I can't speak for all of the readers, but all of the commentators here at EP are frustrated and angry about the neverending string of bad plans enacted to deal with the financial crisis. Well, there is something we can do besides commisserate with each other.
Here is the link to this new grass roots organization, which has been formed in response to the non-sensical, repetitive bank bailouts. Demonstrations will be happening all across the country this Saturday, you may want to see where the nearest is to your location. My local organizer has asked that we bring cell phones and video cameras to capture our experience. The videos can be submitted to Bill Moyers who will be doing a montage of the events for his program. The organization is also planning on presenting its own montage and list of concerns and demands to Congress.
Oh yeah, if you think this is some small thing check out the list of organizers and sponsors. This is an impressive list of serious people who have the ability to take the message well beyond our local communities.
Honorary Co-Chairs
-Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake
-Mike Lux, Open Left
Sponsors and Elder Counselors
-Simon Johnson, Former IMF Chief Economist, Baseline Scenario
-Chris Hayes, Washington Editor, The Nation
-David Sirota, Syndicated Columnist, Author
-Joe Trippi, Change Congress, co-founder
-Zephyr Teachout, Visiting Assistant Professor of Duke University, Dean Campaign
-Joe Costello, Energy, Communications, and Political Economy
-William Greider, "Come Home, America", National Correspondent, The Nation
-Yves Smith, Economist, Naked Capitalism
Support
-Jerome Armstrong, MyDD, founder: "The corporate bailouts have become a complete political disaster."
-Alternet
-AFSCME - Pittsburgh
-Rural Votes
-American Family Voices
-New Paltz Women in Black
-Economic Justice Committee of New Paltz and Vicinity for Obama
-Portland Jobs with Justice
-David Dayen, D-Day, founder and Hullabaloo*, blogger
-David Swanson, After Downing Street
-Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee
-Cleveland Committee on Corporations, Law & Democracy
-Progressive Democrats of America
-Democrats.com
-Grassroots Change
-Public Accountability Initiative
-Liberty Tree
-The Voters
-Wake County Young Democrats
-New Haven Peace Council
-Consumers for Peace
-Billionaires for Bush
-BuzzFlash
-CODEPINK
-San Francisco Workers Emergency Recovery Campaign
-Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice
-FedUpUSA.org
-Common Security Club
-Portland Jobs with Justice
-David Donnelly, Public Campaign Action Fund*: "New Way Forward is visionary, simple, and important."
I think most of us here at EP feel like we are (and have been) at a moment of crisis when we have to get our elected officials to pay attention and start doing the right thing. Hopefully, this is the first step in accomplishing this.
absolutely
Glad to see them organizing. I think we either are in correspondence, read, know most of these people on the list.
Maybe this should be front paged?
This Group is Pro-Outsourcing American Jobs
Don't be fooled by this group of pro-India outsourcing lobby shills. Will they be carrying big signs on April 11th that read "We want our jobs back!"?
Screen these "big names" for their position on American technology jobs going to India and what they are doing to pressure the Obama administration to stop it and surprise! These are the same bunch that support calling American's "racist" for wanting jobs and who don't want to be replaced by cheap, imported labor. This is the group who bash Lou Dobbs for reporting on H-1b visa abuses and how this is hurting professional American workers.
You will find these "big names" in this "grassroots group" are chartered to rile up the masses via general distractions (bankers = bad and rich people suck etc.) as they did during the Obama campaign. Have you followed who these "big names" associate with? There is big money in the India tech lobby and these people are tied to it.
Specifically, Americans must put a stop to the bleeding of their jobs to India, and this organization has every intention of PROMOTING it (unless they have changed horses overnight) and NOT stopping it. Just ask them. Oh, and don't be surprised if they tell you what you want to hear...(just like Obama did when he campaigned on Bush's illegal wiretapping, and now he's an even bigger proponent.)
you're a racist, really I swear
I'm just kidding. I happen to know many of these people and yes you're right, you have a bunch who will scream "you're a racist" if you disagree with "amnesty" and even guest worker Visas and they do ignore labor economics realities...
but this is about the TARP, the trillions to the banks and it's a different issue. Here on EP at least we seem to be right along with them on this one.
I would also say you have various levels of support for U.S. workers from the above people. I think it has helped to amplify the actual facts of H-1B, offshore outsourcing...
I put my subject title to poke fun, because I am all too aware of these claims....
but the good news is when someone points out the facts, statistics, facts on the ground one can get to some realistic conclusions.
I think most on the left (including myself) are pretty committed to equality, diversity, social mobility and it takes a strong heart to swim through this issue to get to the perversion of these ideals that is what is going on right now.
So, firstly you don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater on a large coalition wanting to stop this financial U.S. taxpayer feeding frenzy because if this continues...there won't be any jobs left even for cheap labor guest workers and it's possible we will be border hopping spinning the message into countries like Canada and Europe just to try to improve our economic lot. Good news is we sure know the rhetoric to go bust into Canada and demand their jobs!
I strongly disagree.
I can't speak for all of the support groups, I'm not that familiar with most of their causes. On the other hand, I am very familiar with Jane Hamsher, Mike Lux, Simon Johnson, David Sirota, Chris Hayes, William Greider, and Yves Smith. I have the utmost respect for each of these individuals and find little, philosophically, that we disagree on. Moreover though, this is a huge issue that seriously affects all citizens right now, and going forward. We need to get this right before we start tackling other related issues. These are high profile people who are very much progressive by nature. Success here can give us some hope that we can believe in, i.e. we, the public, can make a difference. Maybe I'm naive but some wise old man once said, "nothing ventured, nothing gained". What do we have to lose by supporting this initiative other than a Saturday afternoon? Of course, we could just pray over it I suppose.
Outsourcing can and does at
Outsourcing can and does at times make sense. What we should
oppose are the concerted efforts by various outsourcing [industry] groups aimed at undermining the U.S. sovereignty--and many of them, make no mistake, are anti-American and operate under the guise of being pro-Global. The "you're a racist" response is identical to those opposed to any reform to stop illegal immigration. Sunshine causes cockroaches to run for the rocks.
Apr 11 demonstrations
My only concern is that they are demonstrating on the Saturday before Easter when, almost certainly, the streets around the big banks (and certainly the Capitol in St. Paul, MN) will be deserted. I would go anyway, if there were anything scheduled where I could easily get to it (no car) but I do hope we start demonstrating during the workweek at times and places that will seriously inconvenience the bankers--or at least get some attention from people who work in the area.
But this is long overdue--I'm excited!!