Occupy

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Wander down and talk to them, then come back and make a report.
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Let's hope y'all don't get your news from ABC...Diane Sawyer has stated that Occupy has spread to 250 cities in this country, and to a thousand countries the world over....Only problem is; there are only 195 nation states in the whole world.

Just throw it out there, and someone will grab it and run with it.
 
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Yes, like my friend, a 51 year old research scientist who's lost her third job in 3 years because biotech is downsizing. Last time she did tutoring and pet sitting between jobs, but this time no one wants to spend the extra money for things like that. What would suggest she do?

Or my friend in her late 40's who's the sole support of her 67 year old diabetic mother with heart problems, and a daughter in college (on scholarships) who developed severe DVT's after ankle surgery 1 1/2 years ago. Despite being sick from the high doses of anti coagulants she (and others in her department) continue to work overtime because they're terrified they will be "restructured" out of jobs. What would you suggest she do? Dress differently?

Or my friend who lost her job of 30 years when the company owners got divorced. Her husband had to switch jobs ~6 years ago after he had brain surgery and could no longer handle the stress of his position. He went into real estate - no health insurance. My friend has a chronic disease. The COBRA costs them $2000 per month. They have 2 kids in college and support his mother who has mental issues. What did they do wrong?

My friend who had to retire from the police force when his MS made it unsafe to do his job. Niche profession?

Friend's wife with a brain tumor. They're hoping to ignore it until she can retire. Suggestions?

It's not just those who didn't prepare well.

It is very hard to prepare well when you have to work 2 jobs just to meet your basic needs. I personally lost my job in 2006 due to outsourcing. I had to use my retirement to live on and file bankruptcy in order to finish school. I now have no retirement fund. It has been 5 yrs and I am still trying to recover. NAFTA is a joke. I love their retraining act. They told me I could go to school for 6 months, and that I would receive all of these benefits for retraining. The fact is I got exactly $10,000 for schooling. They say they pay for mileage, sure they do, but it comes out of the $10,000. When I was given my final layoff notice I had made $46,000 for the year at 40 hrs a week, I had full benefits, medical was a PPO with no co pay, Dental was a $5.00 copay for a root canal and vision was a $14.00 copay for exam and 1 yrs supply of contacts.. I now work 72+ hrs a week and will be lucky if I clear $40,000 and I have no dental or vision benefits and for medical I pay $200.00 a month with $10.00 copay for Dr. visits and prescriptions (the ones that are covered) Where can you go to school for 6 months and get a decent paying career out of it? NOWHERE. These protest are about corporate greed, and the destruction of the Mom and Pop business's. These protests are about the fact that the government and corporations send all of our blue collar middle class jobs away. Now even a college degree will barely get you a minimum wage job. Of course the news is going to focus on the negative aspects, they are a corporation. God forbid the people focus on the whole point of the demonstration, we might wake up to what's really going on, the destruction of our country and it's values.
 
I think I'm getting more of the picture now.

Thing is - we (DH and I) have been jobless - his was a union job that laid off for a few months, and I used to work in chemistry/microbiology. His job recovered - mine wasn't there in any location or company when I needed to return to work. We did file bankruptcy (Chapter 13) to not lose our house due to the lack of money while we were both unemployed.

So, with my years of EPA/Organic Chemistry/Microbiology background and degree in Molecular Biotechnology, I got a job....at an insurance/annuity company, processing paperwork. In two years, I've moved up and out of processing into IT. I make more now than I did working for the State Lab. The company I work for is constantly hiring - but they don't hire based on background education only, they hire based on skills. Turnover on the lower levels is high (I'm amazed at the people that want a job, but don't want to work), but turnover on the higher levels is extremely small - the heads of company (CEO/CFO/COO etc) have 10+ years each in the company.

I've read through the Seattle list of demands, but still, am lost a bit.

Everyone has the right to vote. Last I understood, only illegals and felons cannot vote, along with those under 18. Still, what percentage actually vote - that are already registered? About 60% at best? We have the right, we just don't exercise it.

Allow 3rd parties to participate meaningfully in elections - I thought that we could vote for who we want. I've voted third party for a pretty goodly time, including smaller elections.

Nationalize the Federal Reserve and create State banks and End the Federal Reserve. Huh?

I'll still keep trying to understand, but maybe my mentality just doesn't mesh with the movement.
 
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So, why didn't all those Occupy people just go ahead and jump on the Tea Party bandwagon, then?

We want smaller government, and less intrusion into our private lives. Fewer rules and regulations, so that we don't have to jump a thousand arbitrary hurdles, just to get a business started.

All we ask is that you pick up your trash on the way out the door...Is that so hard?
 
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