Comment by David Eggleton on December 15, 2011 at 11:22am

It appears that the figure is 48% when low-income folks are added to those in poverty.  Still, an awesome fact to distribute widely, as many probably have no idea of it, thanks to all the distractions.

Thanks, Lindsay.

Comment by Lindsay Newland Bowker on December 15, 2011 at 11:34am

I just posted to Jitendra in connection with his anticipated call that I think this must be our core work for Occupy 2.

The poor, those who will be permamently poor if  wedon't succeed in making this mega shift we are all looking towards are 50% of we the 99%.  If we add to that the working poor perhaps 2/3 of the 99% are truly poor and working poor and their children will be locked into that as well.  Maybe Occupy 2 has to be a voice of anti poverty with enough conviction to persuade the poor and working poor we are occupying anti poverty in a permamnent generational way..helping to build leadership and action from within this majority of us.. 

Thanks for your comment. David.

Comment by Lindsay Newland Bowker on December 15, 2011 at 4:41pm

Here is an excellent litany of stats and facts on our relaity..on the reality the 50% of us who are poor, barely scraping by.  I would like to see an Occupy Anti Poverty with every one of these statistics on a placard.

I am appalled by that euphemism "shrinking middle class"..this is the truth of it..the naked boe chilling spirit numbing truth of it..these faces, this litany of stats and facts.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/15/9461848-dismal-prospec...

Comment by David Eggleton on December 15, 2011 at 5:01pm

Who among us has great knowledge of the Poor People's Campaign?

For starters:

• the campaign's site
• Wikipedia

Comment by Lindsay Newland Bowker on December 15, 2011 at 5:26pm

David Thnaks so much..the Poor People's Camapign is a great site..maybe I'll take thi sover to the discissionon Occupy aligning and partnering with existing organizations

 

On of my island freinds is  akey orgnaizer for Occupy Blue Hill..Blue Hill is one of thos picture perfect coastal villages often on the cover of magazines.. a place, like my island , where billionaires and their mega mansions are a sort of peculiar punctuation to the core community of working poor and intentional living/ alternative living folk.  Huge swaths of people who have found our bio region thriveable in a spiritual way and sustainable in a sort of bare bones economic way, squeaking by year byyera, are now being pushed dramatically into poverty and homelessness. 

I have invited Occupy Blue Hill to post here as they are planning a campaign of solidarity with the poor and working poor in our community and a side by side campaign of "outing" elected officials who serve the 1%. ( that is likely to include  a concerted effort to unseat Olympia Snowe and find  truly excellent excellent candidtate to run against her..luckliy we have a few to choose from .

Perhaps some other Occupy groups will also take up the Occupy Anti Poverty banner and Blue Hill will find some fellow Occupiers to plot and develop strategy with.

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