Sunday, December 18, 2011

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"

Sunday, December 11, 2011

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.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

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

Sunday, November 27, 2011

99 Report for Awopradio Sunday November 27th : Letter from NYC Protester's Mom


#OccupyCleveland NEEDS: Videocam and laptop ( theirs was stolen), also more winter wear, and they need visits, books, and company and do go down, they are wonderful folks. Every Sunday I give a 99 Report on Awopradio, this is the summary of that 15 minute report.::
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(1) Best Video ever about Occupy called "One More Step" so beautiful, inspired by 84 yr old Dorli Rainey activist of Seattle.
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(2) Letter by Protester's Mom Lorli Vest to Mayor Bloomberg and NYT about the Police Brutality. Please share this as of Nov27th still NO Newspapers have shared or printed this beautifully written letter.
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(3) 99 Percent Blog has more to share about Occupy.
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(4) #WhyWeOccupy : Sharing the Stats of the economic pain.
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(5) The Full Length Video of "INSIDE JOB", narrated by Matt Damon has been making the rounds, and is a stunning film explaining the Economic Collapse and how the Corporate Greed and Ominous manuverings of the past 30 years brought us to this economic precipice, One of the finest documentary films I have ever seen.
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(6) Please do help the OWS Zucotti Park Occupy as their Library was destroyed, learn more about where you can send books.
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Monday, November 21, 2011

99 Report Nov.20: How to Explain OWS and Occupy To Relatives, The Stats


( Originally Posted For Thanksgiving Nov24th)
So this Thanksgiving I am going down to visit Occupy, take them some hot Turkey Sandwiches, and some winter goodies.( Many thanks to Bonni in Mass. who made incredible warm scarves for them...) and some mittens and gloves, cold medicine and I will be checking the medical bag. But it occurs to me that Thanksgiving is about families gathering and many won't get it, don't understand how many are damaged by this Economy and how it got this way.There is true economic pain that can be measured in Numbers. So here are some to share as you pass the gravy. ( If you follow me on Twitter you know I do this #WhyWeOccupy hashtag every couple of days to educate folks.) So here are some of the Facts.

The STATS ::: #WhyWeOccupy....in America :::
(1) 50 Million are still without Healthcare ( due to loss of jobs,States HighRisk Pools pricing folks out)
(2) 46 Million Living in Poverty ( this Number includes Working Poor)
(3) 49 Million On Food Stamps
(4) 22 Million Children living in Poverty
(5) One in four Children going to bed hungry every night
(6) 29 Million UnEmployed and UnderEmployed
(7) 14 Million of our Elderly Living in Poverty
(8) 47,000 Dying Without Healthcare per year
(9) 235,000 Vets returning from Warzones to NO Job
(10) Vet Unemployment rate consistantly at 29%
(11) 600,000 Vets Sleeping on the Streets each night
(12) 26,000 Vets Lost Homes 2010 ( some while serving overseas)
(13) 18 Vets commit suicide per day
(14) 8 Million Homes Lost In Foreclosure in past 3 years
(15) 62% of All Home Loss in Foreclosure due to Medical Debt

Sunday, November 13, 2011

99 Report ( Thanksgiving) Focus on OWS Library, Police Brutality ( Info from 3 seperate Posts)

99 Report on November 13th Focus:::
(1) OWS Library
(2) Police Brutality and Dorli Rainey in Seattle Originally posted on Watergate Summer
(3) Medical Advice : Pepper Spray For Occupy Protesters

OWS Library and how to give back
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Zucotti Park Occupy Site had an amazing Library of more than 5000 books on so many subjects, from Peace Leaders and Non Violence Training and Economics and even health eating and childrens books and Pet Care. When the Camp was raided at 3:30 AM Very Late Monday Night ( early Tuesday Morning) Much of the camp was destroyed or scooped up and put into the trash dumpsters that came. Tents were slashes and pulled apart and belongings thrown away. It had been set up in a Tent donated by rocker Patti Smith.

There are some items that are still being searched for including the Bike Powered power generators and the Professional Drums and yes The Library.At first it was said it was destroyed in all the confusion this seemed likely, and the protesters were given less than 10minutes warning and were asleep, so there was not time to gather that many books. And then later yesterday the Mayors Office said that the books were moved to a storage area, but the photo showed only a few hundred books. So on Twitter the cry went up to Rebuild the Library and yes, you can ship them to NYC. Here is more about how to Ship them, So let's all give to the People's Library, here's the link, let's get busy sending them Zinn, Mandela, MLK etc etc... You can also go help retrieve the ones that Sanitation Dept stored.

The UPS Store
Re: Occupy Wall Street
Attn: The People’s Library
118A Fulton St. #205
New York, NY 10038
(via Occupy Wall Street Library Blog)

Here is the People's Library blog and they also explain that they need help rebuilding the Library and Retrieving the Books from the Sanitation Storage Locker. And if you are on Twitter you can follow here, @OWSLibrary (The People's Library). UPDATE :: Today People did go and try to retrieve the Library, and you can read their blogpost that the Mayor's Tweet that the library was "saved" is not true, only a little of it was saved and a good bit of it is gone forever and other books that were saved are damaged. They are still doing inventory at the Sanitation Garage as of 1PM.

*** Here is more from last Night when the Mayor's Office issued statement about the People's Library and that it was stored or part of it was stored, LA Times has more details about the Situation. If you can help them retrieve the books please contact the twitter address above.
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The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC also covered the Peoples's Library Tuesday Nov15th:
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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy


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WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY UPDATE ON THE DESTROYED LIBARY SITUATON:::


So the day after the Raid of Zucotti Park, teams of people with vehicles went to the Sanitation Garage to retrieve the Library that the Mayor had claimed via a Tweet had been saved and taken to the Garage. These photos are what is left of the OWS Library. Gone are all the Shelves of books and materials, even the Reference Library and the Kids Library. 5500 Books, the Laptops that kept track of everything. These photos show only a few hundred books and a damaged chair. When Books are treated like Garbage we are indeed in Dark Times. I do ask that you read the attached websites and do find a way to give or send books. ( I personally think we should all mail copies of "1984" to the Mayor's Office). Books had been donated from all over and even autographed and sent, so we need to Rebuild what was truly a wonderful thing. Libraries have been closing all over, but that Librarians worked so hard to make this a REAL Library is beyond heroic. ( And the Librarians were even Jailed that night as well.) Please do what you can to Help this Noble Cause.

*** AS OF THURSDAY NIGHT NOW THE THUGS GUARDING ZUCOTTI WILL NOT ALLOW BOOKS IN OR MUSIC OR FOOD. IT IS TRULY BECOMING A WARSAW GHETTO.****

Sunday, October 30, 2011

First 99 Report October 30th, From Cleveland Ohio


This is your 99 Report from on the Ground the 3rd Poorest City in the Country...Cleveland.....( It will be shared later tonight on the 99 @Awopradio too)

I have been canvassing for three weeks in Ohio on Issue 2....Kasich's UnionBusting Bill that attacks the lives and work of 350,000 workers here, I have been canvassing all kinds of neighborhoods, Rich, Poor and Middle Class and realizing that there is less and less that divides all of us...Every Hood is hurting and Damaged. and with 30,000 Empty Homes there are more than I can count, it makes no difference which hood I am in.....and this Friday I also went down to OccupyCleveland....and that gave me Another Perspective....It has been my Listening Tour....

And I hear alot of people saying "I don't know who the 99% is ? or "What THEY want? AND maybe they need to clarify 'their' demands" ( And I sit and listen and think there is NO "They" there is ONLY "Us")

And as I have been walking around , every day I was meeting and LISTENING and seeing What The 99% is...and Bearing Witness....

WHO IS THE 99% ?

(1) Is it the People who have Lost HOMES ? More than 8 Million ? what does that look like on the ground ? On the ground I go door to and and I keep notes of how many homes are Foreclosed, but the actual numbers reported on the News does not calculate the Homes where people have just walked away....Abandoned....And others on the Edge...ready to be added to the Stats...

I would walk around and we have been told in parts of Cleveland the Numbers are " 1:8 Homes" Another report said 8%, I don't know which is right. I do know this, that I would walk my canvassing routes and ALL Hoods are effected, not just poorer or middle class hoods, even the rich hoods. And the numbers were higher much higher. Like yesterday 210 homes, and more than 36 homes abandoned , foreclosed.....The Mail Taped Shut, the Water Shut off, the Windows empty forelorn, and I would walk around and look in...and sometimes there was still a Piano or garden statues in the back....and the Roses have gone wild and the Empty Bird Feeder sway in the breeze and the windchimes sing to no one now....and I look at the back door, and I see the Kitchen....a calendar hanging no longer marking Holidays and Happy Times and on the Kitchen Doorway to the Dining Room I can see the Marks on the Wall where some proud mama marked her Children Growing Up...And Hand Prints on the Panes in the kitchen Door...and the scratch marks on the door for the dog .....

THE 99% IS IT EMMA THE RETIRED TEACHER I MET WHO IS WATCHING HER NEIGHBORHOOD VANISH?

(2) One night I talked to a Retired Teacher at the end of the route ( full of empty houses), and I thanked her for coming to the door, and "Emma" said,
"Not many coming to the door anymore are they ? You know if you took photos of my hood and you put them in Black and White, it does look like the Depression. You want to know why they don't come to the door ? Because they are scared...can't you feel it ? Can't you hear it? The Silence ? There are the Foreclosed Houses, where folks are gone, but then there are the Houses where people are still fighting for their homes, but they are waiting for the Next Knock to bring News or take it all away. And then for the Ones that are now renting and have already lost their homes, they are scared, real scared, cause they are waiting for the NEXT SHOE to DROP, cause they still OWE people, so they know Something is Always Next....So they are too scared to come to the door. AND THE city....they shutting off water and power, and sometimes they even tidy the yards trying to fool folks and pretend it all looks good, but they our Water, Heat and Gas has gone way up because we paying for the folks that have Left- we are being punished for still being here. I taught History and I taught Math....There are folks in DC that don't know their History and aren't listening to the Math. Somebody better wake up....and Soon."



(3) PEOPLE SAY IT'S NOT THE RICH PEOPLE :::

Meet Irma and MARTY....I went canvassing in a Rich Hood,and it was not what people think.There were many empty houses, abandoned, some did not even have the Tell Tale Locks on them or the For sale signs, they were just Left Empty. And one house I went to one night, I arrived at their door it was cold and raining, and there were hardly any lights on....the door was clean and the Brass Knocker was polished bright....Suddenly an Elderly man came to the door, in tired Blue Sweat pants and an old sweater, and I could see his wife sitting in the Living room behind him, they had been playing checkers....And the walls were bear, you could see where paintings had hung, and there was very little furniture....And by the gleam in their eyes I could tell they were hungry for company, that folks don't visit anymore, she looks fuzzy, her eyes glisten like an 8 yr old...and I could tell that they were living in the 2 front rooms, they had a little heater and a cat, and they were trying to take care of each other...and Marty took me to the Kitchen and made tea....it was very bare....no more fine china....And he looked at me and he said " She doesn't know how bad it is...I am trying to take care of her...I had to sell alot." I nod....I tell him she looks happy, she looks cared for. He smiles...



(4) ABOUT VETS ARE THEY IN THE 99%....
And then Friday I ended up having a long talk with a VET ....As I walked away he wanted some more Soup...( I try to take Drinkable Soup...and I am supposed to be teaching First Aid on Fridays to the Occupy...but mostly I think it will just me Listening, I think as a Nurse, that is what I need to do right now...) And so I talked to "Joe" and I listened to him and he explained that if he knew his sister was losing his Mom's home he wished he could have come home sooner, if he knew how bad things were he wished he could have been here...and he has PTSD, is that is what is stopping him from getting a job ? Because he doesn't think so, he thinks there are not enough Jobs for any of the "returning." And he was upset about what happened to the Marine Scott Olsen in Oakland, "
That 's a Bad thing when a Marine who served two tours comes home had has a Cop Clunk him in the Head, That's Not American, It's Not, and it's Not what I was fighting for"

So These are Some of the 99%...
I could give you Numbers...
I could write to DC and Obama and tell them Numbers..would that work ?
235,000 VETS Home from Iraq and Afganistan...and out of work, thousands with Wounds and PTSD....
( does that include the 22% Employment rate I keep hearing ? And the 38,000 Wounded I hear-does that include the PTSD number? Cuz no one is really saying....)
29 Million UnEmployed and Underemployed....
49 Million on Food Stamps.....
50 Million UnInsured STILL with NO healthcare,
1:4 Children Hungry....
8 Milllion Homes Lost.....and who knows where those people are....And does that number include those I have seen sleeping in cars or Squatting ?
1:6 Living in Poverty....
There really is no Us ....Vs. Them....Because all of us are one paycheck away from being in any of these stats....

And I think Emma the Retired Teacher said it Best...."There are folks in DC that don't know their History and aren't listening to The Math. Somebody better wake up....and Soon."