Who are the 99%?

As #occupy continues to go through media cycles (largely based on police violence) it becomes clear that the 99% will no longer remain silent. Who are they? The Washington Post answers the question from the other side.

Taken literally, the top 1 percent of American households had a minimum income of $516,633...

The number looks large but attainable. Then comes the real shock.

When you look at the disparity in net worth, things look even more skewed. Wealthier Americans have assets — in home equity, stocks and other investments — that generally outstrip their cash income. Average wealth of the top 1 percent was almost $14 million in 2009...

Yikes! Nobody in my circle of friends can boast that. The flip side is even scarier.

By contrast, the poorest households were experiencing declines in net worth even before the recession hit. In 2007, the bottom 20 percent of households had an average (negative!) net worth of –$13,800 in 2007, which fell further to –$27,200 in 2009. Altogether, “average wealth of the bottom 80 percent was just $62,900 in 2009 — a dropoff of $40,900 from 2007,” EPI writes. That means the wealthiest 1 percent held an average of 225 times the wealth of the average median household in 2009 — a ratio that was 125 in 1962.

Big numbers make the head spin. Visual!

Remember, that first group is NEGATIVE!

Who are the 99%? Just about everyone. Why are they speaking out? Because you don't become one of the 1% by working hard and lining up for Black Friday bargains.

More numbers and pictures at the New York Times.