Why we need Occupy

12.12.11 - 7:19 pm | Tim Redmond |

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Not than anyone needs this kind of reminder any more, but more reports seem to come out every day highlighting the level of economic injustice in the United States. The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development reported Dec. 5 that the United States now has the fourth-highest inequality level in the OECD, behind only Mexico, Chile and Turkey. Not distinguished company. Perhaps more important:

Income taxes and cash benefits play only a small role in redistributing income in the United States ... only in Korea, Chile and Switzerland is the effect still smaller.

In other words, not only are we among the worst countries on Earth for economic inequality, we aren't doing shit to change the situation.

Oh, and by the way -- San Francisco has the worst income inequality in California.

That's why we need Occupy. Because nobody else is making us pay attention.

Comments

"Not distinguished company"

Huh? These are all great countries. Mexico has a rich cultural heritage, the Ottomans were once the largest empire in the world and Chile is incredibly beautiful with wonderful people. Why are these states "not distinguished company?" I never expected to hear such first-world elitism from you Tim.

Posted by Guest on Dec. 12, 2011 @ 9:20 pm

Tim's sense of ethno-superiority came shining thru there.

Too bad, but sadly it's a weakness of white liberals in general that their supposed caring about less-developed countries is often barely-concealed pity for those who aren't anglo-saxon and privileged.

But the comparison is bogus anyway. There is more inequality in the US only because we happen to have most of the super-rich on the planet, because in turn of all the great opportunity here.

Obviously inequality will be greater here if we have Gates and Buffett. But so what? It's hardly a bad thing that an ordinary guy can have great success. And moreover their success has made many Americans better off as a result.

Tim needs to stop with the politics of envy and start with the politics of success. And if he can stopping dissing on honorable nations like Mexico, Turkey and China, that would be another great start for our resident hopeless liberal.

Posted by Guest on Dec. 13, 2011 @ 7:27 am

So then, a bunch

of hygienically-challenged, generally unemployable people milling around waving signs and having silly meetings is magically going to create "equality"? Looks like you need social engineering in your own house first -- not sure if firing veteran staffers is making us all more "equal." Welcome to the machine, Tim. It's lonely at the top, isn't it?

Posted by Chromefields on Dec. 13, 2011 @ 7:29 am

Promoting class warfare has made money for Bruce and Tim so

the unfettered capitalist in me applauds their ability to overlook hypocrisy. America is always about finding a noble cause and then milking it for whatever it is worth. In the end, they're both capitalists.

If they really wanted equlity, they'd share that 20 million dollar windfall lawsuit settlement with a variety of down-trodden people. But of course it's more a matter of "do what I say and not what I do".

You didn't hear it from me but they're part of the 1%. But it's all an elaborate con trick being played on the gullible.

Posted by Guest on Dec. 13, 2011 @ 7:47 am

This is a non-article

I opened this article expecting to be given a detailed breakdown of reasons "Why we need Occupy". However, we're only given a short list of countries that have similar disparity in economic classes. No actual reasons for why we need this lazy, cry baby group of self-entitled underachievers. Thanks for nothing!

Posted by Ichbing on Dec. 13, 2011 @ 10:16 am

There is something really

There is something really weird going on in this country.

Posted by Guest on Dec. 13, 2011 @ 11:51 am

Destruction of the Bill of rights by California's Senators

We need occupy to remove from office, both Senators Boxer and Feinstein who both voted for legislation that would deny SUSPECTED terrorists, even U.S. CITIZENS seized within the nation's borders, the right to trial and subject them to indefinite detention by the military who may also execute US citizens without due process. I
f you demonstrate against the corporate police state and you may disapear forever!!
They have trashed the US Constitution!

Take back America from the corporate billionaires!!!

Posted by sf t party on Dec. 13, 2011 @ 5:55 pm