Fuck the 99%, what about the 50%?

[Rabblevox]

You know, the people on unemployment, or disability, or working two part-time no-benefit jobs, or the single mom who has to work weekends to provide for her kids? Or maybe, ya know, even those dirty smelly homeless people?

99% might be a good sound bite, but I could actually give a fucking rats ass for the pain of people making 100K/year.

[blogslut]

1. I think you're mistaken

The OWC protesters are comprised of the very people you cite.

[Rabblevox]

10. I don't think I am mistaken.

I've been at Occupy Portland the past 3 days (and going back again today) I agree completely that the occupation is mainly people in the 50% (or lower) bracket.

My point (and maybe I did not make it well) is that many, many of the 99% are NOT our friends, have NEVER been our friends, and we do not share common interests or goals.

The pain of people who cannot take a vacation to Aruba, or who have to drive a car for 5 years instead of 2, is very simply not my pain.

[blogslut]

19. Hey, if I were to define myself by percentage, I would be one of the bottom %10

Unemployed. Barely able to feed myself, much less pay my bills and insurance? Hahahaha!

I understand your enmity but I will not join you. The middle and upper-middle classes are as much slaves to the 1% as the rest of us - the point is, they don't know it and it our job to make them see the light.

[Rabblevox]

21. That is actually a very good point. /nt

[Matariki]

36. I think *they* know it.

It's possible for people to be doing okay and still have a sense of the economic injustice that's happening and want to do something about it.

[blogslut]

45. I think some know it.

I don't think all know it.

[Matariki]

49. Of course not. Nor do *all* know it in *any* economic bracket know it.

There are many people who are barely scraping by who vociferously support the very rich - i.e. Teabaggers

[Uncle Joe]

38. Then you're the same as them, only without the money.

"The pain of people who cannot take a vacation to Aruba, or who have to drive a car for 5 years instead of 2, is very simply not my pain."

The fundamental problem in our society is the dearth of empathy, this lack of empathy is the toxic soil from which bubbles of isolation seep to the surface allowing the poisonous plants of unadulterated greed to flourish and that limitless greed in turn is what fosters such deep disparities in our society.

Wealth and poverty are equally bankrupt when they lack the noblest virtue of empathy.

FDR was wealthy and empathic to the point of being condemned by his own income class, tens if not hundreds of millions of people living on the edge saw their lives dramatically improve because of his empathy and yet you would condemn him because he wasn't poor.

But leaving ideals aside, from a pragmatic point of view your position can only make bringing about progressive change all the more difficult as you work to conquer and divide like minded people based solely on their income status while increasing the odds against you.

[JuniperLea]

47. A lot of people who actually agree...

Have been lied to and therefore don't understand that they do agree.

It's been that way for a long time... it's all part of the divide and conquer method that's been used on us for decades. When you get down to the nitty gritty, instead of the bumper-sticker, hate-filled rhetoric employed by the RW/TeaBaggers, we really do want more of the same things than we don't.

[dkf]

2. I don't think that is 50%.

Multiple job holders 5%

U-6 Total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force 16.5%


http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

[ThomWV]

17. Really? I'd be willing to bet that less than 50% of the people make $100K or better.

[NutmegYankee]

22. Per the 2008 Census Survey, 93% make less than 100K.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_income_in_the_United_States

[dkf]

25. Gross without deductions?

That number is probably distorted down.

[NutmegYankee]

28. That's gross Personal Income. It's slightly higher than the 2005 numbers.

And I did check both on the Census website. Those are the "no shit" numbers.

Note that is PERSONAL income, not household.

[dkf]

31. How odd that they didn't do household numbers since the census seems geared at households.

[NutmegYankee]

33. They do both.

I just posted the personal number as those seemed more appropriate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States (83% under 100K but numbers are older - 2005)

[Donny]

30. I am a 93%er!!!

[dkf]

23. Obviously since the median is lower than that.

So that is who the bad guys are now? People who make more than $100,000?

Gee more people to hate.

[Warpy]

3. You might want to broaden your news sources

because clearly no one has told you who the protestors are.

They're out there because they've lost everything, including the ability to support themselves through work.

[Rabblevox]

20. You actually made my point for me. Thank you. BTW, I've been at Occupy Portland...

the past three days, and am heading out there again soon. I'll tell them you said hi.

[shraby]

4. I hate to tell you this since you seem to be missing something,

but 99% INCLUDES the 50%. You cannot have 90% of anything and not have 50% of it too.

[valerief]

5. There are plenty of people who earned six figures and are now barely making ends meet.

Unless you're part of the ruling class, you're at risk of losing it all in America.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. you mean the bottom 50% - - as opposed to the upper 49%?

is it that to which number you are attempting to refer? :shrug:

[valerief]

7. And what about the 124%??? Huh? What about them? nt

[Enrique]

8. i hear what you're saying

i'm not in the same boat as someone in the UMC.

But it's too late practically speaking, the slogan is here to stay.

[Kennah]

9. Depends where they live - $100K in NYC or somewhere else?

Also, I think the real point about the 99% is that 1% controls Wall Street and the country, and possibly really just 0.1% or 0.01% or 0.001% or something.

[dkf]

14. Share holders are supposed to control wall street.

That is the disconnect that allows outrageous compensation.

[dmallind]

11. If every single one of the 50% supported you

You still would not have a majority. Speak up for the 99% and you can have almost half of them against you and still have that majority.

[catabryna]

12. Wow...

nice to know you would have hated me seven years ago, but now you'd love me. Ouch!

Thank goodness I have the choice to take your words with a grain of salt.

[dkf]

16. Yup income isn't static.

Look at Paulson. He isn't going to be this years biggest moneymaker by a long shot.

[catabryna]

24. If your point is that things change...

that is true.

[DesertFlower]

13. as someone with an income of more than $100,000

a year i resent your comment. i stand with the 99%. we give a lot of money to charity (food banks, meals on wheels, etc.) to help those who are less fortunate. i'm not your enemy. fortunately we have not been affected by this miserable economy but we care about those who have.

BTW. i've been poor.

[RB TexLa]

15. And there are people who don't give a fucking rats ass for the pain of people making what you make a

year.

[Matariki]

40. +1

Good point. There's always someone worse off than you. Does that mean your troubles don't matter or that you don't care about people worse off? Hardly. This OP is hateful and divisive.

[eilen]

50. It is not so much about what other people make

that is how hostility was fostered towards teachers, public workers, auto workers etc. It is the fact that opportunities to get those jobs are disappearing. The fact the future for our young is increasingly filled with expensive futile efforts to obtain a position in which one can obtain a job that can earn over $100,000 a year or even $50,000 a year before they are laid off and treated like a nobody eater shit maker. They will barely catch up after their peak earning years if they are lucky to catch up at all.

We are all the 99% because who ever is making it -- that mythical number that changes depending on how much money you are making-- it can all go away so quickly with one pink slip.

[Billypenn]

18. Bit harsh

OP-"Fuck the 99%"

[TBF]

26. Unrec for driving wedges -

People making $100K a year can lose that job or their 401K in a heartbeat. We are stronger together.

[Billypenn]

29. Besides...

...if you make a 100k in NYC, you fall just below the poverty line.

(NYC humor)

[TBF]

44. I understand that all too well -

when you come out of school buried in student loans and live in a major city the salaries don't feel nearly as big. Better than nothing to be sure, but not the type of luxury people think you might be living in.

[DesertFlower]

53. i agree. i'm a former new yorker.

i still have friends there. they pay $3500 for a 1 bedroom apartment in peter cooper village -- nothing fancy -- no doorman. their daughter lives in brooklyn in a 1 bedroom and pays $2200 a month. everything in new york is expensive.

[markpkessinger]

41. +1

[Dawgs]

27. What kind of Democrat says 'fuck the other 50%'?

Hate is a Republican trait, not a Democratic one.

[DesertFlower]

32. well said. nt

[mod mom]

34. There are people with jobs who support OWS because they against the injustice.

You should not judge a person by whether or not they are still employed but by their actions. My husband still has a means of support for our family, but that may change. We support OWS because we support social justice, full employment, are against income inequity, the corrupt banksters & politicians, the amount of power those in the 1% hold.

We should stick together to fight this cause.

[Matariki]

37. I think you mean "are opposed to injustice"

;-)

[mod mom]

39. my bad will correct.

[kctim]

35. I kind of agree with you

I'm in the thirty grand a year, family of four bracket and the people saying they represent 99% of Americans do not represent me or my views.
Even though 50% is still too high, I would rather they claim that than 99%.

[Cid_B]

42. What a stereotype you are... "fuck everyone who has it better than me"

Sheesh...

[NutmegYankee]

43. This is a pointless alienation of allies

100K in income means little without knowledge of circumstances. Here in Connecticut, a man making 100K with a wife out of work (common to see in the Great Recession) and supporting two kids while paying off college loans, car loans, and such isn't doing that hot. I routinely see people with $20,000+ in school loans for each parent. Add in that it doesn't cost the same to live everywhere, and the numbers equal out. For example, the Median Household income in the US roughly is $49,000, but Connecticut's is $64,000. Are these families better off? Hell no. They pay higher prices for goods, higher prices for gasoline, higher prices to heat in winter. These families feel the pain when they fill up with oil for heat, usually over $2100 worth in a year, or pay our inflated prices for food. Some of these families are stanch liberals who fully support this movement - why would you alienate them?

[CJCRANE]

46. Divide and conquer.

Pit two equal sized groups against each other and you're back to square one.

[JuniperLea]

48. Bingo...

This is so effing transparent.

[GeorgeGist]

51. If it makes you happy ...

I'll stop giving a rat's ass about you.

[customerserviceguy]

52. Yeah, start class warfare with the middle class

and see where that gets you. Faux Snooze is all ready to jump on that.

Hey, I make about $55K a year in my union job, which is probably more than you do, am I the enemy?