Occupy Wall Street: The Movement Grows

The greedy one percent that bankrupted the nation, morally and fiscally, is now facing its greatest fear: a public uprising against their accumulation of wealth and power, and with that, the best chance at change in the post-War era. It started in New York City, as hundreds of activists literally occupied Wall Street, setting up a tent city in a nearby park and organizing daily protests. For two weeks, the movement squeaked by on minimal coverage. The national media ignored the protests, even as the protesters dug in and redoubled their efforts. And then, just as in the protest movements across the Middle East, there was a spark of clarity. It became clear that the protesters were not going to leave, and were not going to relent, until the message of change was brought before the nation. For every protester the NYPD arrested, two more arrived. For every citizen maced by the NYPD, two more showed up ready to take their place. The publicity surrounding the movement that would not die brought with it welcome relief and assistance from populists across the country. Filmmaker Michael Moore gave his support, as did online political group Anonymous. Police tactics, which have included herding 700 or so activists onto the Brooklyn Bridge and then arresting them for being on the bridge, as well as pepper spraying civilians, have provided a stark contrast for middle America to consider: are you with the 99 percent who is tired of this or with the one percent who hoard the wealth and power that belongs to all Americans? Fast forward a few days and now the movement, which started with a few hundred volunteers, can count its supporters in the tens of thousands. Citizens are organizing similar sit-ins and protests across the nation, with dozens of cities slated for action in the coming weeks. The list at the central hub site,

, shows more than 130 American cities where citizens are planning protests. There are also dozens more planned overseas, including those for the Toronto Market Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. America, it seems, is finally waking up to the fact that we have been scammed, our economy has been manipulated against us, and our very Republic itself has been usurped by the greedy, the unscrupulous, and the plainly evil. For a generation, the wealthy have been slowly rigging America to their benefit. They control the elections and the election system, so that, no matter who wins, they benefit. Every Congressman, every Senator, every Governor and every President, if they intend to win election, must curry favor with the wealthy elites who fund their campaigns. They've rigged the tax system so that their sources of income — stocks, bonds, investments — are taxed at a much lower rate than your sources of income. They've manipulated every market, from oil to food, to line their pockets while you pay more than you should for everyday goods. They've manipulated the regulation system of the government, by making sure their top employees are chosen as the regulators. Oil company employees become oil company regulators, only to return to the company once the favorable regulation is obtained. And America is left wondering what the hell happened as one environmental disaster after another wreaks havoc on our planet. They own the major media. They own the communications networks. They own your newspaper, your television news, your cable news. They own the information that is fed to you and they own the information that is kept from you. We live in a world where information is power, and they have all of it. The elites are not just wealthy folks whose lives we should emulate to get ahead; they are, by and large, a criminal class who are fleecing you, me, and the rest of America out of billions of dollars. We've had enough and some of us are finally calling them on their shenanigans. It's as if thousand of people marched on Oz, lifted the curtain, and saw the wizard was nothing more than a fat, balding, greedy billionaire. That, my friends, is all that stands between the current system and a better, fair future for all Americans: an over-privileged overlord class that will bend and break before the collective power of the masses. If it is class war they want, it is class war they will get. Sign up at

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