Mr. Brian Beckley’s column (Our Corner, Oct. 26) seems to be an attempt to convince the readers that we should all support the Occupy Wall Street movement. He relates to their cause because he has seen his wages stagnate “while the rich continue to get richer.” In two weeks, I will mark the second anniversary of my becoming unemployed and given this elimination of wages, I do not relate to these protesters.

Mr. Beckley clearly wants to increase taxes on the rich. Let’s be clear. If we raise taxes on the richest 1 percent to a 100 percent tax rate, we couldn’t even cover President Obama’s 2010 deficit, let alone reduce the outstanding debt which is a huge impediment to economic stability and job creation.

Mr. Beckley says we have to appreciate the energy of the protesters and the “attention they are bringing to the issue of wealth inequality.” I do not appreciate thugs who oppose the police and scream at anyone who dare disagree with them. I do not appreciate dope-smoking anarchists who think it is their First Amendment right to urinate and defecate on private property or in public parks.  I do not appreciate young people using profanity on television as they scoff at the idea of taking a minimum wage job. I’d appreciate a minimum wage job right now and hopefully someone will appreciate the energy I’d put into that position.

From an income standpoint, I am one of the 99 percent but my affiliation with these socialist utopian brats ends right there. I am in with a group of real Americans who have yet to organize and I do not know what our percentage is. I know we believe in self-reliance. I know we’d appreciate a hand up but not a hand out (I never filed for unemployment). We expect our government to protect us and provide for things that we cannot provide for ourselves such as roads and bridges. We expect to provide most of the rest for ourselves and we are confident that we could do so in a free market, unfettered, capitalist society.

Mr. Beckley indicates he was prompted to write this piece after reading a Facebook post from one of his “lefty-leaning” friends.  After reading his op-ed a couple times, I am convinced he is a lefty-leaning ideologue trying to convince us by using a thinly veiled populist bend to his message.

Jim Topper

Bonney Lake