Occupy movement takes off in Michigan

Like hundreds of cities throughout the U.S. and across the globe, the Occupy movement has begun in Michigan! Thousands of people who are struggling to make ends meet, take care of their families and find ways to stay in school are coming together in their communities to say "enough is enough!"

We demand justice and accountability from corporations and our government for their abuses and threats to our lives. WE ARE THE 99% and we demand change!

Many of us are in poverty with no prospects for living wage jobs, health care or affordable housing. The government safety net that was created to protect people from the turmoil of capitalism is being annihilated by self-serving politicians and corporate greed. Many other families are on the edge of poverty -- just one measly paycheck away from homelessness, hunger and illness.

Michigan residents have begun occupations in several cities and more cities will start soon. Among the Occupy Michigan cities are:

• Occupy Detroit
• Occupy Lansing
• Occupy Ann Arbor
• Occupy Grand Rapids
• Occupy Flint (facebook)
• Occupy Kalamazoo (facebook)
• Occupy Saginaw (facebook)
• Occupy Traverse City (facebook)
• Occupy The UP (facebook)
• Bay City 

The Occupy Michigan website has information and links to each Occupy city, plus a list of occupier needs for anyone who'd like to contribute.  The occupations are more than just the people who camp out each night -- they are about all of us! The occupiers bring visibility to our concerns in Michigan about home foreclosures, joblessness, poverty, food insecurity, education, poor public transportation, unaffordable health care and other universal basic needs.

You can share your concerns at Occupy cities during the "General Assembly" meetings where everyone has a voice. Go to the Occupy city nearest you and make change happen!

Image from dmcd18 at Occupy Lansing tumbler

We're a Hungry and Broke Nation

A recent news story declared the U.S. a "Food Stamp Nation" after reporting that 46 million people -- or 15% of the population -- receive food stamp assistance. Moreover, 40% of these recipients are people with jobs but their jobs don't pay enough to live on. This might be remarkable in some corners but not here.

When the Smiley-West Poverty Tour rolled into Detroit on August 8th, they pointed out that conversations about family poverty in the U.S. are not on anyone's radar. In fact, as welfare recipients know well, people avoid talking about the poor unless they've got something disparaging to say.

While Washington politicians mull over which low income programs to cut next, we know SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) -- aka food stamps -- will be on the table. It doesn't matter that there's been an increase of 74% in food stamp recipients since 2007 due to the economic calamities that these scoundrels created.

You see, Washington politicians don't know what it's like to live on meager part-time, minimum wage jobs with no benefits, or how to make ends meet on inadequate disability, veterans or unemployment benefits. These so-called leaders have never had to decide between buying food for their children or paying their light bill. And forget about going to the doctor for annual exams -- what's that?

Politicians don't know how to create living-wage jobs either. Michigan has been hit especially hard during this recession (we know it's really a depression). The state's unemployment rates continues to be high at 10.9%, and in the Detroit metro area it's 12.5% (download PDF). 

Our neighbors to the south in Alabama continue to have food security worries worse than us where 1/3 of Alabama residents are on food stamps. Plus, from 2006 to 2008, Michigan is one of 10 states (IL, KY, ME, MO, OR, TN, WA, WV, MI and DC) that continue to have significantly higher participation rates in SNAP.

Despite the criticism, food stamps keep low income families fed and alive, and they help support what few jobs we have left in our communities. Don't let any politician choose between corporate tax breaks for their friends or food for your family.

Image from NewsOne.