Is the Marine Veteran Pictured in "We Are The 53 Percent" For Real?

By now we've all heard of the Occupy protests spreading across our nation, and their rallying cry "We Are the 99%".  Recently, a douchebag named Erick Erickson has started the "We Are the 53 Percent" movement, in an intellectually dishonest and lame attempt to mock our fellow countrymen who are utilizing their rights to peacefully assemble and protest.  Any American that is being honest with themselves, knows that the 99% has legitimate gripes.  I sure as hell support them, obviously...I am one.

Erick Erickson is a CNN correspondent with two other bullshit jobs that make him plenty of money, and yet he passes himself off as though he is struggling the same as the average American working multiple low wage or minimum wage jobs.  It's rather sickening watching folks easily fall in line behind a pied piper, against their own interests...as though working multiple jobs just to stay afloat is the American Dream.

Earlier today, I came across a Daily Kos article by author Max Udargo titled 'Open Letter To That 53% Guy'.  It's a phenomenal rebuttal and a perfect example of the healthy dialogue and intellectual honesty that all of us should be engaging in.  I highly recommend reading it.  Anyway, when I posted this on my facebook page, a few friends and I had a conversation that quickly spun into questioning the legitimacy of the "Marine" and whether or not he was being honest. 

As my readers know, I have the utmost respect for our service members and have both family and friends who are serving or have served honorably.  I don't like to question people's patriotism or question their service/sacrifice.  However, these questions were raised by respectable people and one who is a veteran...so I figure, why the hell not.  Let's get some answers, and have the guy clarify some of these concerns.  If he can, my apologies.  If he can't, how much other bullshit is steaming from Erick Erickson's little pet project?  A project that he is about to profit from, as he is getting ready to begin selling t-shirts to the struggling folks he's playing like a cheap fiddle.

I'll just provide some bits and pieces of the conversation, that raises some very good questions:

"If he had been a Marine he would have at minimum 5 years of VA benefits. So, he either was kicked out or he's flat out lying. Sometimes when you're telling a story, less is more. He should have left that part out and the rest might have been believable."


"I also believe the marine left too wide of a gap in his education/work timeline. Eight years and he's blogging from his parent's basement and hasn't aged a bit."

"The timeline is becoming clear and I think if he was a Marine it was for a very short time because I don't think he's 29. If he worked 8 years to pay for school and he just graduated, he first enrolled in 2003. Minimum enlistment is 4 yrs makes his enlistment year was 1999. It's possible he never served in OIF. But, he'd have to be 29 years old because the minimum age for enlistment is 17. So, it's possible if he's 29 with a baby face."


"Good catch on the parent's basement. I didn't catch the exposed floor joists and insulation! And he is lit by a single light bulb. I can just imagine the little string hanging down from the fixture."

"He also says eight years of college but doesn't appear to have a degree.
Then the four years without four days off sounds strange as if he's working all this time. That would put him 12 years past his military service."


"I thought he just aged well"