Just as the Occupy Movement shifted the spotlight to income inequality, corporate power and economic justice with its 99% / 1% language, someone unearthed this early-1970s film featuring journalist Al Levin delivering a windswept al fresco lecture against the backdrop of a pre-fiscal crisis New York City. The topic? Income inequality.

A former producer of Bill Moyers and HBO's "America Undercover" series, Levin, a kind of Noo Yawk Cassandra, issues dire warnings about corporate conglomerates and the political power they wield. "How does this whole system work?" he wonders aloud. "What makes it go 'round?" With 50 million people in poverty or at the edge, the truth is plain.

"Poor people are what make the system work," he says bluntly. "Poverty is the fuel. Without poverty, nothing would go round. Poor people are the root, and prosperity is the blossom."

He even addresses the vilification of "illegal immigrants": "Christ, the whole town runs on their backs. They're subsidizing us. If they got a living wage, half the businesses in this town would fold. Finito!"

Little has changed in the last 40 years, except then it was the top 2% who owned 80% of the stock and 90% of the bonds. Today, as the world now knows, it's the top 1%. So Levin's forecast is even more dire.

Levin's son, Marc, said recently, "As the global economy teeters and wobbles in crisis, we want to celebrate this May Day with all those trying to create a more sustainable and just paradigm for economic growth, one that gives everyone a chance at prosperity and security, not just the rich and powerful."

In that spirit we share Al Levin's 1970's sarcastic, semi-satirical rant, "The Way the Eagle Shits."

Filmmaker - Al Levin