99 Report Awopradio Sunday December 18th....."The Bush Depression"

My Question for the Week:
Why Aren't we calling this Bush's Depression. ? Bush spent two years pretending we were not in a Recession , ignoring it , and then bottom fell out in Summer of 2008. ( Remember the Reporters were not even allowed to say the "R" word). Meanwhile Bush gave Many corporations and rich individuals tax breaks, all of this contributed to this Economic Situation. And yet in the Debates Bush or his Damage are not mentioned. And yet it's Christmas and we have kids sitting on Santa's Lap asking for a "Home" or a "Job for Daddy? "

And these are the Numbers for the Wars that the Bush Regime waged:
Cost of Operation Iraqi Freedom: $806 billion Projected total cost of veterans’ health care and disability: $422 billion to $717 billion.

Business Insider has more stats about Vets, from Prison rates to Suicide. ( Suicides are at 18 /day, 600,000 Vets Sleep on the Street per night, 29% Unemployment Rate, 236,000 Vets home from Warzones Jobless, and 26,000 Military serving lost their homes last year in foreclosure. The Wars have hurt this country, especially Our Own Military and their families.

One in Two People are Low Income....NPR...good read.
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Update on #OccupyCleveland
(1) How they helped to try to stop an Eviction in Orwell ( and it did get media coverage via Newsnet5 and MSNBC).
I was going to go and take photos and video , even had press passes ready, but got sick as a dog all week. ( Post will be up later tonight).
(2) They are now looking to occupy an empty office building downtown ( there are plenty, I am still putting together my photo montage, if anyone can help me do a Video for Youtube I really need lessons).
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More on Another aspect of the Bush years : Bank Failures
(1) Really Interesting Article on the Bank Failures and what led to them in the last decade, and how it's a bigger under reported mess than we know. 88 Billion Dollar Mess....yet why aren't we seeing Banking Regulations examined , reinstated ? and why aren't there JD investigations about these Banking 's Behaviors ?
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Who in the 99 Percent can we Help this week ?
(1) I have a post up below about the Fuller Family down in Kentucky and their battle with cancer, AJ is nine and they really are battling it, for over 4 years. Dad serves our country and is for now stationed in KY. Please help me help them have a Christmas, driving to Nashville for AJ's cancer care is really hurting their budget, read more here how you can help. They are a really wonderful Family.
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Other #99 Reports :
(1) Foreclosures And Homelessness and Displaced families really are a bigger problem than we can truly appreciate.
(2) Stats to Share with Family Over Holidays and the Stats really tell the story of Working Poor, and our vanishing Middle Class. We need to really educate people.
(3) Poverty ( especially Children) Is another aspect that needs our focus as the Economy has really effected our Children. This Christmas do try to give to Charities that are really working with Children. Salvation Army and Feeding America.
(4) Suicide Prevention tips, I mention this as it has been helpful on Twitter. Sadly due to the economy the Suicide rates are up, and also Vet Suicide rates are at 18 /day.
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FDR talking about People who didn't support his efforts on Social Security and Care of the Poor.....really interesting Parallels to the Republicans of today and their lack of concern for the Poor and Middle Class in this country...food for Thought.
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"Merry Christmas Here's your Orange" a story about the Christmases during the Great Depression in the Plain Dealer in 2008
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My Video..."Another World is Possible"

Another World Is Possible - how to make a free slideshow

99 Report AwopRadio Sunday December 11th : Foreclosure Stats

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(1) First I am going to highlight the Numbers from Last week Poverty Numbers and UnEmployment Numbers as combined with the FoodStamp Numbers they tell the story of America and the 99 Percent and why OWS is fighting for the 99 Percent. There are huge numbers of People Impacted. I watch these GOP debates and they talk of their God given rights and family values and I would just like to ask them, even one Why they think it is Acceptable for them to let their neighbors live like this ?

And if someone has lost their job, you can bet that they are either on Foodstamps or living in their car, or buying Catfood for dinner or having to send their Kids to School Hungry. And While Real Americans, Millions of them are facing these Living Conditions GOP is Gutting Medicaid, Medicare, Food Stamps, Planned Parenthood. And I have seen these Republican Candidates say well let them seek Charity and Churches for help. Well news to them, in many of the poorer Cities the Churches are even closing due to lack of funds. All of these folks are our Brothers and Sisters, they are Americans and they are the 99 Percent. So I say give what you can and Occupy The Vote and do what you can to help : Salvation Army and Feeding America do stellar work and do Support the Occupy Movement.

The Stats that Tell The Story of the 99 Percent
29 Million UnderEmployed and UnEmployed
46 Million Living in Poverty
49 Million as of this Month on Food Stamps and SNAP
22 Million ( or 12 Million depending on sources) Of our Elderly living in Poverty or eating catfood
On In Four Children going to bed hungry
22 Millon Children living in Poverty, this includes living in shelters,or hotels, and Hunger Issues
8 Million Foreclosed Homes 2008-2010, 4 Million More so far for 2011, and 2 Million facing foreclosure next 90 days
( Example for Cleveland that is 25,000 Empty Homes. Water Depts. have the Best Records on this)
Commercial buildings the Foreclosure Rate is even higher over 9 Percent ( which explains the empty buildings downtown)

****** THIS NPR MAP has imagery that shows the Economic Mapping, so you can examine your area and see UnEmployment and Foreclosure Issues Mapped.Really raises questions were the Banks Targeting Certain Neighborhoods and areas ?

*** Meanwhile here in Cleveland where there are 25,000 Empty Homes, The City Council Here passed an Emergency Resolution in support of the Occupy Movement, it is four pages long and beautifully written and describes the movement as related to the Economic Distress of our times, it was passed 18 to one. You can read more here, and see the Resolution.

(2) Occupy Is moving their focus to Homes and Empty Buildings, trying to save Homes from Eviction,
as well as reclaim homes for homeless families and also reclaim Empty Structures for use for shelters.
( Some folks would say that this is encouraging "Squatting", I would like to point out in parts of Europe Squatting is actually legal and that folks are allowed to squat as long as they keep structures clean, don't burn anything, or mis use fuel, and
they leave the Water on so that people can keep themselves and the structures clean).

(3) Residential Foreclosures 2008 to 2010 = Over 8 Million ( yet not all the numbers have been fully disclosed).This year 4 Million so far and another 2 Million are facing it in the upcoming 90 Days. Commercial Real Estate is over 9.1% which explains many of the empty urban regions.What I did start examining are Regional Maps ( from NPR) that I am including in the Post on Foreclosures that clearly show that only certain areas of larger cities had Foreclosure Issues, and the neighborhoods with certain middle class jobs and incomes were indeed targeted, and the JD should be investigating those banks that targeted those Hoods. ( IE. In Washington State Washington Mutual which sold their debts to Bank of America should be scrutinized). And another article also explained that the FDIC did know that 1: 200 Homes were starting to face Foreclosure in 2005. ( Some articles also pointed out that some of these homes were VA Loans and possibly related to change of employment due to war Serving). So even in 2005 the Foreclosure rate was rising to 250,000 per quarter, and it kept rising per year.

********Here are some of the Stats::: from the FDIC.

(4) The Occupy Stats are explained more here in the Thanksgiving 99 Report, and are great for explaining the 99 Movement to folks.

(5) The Post On Poverty and Children in America from last Sunday is a Must Read and has more information.

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To Folks who say " I Don't Understand the 99 Percent Issue, or the Occupy Movement" I say "Which Side Are You On?"
It's about Americans being being Attacked by the GOP under 8 Years of Bush and the Current Congress, So Do Occupy the VOTE, but also do talk to your Neighbors, Know your Neighbors. And to President Obama I say, you do need to Acknowledge the 99 Percent, many of us Voted and helped get you to the Whitehouse, and are now facing Homelessness, Hungry Kids and Joblessness, and yeah, Millions of Us VOTE.The Occupy Movement is truly about the Middles Class being destroyed, and the Republicans and Tea party continue to be hell bent on destroying working class jobs and also taking away any efforts to help the Economic recovery.

99 Repot Help Zone Dec 11, 2011

(1) First please do head over to Rump Roast and learn how you can help with the fundraiser for Strangeappar8us , it's a serious situation and if we all help it will make a difference.
(2) Do send good thought s, prayers and Light to Xeni Over at Boing Boing as she is newly diagnosed and battling Breast Cancer.
(3) Please Do check back I have information about an Situation of a Family who has been helping their child battle Cancer ( AJ) and we need to find ways to help them. ( Twitter friend @ohthesweet forwarded this info) This is the Family's Homepage, where you can learn more about how to help the Fuller Family.
(4) Salvation Army is really helping families in need this Christmas from food to warm clothes to bedding to Christmas Gifts for children and families, please do support their work. And then there is Feeding America DO contact them in your area they do so much with so little, and every little bit helps.

99 Report for Awopradio Sunday December 4th : Focus on Poverty in America and How it is Effecting Our Children and Youth

"I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?"~~Mother Teresa
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Numbers Tell The Story...MIC CHECK:::
22-29 Million Children Living in Poverty....in America
8 Million Foreclosed since 2008 and 4 Million more due to Foreclose...In America
49 Million People on Foodstamps....In America
46 Million Living in Poverty....in America
One in Four Children go to Bed Hungry....In America
You can listen to the Full 99 Report here at Beginning of AWOPradio show 7PM EST.
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If we are to talk about the 99% that the Right would love to paint as Losers, Worthless Hippies, try redirecting their focus. Explain to them that the past ten years have not been kind to Our Children or our Youth. That we now have more children living in Poverty then we have had in over 80 years. They also are growing up in Poverty, facing issues such as Homelessness, Joeblessness. This Holiday Season Store Santas are now being trained as to what to say to Children that are asking for a Job for Mommy or a Home. For People who don't understand the 99 Percent or the Problems that the 99 % and Occupy are trying to Highlight, need a Wake Up Call. They need to be told the Numbers and the Truth.

The Mortgage Crisis has made living conditions for Children a nightmare with no security and no permanance. One Crisis that has not been properly dealth with is that many of these displaced families have nowhere to go, they don't have the money or the credit rating to even rent. They are forced to live in their car or flea bag hotels because most Homeless Shelters do not allow families, they are divided by genders. They often don't know where they are sleeping that night or what or if they will get to eat.

Food Insecurity is the new Fancy Term the Government is using for HUNGER. The Numbers are staggering. 49 Million Americans now on FoodStamps. 40% of those are Children.

From News Change.Org ( who is monitoring and measuring Poverty in America), They have more on the shocking stats of Children in Poverty.

SNIPPET:::
And that's only those who technically live in poverty — at or under the U.S. poverty line, which is $22,050 for a family of four. But a study from the Economic Policy Institute shows that families need more than twice that, at least $48,778, to meet basic living expenses. When we take into account all the families who are struggling to meet these basic needs — defined as low-income families — the number poor children jumps to 29 million, or 41 percent of all American children.The poverty rate is higher for children than any other age group. Children make up 26 percent of the population, but they are 39 percent of the people who live in poverty. Every day, 2,660 children are born into poverty.

While many still think of homeless people as single adult men, children and families are actually the fastest growing group among the homeless, making up 40 percent of the homeless population. One in 50 children in the U.S. is currently homeless.
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LEARN MORE HERE:::
(1) National Center for Children in Poverty.
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(2) Feeding America has more about WHO is Hungry and how you can help, and the Actual Stats of Hunger.
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(3) CBS has been doing an amazing series about Children Living in Poverty
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(4) Current GOP plans would shove 50 Million more into poverty, read more here and remember to VOTE...
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(5) Read more about Poverty in America and Learn more here, about how extensive this hidden crisis is...
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(6) DO Read this excellent Daily Kos post by Erika , or @BeautyVault on how OccupyCleveland is bringing focus to Foreclosures and it's impact, on working class families and why it needs more attention...and why it is a Crisis in America.

(7) And then there is this from Miranda Leitsinger ( with MSNBC and Rachel Maddow, and the Maddow Blog ) , Miranda included in her story the Foreclosure Mess in Cleveland and how the Occupy Movement is trying to spotlight this deplorable issue...her story includes how OccupyCleveland came to help a single mome fight for her home...incredibly moving. ( In October I canvassed so many hundreds of homes, and seeing so many empty homes and notes left on the doors and toys in the yard...it was heartbreaking, I am glad that this issue is finally getting Media coverage.)
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If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
Mother Teresa