For those who aren't benefitting from the gains in the economy, Bernie

[Cleita]

Sanders came out with this astounding statistic this morning. He said 100% of the gains went to the 1%. So that means the other 99% of us are still living in an economy where prices are going up but our income is stagnating and not keeping up with the cost of living.

Really shitty isn't it? For my part, I keep checking the price of gas. Today, the cheapest gas at the cheapest station, Arco, was $4.19 a gallon. I got a COLA increase of $25 a month on my SS and my health insurance went up $20 a month. My groceries cost two to three times more than they did a year ago. And now our Democratic President keeps putting chained cpi on the table.

We need a revolution. This can't go on, the screwing of Americans by the 1% and their Washington, D. C. enablers.

[montanacowboy]

1. Absolutely

it seems every year I get further and further in the hole and it's just an impossible thing to crawl out of. I got a .10cent/hr raise last year - TEN FUCKING CENTS - It probably did me more harm than good - sick and tired of this whole thing, having to fight for every bread crumb.

Yep, Chained CPI, that's the ticket boys that's the ticket. That will surely cure our ills.

[840high]

19. I understand. I'm in

the same boat. Borrowed $20 today to get through the week.

[noiretextatique]

2. i am happy to be working again after 2 years of unemployment

but i am making $16,000.00 less per year. after rent, groceries, and transportation cost, i have about as much as i did on unemployment: $0.00.
we definitely need a revolution in this country.

[Cleita]

3. That's pathetic.

I'm happy you are working but that's a real cut in income.

[noiretextatique]

7. yes it is...and i don't have benefits

the only thing that's saving me is that i had breast cancer, so i am eligible for Medi-Cal. never thought i'd be happy about having breast cancer, but at least my medical is covered under the cancer prevention program.

[Skittles]

29. noiretextatique

I admire you greatly for your resolve, and I think you should post a thread about your experience

[noiretextatique]

38. good idea

when i have the _____ to do it, i will

[theaocp]

4. My mom and I were talking on my birthday yesterday and

she made reference to the fact that I can pay off my debts with what she and my dad will leave me when they die. Hahahahaha! That's not funny at all, but a sobering look at what I'm dealing with regard to debt.

[progressoid]

5. But the stock market it up!

We just have to wait for it to trickle down on us.

[Cleita]

6. You will turn old and gray waiting for that to happen. n/t

[Skittles]

30. oh we feel the trickling, but it is the 1% pissing on us

[Dustlawyer]

8. Absolutely nothing will happen to change things unless we get organized with massive protest

Demanding real campaign finance reform! Our politicians are being paid to screw us to benefit corporations and the 1%! Until that is changed, we are well and truly screwed!

[Peter cotton]

10. How likely is it that you think such protests will occur?

Say, in the next 10 years?

[abelenkpe]

11. true.

[FiveGoodMen]

16. We need more than protests

We need people in the House, Senate, and White House who will work in OUR interests and not the 1%'s.

For that, we need candidates that are really on our side running for office (and winning, starting with the primaries).

For THAT, we need a public that overwhelmingly wants these things (and isn't easily fooled by speeches).

So your comment about getting organized is right on point.

But protesting to the people who are currently screwing us as hard and fast as they can won't change anything.

They need to be replaced.

Replaced with a LOT higher quality of public servant.

We need real, pundit-free public discussion about all this, too.
----
An uphill battle for sure.

[Scuba]

9. ...

[calikid]

22. THAT ^^^^^

[Martin Eden]

26. That idea carries a lot of CURRENCY!!!

Way cool, thanks for sharing

[RebelOne]

12. I am in the same boat as you.

My COLA went up $20 and my Medicare went by $5. Yes, as far as groceries, every time I go to the grocery store, the prices have gone up on all my favorite products. Fortunately, I am a vegetarian, so I save money on not having to buy meat products. And luckily, I am not working any longer, so my gas cost is very low.

And I am also upset that Obama keeps putting CPI on the table.

[SamKnause]

13. Bernie Sanders

If the majority of U.S. citizens had supported the efforts of OWS things would be different in this country.

They were demonized and maligned and the masses fell for the propaganda.

[valerief]

14. Arrgh, the angry people with the guns DEFEND the crooks! nt

[TheProgressive]

15. We are no longer a Democracy. We are officially an oligarchy.

Or plutocracy, corporatocracy.

I don't care what the hell you call it but we gave our country away...

Time to get it back...

[momsrule]

17. Lucky to be still working at 72.

My spouse is still employed full time and plans to work another year. You may wonder why. The reason being his pensions were taken by the 1%. Not once or twice. Three times! Three different employers. Guess we should consider ourselves lucky compared to those out of work for extended periods like our own son.

[Cleita]

21. I was until a year ago and I lost my job.

I really need another one but every part time job seems to have several hundred applicants, so naturally, being I'm 73, I'm sure I'm not even considered.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

18. yeah, the left is completely misguided cheerleading the Dow

Rachel has been the biggest fool, in that respect. Hopefully, she saw the error of her ways last week thus the interview with Joseph Stiglitz.

[bvar22]

20. Things like this do NOT happen by accident.

They happen by design.

Aside from that,
are you enjoying the Kabuki Theater?
This one is a comedy/tragedy entitled "So you believe somebody cared?"
.
.
.
[font color=Firebrick size=4]*********Spoiler Alert************[/font]
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I've seen this one before,
and it ends badly for the Working Class & The Poor.




[font size=3]Hold on to your Memories, SUCKERS!
Because we're taking everything else!
And ain't NOBODY gonna stop us.
We OWN them!
Hahahahahahahahahaha!

[Doc_Technical]

23. Piggies

[Octafish]

24. Wouldn't it be great if there were a political party...

...that did stuff for ALL Americans, not just the 1-percent?

What would we name such a party, seeing how they would think the needs of the many should be part of national policy?

Most importantly: Thank you for the heads-up, Cleita. The fix is in and it's crystal clear that We the People are not part of it.

[Cleita]

25. I was looking for a transcript but it hasn't been put up on any website yet.

He said it on today's "Brunch With Bernie" hour on Thom Hartmann's radio show. Usually, Bernie puts up stuff on his website about these things he says and where he got the stats from, but I guess he hasn't done it yet. I thought you might like it for your files, of which I know you have many, that you keep.

Here's something I found on the Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/1-percent-income-inequality_n_1321008.html

[Octafish]

31. Thank you, Cleita! I hope it helps shape future policy.

Like you, I hope the files and records of criminality also are used to help speed prosecution of the traitors, warmongers, banksters, gangsters, NAZIs, fascists, eugenicist, frauds and psychopathic sociopoaths who serve and make up most, if not all, of the .01% of .01%.

Some days, I got to wonder, though. If We the People can't prosecute the plotters who killed President Kennedy, how can I possibly expect the government to prosecute banksters...war criminals...traitors and the rest?

That's where and when all this craziness - the money trumps peace warmongering trumps the Enlightenment and Democracy for the good of the Few national way of life - started.

We got history on our side. Plus, the biggest and mightiest weapon of all: the Truth.

[xxqqqzme]

27. I'm w/ you on the SS.

That chained cpi spells D O O M for those of use receiving it.

The thing about the economy improving is good news I suppose but it will have nothing to do w/ those of us receiving Social Security. We are stagnant, held in place because we no longer work and if we do our benefits are reduced.

I was 47 when I was disabled. My son had just graduated from high school and was starting college. I was actually, for the first time as a single mom, starting to feel comfortable and investing money. That I am at high end of benefits is a blessing because I lost 18 years of income.

[Cleita]

28. It's not benefitting anyone except the billionaire class.

See this I just dug up for Octafish: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/1-percent-income-inequality_n_1321008.html

[xxqqqzme]

33. It's worse than I thought.

Good article.

[Egalitarian Thug]

32. Actually it is 121% of the so-called recovery that has gone to the wealthiest.

That means that they got all of the gains plus 21% more from us.

[shcrane71]

34. And our only source of real wealth, our homes, DEpreciated. nt

[Cleita]

36. Somebody, I forget who, said that the money flowing into our economy is being

invested, so the banks, Wall Street and the real estate market are picking up momentum. However, that real estate market, I believe is rich people investing in foreclosed properties because the prices have sunk. These were homes that middle class people had bought and loss due to a variety of reasons, but probably losses of jobs and income. Truthfully, I'm just speculating about it right now, but I hope someone digs up some facts on this.

[shcrane71]

37. I've heard many tales of foreign investors buying up foreclosed US properties.

We'll be made into serfs yet!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

35. The trickle has slowed to an occasional drip.