Occupy’s banking idea
For those of us who want to strengthen our local communities, the Occupy Bangor movement has made some very powerful points. One of these is to pay attention to how our banking institutions are reinvesting the hard-earned dollars in our deposit accounts in local homes and businesses, which promotes local jobs.
Is your bank actively reinvesting in the community, or is it hoarding cash or siphoning it off to its regional or national headquarters? (See Paul Krugman’s blog, “Cash Is Not the Answer,” in the New York Times, July 2.)
As it turns out, there are simple ways to check the performance of these institutions:
To learn how much banks are lending to small local businesses, request the Small Business Administration Loan Volume Report for Maine, fiscal 2011, by calling 622-8551.
To learn how well banks are reinvesting in Maine, check their performance ratings under the Community Reinvestment Act (as reported through the Federal Financial Institution Examination Council, ffiec.gov/craratings/default.aspx).
After an eye-opening investigation of these and other sources, we have transferred our deposits from a large regional bank to a Maine-based community bank which has regularly received “outstanding” ratings from FIFEC and is also the top lender under the SBA ratings. Contrary to some suggestions, the Occupy Bangor movement has made concrete suggestions for the betterment of our community. We appreciate its efforts.
George Schelling
Orland
Something is terribly wrong
While these are difficult times in the state and the nation, it is critical that our elected officials devise a practical plan to protect our elderly today and develop a sustainable plan that safeguards seniors in the future.
The current administration has proposed a supplemental budget that dismantles a large piece of Maine’s long-term care system by eliminating funding for private nonmedical institutions, i.e. residential care facilities. This very well could leave the most vulnerable seniors homeless. Then what? What is the plan for them?
Many low-income seniors are also in danger of losing their prescription drugs and other supports. What is the plan for them? How long before insulin shots are reduced to every other day or heart disease goes untreated due to cost?
If you are concerned about the welfare of Maine’s elderly, let it be known. Call or write the governor or your legislators today. Tell them offering a budget that eliminates the safety net that’s working for our elderly and disabled residents is wrong and more costly in the long run.
Ask lawmakers to stop these cuts and allow our seniors to age with peace and dignity and not live in daily fear of the future.
Something is terribly wrong when the most vulnerable citizens are sacrificed without an eye to the future. Ask your legislators to think long and hard about future plans for the state and its people.
Noelle Merrill
Executive Director
Eastern Area Agency on Aging
Family Planning defended
As a former social worker, I’ve seen what happens to some unwanted children. My first question to outspoken anti-contraception or so-called “pro-life” advocates is “How many unwanted children have you adopted?”
Mr. Thibodeau’s letter on how the state should stop funding Planned Parenthood features such nonsensical observations as most of the women who get pregnant were using contraception at the time, i.e., contraception doesn’t work. (I wonder how many of the women who were not using contraception get pregnant?)
Mr. Thibodeau’s letter also implies that it’s only teenagers using Planned Parenthood’s services, not the other people in their 20s, 30s and 40s who need the services as well.
But the centerpiece of Mr. Thibodeau’s far from unbiased viewpoint is the comparison of the salary that the Maine’s governor receives ($70,000) with the amount some unnamed Planned Parenthood exec gets ($115,000). What Mr. Thibodeau fails to mention, or perhaps even consider, is that our governor also receives many perks, free housing (the Blaine House), free transportation and security courtesy of Maine’s State Police and health insurance (one of Maine’s lucky few if the governor has anything to do with it).
It also is worth pointing out that anyone who works for family planning also has to deal with the insecurity of knowing there are anti-abortion crackpots out there gunning for them.
Diane Smith
Holden
GEORGE,
Unlike the TEA Party, the occupy movement did nothing more then occupy space.
NOELLE,
Trying to create a crisis when we don’t have one?
DIANE,
Nice try, but your line won’t fly with us well informed and conservatively educated folks.
Conservatively educated?????? No such thing.
Diane: If your line is not “flying” with the likes of A.M. Con then you are on the the right parallel with intelligent reasonable people.
George Schelling: excellent letter. I, too, prefer to keep my money in a Maine bank that reinvests in local small businesses. It’s nice to hear that the Occupy folks are thinking along the same lines.
Conservatively educated? Since you claim all teachers are liberals where did your conservative education come from: Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, The Blaze, The Heritage Foundation, Newt Gingrich? Where?
All of the above.
That explains quite a lot.
It sure does…
Hi wb old moniker
Depends on how I log in. And to keep you guessing. :)
The only one of this bunch who’s ever been an educator is Gingrich.
And Gingrich never really educated anyone. Look up his so called credentials.
I haven’t looked in detail but he was a collegate professor of history as I recall.
Not A good one imo I always like the TBS version of Gettysburg over his Alabama (I think)-centric version from his book.
Then I feel sorry for you, you have been educated by fools.
Thanks. That explains so much. Fox News is FAKE corporate propaganda. Limbaugh is a drug addict serial divorcee tooling a bunch of sad suckers who think he has a brain, Beck is a weepy ultra-whacko freakshow, The Grinch is a serial adulterer crook who left office in shame, The Blaze is utter nonsense, and the Heritage Foundation is a bunch of corporatists doing all they can to destroy the middle class so mansion owners can own more mansions and they are laughing at the low-information TeaNuts who unwittingly do their bidding.
I feel very sorry for you.
Conservatively educated sounds like blinder mentality.
Why not answer Diane’s question. Just how many poor, unwanted children have you adopted lately? Just more “conservative” hyprocrisy. You people rant and rave about the elective termination of unwanted or unintended pregnancies, then you don’t want to fund family planning or education or any programs which prevent the unwanted or unintended pregnancies, then after you have fought night and day to “protect the unborn”, once the unborn are BORN you then despise the BORN cutting and gutting any services for the BORN and that parent, and then you brand the BORN and the parent “lazy useless welfare grubbing rifraf”. And then after all that you talk about how much you love Jesus. If Jesus spent ten seconds watching Fox News, that disgusting right wing corporate propaganda crud that tries to pass for “news,” he’d never stop throwing up.
George Schelling–I agree with your (and the Occupy movements) assessment of the value of rating and using our local financial institutions. My mortgage is local and kept in house and competitive. I have also taken much of my mutual fund retirement money and put it into local bank stocks. They are stable, they pay good dividends, and the money is not in more evil places.
My bank said they’d keep the mortgage local, but decided ultimately to sell it. I don’t see why that matters, though. I already have the money! As long as I make my payments, what’s the difference?
The difference is more capital staying in your local community to be invested and reinvested?
What capital would that be? They lent the money to ME. One could argue the bank would have more capital to spend if they sold the mortgage rather than use the meager income stream coming from me…
That is a great point. (implied in my “money is commodity” statement above). Small banks will hold a mortgage for the income stream until they reach a certain size then the math of the situation (or a change in interest rates) makes sense for them to sell them. They may demand a larger down payment or additional security. Of course the small banks will tell you they hold them locally and may not. It all depends on the rate of return. The small banks want to make money too and have a greater need to maximize their portfolio.
True, my mortgage is through Bank of America (originally through a mortgage broker, who sold it to CountryWide, one of the corporations who helped cause the current economic mess).
But I have a savings account and a checking account in a local bank, and they can use that money to make loans to local small businesses. I also have an IRA invested through a local bank (yes, the money goes into stocks, but the local bank earns fees). I like the idea of keeping my money in the local area, so that local small businesses can get loans more easily.
I keep my checking/savings local too. My local bank has a money market option I use for other cash since you gain nothing by shopping around these days. All my IRA $$ is in a low fee stock and bond fund, which is not local. As much as I understand the sentiment of supporting local businesses, funds like Vangard can save over 1% in management fees: huge in the long term.
The two reasons I can see for having a locally held mortgage is 1) more potential flexibility if you fall on hard times (no guarantee, though) and 2) the possibility of negotiating a cheaper refi. I face that now: would love to just have the bank adjust my rate for low closing costs, but because the paper was sold, I’ll probably have to go elsewhere to really cash in on the super low rates.
The difference is not gambling on bundled mortgages.
I’m not gambling…and believe me, they’ll find something else to speculate with. I go for the best rate with the lowest closing costs. Enjoy paying the hometown premium.
Yeah, and how long will you “have it”?
?? The money was spent on the house. As long as I make payments, the mortgage holder has no claim on my property. By the way, that’s true whether it’s local or not. The only potential advantage to a local lender is that they might be lenient if you miss a payment. I have enough saved for a couple years of payments, so this doesn’t matter much to me (plus I know of one local case where leniency was requested and denied).
Umm de-diversifying into local bank stocks might make you feel warm and tingly inside, but is a really bad idea. Please, if you want to make poor investment decisions for “noble” reasons can you at least promise not to take a Medicaid handout when you are retired?
Noelle Merrill–I agree that the governor’s plans are a travesty but, if he takes money out of education, that is a travesty also. We already don’t care for our roads and bridges enough so DOT is also not a good option for more cuts.
He has already given one tax break that mostly benefits the wealthiest among us. He plans on cutting business taxes and retirement taxes also. So unless you, or someone, can dream up solution that includes these constraints, then we are in for some austere times indeed. Thank God we only have three more years of this guy.
Yes, Noelle. I find it a little curious to hear we are in a role reversal and will become a net exporter of oil soon. I feel lied to and manipulated like cattle by big oil, the big wind boondoggle that sucks larger amount of tax and electricity rate money from the poor and a government that makes life harder and harder for the poor, old, and disabled.
wha?
Sorry. I thought I was replying to Noelle.
The “net exporter” is fudged data. We’d be doing that only as a “pass through” at best. Check commnets on the original sources.
Anyone for fudge?
In role reversal, US on track to be an oil exporter
By msnbc.com staff
The contentious debate in Congress over the Keystone XL pipeline obscures
one significant detail many Americans don’t realize: In the first three
quarters of 2011, we exported more oil than we imported. This means it’s
highly likely that this year will be the first time in more than six decades
that the United States will be a net exporter of petroleum products, according
to a report in USA Today Monday.
Analysts and scientists who study oil production say the trend is accelerating.
An energy expert cited by USA Today predicts that the United
States’ own production could rise to 2.9
billion barrels annually by the end of the decade.
Texas, Alaska
and California are the top three
oil-producing states; fourth on the list is North Dakota,
where more advanced methods of production unlock the oil in shale beds,
previously thought to be inaccessible. These include controversial extraction
procedures like hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” which opponents
say can pollute water supplies and cause earthquakes.
Domestic production of crude oil has been climbing for the past three years,
and crude imports have fallen by 10 percent in five years. Last year, the U.S.
imported just under half of the oil it used. Oil imported from Middle Eastern
countries like Saudi Arabia
comprises a shrinking percentage of our total consumption.
More of the oil the U.S.
imports comes from closer sources, primarily Canada.
Last year, nearly half came from the Western Hemisphere.
In the future, scientists predict that growing production in Brazil
will also change the dynamic and reduce the amount of oil the U.S.
imports from the Middle East.
Good Post!! Thanks.
Mr. Schelling, getting one’s money out of the big national banks is a good idea. I said farewell to Bank of America four years ago.
We should also lobby the Department of Justice hard to prosecute banksters who sold toxic collateralized debt obligations (known as cdos: lots of mortgages sliced and diced) to their customers, and then purchased credit default swaps betting that the cdos would fail. Selling something to your customers that you think is likely going to be worthless is fraud. The management of these large banks should be facing serious jail time.
Don’t forget to prosecute the attorney general for selling(giving) guns to drug lords in Mexico, where money is funneled to terrorist organizations. Don’t forget that the president was well aware of this program as well. Corruption run amok.
Shall we prosecute the President (Bush) who began this program and the AG (Gonzalez or Mukasey) who put it into action? Let’s focus on conduct that destroyed the wealth and/or the livelihoods of most Americans. Turn off Faux News and realize that you don’t want to remain a lamb bleating contentedly as Wall Street leads you off to slaughter. Stand up and stop willingly being mutton on Wall Street’s table.
Oh lord. Get off those fringe-right blogs will you.
It’s an addiction. FRBA anyone?
Relevance to this issue?
How can it be prosecuted as fraud when what they did is legal, isn’t it?
It already has triggered civil fraud complaints by the SEC against some of the banks. Proving criminal fraud against an individual is harder: a higher burden of proof and an individual, not a corporate defendant. However, it is doable.
So George as near as I can tell the “Occupy” folks made no suggestions whatsoever. They said they were drawing attention here or there but they made absolutely no “concrete suggestions”. They made generalized statements, broke a few ordinances, cost my city some money but made Zero “concrete suggestions for the betterment of our community”. I think you stretched the truth.
You missed move your money day, huh? Obviously others did not.
The term was “concrete”. Obviously not. It did expose naivete and lack of knowledge about money as a commodity of some folks.
Correct, it is about putting money back into local economies. That is pretty straightforward. Not only individuals, but businesses moved their money. You missed that too?
I think it is really insignificant. In many ways for small banks in the area of kinds of loans, terms, rates and perks they can’t compete with the bigger regional banks. I know I have tried. Not for political reasons but for community support. I don’t know a single local bank that would offer me a WS prime plus 1 interest rate on commercial property that I have right now.
That’s why I think this is a passing fad. I do have a credit union account I use for diversification because it makes sense to not have all your eggs in one basket but then again I have an ING Direct account too.
Even if you deposit locally (except credit unions) that doesn’t make it easier for locals to get loans. The biggest fallacy in banking I can think of is the notion that banks use their deposits to make loans. This is a secret they don’t want you to know. (big bank or small bank doesn’t matter) Banks loan from their federal reserve account. http://www.winterspeak.com/2009/09/loans-create-deposits-how-banks.html
You’re the one that’s making the generalized statements. You literally repeat the same garbage day in and day out. Why don’t you actually respond with something relevant to the letter that was published? What are your thoughts on moving money to local banks? What are you thoughts about promoting banks that invest greatly in local communities instead of sending the money elsewhere?
With the exception of credit unions the money generally goes elsewhere depending on the banks needs and profit model. Treasuries maybe, loans to other banks that then loan the money to big companies. They might sell your mortgage or car loan under certain circumstances. Maybe they use your mortgage as an asset to get a bigger loan from another bigger bank. My point is that banks don’t just wait for your monthly payment, the loan itself is an asset on their balance sheets they make use of, trade on and profit by.
No, you haven’t made a point because the letter itself negates what you’ve said. You keep peddling generic comments while complaining about what you percieve to be the same behavior elsewhere. The letter outlines a manner in which one can see where their bank is investing/loaning. Why is that a bad thing and something deserving of your endless “they’re socialist hippies”-style rants? Why is it a bad thing for people to be more conscious of where they’re putting their money?
It is always a good thing for people to know where their money goes. I don’t think I went on a rant about that.
I saw nothing in that report that differed from my understanding about how banks work. I can tell you this for certain. Banks big and small don’t wait around for an income stream from your mortgage before they do something else with their asset. (your loan)
George, I hope that was sort of a “tongue in cheek” commentary. The only thing occupiers are suggesting is how to binge drink, get a medical marijuana subscription, and entitlement mentality 101.
Noelle, people are smart enough not to fall for the classis DNC scare tactic. Real needy folks will always be taken care of. BTW, hows that hopey and changey thing worken for ya.
Diane, there are plenty of outlets for kids to buy birth control and they still get pregnant. You should be called what you are, Planned Abortionhood. I experienced it firsthand, without serious counseling or questioning 13 year olds are commonly guided through the process of getting abortions without parental notification.
Re: to George “binge drink etc. I suggest you talk with a few of these people, I have heard “Get the money out of politics, for profit health care doesn’t really work that well, stop the banks from robbing the public, don’t let them get so big they are to big to fail, stop the funny bundling of bad deals, selling them and then betting they will fail. Income has increased for the top 1% in the last 20 or so years but not for the so called middle class. The Congress for most parts could not care less about regular people they want to take care of the corporations and rich people who fund them. Congress should be limited to 2 terms and then sent home.
Re: Noelle– I didn’t see where see mentioned she was a Democrat, would you point that out to me. I do not know this lady but I do know that the Eastern Area Agency on Aging is a very good
Agency which provides a lot of help to the elderly and she should know what might happen if funds are cut. If you have done research concerning this I would love to hear or shown
Re: Diane– I find it very difficult to believe that 13 year olds are sent for abortions without parental notification. I have not researched it but I believe it is against the law to perform any operations on a minor without parental knowledge. Perhaps it is better that people who can’t afford to take care of their children have abortions as I have heard many Republicans say get these people off wellfare.
All your comments on George are typical class warfare talking points by the Dem party. This President takes more money from rich corporations then anybody else, ever. The middle class is being redefined, in the past the middle class didn’t have to have a post high school education, now they must. The govt imports all are labor, both legal and illegal to take the uneducated work force jobs.
Noelle is part of a special interest group, they have an agenda. Cut’s have to be made, were broke because previous governments in Maine were severely irresponsible.
13 year olds get abortions all the time, lib judges make sure it’s an easy going process. I am aware of many that were the result of irresponsible behavior of the kids. If it’s any other reason then the police need to be notified. Mothers should not be allowed welfare because they have a kid they can’t afford. The parents and the grandparents should be forced to pay for that childs up bringing. Entitlement mentality is immoral and irresponsible.
“This President takes more money from rich corporations then anybody else, ever. ”
Are you aware that taxes as a percentage of income are at their lowest levels in over 50 years? And that many of our most successful corporations pay well under the statutory tax rates due to loopholes and other government programs? Your statement that Obama takes more “than anybody else ever” is nonsensical.
Changing the subject to taxes? 50% pay 0 income taxes. Top 10% pay 90. More fat, lazy, single mom types need to get off the couch and get off the public dole. I’m so mean, wanting fat, lazy people off welfare.
Most people with the brain size of a clam know that fat and lazy has no monetary denominator. I went to school with some very rich kids whose only work ethic was getting to tennis lessons on time and some of them were overweight as well. Some of their parents gamed the system on the same par as people from all walks of the income ladder. The poor are an easy target for the GOP’ers, and they are a convenient ploy in the game of tempting targets. Cheating lies across the board, but as the OWS so correctly point out, the accountability is woefully aimed at only the poor, not the rich.
Dude, just quit. You’re getting demonlished by the people who are actually aware of the facts of the matter. You don’t have to parrot everything you hear from Fox News you know.
“Polly wants …wants …”
Factare a real bummer
Wall street donates to dems 4-1 over repubs.
A pox on both their Houses…Dems and Repubs–kick them out!
Vote Green Independent.
You’ve got the talking points jargon down pat.
By your reply I sense that money in politics, the banks are OK no matter what they do, for profit health care is OK with insurance companies canceling policies if you get sick, won’t insure you if you have a previous condition and refusing to pay claims unless you hire a lawyer. These are a few things the OWS’s are protesting, I guess you are OK with all of this, I feel sorry for you.
Noelle seems to be trying to protect the eldery, which she should in her job. Sometime you may need their help.
Mothers should not be allowed to have children if they can’t afford them, that is what Planned Parenthood is trying to prevent.
Speaking of agendas … . You and your fellow travelers sure have them.
So you think it is a good idea for 13 year olds to have babies? Many cases where they become pregnant is because of sexual abuse or incest. You think they should be forced to face their abusers at risk of more abuse rather than counciling and help with their problems? I would agree if they came from a good home with loving parents but this is not often the case. Or maybe you think 12-15 year old girls have a hard time keeping their pants on. Which makes you part of the problem in my opinion.
You can keep saying Occupy has done nothing constructive, but that does not make it true and obviously there are others who would challenge you on that. There are a lot of fair minded folks like George out there who are listening and making their own decisions about what this country needs to be about. They are “being the change they wish to see in the world”. That encourages me immensely.
George: Another demonstration from the Mapleman as to why the one percent gets its way via manipulative mastery.
‘I experienced it firsthand,”
Tell us about your abortion.
Hyperbolic stereotyping.
Thank you George, for your comments and your decision to move your money. And, thank you for the link. Very useful. We can take back this country by supporting what I call Fair Share Corporations, large and small.
Classes for Occupation at U Maine
Reefer enjoyment 101
Lounging in filth 104
Hygiene avoidance 205
Constitutional Welfare Rights 201
Don’t quit your day job.
cant some one’s got to work to pay all the liberal abnormals, freaks and free loaders
Do you have a day job?
I realize that both sides do this, but the insults are really unnecessary and unhelpful.
Do you have a comment that’s actually relevant to the letter? What are your thoughts about moving money to local banks and/or banks that support the local community? Why are you seemingly against that sentiment?
More stereotyping and a poor attempt at “humor”.
The idea of a bunch of people
– who for the lack of there own initiative
– who want and expect other people to give them something
– congregating in crowed unkempt areas where camping and other activities are not allowed.
– forcing the taxpayer to subsidize through police and damage to the public area
– breaking the law by smoking and camping and pilfering and failing to disperse
– articulating no sound rational purpose or resolution
– many making irrational undefined nonsensical statements
– appearing dirty, disorganized and otherwise lazy
is a big joke – no stereotype needed.
I don’t consider it a serious issue.
With such poor judgment I don’t think many folks really care what you think. Come on down. Let me show you around.
Stereotyping in that you state, don’t even leave it at implying, that all Occupiers are the same. I doubt it. Still sophomoric humor.
You don’t know what you are talking about. Come to Portland, visit Lincoln Park, I’ll give you a personal tour. I am a commercial photographer, small business owner, taxpayer, law abider, Occupier. If some of my workgroup people are around I’ll introduce you to a couple of strategic marketers, a fisherman, a corporate governance research analyst, a baker, a stay at home mom…
Your stereotypes show that you haven’t done your research and prefer being told what to think rather than learning about it firsthand. Your loss.
uh huh commercial photographer that says it all
Meaning? If you have seen the Hannaford semi’s with the fruit and veggies on the trailers you’ve seen my work. Coming down for a tour?
How is it working for that big multi-national? :)
Looking good. BTW
Right now, not so great. They squeeze every last drop out of their vendors (I know, protecting the bottom line), and the work has been pretty thin for the past year. I enjoy the work when we have it. Wish I had more right about now, though. The folks I work directly with are fantastic.
And if you mean the shots look good… thanks. I enjoy seeing them rolling by… The tangerine was tasty.
Isn’t that the way of it. I squeeze my vendors, my customers squeeze me… God love em.
You’re line of work is generally pretty slow this time of year. Isn’t it? I don’t know exactly what the connection is but business in election years always seem to pick up as they move along. I mean in ways that has nothing to do with any campaign. Best of luck in the new year.
I hope it picks up. The industry has changed with the proliferation of digital cameras. Hard to compete with a $5 stock image that some amateur sold to a website. And the recession seemed to cut the photo budget we were competing for in half.
Thanks for the well wishes. To you also.
Hannaford is multi-national??
Delhaize, a Belgium company. Also owns Food Lion and Sweet Bay, both in the south.
There you go.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhaize_Group
The Shaw’s supermarket chain is owned by SUPERVALU. They also own a number of other grocery stores including Acme, Albertsons, Bristol Farms, Cub, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher’s, Jewel-OSCO, Shop ‘N Save and Shoppers.
Read more: Who owns Shaw’s supermarket? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2211033#ixzz1hxqBY8Nv
Why are you answering a question about Hannaford’s with information about Shaw’s?
first link Hannaford second link Shaw’s. You have to follow the thread.
My link to Shaw’s brought a lot of unintended garbage with it.
ps hannaford is the 1% phony, they just cut out all employee 401 knot only by contirbuting but left them all with having to pay % fees to even keep it at near minimum wages and are part of dalhaize a major global corp, you keep dreaming
Haven’t a clue what you are going on about… sorry.
Thank you, George, for showing us how to take personal responsibilitiy and giving us a way to make a difference. Complaining is easy. Acting is harder. Moving our money into local banks might help the economy in Maine. We all agree it needs help.
Full disclosure: I have a day job, I have worked full time since I was 15 except for when I was getting a liberal arts education, and except for staying home a couple of years when my children were babies. I have in the past supported the Democrat Party and its candidates, often holding my nose to vote for the “lesser of two evils.” It’s clear to me that Pres. Obama works for the same Wall St., Silicon Valley, and military-industrial complex corporations as did most of those who have sat in the White House during my half a century of life. I do not and will not support the Dems or Republicans, nor will I put any attention into elections which are wholly owned subsidiaries of the 1% at this point in history.
As for moving our family accounts to local credit unions and Maine based banks, we did that a couple of years ago, but great idea for anyone who cares about the economic health of the community their kids and grandkids will inhabit.
Finally, I have been to visit several Occupy sites in Maine and other states. It has been exciting to see that they really do constitute a 99% movement because I have personally encountered: people with jobs, people with college degrees and McJobs, people with college degrees and no jobs, carpenters, small business owners, stay at home moms, people who were homeless, people still in college or high school, small kids, musicians, IT workers, health care providers, etc. etc.
And let’s not forget the farmers! Check out this video for eloquent testimony from a farmer in Aroostook who works 90 hours a week but took time off to travel down to Wall St. on Dec. 4 to meet up with other farmers. If you’re still unclear what the Occupy movement is about, it’s worth 4 minutes of your time to watch “We are Farmers, We Grow Food for People” http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rsNUqK6saMU
Hi Lisa,
I just watched the We Grow Food video. I’m sure that farmers, real farmers, and not agricorp exploiters and their lackeys are behind the Occupy Movement 99%. I say 99% and not 100% because nothing’s perfect, as the 1% have proven.
I am a member of the Maine Tea Party and I agree with the occupy movement on some points. It’s time big government stopped squishing the middle class, and politicians stopped destroying our constitution while giving breaks to those who give them the most money. People who try to start fights between political groups who are willing to stand up and say they have had enough are really just supporting the government fat cats as they laugh at our infighting.
Great letters all.
George Schelling: I’ve noted this previously. The main impediment for formation of new businesses in Maine is lack of startup funding from the miserly banks and lending institutions.
Diane Smith: I agree whole heartedly. Mr. Thibodeau’s letter and attitides (parroting those of too many others) are extremely shoprt sighted at best and cynically sinister at worst.
We have had it wrong as a society for years. We should be doing our share as young adults and middle age adults, with jobs, taxes, and generally supporting a good social effort to the good of man, so to speak. When you had spent the last 35-50 years giving your effort to live a good live through holding a job, taxes, and a good social effort to the good of man, you shouldn’t have to worry about retirement, medication, or if you’re going to lose your home. Instead, we generally are giving it all away at an early age to some, not truly understanding the term earn your way, and then expecting the same throughout life. But the retirement age will be 80 by the time I get to it, and they will be pulling my corpse off my desk by then.
Unlike the Tea Party, without the multimillion dollars spent on rallies, bus tours, tv spots, coiffed and primped Alaskans OWS and Occupy, on virtually NO budget, changed the conversation in this country away from the stark ravings of the tea party caucus in Congress holding the country hostage over made up crisis’s and onto FACTUAL, STRUCTURAL INEQUALITY in this country…. in a fraction of the time the tea party spent all of the Koch brother’s money donated to co-opt the tea party movement.
You want to know what OWS and OccupyMaine is about? Here are a few graphical representations of the problems OWS and OccupyMaine has brought to the national conversation, and as I said below, without millions of dollars in promotion, rallies, tours:
http://jaredbernsteinblog.com/the-best-of-cbpp-graphics/