Which Liberal Outlets Are Attacking the ‘I Am the 53%’ Movement?
- Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:30am by
Mike Opelka
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Less than a week ago we reported on a budding movement called “I am the 53%.” These folks call themselves the 53% because they claim to be part of the 53% of the American people who actually pay Federal Income Taxes, meaning they are ones who support the 47% that pay nothing in Federal taxes.
These are not “wealthy” people. Many are struggling to make ends meet or even to hold on to their homes, but they do not blame “Wall Street.” In fact, most feel as if the politicians in Washington, DC are at the core of the problem and do not have the solutions to the troubles plaguing our economy.
The 53% seems to have a very easily-traced and organic history. Twitter was partially responsible as Kevin @Keder started using the hashtag #iamthe53 in early October.

Erick Erickson of RedState is often credited with starting this snowball down the hill. He did so when he posted a photo of himself alongside his 53% declaration.

I work 3 jobs./I have a house I can’t sell./My family insurance costs are outrageous./But I don’t blame Wall Street./Suck it up you whiners./I am the 53% subsidizing you so you can hang out on Wall Street and complain.
Erickson’s post lead to more 53%-ers posting their photos and declarations… which inspired Erick and his pal, filmmaker Mike Wilson to start a tumblr page for the 53%ers. Mike was on Fox and Friends yesterday morning explaining the history and the concept of the 53%.
And then Facebook pages started springing up, urls were being registered…
The 53%-ers feel a common bond with other responsible/self-sufficient citizens. They also wear their successes and failures with honor. This informal, but growing group of citizens that do not identify with the “Occupy Wall Street” crowd must be of concern for the Left and those who are endorsing the “occupiers” because the Left has started attacking and mocking the 53% movement.
The Think Progress website (this is an online arm of the Soros-funded Center for American Progress) posted a snarky attack on Erick Erickson, calling the 53% idea a “clever public relations gimmick.”
Of course the Daily Kos had to attempt to minimize the 53%
And Alex Knapp of the League of Ordinary Gentlemen started an open thread to mock the movement.
And yet, the growth and momentum of this fledgling movement seems to be building.
Could the 53%-ers be the new silent majority in America?
In a famous speech to the nation delivered in November of 1969, President Nixon referenced the silent majority – a group of Americans whose voice he believed was not being heard as the mainstream media was focused on a louder, but much smaller group of Americans pushing their counter-culture agenda.
Does this sound familiar?
Stay tuned.



















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Comments (100)
moodtd01
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:51amI am part of the 47% however, I hope to be part of the 53% soon. I do not want a free handout, I want to work and help make America great again. I am in college right now and cannot wait to get out of there. I hope to teach social studies at the local jr/sr high school. This means teach the truth of history, not the progressive history. My wife is currently teaching 11th grade english there and has been able to in only 3 years change some hearts and minds. She also dropped her union membership this year, which made me very proud, and about $1500 a year richer.
Report Post »GOD! FAMILY! COUNTRY!
LOL@CAPITALISMROCKS. WILSON FOR PRESIDENT!!
TheLeftMadeMeRight
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:43amMy son is now 20 and a student at a tech school. Talking with him and his GF the other day he asked me what the first thing I taught him when he was a baby. I told him I taught you to point your feet so I could get those tiny hard little shoes on your feet. Then I taught you to do it yourself, and to tie them yourself too. My son asked me why I taught him that? I said; as soon as I knew you were able to do it for yourself I expected you to learn how. I have spent the last 20 years teaching you to take care of yourself so others won’t have to. You won’t find my son protesting Wall Street, he has a job, and he is helping to pay for his own education. That is what is missing in the USA, personal responsibility.
Report Post »Rillobymorning
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:52amMy 5 have done the same. Don’t they make you proud????
Report Post »DanWesson455
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:04amWant to drive all of Washington NUTS!!!??? Everyone yet working file a W-4 making yourself from an payroll tax deductions from your check. Retiree’s and everyone else when April comes along….just don’t pay any taxes….They want a protest?!! I say give em one, one hell of one.Lets see if Washington D.C. will then pay attention to the 53%. That will grab em by the scrotum.
Report Post »DanWesson455
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:05amSHOULD HAVE READ
Report Post »Want to drive all of Washington NUTS!!!??? Everyone yet working file a W-4 making yourself EXEMPT from an payroll tax deductions from your check.
JRook
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:39amA useful report might be a breakdown of the 47%. Might surprise people what the exact profile of the group is. Both individuals and ALL corporations should be required to pay a minimum amount that is graduated based on Gross Income, not taxable income. You’ll likely find a rather large number of small businesses and even large corporations pay a rather small amount of their Net or Gross Income. And by the way the replacement of government fees in lieu of tax increases and the federal taxes collected for things like gasoline and utilities, means the majority of the 47% certainly do contribute to the federal coffers. Right Idea, wrong villains. I am much more incensed by corporations and individuals who can pay and pay very little or nothing then a small group of the poor or lower class who have difficulty paying income taxes but pay a disproportionate amount of their income in gas taxes, utility taxes, fees, etc.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:58amJCrook
TAKERS are Takers, The breakdown is the DEMOCRAT Party
Socialists, Liberals, Progressives, Anarchists, The Mentally Disturbed(sort of covers them all) , Jew Haters, , Christian Haters,
The “Evil Wall St” workers have Nothing to do with all the Hidden Taxes, Fees. that mainly DEMOCRAT Thief Politicians enacted.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 11:07amMy oldest daughter just entered college this year, but worked hard to find all the scholarships she could find and is paying for her first year with all scholarship money at the OSU.
Report Post »texasken
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 1:01pmJROOK — You have a misguided concept of what a corporation is. It’s a company owned by a whole lot of shareholders, who all pay taxes on their portion of the profits from that corporation. If the corporation pays taxes as itself, there’s less for the shareholders, who subsequently pay less income tax. And the corporation then builds the cost of those taxes into the cost of whatever product or service they’re providing, which makes for higher prices for every consumer. If there was no corporate tax, shareholders would make that up in their personal income taxes, but the corporation’s prices would go down.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 3:16pm@TEXASKEN
You have to cut JROOK some slack. He’s got a lot of education under his belt, but no common sense.
Report Post »toto
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 3:24pmExellent Texasken!
Report Post »Mstrrlm
Posted on October 14, 2011 at 4:38amx2
Report Post »ZengaPA65
Posted on October 15, 2011 at 11:50amTHELEFTMADEMERIGHT: Best post I read on here all day. *cheers*
Report Post »grandmaclown
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:25amI’d like to be a member of the 53%, but we had no tax liability last year. That is the first year in 43 years of marriage that we have not had to pay taxes. My husband will soon be 77, and we wish we had enough income to pay taxes. We often worked more than one job in our younger days to help ends meet, and it did not hurt us at all. My husband worked part time as a janitor after retiring from his regular job until he was 73 and just couldn’t do it anymore. Both of my kids are working so I kiddingly tell them they are helping pay our share.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:20amProud to have you here, But you did your share already, and you are a 53%er.
13th
Report Post »think1st
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 5:25pmYour husband is 77, and you’ve been married 43 years? Take a well-deserved break, and welcome to the 53%!
Report Post »Objective_Reasonableness
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:09pmWelcome GrandmaClown (&GrandpaClown) ~ My friends, you have already contributed more than your fair share to the “system”. Step up and wear your 53% status proudly. It’s an honor to meet you and have you join our masses. Congratulations on your 43 year marriage and may God Bless both of you with a continued long, happy, healthy life. (TBL)
Report Post »SC 11 BRAVO
Posted on October 14, 2011 at 12:28amRelax Grandmaclown, you have done your share. Go fishing, bowling, rock climbing or what ever you enjoy doing, and do it KNOWING THAT YOU ARE THE 53%. The current 53% happily watch your back for ya! I feel as though at a certain age ALL retired or semi-retired people should fall into a tax exempt status, ESPECIALLY property taxes! It seems very unfair to me that a couple can spend years paying off their mortgage and yet still owe the government money on the house for the remainder of their lives, it is as if your NEVER get to truly own your home. In my state ( south Carolina) the majority of property taxes are allocated to the public school system, It seems unfair for people in their 60‘s and 70’s to be paying this as their children are generally out of that system. To add insult to injury, many people in their 20‘s and 30’s (who have kids in school) also receive “EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT” on FED income tax, thus get a larger REFUND than the taxes they payed into the system. In Summary GRANDMACLOWN you are the 53% ( before I was) and I hope you welcome ME into your club!
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:13amGod, they HATE that we have an answer for EVERY deceptive “movement” they try. What ever happened to the “Coffee Party?” hahahahaha
Report Post »Mike N
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 12:21pmCoffee would have been deemed racist, so it wasn’t used.
Report Post »let us prey
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:07amThe ones who minimize this will vote for obumbler. The crazy protestors will vote for obumbler.
Report Post »I am not sure what it will take to defeat this plague in 2012. We better figure it out soon.
The Voice of Libertarian Reason
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:46amI like to see what the other side is talking about, so earlier today I was reading an article that was riddled with lies, slamming Mr. Cain’s 9-9-9 plan. The only comment on the article was from some liberal nut job which read (and I’m paraphrasing) “We need to work hard to make sure our President is reelected, he is the only one running that has integrity, and the courage to move this country in the direction it needs to go…”
When I read that I became very scared; because the nut job that wrote the comment is not the only one out there that believes it!
We need to make sure there are more people out there like Theleftmademeright and Grandmaclown that believe in personal responsibility and encourage all of them to get out and vote. If people sit home next November we are all in for some serious trouble!
Report Post »LetsPlayTheirGame
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:48amTo all 53%-ers, we control our OWN destiny. That means vote in both the PRIMARY AND the ELECTION!!!!!!!!
Report Post »watashbuddyfriend
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:45amI Am one of the 53%! I am still glad that I have the income (retirement) to be able to pay more taxes.
I Am one of the 10%! Yes, I carried the load for the other 90%, in the workplace, church, neighborhood, wherever.
Report Post »BigPaulie
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:35amJust tell all your friends that if they vote for Obama, things will get worse. After all, you should tell your friends the truth, right?
Report Post »BLACKDIAMONDSKIER
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:31am“I am the 53%” … Ohhh the progressives don’t like it. How characteristic. Of course they would have a problem with the MAJORITY of good, hardworking, determined, contributors in a society having a voice.
PROGRESSIVE IDEOLOGY DESTROYS LIVES!!!! (Economically, financially, morally, and spiritually)
Report Post »Deacon97
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:16amWhy post anything else when it has already been said best:
Thomas Jefferson:
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
Facebook–67 Degrees Fahrenheit
Report Post »Teonoma
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:27am“You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.”
Abraham Lincoln
Is it not amazing that someone long ago can be right on with what is happening today. How these comments by a man with honor seem to ring true. They ring true because they are the truth.
Teo
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:34amThat single acts of Tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of day-to-day series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers does plainly prove a deliberate and systematical plan of reducing us (53er’s) to slavery
George Washington
Report Post »the Fairfax Resolves 1774
13th Imam
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:42amTJ wrote this not GW
Report Post »Apology’s
whereareyourbrains
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:13amAll in all..people need jobs. Obummer has made sure only certain companies show they are hiring. Obummer and his left wing idiots have driven this country to this division. Companies are not going to hire until this man and his crew are out of the White House. Obummer want them to collapse and fall under his regime. The sun will shine again when he no longer forces his policies on Americans.
Report Post »We are 53%’s. We pay every year. We never get a refund and we always owe. We live pay check to pay check and borrow from a savings. We must pay taxes on it every year. The economy has cost us an average of $800 more a month. Gas, food, utilities, insurance, cable, and bank rates raises. It has to end…Obummer needs to resign now…well you can dream can’t you.
SpankDaMonkey
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:09am.
Report Post »I’m 100% sure that we don’t need the 47%. I say enlist all of them and send them to occupy Iran…….
SC 11 BRAVO
Posted on October 14, 2011 at 12:34amDo you REALLY think that the 47% has the wherewithal to beat them? NOT,,, I doubt we can “DOPE SMOKE: the Iranians to death.
Report Post »ROMANS 10-9
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:07amWe will NOT vote
for Mit Romney!
The Norwood’s
We like Bauchman, Cain & Santorum
Report Post »whereareyourbrains
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:15amYOu go ahead and not vote for Romney.. Let Obama win again…he is so good for America. and Romney is evil..Right. I don’t like Romney either. I really am afraid of Obama taking over America and continuing his programs more.
Report Post »BigPaulie
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:31amYou‘ll vote for the GOP candidate or Obama’s re-election will be partly YOUR fault. Grow up.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:46amEveryone must show up for the PRIMARIES. Don’t let the media determine our candidate. Check out this site for the low down on Mitt Romney:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=354721
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:35amAt this point I’d vote for a Wilson soccer ball with a smile drawn on it over Obama…. certainly would be a like smarter, and less anti-American.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:42amFalse Paulie. You’re blaming the victim here. If you want my vote, you have to earn it. If you don’t earn it, it was never yours to begin with, and *you* will have helped Obama get re-elected if you pimped for a candidate that is clearly inferior getting the nod.
Report Post »TEA4Me
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 10:29amLet me restate what has been said above.. and you can rationalize it away if you want, but it won’t help you sleep at night if you have a concious.
IF ROMNEY IS THE NOMINEE AND YOU DO NOT VOTE FOR HIM AND OBAMA IS RE-ELECTED IT WILL BE PARTIALLY YOUR FAULT. AND EVERYTHING THAT OCCURS AFTER THE 2012 ELECTION WILL BE YOUR FAULT AS MUCH AS ANYONE!!!
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 11:11amI had to hold my nose and vote for the likes of Nixon, Ford, Bush 41, Dole, and Bush 43. The alternatives were far to despicable. If we get stuck with Romney as the Republican candidate then I will hold my nose once again.
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 11:17amDUH, forgot to mention the Republican candidate that I literally had to wear a protective mask (gas mask to the uninitiated) to vote for. Our biggest RINO to run yet, McCain!
Report Post »UnrepetantCurmudgeon
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 5:51pmIf Romney is the nominee, I’ll vote for Romney.
I don’t want Romney as the nominee.
Report Post »Dahuh
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:06amIt appears to me that what we are seeing is the Last Death Squeal from the Far Left in our society. The Left has done great damage to our country over the last 3 years. Americans are going to be sick to their stomachs when they find out how much money has been laundered by these criminals. America has the domestic energy and food reserves to turn our economy around and recover from this, but it will take COMMON SENSE economic leadership not MORE of the Politically Elite Class!!! FAIR TAX, Limited Government, Term Limits, AND The DRAFT!!! NOW!!!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:48amThe far left has been at “destroying our nation” for over 100 years, with brief intervals of sanity, like Ronald Reagan and John Kennedy (yes, I said John Kennedy, the last real Democrat.)
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 11:27amLORIANN12, you’re right. I’d love to see more of the likes of Ronald Reagan in office at any time. I have disagreed with JFK on a number of issues, but I’d take him any day over any current Democrats, and many of today’s Republicans, aka RINOs. BTW, I have never in my life voted for a Democrat.
Report Post »ROMANS 10-9
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:06amI am the 53%
Mrs. Norwood
Report Post »DatabaseSue
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:06amI am the 53% and proud of it! Worked many a 7 days a week, 12 hours a day to support my family – never ever went on welfare when a singe Mom – did it myself! Can’t wait till Winter hits NYC! :) Let’s see how many are still there then.
Report Post »UpstateNYConservative
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:12amMaybe Rosanne, Moore, Baldwin, et. al. will unlimber their wallets and ‘help’. Or not…?
I bet the pipsqueaks will demand NYC provide them with blankets and hot meals, like in homeless shelters. And that businesses ‘donate’ to them.
Report Post »ROMANS 10-9
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:06amI am the 53%
Mr. Norwood
Report Post »GENEPAGLIARI
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:04amThey (liberal outlets) are attacking out of fear. We (the 53%) pay the bills. These insolent occupiers in the parks and the white house need to move out.
Report Post »There is a strong possibility that these slovens are merely a test case for the elections. Be bold, be brave, be believers. We can clean up this mess. It is up to us. Countless descendants depend on our faithfulness to God and country.
Add the Tea Party and the 53%ers together and we are powerful as can be.
ColoradoMaverick
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:55amYou Democrats go right ahead and hitch your wagon to this so called movement. It will NOT end well because there is no way they will get what they want (whatever that is!). When this does happen, they will escalate these protests to violence and things will get very ugly and someone will get hurt or killed. I pray this does not happen, but I’m afraid it will. When this does happen, Obama, Clinton, Soros, Michael Moore and all of the other left wing kooks will have blood on their hands. Obama is the most divisive president ever and will certainly go down in history as the worst president ever.
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:54amkeep on keeping on, don’t quit and down give in, don;t take crap and never ever seat down and shut we out number these commies and i for one will not allow them to take over ,so get in and get after it,
Report Post »and yes i am a 53′er.don’t like kiss my free hard working american made but.
Secessionista
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:53am99%’ers are about 0.3% of the population. I swear, liberals are bad at math.
To make a similar sized error, the 53%’ers would be calling themselves the 15,000%’ers.
Report Post »ColoradoMaverick
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:48amThe only Gimmick I see going on is the “Occupy Everything” movement. This is NOT a grass roots movement. It is 3 years late. It is backed by labor unions, George Soros, Obama and every other socialist, marxist, communist, anachist and anti-American organization out there. This is nothing like the Tea Party movement which was in fact a authentic grass roots movement.
Report Post »IntheKnowOG
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:55amRemember, just like a cheap knock off product, the occupiers will break because they are based on a lie.
Report Post »dogpatch65
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:06amYou got that right. The two have nothing in common. To compare the occupiers with the Tea Party is a democrat propaganda operation. There is no equivalence:
Report Post »http://wp.me/p1HGwx-169
GayDem4Beck
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:07amLet these progressive/liberal/unions waist all of there money on these protests… in fact I encourage them to have more of these events across the country.
The more they spend today, the less they have to spend on the election cycle.
Report Post »Dahuh
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:45amWith God’s Grace and hard work I am a 53%!!! 23 years of military service and 15 years of work since. Run a my own small buisness. Pay my own Social Security. Pay my taxes monthly, quarterly, and annually. Turn to God and ask for the forgiveness of your sins through Jesus Christ. Go to work, tithe to your church, help others, volunteer, become a responsible citizen before God and your country!!
Report Post »SEPARATENOW
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:11amWith respect I thank you for your service and contributions to this nation. I must say, however, I am sick of the ‘God is My Co-Pilot’ stuff. It should be abundantly clear that God is either indifferent to good versus evil on earth or has a strict non-interference policy, which precludes prayer having an affect on earthly events.
This is inescapably true.
Buckle up, buckle down, and do what needs to be done yourselves.
Report Post »Dahuh
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:20amSEPERATE NOW, the difference is an individual’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Nothing I have done means a hill of beans without it. The first question I ask people is this. Why do we send our taxes to someplace else when the solution is through the tithe to our church. 10/10/80 rule. 10 percent to the church, 10 to savings, the 80% is for taxes and living. Keep It Simple Stupid works everytime. Fix it in your self first and then your community and then your country.
Report Post »SEPARATENOW
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:27amYou have your way. I have mine. I’m glad your faith helps you do the right thing. I’ll choose to do the right thing regardless of who or what gets the credit as long as good gets done.
Personally, I will never believe again. It’s too painful feeling hoodwinked and paying 10% to other human beings claiming to be working for God. (Yes, I was a tither.)
Forward together against the truly evil neo-communists!
Report Post »cclevel
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:43amI am the 53% who understands what work ethics means, The fact we have a bunch of sloths who think they deserve a portion of my hard earned dollars to subsidize their unwillingness to get off their asses and work ticks me off! We now have a generation of lazy people who have fallen prey to the very notion promoted by a bunch of losers called Marxist/Socialist/Communist who are using the uneducated, navie, so called college educated shows the overall ignorance of a generation of young adults who have no concept of hard work ethics. Your future is is serious doubt!
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:38amI suspect we 53%ers are Tea Partiers…..One and the same. The more, the merrier, the stronger we grow by GOD’s great grace and mercy.
Report Post »Secessionista
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 7:55amSure we are. Obummer and his poor-at-math minions are in for the great shock next year.
Report Post »circleDwagons
Posted on October 13, 2011 at 8:11amI am 1 and with God a majority. the producers have always carried the takers
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