Occupy Wall Street - A Primer for you

Some of you may be a bit hazy on just what all this Occupy Wall Street stuff is all about, so below are a few points to think over. There's plenty more but these should get you going.

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It's ok for you & I to worry about our job prospects or job security, our dwindling bank accounts, our non-existent or destroyed retirement savings, the future prospects for our kids, losing our homes, etc..etc..etc...

BUT

As of 2007, the top 1% of households (the upper class) owned 34.6% of all privately held wealth. The next 19% (the managerial, professional, and small business stratum) had 50.5%, which means that just 20% of the people owned a remarkable 85%. Only 15% of the wealth goes for the bottom 80% (wage and salary workers).

The top one percent of households has 38.3% of all privately held stock, 60.6% of financial securities, and 62.4% of business equity. 

According to the Federal Reserve, U.S. corporations held a record $1.93 trillion in cash on their balance sheets in 2010. But they are not investing to expand their companies, grow the real economy or create good middle-class jobs. Corporate CEOs are literally hoarding their company's cash-except when it comes to their own paychecks. AFL-CIO

In 2010, Standard & Poor's 500 Index company CEOs received, on average, $11.4 million in total compensation- a 23 percent increase in one year. Based on 299 companies' most recent pay data for 2010, their combined total CEO pay of $3.4 billion could support 102,325 median workers' jobs. AFL-CIO 

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So now that you've been armed with some arguing points, why not print off a few of the posters below, hand them out to your friends and go protest in YOUR city / country.