The 99 and the 1

“We are the 99%!” This slogan of the Occupy Wall Street protesters has been called the most memorable quote of the past year. Those who rally to its cry do so in opposition to the villainous 1%.

For a handful of the protesters, being a member of the 1% means being a wealthy recipient of a government bailout, or some other form of corporate welfare. But for the economic egalitarians in their ranks, it simply means being too rich. They say the wealthiest 1% of the country are getting more than their fair share of the wealth in society, at the expense of the 99%.