Forum Post: We are the 99% - A story from middle class America

We are the 99 Percent – The story of an American middle class family by Michael J. O’Connell - Part 1

I am inspired by the people taking to the streets all across America to take back America for the people. Here is the middle class story of my family. We hope it inspires you to make a positive difference. Please distribute it widely -- Michael

I am Michael O’Connell and my wife is Linda. We are an American middle class couple. We did all the right things. We played by the rules.

After High School I proudly joined the US Army to defend our nation and protect our collective freedoms. I stood with my fellow soldiers as a human shield against those who would tear us down. I stood firm for your freedoms, my freedoms and the freedoms of Washington politicians and Presidents, far too many who seem to have forgotten that our military burden should be shared by them and theirs in addition to us and ours… and far too many who believe that American soldiers, our people, are fodder to boost profits and executive bonuses for Halliburton and other well connected corporations. Even President Obama who promised to end these immoral wars buckled under pressure and sent more soldiers to die in the killing fields of Afghanistan.

We are the 99 Percent

After my military service I enrolled in college and like my father and his father before him I worked hard for the chance at the golden ring, life in the middle class. By the luck of genetics and the grace of God I was born with the drive and intelligence to succeed, to parents who demonstrated a solid work ethic, into a country that fostered the growth of the middle class. My future was secure.

I married a beautiful woman and am still deeply in love with her four decades later.

She bore and we raised five wonderful children who have given us six beautiful grandchildren. It is for them that we are willing to share our story in hopes of improving their future.

We bought a modest house and my wife turned it into a home. A middle class home with our own children giggling and running about, a home now graced by our special angels – our grandchildren.

We were concerned with poverty in America and gave thousands of dollars to food banks and homeless shelters. Those who are blessed have a responsibility to help those who are not. That is the America I was raised in and still believe should exist.

Ten percent investment return a year we were told, or sold a bill of goods because my well paid financial advisory company failed to point out that the bubble I was investing into was engineered to make the wealthy even wealthier at the expense of my financial future and the futures of every working class American.

With a comfortable 401K I was going to retire early and take my science and computer skills accumulated over thirty intense years at Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Digital Equipment Corporation and Unisys Corporation and teach in the public school system. My projected savings were going to allow me to take a major cut in income so I could give back to the America that gave me the knowledge and opportunity to succeed.