I’ve worked as technical writer in the financial services industry for 20 years. It was never my first choice as a career or industry. I took the jobs and did the work to support my family.
Like the captive to necessity that I am, I have tried to view my situation in the best light possible, moderating my youthful idealism with pragmatism and the belief that most of the people can’t have been wrong about our financial markets so much of the time.
That all changed after the financial meltdown of 2008. I had been documenting some of the same risky derivatives and blind mortgage pool trading that contributed directly to the credit collapse that necessitated, or so the politicians said, the 700 billion-dollar bailout of banks “too big to fail.”
I had been telling their traders and portfolio managers how to use tools that would help them publicise risk and privatise reward, eventually pushing hard-working people, including some I knew, out of their homes while financial CEOs lined their pockets with the profits from their malfeasance.
I support the Occupy movement because I believe that the influence of corporate money on politics has grievously harmed our economy. I believe that the gap between rich and poor in this country and the corruption of elected officials by money has set us on fast track to becoming a banana republic. I believe that we need serious reform now and that a widespread popular movement is the only way to get the politicians to pay attention. The Occupy movement has grabbed their attention and energised progressives throughout the country. I have no faith in the mainstream media to report on the Occupy movement fairly, therefore I am lending my voice through this blog. As I cover these hard times, I hope you will lend me your ears.
Because I depend on the financial service industry to take care of my family, my public opinions must remain anonymous.
Articles like these put the consumer in the driver seat-very improtnat.
Ah yes, nielcy put, everyone.