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(Reporter) When the words generally accepted to describe a problem change, the perception
of that problem changes too.
(President Obama) Now this kind of inequality, a level that we haven't seen since the great
depression…
(Reporter) In the past week, we saw President Obama has accepted and is using some of the
words used by Occupy Wall Street protesters to describe the nation's economic problems.
It's an important development, because the way an issue is talked about or "framed" often
determines the outcome of the debate.
(Protester) We're here to raise hell because the banks are out of control and so we got
to fix that.
(Crowd) This is what democracy looks like
(Obama) Inequality also distorts our democracy. It gives an outsized voice to the few who
can afford high-priced lobbyists and unlimited campaign contributions,
(Protester) I'm here today to give voice to don't have enough money to hire their own
lobbyists
(Protester) Because the corporations are spending more on these lobbyists then they are on paying
taxes.
(Obama)…and it runs the risk of selling out our democracy to the highest bidder.
(Ingrid) As Obama said last night, it is exactly the same that corporations have to much money,
too much power and they are selling out our democracy. The politicians are selling out
our democracy. They are such gangsters.
(Obama) This kind of gaping inequality gives lie to the promise that’s at the very heart
of America: that this is a place where you can make it if you try.
(Ingrid) I have such a revolting feeling, I'm nauseated sometimes when I just think
about it. What is happening to this country which I was so enthusiastic about you liberated
Germany.
(Obama) We tell people -- we tell our kids -- that in this country, even if you’re
born with nothing, work hard and you can get into the middle class.
(Ingrid) I am speechless at what is happening. That this can happen in our, in this America.
(Obama) We tell them that your children will have a chance to do even better than you do.
(Ingrid)I have three children. They are all Americans and two grandchildren. And I'm demonstrating
for them and for their future also.
(Obama) It’s heartbreaking enough that there are millions of working families in this country
who are now forced to take their children to food banks for a decent meal. But the idea
that those children might not have a chance to climb out of that situation and back into
the middle class, no matter how hard they work? That’s inexcusable.
(Protester) It's not about us, it's about our generation… the next or my grandkids
and their kids and stuff. They're going to have it harder than we got.
(Protester) You know I'm here because I love teachers, I love nurses and I love everybody
else that do things for people. Good work for people. If you do something that's good
for people, you can find yourself out of a job or living in poverty. If you're a sociopath,
you can make millions. Our economic system is simply not fair.
(Obama) I believe that this country succeeds when everyone gets a fair shot, when everyone
does their fair share, when everyone plays by the same rules. (Applause.)
(Kelley Albrecht) We're fed up. Enough is enough and we're taking back our capitol.
We're taking back our government, We're not going to allow them to serve their corporate
interests anymore.
(Florence Hammelev) I'm very concerned about the disparity of wealth…
(Obama) Some billionaires have a tax rate as low as one percent.
(Hammelev) I think it's an outrage. I think it's immoral. And I think that this tea party
mentality is very destructive to our country. And so many like (Congressman) Paul Ryan is
ah.. buys into that type of ideology.
(Obama) The market will take care of everything,” they tell us. If we just cut more regulations
and cut more taxes -- especially for the wealthy -- our economy will grow stronger. But here
is the problem. It doesn't work.
(Protester) Feed the poor, man! Let's get people back in their houses! They say in Duluth
it's cold brother. It's nice and warm out here.
(Protester) We hope for them to realize that there's a lot of us and that we need jobs
and that there's no more, there's no more room for corporate greed. And we need jobs
and education and health care and immigration reform. We're coming from an immigration organization
in Boston. And there's a lot of immigrants here who are under shadows and we need jobs
and we need health care for them.
(Maria Morales) Stop making all making all the cuts, like to social security, medicare.
I'm a senior citizen. But the most important is jobs. We need jobs. My family is hurting
for jobs and the whole nation, not just me that I'm looking after because the whole nation
has to get back to work.
(Obama) On the whole, and in the long run, we shall go up or down together.
(Protester) We're not going to stop. We can't stop. And we do have a duty to our children.
(Obama) And I believe America is on the way up.
(Albrecht) It's time for the people to rise up. All of the people who are effected by
this. It's the 99 percent. If you are poor, lower or middle class people, you are in the
99 percent and it's time to take our nation back and make it for the people, by the people.