wearethe99percent:

“Howdy, great and interesting Tumblr!  I’ve made one to contribute, PLEASE add it to represent the many who feel in-between the 99% and the 1%.  Thanks!”

But he is the 99%. Not everyone is down-and-out in the 99%. Some are doing quite well. But I think all will agree that it is getting harder and harder every year to keep our heads above water. This is an amazing Tumblr. Ordinary people write their stories on a piece of paper, take their picture with it and post it. Reading through it, there are some common threads that I have noticed. Number 1) Jobs. People are either unemployed or underemployed in spite of 2) having an education and crippling student loan debt. 3) They have no health insurance and 4) they are the victims of the housing “bubble”. There is a lot of commentary that the Occupy Wall Street group doesn’t have a specific set of “demands”, but it’s pretty clear to me what is wrong.

I’m one of the lucky 99%. I have a job I love and that pays a living wage. But between the rising costs of oil, gas, groceries and interest, plus the devaluation and losses of my savings for retirement, I’m feeling the pinch too.

And I’m terrified for my grandchildren. What kind of world will they be facing? In 1950, 2 years before I was born, the earth’s population was 2.5 billion. In 2050 it is estimated to be 9 billion. What will our economy and environment be like then? We are all the 99%.

~vlh