This Changes Everything: Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement

This Changes Everything: Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement, by Sarah Van Gelder, editor, Yes! Magazine
 
Like many others, I've been very curious about the Occupy Wall Street movement. When I saw This Changes Everything in the Overdrive downloadable library, I knew I had to read it. I was surprised that there was already a book out on the subject since the movement had just started in August. The book outlines the driving philosophy of the group: 1% of society controls the wealth; politicians protect their interest; the rest of society (the 99%) have seen their jobs outsourced, homes foreclosed, medical bills skyrocket. The 99% have bailed out financial institutions which brought us to the precipice, yet corporations continue to reward their executives with obscene bonuses. Occupy movements have sprung up in New York, Seattle, Boston, etc. They are composed of a wide cross-section of society who are fed up with "business as usual". Instead of a traditional hierarchy, the movement utilizes a horizontal structure as well as consensus to make decisions. The book clearly states its "list of demands". Rather than demand a total redistribution of wealth, it simply asks the rich to pay their fair share of taxes, which will help shave the deficit. They are also asked to create jobs since the rich have the money and resources to do so. The movement represents democracy in action, and does not plan on going anywhere any time soon.
-Carl