We Are the 99%

I sit here laughing at this slogan used by the Occupy movement and some Democratic clubs on campus because of its inaccuracy and false implications. I understand the thought process behind using the slogan, saying that these are the everyday "middle class" people that believe they are at the mercy of the wealthy who hold positions of power in our society. It is foolish that this slogan is representing a form of portrayed victimization because of its inaccuracy. The true 99% of our society earns an income of $506,000 or less annually, surely not what ''Occupiers'' would consider part of their 99%. This means that stock brokers, real estate agents, wealthy small business owners, etc. would be included in the 99% percent since these occupations on average earn less that $506,000.

The 99% is truly not composed or representative of the 99% and statistically has been shown to actually represent the lower 40% on the income tax bracket from its composition of supporters. There are obviously people who consider themselves part of the 99% movement that earn more than the lower 40%, but does not represent the majority of the group.

This movement financially wants more from a country through financial benefits and more tax cuts when it "invests" a minority of the funds through taxes for these programs. Not only does this group (40%) pay less percentage-wise on their income, but only contributes 3% to the overall tax income of the United States. I am not degrading the importance of these people to our society, but just would like to point out that the situation is much different from what the media is portraying. 

http://www.american.com/archive/2007/november-december-magazine-contents/guess-who-really-pays-the-taxes/

The true top 1% earns 19% of the income of the US but pays 37% of the taxes, and the top 25% of income earners pays 85% of the taxes of our country. This isn't to mention that the majority of financial risks and investments in new technology, companies, etc. are executed by the wealthy members of our society. These advancements and risks benefit everyone and we happily accept them as they become available to the less wealthy masses. As in everything in life, there are successes and failures and when the failures of investment occur, people still are effected in the lower classes. This is merely a reality of life and the downs must be accepted just as the ups are. We cannot react in uprising and disgust every time there are tough times in life. Where would we be if many wealthy men and women such as Bill Gates, Andrew Carnegie, Warren Buffett, etc. who have contributed incredible amounts of money to education, medical research, birth control projects, libraries. All of the lower classes have the opportunities to benefit from these programs created.

Although we live in a time of instant gratification and the need for everything to happen as soon as possible, we must have patience to see and allow the endeavors of the wealthy benefit us through the trickle down effect. We can see this through the availability of cars, cell phones, computers, health care treatments (including free clinics that have been around for decades, where they will not deny patients), education, etc. Is it the best available? No. But is it better than what people of equal position in society had ten, twenty, fifty years ago? Certainly. Let us be thankful for what we have now and patient for the benefits we will receive in the future.