I know a handyman, I'll call him Harry. Harry is one of those jack-of-all-trades persons who can do just about anything: plumbing, light electrical,carpentry, construction, demolition, painting, yard work, fix-it-whatever it is. Harry is a good man to know. He is in his early '60s.
Back in WW 11 Americans were known for "can do." In Europe our Allies were surprised when almost any American kid could fix a jeep, etc. Harry is a hold-over from that era.
Harry worked for years in a custom furniture shop. The business folded after many people began buying furniture in flat boxes shipped from foreign places. The furniture shop workers were not artists doing museum quality work--they were just good craftsmen producing useful pieces to order at reasonable prices.
Then Harry got a job with a local building contractor who specialized in small residents projects such as adding a porch, etc. When the economy soured the contractor cut back and let Harry go.
Harry has got that old entrepreneurial spirit. With no steady jobs available, he constructed a flyer, made copies, and distributed it in old in-town neighborhoods where he was known and had done work. He got permission and listed references. That's the first I knew of Harry.
Because of his periods of unemployment (through no fault of his own) Harry owns no vehicle and depends on public transportation. That's another reason he distributed flyers in in-town neighborhoods he can reach by bus or rapid transit.
Stay with me, I am getting to a political point here.
Harry is what is called a low-information person, politically. He's smart, but with his struggle just to stay afloat he doesn't have much time for research.
Harry comes to our house about once a month to deal with inevitable old-house-still-under-renovation tasks. I always give him lunch because it costs me very little and saves him walking to McDonalds and spending for something maybe not so healthy.
So, Harry, while he is eating lunch reads our local daily newspaper. He can't afford the subscription at home. He does get cable TV and watches the basic channels.
In mid 2011 Harry was reading the paper as I served him lunch and he said to me, "I guess you won't be voting for Obama again!"
"Yes, I will," I replied. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Because," Harry said, never one to kow-tow, "of the way he has messed up the health care."
"Obama hasn't messed up health care, Harry," I replied. "Most of his health care bill isn't even in effect yet. And it is going to be good for us."
Don't know if Harry was persuaded, but he didn't reply.
OK, here is the point of this diary: a couple of months ago Harry was looking over the newspaper at lunch and he said to me, "You know what? We are part of the 99%"
"Yes, we are, Harry." (I'm so glad you know that.) And thank you, Occupy.