Is the 99% movement making a difference?
The 99% movement has been gaining ground all across the country. Starting with the Occupy Wall Street protests, groups of angry citizens have started occupations in cities across the country. They are protesting the huge amount of control that corporations have over our government, the banking structure and the lack of jobs.
In Oakland, CA, occupiers joined a general strike and have had several serious altercations with the local police. In Philly, hundreds of protesters marched downtown and protested in front of the Comcast Center. Their goal was to bring attention to the fact that Comcast had managed to dodge paying corporate tax and the tax breaks that ensure that they never have to pay a dime in property tax to the city.
During the demonstration, the police tried to make them move, claiming that they were trespassing on private property. After they refused to leave, nine protesters were arrested and may face jail time.
You can watch a video about the incident from FoxNews here.
I just wonder if these protests are actually making a difference. I did some research and it would appear that, yes, they actually are. As the protest spreads, people are beginning to have meaningful conversations about the huge inequality between the top 1% and the rest of us.
In fact, six Deomocratic senators have introduced a constitutional amendment that hopes to overturn the Citizens United decision. Their hope is to stop corporations from being able to make massive campaign contributions. The amendment hopes to restore the ability of states to regulate the amount of funding that political candidates and elected officials receive.
Although it's unlikely that the proposal will have enough support to actually become a constitutional amendment, at least it has people talking - which is the first step to making real change.
Do you think that the protesters are making a difference? Have you thought about joining them? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog and Beyond.com, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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