Since 9/11 the NYPD have been heroes to millions of Americans. We admire hardworking policemen who risk their lives with the safety of others as their #1 goal, but when the financial industry attacks NYPD pensions and funding we realize that it is every New Yorker who loses, and that is just one reason why we #OccupyWallStreet.
"We cannot afford the size police force, fire department, of any of these agencies if we have a $400 million deficit," said the mayor, referring to the state budget passed yesterday that the city said failed to deliver roughly $400 million in savings that the mayor had demanded.
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When faced with budget deficits caused by Wall Street's collapse Mayor Bloomberg (who is the 6th richest man in America) did not ask his fellow millionaires to sacrifice, instead he proposed crippling budget cuts to the NYPD, FDNY and other emergency service that are vital to NYC, especially given the fact that NYC remains a major target for future terrorist attacks. Does anyone really think that the NYPD should face budget cuts at a time when they are fighting at the frontlines of the war on terror, especially during a time when Wall Street profits are skyrocketing despite the lowest taxes on corporations in decades?
But it is more than just that. Police officers nationwide face plummeting home values and substantial losses to their 401k plans as a direct result of Wall Street's unregulated greed. There is no cop on Wall Street, they have bought off all the regulators, and now Wall Street is lobbying Congress with the millions they stole from homeowners to dismantle new consumer protections. This effect us all, whether we are police officers, or their children, or their parents or their neighbors. At a time when tax revenue is at its lowest in 50 years and corporate tax rates are at all time lows, why should we cut budgets to police officers and other vital programs we need instead of taxing the super-rich who can easily afford it?
If you drive a car, your gas is $.75 higher because of de-regulated Wall Street speculation. If you own a home and have seen its' value plummet due to unregulated credit default swaps and the ongoing foreclosure forgery scandal, we at #OccupyWallStreet are fighting for you. If you have been effected by the economy Wall Street crippled with their greed, we are fighting for you. Just look at the numbers, everyone else is struggling except the richest 1%.
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Income Inequality has gotten out of control in America. The rich are richer than they have been since the Great Depression, and now they are trying to take away your Social Security and Medicare.
Just how rich are the super rich, the billionaires and millionaires? Ric enough to easily afford higher taxes, as any graph can illustrate.
If we can't tax the rich to pay for policemen, if we can't protest corporate greed as they bust up our labor unions, then we have a major problem in America. But we can fight back. We can join together in protest and demand that the richest 1% pay their fair share. We can make sure that if Wall Street commits fraud against us or break the law that they go to jail like anyone else would. That is why we stand with the other 99% against the richest 1%, the millionaires and billionaires. That is why we #OccupyWallStreet.
Stand with us, the other 99%. United we stand.
The content above will be printed as flyers and distributed on site at the #OccupyWallStreet protests in the next day or so. Please leave you thoughts in the comments below on what you think of this messaging.
For more info on how to help, here's some information.
1. Get this message out there. Can we do it? YES WE CAN!
2. Use the twitter hashtags #OccupyWallStreet an follow on facebook and twitter accounts related to the ongoing protests. Help put this video on your facebook pageand any other social media that you use. Make it viral.
3. Make a donation to WeAreTheOther99%'s media fund. They need funding to stay active, and without huge corporate interests backing us up like the Teabaggers have, the only way this works is with your small donations.
4. Get the word out about these protests of Wall Street's greed to everyone you know. Raise awareness, even if it is via word of mouth, every little bit helps.
This is Jesse LaGreca, reporting from the frontlines of the class warzone, wishing you peace and love to you and yours, and reminding you that they only call it class war when the working class fights back.
You can follow me on the Twitter Machines @JesseLaGreca