years ago on Nov. 4, 2011, 8:16 p.m. EST by StephPiddock
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I'm pretty angry
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The ugly truth. America's wealth is STILL being concentrated. When the rich get too rich, the poor get poorer. These latest figures prove it. AGAIN.
According to the Social Security Administration, 50 percent of U.S. workers made less than $26,364 in 2010. In addition, those making less than $200,000, or 99 percent of Americans, saw their earnings fall by $4.5 billion collectively. The sobering numbers were a far cry from what was going on for the richest one percent of Americans.
The incomes of the top one percent of the wage scale in the U.S. rose in 2010; and their collective wage earnings jumped by $120 billion. In addition, those earning at least $1 million a year in wages, which is roughly 93,000 Americans, reported payroll income jumped 22 percent from 2009. Overall, the economy has shed 5.2 million jobs since the start of the Great Recession in 2007. It’s the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression in the 1930’s.
Another word about the first Great Depression. It really was a perfect storm. Caused almost entirely by greed. First, there was unprecedented economic growth. There was a massive building spree. There was a growing sense of optimism and materialism. There was a growing obsession for celebrities. The American people became spoiled, foolish, naive, brainwashed, and love-sick. They were bombarded with ads for one product or service after another. Encouraged to spend all of their money as if it were going out of style. Obscene profits were hoarded at the top. In 1928, the rich were already way ahead. Still, they were given huge tax breaks. All of this represented a MASSIVE transfer of wealth from poor to rich. Executives, entrepreneurs, developers, celebrities, and share holders. By 1929, America's wealthiest 1 percent had accumulated around 40% of all United States wealth. The upper class held around 30%. The middle and lower classes were left to share the rest. When the majority finally ran low on money to spend, profits declined and the stock market crashed.
Of course, the rich threw a fit and started cutting jobs. They would stop at nothing to maintain their disgusting profit margins and ill-gotten obscene levels of wealth as long as possible. The small business owners did what they felt necessary to survive. They cut more jobs. The losses were felt primarily by the little guy. This created a domino effect. The middle class shrunk drastically and the lower class expanded. With less wealth in reserve and active circulation, banks failed by the hundreds. More jobs were cut. Unemployment reached 25% in 1933. The worst year of the Great Depression. Those who were employed had to settle for much lower wages. Millions went cold and hungry. The recovery involved a massive infusion of new currency, a World War, and higher taxes on the rich. With so many men in the service, so many women on the production line, and those higher taxes to help pay for it, the lions share of United States wealth was gradually transfered back to the middle class. This redistribution of wealth continued until the mid seventies. This was the recovery. A massive redistribution of wealth. Then it began to concentrate all over again. Here we are 35 years later. The richest one percent now own over 40 percent of all US wealth. The lower 90 percent own less than 25 percent of all US wealth. This is true even after taxes, welfare, financial aid, and charity. It is the underlying cause. No redistribution. No recovery.
The government won't step in and do what's necessary. Not this time. It's up to us. Support small business more and big business less. Support the little guy more and the big guy less. It's tricky but not impossible. No redistribution. No recovery.
Those of you who agree on these major issues are welcome to summarize this post, copy it, link to it, save it, show a friend, or spread the word in any fashion. Most major cities have daily call-in talk radio shows. You can reach thousands of people at once. They should know the ugly truth. Be sure to quote the figures which prove that America's wealth is still being concentrated. I don't care who takes the credit. We are up against a tiny but very powerful minority who have more influence on the masses than any other group in history. They have the means to reach millions at once with outrageous political and commercial propaganda. Those of us who speak the ugly truth must work incredibly hard just to be heard.
We have been mislead by Reagan, Bush Sr, Clinton, Bush Jr, Obama, and nearly every other public figure. Economic growth, job creation, and actual prosperity are not necessarily a package deal. In fact, the first two are horribly misunderstood. Economic growth/loss (GDP) is little more than a measure of domestic wealth changing hands. A transfer of currency from one party to another. The rate at which it is traded. This was up until mid ’07′ however, has never been a measure of actual prosperity. Neither has job creation. The phrase itself has been thrown around so often, and in such a generic political manner, that it has come to mean nothing. Of course, we need to have certain things done for the benefit of society as a whole. We need farmers, builders, manufacturers, transporters, teachers, cops, firefighters, soldiers, mechanics, sanitation workers, doctors, managers, and visionaries. Their work is vital. I’ll even go out on a limb and say that we need politicians, attorneys, bankers, investors, and entertainers. In order to keep them productive, we must provide reasonable incentives. We need to compensate each by a fair measure for their actual contributions to society. We need to provide a reasonable scale of income opportunity for every independent adult, every provider, and share responsibility for those who have a legitimate need for aid. In order to achieve and sustain this, we must also address the cost of living and the distribution of wealth. Here, we have failed miserably. The majority have already lost their home equity, their financial security, and their relative buying power. The middle class have actually lost much of their ability to make ends meet, re-pay loans, pay taxes, and support their own economy. The lower class have gone nearly bankrupt. In all, its a multi-trillion dollar loss taken over about 30 years. Millions are under the impression that we need to create more jobs simply to provide more opportunity. as if that would solve the problem. It won’t. Not by a longshot. Jobs don’t necessarily create wealth. In fact, they almost never do. For the mostpart, they only transfer wealth from one party to another. A gain here. A loss there. Appreciation in one community. Depreciation in another. In order to create net wealth, you must harvest a new resource or make more efficient use of one. Either way you must have a reliable and ethical system in place to distribute that newly created wealth in order to benefit society as a whole and prevent a lagging downside. The ‘free market’ just doesn’t cut it. Its a farce. Many of the jobs created are nothing but filler. The promises empty. Sure, unemployment reached an all-time low under Bush. GDP reached an all-time high. But those are both shallow and misleading indicators. In order to gauge actual prosperity, you must consider the economy in human terms. As of ’08′ the average American was working more hours than the previous generation with far less equity to show for it. Consumer debt, forclosure, and bankruptcy were also at all-time highs. As of ’08′, every major American city was riddled with depressed communities, neglected neighborhoods, failing infrastructures, lost revenue, and gang activity. All of this has coincided with massive economic growth and job creation. Meanwhile, the rich have been getting richer and richer and richer even after taxes. Our nation’s wealth has been concentrated. Again, this represents a multi-trillion dollar loss taken by the majority. Its an absolute deal breaker. Bottom line: With or without economic growth or job creation, you must have a system in place to prevent too much wealth from being concentrated at the top. Unfortunately, we don’t. Our economy has become nothing but a giant game of Monopoly. The richest one percent of Americans already own over 40% of all US wealth. More than double their share before Reagan took office. The lower 90 percent of Americans own less than 25 percent of all US wealth. Still, the rich want more. They absolutely will not stop. Now, our society as a whole is in serious jeapordy. Greed kills.
Those of you who agree on these major issues are welcome to summarize this post, copy it, link to it, save it, show a friend, or spread the word in any fashion. Most major cities have daily call-in talk radio shows. You can reach thousands of people at once. They should know the ugly truth. Be sure to quote the figures which prove that America's wealth is still being concentrated. I don't care who takes the credit. We are up against a tiny but very powerful minority. The rich have more influence on the masses than any other group in history. They have the means to reach millions at once with outrageous political and commercial propaganda. Those of us who speak the ugly truth must work incredibly hard just to be heard.
God damn it. You die hard winner take all bloodthirsty capitalists and filthy rich pigs absolutely refuse to understand the following: First, that record high charges in health care, energy, and finance also mean record high profits and record high dividends. 1/2 of which are paid to the richest one percent. This causes more hardship and more concentration of wealth. At the same time, more financial aid in the form of welfare, Medicare, and Medicaid becomes necessary. Especially with those record high charges and profits. As even more wealth is concentrated, the lower majority go into debt and lose their relative buying power. This results in less demand, layoffs, and higher unemployment. This results in even more legitimate need for financial aid, a slower economy, less revenue, and higher national debt. It's a downward cycle tied directly to the relentless concentration of wealth.
I'm not making excuses for those who sit on the couch, make no attempt to find work, and sponge off the government. I'm not calling for a welfare state. But God damn it. You die hard conservatives and filthy rich pigs need to stop being such cowards, open your god damn eyes, and finally admit that there is a downside as more and more wealth becomes concentrated.
The richest one percent now own well over 40 percent of all United States wealth. The lower 90 percent now own less than 25 percent of all United States wealth. This is true even after you account for all taxes, charity, and financial aid. This equation becomes more obscene when you account for nearly two trillion in consumer debt which is owed primarily by the lower 90 percent. Mark my words: this equation will get worse.
THERE IS A DOWNSIDE AS YOU GET RICHER AND RICHER!
A word for my critics: I'm no expert but I'm no fool. I predicted this socio-economic crisis in writing 6 years ago. I'm aware of all the conservative and liberal talking points. Of course, I hate politicians. But I don't hate liberals or conservatives. I agree with both on some issues. For example: I agree that we need an adequate safety net for those in need. Not for those who sit on the couch and watch TV.I agree with tax cuts for small business. But not for Wall Street and not for those making $500,000 and up. A heavy concentration of wealth is what got us here. A gradual and partial redistribution of wealth is vital.
I don't want socialism, communism, or marxism. I want modest capitalism. A reasonable scale of income opportunity for all those willing and able to work. An adequate safety net for those in need.
A word for the rich: I have received quite a bit of negative feedback from you one percent club pigs. I must be doing something right. After all, you took time away from your money bath just for me. You might want to check your ass crack for soggy bills. In the meantime, let me just say this for the record:
You can't intimidate me. You can't embarrass me. You can't make me feel uneducated, unintelligent, or otherwise insignificant. You can't confuse me. You can't divert my attention. You can't exhaust me and you sure as hell can't break my will. I know I'm getting to you because you're here with another lame psychological trick. You're here in an attempt to shut me up. It won't work. I've had it with all of you.
I won't break any laws. I would never discredit the cause with a criminal act. But I'm telling you right now that I'm virtually impossible to stop. It's a big world and I have a lot to say. If you want to break my will, you're going to have to break my neck first.
If you pull a stunt like that, a lot of people will know what happened to me and why.
Now get out of my face. I have work to do.
The following is my response to a one percenter who felt that I was too angry to reason with:
Again, you absolutely refuse to acknowledge the primary issue. The single greatest underlying cause. This relentless concentration of wealth and resources has gone virtually uninterrupted for 35 Years now. That's half a lifetime. It started slowly in the mid '70's and accelerated under Reagan. It slowed under Clinton and accelerated again under Bush. Overall, its taken place under both Democratic and Republican rule. Now, it's at record levels. There is not one shred of evidence to suggest that it might reverse anytime soon. Not one shred. Its gone too God damn far. Period. Way too God damn far. That's not simple ideology. It's simple math. An absolute deal breaker.
I'm lower middle class but I'm OK with that. Its where I belong. Its where I feel comfortable. I have no dependents. I'm in perfect health. I'm doing fine. I'm not here for myself. I'm here for millions who struggle to make ends meet. Especially those who are trying to raise families under this record high cost of living. I'm not making excuses for their irresponsible spending habits but I am well aware of their hardship. Whats been happening for 35 years now is a profound injustice. An outrage. Meanwhile, you get even richer reducing their relative buying power in the process. I'm absolutely convinced that it's going to get worse.
So when you sit there and tell me that I should be willing to enter into a "meaningful discussion" with you, after 35 years of injustice from which you benefit and they lose, it's sort of like a rapist trying to negotiate with me over just how much my mother should bleed. The answer is 'no'. Stop concentrating so much God damn wealth. No? That's what I thought. Therefore, I have no choice but to persecute you and the rich in general until the lower 90 percent of Americans own a reasonable share of United States wealth. Until, you let go of your incredible greed. Until you have a little less and they have enough to get by in relative comfort. They God damn well deserve it.
They did every bit as much as your bunch have to build this country. They built our roads, built our furniture, built our homes, taught our children, fought our fires, caught the criminals, picked up the garbage, fixed our cars, and fought our wars. Many gave their lives in the process. They God damn well deserve more than 20 percent of our nation's wealth. THEY GOD DAMN WELL DESERVE IT!
So don't you even try to negotiate with me unless you're willing to start with an admission that they deserve more than 10 percent of our nation's wealth. A lot more. If you are willing to admit that, then we can talk about 'growing the pie'. But don't even try to feed me some BS about a rising tide lifting all ships. It's not that simple and it never will be until you filthy rich pigs grow a spine and admit that it hasn't for the last 35 God damn years. Any growth must benefit the lower 90 percent more than it benefits you. A lot more. Otherwise, no deal.
I never said that the relentless concentration of wealth was the only factor driving up national debt. Of course, there are other factors. But if you are not willing to admit the COW as one factor, then you are a coward and a liar.
Of course, the corporations have rigged the system. But the corporations are run primarily by the richest one percent. Most members of congress are the richest one percent. Lobbyists, investors, bankers, developers, ect. All members of the one percent club. The motive is greed. Always greed. It's not the system. It's the people running the system. The rich. It's their motive. Greed. God damn spoiled rotten black hearted greed. Whatever takes to get more of our money. Whatever it takes to concentrate more wealth in their favor. Admit, that and maybe we can have a "meaningful discussion". No? That's what I thought.
The root cause sure as hell is the COW. Getting fatter by the day. The process in which that COW gets fatter. The intention to get fatter at our expense. GREED.
You're willing to pay more taxes? Enough to reverse the concentration of wealth for a few years? Bullshit. Your club lobbied for the current tax structure. Loaded with loopholes. Nothing but a room full of smoke and mirrors in which you get richer and the lower 90 percent get poorer. It's not the system. It's the people running the system. The richest one percent. Your club hired the corporate lobbyist. Not ours. Your club did do with one primary goal. To get even richer. To concentrate even more US wealth. To win the game.
If your club wants me to believe for one second that you want unity, then you must be willing to settle for less. At least until the lower 90 percent own a reasonable share of this nation's bottom line wealth. THEY GOD DAMN WELL DESERVE IT!
No? That's what I thought. No deal.