As I was on my way to the greedy corporate Starbucks in Colorado Springs to get my vanilla latte recently, I saw the Occupy Wall Street protesters. I couldn’t help but notice some of their signs. There were sayings like, “We’re the 99%.” Or my favorite, “Even in a good economy, I’m unemployable.” I couldn’t help but snap a picture of this sign. It made me laugh.

The demonstrators want the upper 1% to pay more taxes, so it’s fair to the 99%. (Although 47% of Americans don’t pay any taxes at all right now.) This makes sense: Most of our country’s taxes are paid by the 1%, but they should pay more. Huh?

When I got back to my room, I decided to look up just what the protesters stand for, since I was confused. I did some research online and found out …. so are they. The group really doesn’t seem to know what they are demonstrating about. The main theme seems to be that corporations are ruining our country. Their greed and tax loops are destroying our landscape.

Seriously? This is what you’re fighting for? Further explanation from an interview said that income and equality are worse than they have ever been in America. That 1% has never had as much as they do now, while the rest of us are buried in debt and have credit card bills piling up. When asked if the protest was anti-government, the interviewee said that it’s not. They want the government to step in to help people who have lost their homes through foreclosures or who are buried under student debt. They believe the government has done a horrific job.

He continued to say it’s not anti-government, it’s better government. Because, apparently, better government means allowing people to go deeply in debt, and then stepping in and cleaning up the mess. That, of course, would be passing their debts onto the rest of us. When asked if the protesters are aiming their fight at the right institution, meaning Wall Street, the interviewee said yes. Corporations have seen their profits rise, while not having to pay taxes.

So essentially, if I get this right, the reason people are suffering in America is because big greedy corporations, which employ much of America, have created products that we have no choice but to purchase by going deeply in debt. This, in turn, causes us to live well beyond our means.  And even though the rich pay the most taxes in this country, they aren’t paying enough. Hmmmm … WHAT?!?!

So again, it’s not my fault if I’ve gone deeply in debt and chose not to save money, as opposed to living beyond my needs. It’s because the 1% don’t pay enough taxes. OK, what if we make it equal by having everyone pay the same exact tax percentage? That way, the 1% can’t “hide” from paying taxes, and the 47% will start paying. Sounds fair to me. I’ll honk for that equality.

Question: What’s your take on the protest?