Forum Post: The 100%

While I feel the OWS movement speaks volumes on some of the faults w/ the socioeconomic system as it currently exists. I also feel the "tea-baggers" also speak truth. There are a huge number of existing problems, and I believe the root is greed. The 1% are likely very similar to the 99%, excepting they're financially stable.

For a country supposedly founded on Christian principles, I see very little Christian charity. I see see/hear people making statements to the effect "I got mine, the others must be failing because of some fault of their own". I have no problem w/ capitalism in general, but the profit motive seems to appeal to the basic greed that most of us are guilty of. How much do we really need to have a good, meaningful life? If we have more than we need, why not help others in need? I've literally given away thousands, and plan on giving more as I can. I don't plan on hurting myself either.

I own a modest house, grow my own food, only buy used cars, do my own repairs, and have reached the point where I'm eligible to draw an annuity. I only make a median income, well under $100k, but attempt to live within my means. I'm also learning to live poor, as I know my annuity won't support even my lifestyle.

I think it's morally reprehensible that there's a niche market that preys on the poor. Payroll and title loans, cash for gold, even the prison and legal system. I'm not arrogant enough to think that I'm relatively stable because of anything I've done. I've been lucky.

I've expected this type of situation to occur for over 30 years. My personal solution was to go "off grid" and become as self sufficient as possible. The five acres never happened. The notion that we can control our own destiny is largely an illusion. However, we can do the best we can given our personal situation, and hopefully there will be someone that gives a hand.

Thomas Jefferson was a smart cookie, and foresaw the possibility of corporate greed dominating economics. However, the voter was expected to be the check. We've all failed here. It's understandable, in that it's extremely difficult to get unbiased accurate information. I've not trusted broadcast news since Walter Cronkite retired.

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."

-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

Controlling information is an easy way to control attitudes.

IMO we need to go back to some the things we used to do. We need to reduce large centralized operations. Centralization is very efficient from the viewpoint of a large corporate structure, but when it fails, and everything eventually breaks, the damage is more widespread. Local operations result in less dependence on oil, makes more jobs, stimulates a sense of community, and generally results higher quality products. Food, for example, is crap. The quality is relatively poor, it's gotten to where much commercially produced food is actually bad for you, and it usually doesn't even taste as good as what you can produce yourself.

It's ridiculous that corporations are rewarded for taking money and jobs out of the country. It's ridiculous that we put largely lawyers into office. How do they represent the majority of us? It's morally wrong that healthcare is a profit making industry.

I've recently been listening and reading what Elizabeth Warren has to say. Smart cookie. Just kills me that the information that she based her research on is freely available. Apparently very few people care to look into the causes of the middle class disappearing.

I could go on and on, and probably will, but enough for now.