We're excited about the Occupy movement because we the people have been left out of the conversation for too long. We need to get loud, to be heard. We, the 99%, don't have monied interests in the ear of our representatives. All we have are numbers. Huge numbers. We are the working poor. And we are the people this country is leaving behind.

We work. Two and three jobs, but we still can't get ahead. We pay taxes, we pay rent and mortgages, we buy food, we heat our homes, we pay our student loans and then we divvy up the rest of the money to medical bills, insurance companies, banks, and communications companies. That doesn't leave much left over to save for our children's education or future. We are productive members of this great American society but we can't afford to participate. We are the working poor.

Everyone keeps asking what this Occupy movement is about. We say, it's about saving the middle class. It's about recognizing that the giant corporations are running the country with only their interests in mind. They have more power than they should. This is a Democracy of the people. We are the people and all of our voices should be heard equally. But they've bought the system that elects our representatives and therefore they are in control. They own our government so how can we expect our politicians to speak for us? To advocate for us? We can't. In fact, the only thing that is disheartening about this movement is that it feels like we can make all the noise we want, but there is no one in power with the power to actually act on our behalf.

What do I want?

I'd like to see the citizens united decision overturned. I'd like to see the wealthy corporations, who are making record profits, incentivized to keep jobs in the US. I'd like to see wealthy Americans paying the same tax rates that those in the middle and lower classes pay. I'd like to know what we can do to shrink the gap between what the average CEO makes and what the average worker makes. I'd like an honest assessment of what would constitute a true living wage in this country today and I'd like to see more people able to make an honest living again. I'd like to funnel some of the money we use on wars and drone attacks into a REAL sustainable energy plan for this country: rail, wind, solar, next generation batteries that will power our cars, green roofs, community gardens. Let's rewrite the American Energy paradigm. Let's do it now.

We'd love for our children to grow up in a world that's not corrupted by big money and greedy corporations that buy politicians and trash the environment.

We are the working poor.

And we are getting louder.