Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Big bad banks

Rebuild the Dream, Powered by MoveOn.org Civic Action

Save the American dream

Tell Treasury Secretary Geithner, "No more sweetheart deals for Wall Street. Let states investigate and prosecute the crimes that crashed our economy."
Sign the contract

Dear friend,

The banks behind the mortgage crisis are looking for a way out, and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner wants to hand them one.1

Three years after the housing collapse that crashed the world economy, not a single Wall Street executive has faced real punishment for the fraud, corruption, and greed that caused it. And those same big banks continue handing out massive bonuses and dividends while homeowners struggle.2

Now there's a deal in the works that would let Wall Street banks get away scot-free, giving them immunity from investigation and prosecution of crimes like falsifying documents, encouraging bad loans, and lying to investors. In return they'd pay $20 billion—a fraction of what they could truly owe—and regulators would lose their leverage to help homeowners.3

This deal only works if it stays behind the scenes. If we can get enough people behind this petition, we can embarrass Geithner and the Obama administration into backing down. So we're joining with MoveOn.org to send a strong message that can't be ignored.

Tell Treasury Secretary Geithner, "No more sweetheart deals for Wall Street. Let states investigate and prosecute the crimes that crashed our economy."

The world economy lost $7.7 trillion thanks to the big banks pushing bad loans and risky investments as sound financial planning. And millions of Americans lost houses and jobs. But Wall Street banks got nearly $2 trillion in loans to rebuild, while Main Street Americans are still working to get back on their feet.4

If we want to save the American Dream we need to show that big banks will be held accountable for these crimes, and a few state attorneys general are doing just that. Eric Schneiderman and Beau Biden, the attorneys general of New York and Delaware, have said they won't settle with the banks without doing a real investigation into the fraud and corruption.5

Standing with homeowners against bullying by big banks is part of what the American Dream Movement is about. We can stand up and stand behind the state attorneys general who are fighting to expose the crimes that caused the collapse.

Tell Treasury Secretary Geithner, "No more sweetheart deals for Wall Street. Let states investigate and prosecute the crimes that crashed our economy."

Toward an America that works for all,

–Natalie, Van, Ian, Billy, and the rest of the Rebuild the Dream team

Sources:

1. "New York Attorney General Kicked Off Government Group Leading Foreclosure Probe," The Huffington Post, August 23, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263396&id=30464-10220574-K7CmOAx&t=4

2. "Biggest Fish Face Little Risk of Being Caught," The New York Times, February 25, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263413&id=30464-10220574-K7CmOAx&t=5
"Banks Poised to Pay Dividends After 3-Year Gap," The New York Times, January 13, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/business/14dividend.html

3. "Obama Goes All Out For Dirty Banker Deal," Rolling Stone, August 24, 20110
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263395&id=30464-10220574-K7CmOAx&t=6

4. "U.S. Subprime Crisis Costs World $7.7 Trillion Dollars," The Huffington Post, February 15, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263403&id=30464-10220574-K7CmOAx&t=7
"Wall Street Aristocracy Got $1.2 Trillion in Secret Loans," Bloomberg News, August 22, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263394&id=30464-10220574-K7CmOAx&t=8

5. "New York Attorney General Kicked Off Government Group Leading Foreclosure Probe," The Huffington Post, August 23, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263396&id=30464-10220574-K7CmOAx&t=9



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Friday, August 26, 2011

Rick Perry wants you to delete this email

The wave of Republican governors and state legislators elected in 2010 have passed a radical right-wing agenda and devastating budget cuts that have put the whole country on the verge of a double-dip recession. Now they're pushing for more. Can you chip in $15 a month to stop them?

Contribute

Dear MoveOn member,

Last fall, when Republicans took complete control of the government in a whopping 20 states, we knew things could get ugly. But "ugly" is a polite word for what we've seen. 

Far-right governors like Scott Walker and Rick Perry—backed by GOP-controlled legislatures—have gone on a right-wing binge, with more than 60 new anti-choice laws, unprecedented attacks on workers' rights, and deep budget cuts that are pushing the whole country into a double-dip recession.1

The scariest part is, these right-wing extremists are pushing for even more. In states across the country, Republicans are calling "special sessions" to ram through even deeper budget cuts and partisan redistricting maps that will lock in GOP dominance for years to come.2

With so much at stake, we've launched a major effort to bring MoveOn's grassroots muscle and Internet organizing to state capitols all across the country. 

This is one of the biggest expansions we've ever taken on. Can you help give us the ongoing resources we need by making a donation of $15 per month? It's easy, and you can cancel at any time.

Yes, I can give $15 a month

Sorry, I can't

Even "blue" states like New York are being hurt by all these tea party governors, because their deep budget cuts are dragging down our entire national economy.

Plus, we've seen over and over how one terrible law like the Arizona immigration bill becomes a model for other states. And Republican governors like Rick Perry are some of the most dangerous challengers to Obama in 2012. That's why we're asking every MoveOn member to help fight back against the awful things these governors are doing.

To take on so many battles at once, we've launched an innovative new online organizing platform called SignOn.org. SignOn brings MoveOn's grassroots muscle and Internet organizing know-how to the state level. And since local officials are so much closer to the people than Congress, grassroots campaigning can have an even bigger impact.

Here's a bit about how it works: 

  • SignOn gives local progressives free access to the basic tools to run their own MoveOn-style actions—including great online petitions, email alerts, savvy media campaigns, and more.

  • MoveOn staff provide expert advice on how to leverage the Internet for the most grassroots power—expertise a lot of local groups really appreciate.

  • MoveOn sends emails about the most urgent campaigns to our list of 5 million members, giving local campaigns a boost of grassroots support they couldn't get anywhere else.

The tea party Republicans have already done enormous damage, and public opinion is turning against them. But with more than a year till the next election, we need to redouble our efforts to stop the next wave of budget cuts and far-right social policies.

It's only with the support of our members that we can take on such an ambitious project. Can you commit to kick in $15? Click here to donate:

Yes, I can give $15 a month

Sorry, I can't

Thanks for all you do.

–Steven, Michael, Adam Q., Elena, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1.  "State Budget Cuts in the New Fiscal Year Are Unnecessarily Harmful," Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, July 28, 2011
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3550

"2011 Mid-Year Legislative Wrap Up," Center for Reproductive Rights, August 10, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263201&id=30280-10220574-Wq3Zxux&t=6 [PDF] 

"Category Archive: Copy Cat Legislation," Immigration Impact, accessed August 19, 2011
http://immigrationimpact.com/category/copy-cat-legislation/

"PSN 2011 Workers Rights Roundup: States Fight Back Against Unprecedented Attacks On Workers," Progressive States Network, August 18, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263203&id=30280-10220574-Wq3Zxux&t=7

2. "The GOP Redistricting Advantage," National Journal, June 22, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263375&id=30280-10220574-Wq3Zxux&t=8



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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Time to put our plan to work

Rebuild the Dream, Powered by MoveOn.org Civic Action

Contract for the American dream

We are Rebuilding the American Dream

We're sharing and rating our best ideas for actions people can take to turn the Contract for the American Dream into a reality. Click here to join in:

JOIN

Dear friend,

Over the past month more than a quarter million people have endorsed the Contract for the American Dream. That's a big deal. Progressives are uniting behind a set of real solutions for fixing our broken economy.

We're coming together because the Contract was built by our movement from the ground up. More than 70 outstanding organizations got involved and helped to make it happen. Hundreds of thousands of people took part in crafting the ten-point plan. It's our plan.
 
But the Contract isn't just an inspiring document. It's a plan to transform our country and it's up to all of us to make it happen. So today we want to open up the door once again and ask for your best ideas for putting the Contract to work.

What are your best ideas for actions people can take to help turn this Contract into a reality?

Submit your best ideas here, and rate ideas from others.
 
We know that this isn't the way organizations usually run campaigns. But we believe in the brilliance of the American Dream movement more than in any one organization.

It could be that one plank speaks to you and you have a great idea for how to work on it locally. You might want to engage with elected or community leaders to get more people excited about the Contract as a whole. You might have a creative idea about how to use art, music, or video to spread the word.

Over the coming weeks we'll make sure we share the best ideas across our movement and provide the resources and tools so that people just like you can go from inspiration to action as quickly and easily as possible.

Our goal is to see Contract for the American Dream campaigns popping up nationwide in a matter of weeks. From efforts to raise awareness about the Contract itself, to local campaigns on individual Contract planks, to endorsements from community leaders and organizations.

The sky's the limit right now. The more ideas we come up with, the more people who jump in and start spreading the word, the better.

Click here to submit and rate ideas.

Thank you for being a part of, and believing in, this movement.

–Van Jones and the rest of the Rebuild the Dream team

P.S. For a refresher, the Contract for the American Dream consists of a simple but powerful ten-point plan:

I. Invest in America's Infrastructure
II. Create 21st Century Energy Jobs
III. Invest in Public Education
IV. Offer Medicare for All
V. Make Work Pay
VI. Secure Social Security
VII. Return to Fairer Tax Rates
VIII. End the Wars and Invest at Home
IX. Tax Wall Street Speculation
X. Strengthen Democracy



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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Re: Tax Warren Buffett

Dear MoveOn member,

Wow! We were going for 200,000 and then 350,000 signatures on the petition standing behind Warren Buffet's call to tax the rich fairly—and thanks to you we've busted through 400,000!

But before we deliver it to every single member of Congress, we want to get half a million Americans signed on. Can you share the Buffet petition on Facebook today?

"I stand with Warren Buffett. It's time for Congress to stop coddling the super-rich and make them pay their fair share."

Share This on Facebook

Thanks for all you do,

–Daniel, Tate, Peter, Elena, and the rest of the team

P.S. If you're not on Facebook, you can also share this petition by email. Here's a sample letter that you can send to tell people about the campaign.


Subject: Tax Warren Buffett

Hi,

Warren Buffett has as simple message for Congress: Stop coddling the super-rich. I'm standing with Warren for higher taxes on the rich.

MoveOn will deliver Buffett's op-ed, along with all the petition signatures, to Congress soon and is aiming to get 500,000 Americans signed on first. Will you join me, Warren, and hundreds of thousands of other Americans calling for the rich to be taxed fairly?

http://civic.moveon.org/standwithwarren/?id=30164-10220574-Rj1INkx&t=3

Thanks!



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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Join me in Washington

Rebuild the Dream, Powered by MoveOn.org Civic Action

Take back the American dream

We are Rebuilding the American Dream

Our movement is growing, and we're gathering October 3-5 in Washington, D.C. for the Take Back the American Dream conference. Will you join us?

JOIN

Dear MoveOn member,

I have an invitation for you. I want you come to Washington, D.C. with me October 3-5, 2011, for an event I couldn't be more excited to announce: the first-ever national gathering of the American Dream movement.
 
Maybe you haven't yet heard, but something big is happening in America. Beneath the corporate media's radar screen, it is growing faster and buzzing more than anything we've seen in recent memory.
 
We call it the American Dream movement. That's an apt term for the hundreds of thousands of good people who are fighting everywhere to rebuild the American Dream.
 
This year, we've watched this people-powered phenomenon grow out of the courage and inspiration from Wisconsin and spread across the country. From massive protests in the state legislature in Ohio to 45,000 Verizon workers on strike today, people nationwide are standing up.
 
This summer, hundreds of thousands more of us came together in person and online to craft our plan for fixing our broken economy. We created a comprehensive jobs agenda: "Contract for the American Dream." It has already been endorsed by 270,000 thousand people.
 
Now it's time for us to gather in person, to learn from each other, get inspired, and show everyone that we will not back down. On October 3-5 we're going to do all that and more at the Take Back the American Dream conference hosted by our friends at the Campaign for America's Future.
 
Will you join me for Take Back the American Dream? Click here to register.
 
We'll have movement leaders, local volunteers, students, teachers, unions, community groups, and more all coming together to help strengthen our new movement.
 
We can't wait any longer for politicians in Washington, D.C., to save us. The tea party promotes policies that would kill our dreams. The American Dream movement promotes policies that will save them. Please join us in the nation's capital to begin the process of taking America, not back, but FORWARD.
 
We will all look back at this event and remember it as a huge step forward for showing that what's going on right now is the birth of a movement—the American Dream movement.
 
This will be a powerful moment, and I hope you'll join me October 3-5.
 
Click here to register now.
 
Thank you.

  –Van Jones


  


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Thursday, August 18, 2011

Tax Warren Buffett

Click here to sign your name:
"I stand with Warren Buffett. It's time for Congress to stop coddling the super-rich and make them pay their fair share."

Sign the Petition!
Dear MoveOn member,

Earlier this week, multi-billionaire investor Warren Buffett published a powerful op-ed in The New York Times with a simple message: Tax me!1

Buffett said openly what all of us have been thinking—Washington needs to "stop coddling the super-rich."

The op-ed is already making a huge splash, but we need to make sure Congress can't ignore it. So we're joining with Rebuild the Dream on this petition. We're aiming to get 200,000 people to go on record saying that they stand with Warren Buffett and want the richest Americans to pay their fair share.

If we can get 200,000 signers, we'll deliver the Buffett op-ed, along with your signature, to every member of Congress. 


Here's what the petition says: "I stand with Warren Buffett. It's time for Congress to stop coddling the super-rich and make them pay their fair share."

If you haven't already read it, here's an excerpt from Buffett's op-ed:

Our leaders have asked for "shared sacrifice." But when they did the asking, they spared me. I checked with my mega-rich friends to learn what pain they were expecting. They, too, were left untouched.

While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks. Some of us are investment managers who earn billions from our daily labors but are allowed to classify our income as "carried interest," thereby getting a bargain 15 percent tax rate. Others own stock index futures for 10 minutes and have 60 percent of their gain taxed at 15 percent, as if they'd been long-term investors.

These and other blessings are showered upon us by legislators in Washington who feel compelled to protect us, much as if we were spotted owls or some other endangered species. It's nice to have friends in high places.

Pretty powerful stuff, right? Click below to add your name and stand with Warren Buffett:


Thanks for all you do.

  –Daniel, Tate, Peter, Elena, and the rest of the team
  Sources:
  1. "Stop Coddling the Super-Rich," The New York Times, August 14, 2011
  http://www.moveon.org/r?r=263130&id=29985-10220574-a9tKOPx&t=5
  

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Sunday, August 14, 2011

The American Dream Movement and you

Rebuild the Dream, Powered by MoveOn.org Civic Action

Hi friend, 

Thanks so much for signing up to be a part of Rebuild the Dream and the American Dream Movement—and for contributing your time, passion, and hope.

We are so glad that you are in on the ground floor of something we believe is going to be very impactful. Early adopters and pioneers like yourself tend to be among the most creative and committed in any community. 

We just released the crowd-sourced Contract for the American Dream, and because 100,000 people came together to sign it so quickly, we were able to run the Contract as a full-page ad in The New York Times last Wednesday. The rest of August, we'll be holding Congress accountable for their lack of action on jobs. And this fall, we'd like you to join us at a major "Take Back the American Dream" summit in Washington, DC.

In the coming weeks, we will be generating more tools, structures and opportunities for you to work together with others—and to increase your impact at both the local and national levels.

I also wanted to give you a progress report on this American Dream Movement that we are building together—read below for an update on what we've been up to and where we are going next.

To be continued!

Yours,

Van Jones,
President & Co-Founder
RebuildTheDream

P.S. We're seeing more and more folks displaying the new American Dream Movement logo. Please print off a sign and display it proudly in public, and send us a picture. 

PROGRESS REPORT:

ORIGINS: 'American Dream Movement' Is Born

Long-time organizers Natalie Foster, Billy Wimsatt and I came together this spring around a simple observation: a lot of people were fighting hard to keep the American Dream alive, but we were all isolated from each other.

We had seen so many inspiring fights across America: workers battling union-busting efforts; homeowners resisting foreclosures; veterans seeking work and support; students fighting against tuition hikes; both older workers and youth scrambling for jobs; major protests to keep state and local governments from firing hundreds of thousands of firefighters, teachers, cops, librarians, and nurses.

We knew that each of these groups would fight on, as best they could. During hard times, good people don't lie down and surrender.

But our question was: do they have to fight alone?

In this day and age, couldn't we use technology to bring us more together?

What if we all could see our fights as key components of an even BIGGER fight—the fight to save the American Dream itself? Millions of American Dream builders would have the power to stop the dream killers in their tracks.

We wanted to do something to pull the various strands together into an American Dream Movement. So we reached out to MoveOn.org Civic Action and other partners. With their help, on June 23, 2011, we launched RebuildTheDream.com—as a dedicated support center and hub for a movement to save and rebuild the American Dream.

TODAY: 350,000 Strong & 'Jobs Not Cuts' Agenda Launched

That was about six weeks ago. This movement now consists of more than 350,000 individuals, including you, plus 70 supporting organizations. Our main slogan has become: "jobs not cuts."

This movement is emerging as a values-based network of activists. We have achieved a lot, including:
  • 130,000 people participated in creating the Contract for the American Dream, a bold plan to create jobs which we released this week. Over 100,000 people helped shape the Contract online, and about 25,000 participated in-person at 1,600+ house parties on July 16-17 in all 435 congressional districts.

  • 20,000 attended rapid response events on July 26 at Default Crisis rallies. We were at 800 local offices in all 435 congressional districts. We also held a Capitol Hill speak-out on July 28 with 400+ people, including eight members of congress. We organized all of these rallies on 36 hours notice. (The Tea Party also had a rapid response rally the same week, which attracted 40 people).
The final deal was not one that you or I would have wanted. Many of us were frustrated with the White House and disgusted with the Republicans. But without our work together, the debt deal would have been worse. For instance: Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid were not harmed in the immediate deal.

NEXT: Where we are going

Now that we've released the Contract for the American Dream that many of you helped write, we'll be holding Congress accountable for the deficit crisis and tea party downgrade. Click here to find an August recess event near you.

And this fall, on October 3-5, 2011, we will be working with the Campaign for America's Future to produce a major summit in Washington, D.C.: "Take Back The American Dream." We'll send more information soon, but please plan to be there.

Thanks for all you do—and please stay in touch. We read our Facebook wall and Twitter feed every day.



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Thursday, August 11, 2011

Contract momentum!

Rebuild the Dream, Powered by MoveOn.org Civic Action

Contract for the American Dream

We are Rebuilding the American Dream

Can you help us build support for the Contract for the American Dream by sharing it with your friends and family? 

Share

Dear Friend,

Wow! In just two days, more than 175,000 people have joined you in signing the Contract for the American Dream.

Lots of media outlets have covered the Contract, and our full-page ad ran yesterday in The New York Times. But if we're really going to change the conversation to be about jobs, not cuts, we need to make sure lots more people know about the Contract.

Can you click here and help us build support for the Contract for the American Dream by sharing it with your friends and family? 

We've launched a version of the Contract that makes it easy to share the whole thing, or just the planks you think are most critical, with your friends and family. 

Momentum is already gathering behind the Contract. Yesterday, joined by 100 members of the American Dream movement, Rep. Jan Schakowsky unveiled her "Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act" in Chicago. It would create 2.2 million jobs by putting people to work rebuilding infrastructure, teaching our children, and protecting our communities, and pay for it by taxing millionaires and billionaires.

And hundreds of folks have planned events to take the Contract directly to members of Congress during the August recess. Deborah Curtis, a MoveOn Council leader, went to a jobs fair where Republican Rep. Ben Quayle (AZ-03) was speaking and handed him the Contract and demanded he sign it. (He didn't. Yet :-))

But we need your help to make sure as many people as possible hear about the Contract for the American Dream. 

Click here to check out the interactive version of the Contract and share it with friends. You can also discuss how to make the different planks of the contract a reality with other progressives, or even share them individually. 

Thanks for all that you do,

–Van Jones and the rest of the Rebuild the Dream team



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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Fwd: Angry at Congress? Protest Wednesday in Brooklyn

Dear MoveOn member,

We've had enough. Late Friday afternoon, the United States had its credit rating downgraded for the first time in our history. The "tea party downgrade" came largely because Republicans in Congress blocked each and every attempt to make the rich and big corporations pay their fair share.1 It's up to us to make sure Congress hears how angry we are at what's happening right now in America.

That's why grassroots leaders from the American Dream movement are organizing hundreds of "Jobs Not Cuts" events nationwide on Wednesday, August 10, to kick off a month of action during the congressional recess (check out the original invite below). If enough of us show up to express our disgust, we'll make sure Congress and the media hear our message loud and clear: Congress has to stop us from falling into a tea party recession—we need to create jobs and invest in America instead.

Can you help send a powerful message that we need "Jobs not cuts" in Brooklyn on Wednesday at 4 p.m.?

Yes, I'll be there!

Thanks for all you do. 

–Lenore, Wes, Michael, Carrie, and the rest of the team

Source: 

1. "S&P Downgrades U.S. AAA Bond Rating to AA+, Outlook Negative," Talking Points Memo, August 5, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262833&id=29660-10220574-vIcwdpx&t=2


We're mobilizing by the thousands on Wednesday, August 10, to demand Congress to create jobs, not enact more cuts. There's an event in Brooklyn at 4 p.m.—can you attend?

RSVP for Jobs Not Cuts

Dear MoveOn member,

Disgust, frustration, and anger. That's what the country is feeling over the debt ceiling deal.1

Republicans held the economy hostage to protect tax cuts for the wealthy, and Democrats opened the back door to cuts for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.2 Meanwhile the jobs crisis keeps getting worse, and the stock market has dropped dramatically, further slowing recovery.3

But we can't just stay home and yell at the TV or groan as we read the newspaper. With Congress home for the summer starting next week, we have to make the most of our opportunity to show them exactly how disgusted, frustrated, and angry we are. The media and members of Congress will be watching closely to see how voters are responding during the August congressional recess. 

That's why we're joining with partners in the American Dream movement to hold "Jobs Not Cuts" events at district offices nationwide next Wednesday. Can you help make sure Rep. Michael Grimm gets a wakeup call to start creating jobs and stop cutting our path to the American Dream?

Click here to RSVP for a Jobs Not Cuts event in Brooklyn on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

When you sign up, you can indicate if you're currently unemployed (or underemployed) and willing to share your story—it's the stories from our community that will really help get Congress and the local media to pay attention. Then come out on Wednesday, August 10, at 4 p.m.—and wear your red, white, and blue clothes so we can show everyone what the American Dream movement is all about.

This is the perfect time for us to turn up the heat, and turn the focus to what it will take to rebuild the American Dream. We need to show Rep. Grimm that we're sick of the cuts, sick of political games, and sick of them ignoring the jobs crisis in our community. Can you join thousands of angry Americans on Wednesday, August 10, at hundreds of "Jobs Not Cuts" events at congressional offices nationwide?

Yes, I can!

Thanks for all you do.

–Lenore, Wes, Michael, Carrie, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Debt showdown unites Americans—in frustration," Associated Press, August 1, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262674&id=29660-10220574-vIcwdpx&t=7

2. "EPI president critical of proposed debt ceiling deal," Economic Policy Institute, August 1, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262581&id=29660-10220574-vIcwdpx&t=8

3. "Stocks Tumble as Signs Point to Weak Global Economy," The New York Times, August 4, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262675&id=29660-10220574-vIcwdpx&t=9



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Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The tea party downgrade

Dear MoveOn member—please check out this important email from our partner, Van Jones.


Rebuild the Dream, Powered by MoveOn.org Civic Action

Contract for the American Dream

We are Rebuilding the American Dream

If you're fed up with Washington and tea party politics, sign the Contract for the American Dream today. If we get 100,000 signers right away, we'll put the Contract in a full page ad in The New York Times for politicians to see. Just clicking below will add your name.

Sign the contract

Dear Friend,

Since the tea party took our economy hostage to protect tax breaks for the wealthiest among us, we've seen:

  • the first downgrade of U.S. credit in history;
  • a 10% drop in the stock market;1 and 
  • dissatisfaction with Congress at a historic peak.2

So, if you're sick and tired of Washington's games, you're not alone.But just getting angry isn't going to solve anything. What we need are solutions and action. What we need are Jobs, not Cuts—just like Americans want.3

And while Washington was negotiating a debt deal that sold out working people, 130,000 everyday Americans considered 25,000 solutions to create A Contract for the American Dream.

It's a Contract to create jobs, invest in America, and rebuild the American Dream for all. And as a first step, if we can get at least 100,000 citizen signers right away, Rebuild the Dream and MoveOn will join together to put the Contract in a full page ad in The New York Times, so America can see the solutions to our broken politics and struggling economy writ large.

Below are the main points of the Contract. Be among the first of many to sign it and get it in The New York Times this week.

Clicking here will add your name.

A CONTRACT FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM
Americans who are willing to work hard and play by the rules should be able to find a decent job, get a good home in a strong community, retire with dignity and give their kids a better life. Every one of us...has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That is our covenant, our compact and our contract with one another...

1. Invest in America's Infrastructure

2. Create 21st-Century Energy Jobs

3. Invest in Public Education

4. Offer Medicare for All

5. Make Work Pay

6. Secure Social Security

7. Return to Fairer Tax Rates

8. End the Wars and Invest at Home

9. Tax Wall Street Speculation

10. Strengthen Democracy

Clicking here will add your name.

We'll be putting the principles of the Contract into action almost immediately. But the first thing we need to do is get Washington's attention with a full page ad in The New York Times backed by over 100,000 Americans

Then we'll take it directly to members of Congress during the August recess, start fighting for it in our local communities, and make it part of our national vision.

Be part of this crucial beginning by signing the Contract for the American Dream today.

Clicking here will add your name.

Thanks for all that you do,

–Van Jones and the rest of the Rebuild team


P.S. See below for the full text of the Contract and then click here to sign your name to it.

A CONTRACT FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM

"I have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American Dream."

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963 March on Washington

We, the American people, promise to defend and advance a simple ideal: liberty and justice... for all. Americans who are willing to work hard and play by the rules should be able to find a decent job, get a good home in a strong community, retire with dignity and give their kids a better life. Every one of us—rich, poor or in-between, regardless of skin color or birthplace, no matter their sexual orientation or gender—has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That is our covenant, our compact, our contract with one another. It is a promise we can fulfill—but only by working together.

Today, the American Dream is under threat. Our veterans are coming home to few jobs and little hope on the home front. Our young people are graduating off a cliff, burdened by heavy debt, into the worst job market in half a century. The big banks that American taxpayers bailed out won't cut homeowners a break. Our firefighters, nurses, cops and teachers—America's everyday heroes—are being thrown out onto the street. We believe:

  • AMERICA IS NOT BROKE. America is rich—still the wealthiest nation ever. But too many at the top are grabbing the gains. No person or corporation should be allowed to take from America while giving little or nothing back. The super-rich who got tax breaks and bailouts should now pay full taxes—and help create jobs here, not overseas. Those who do well in America should do well by America.
  • AMERICANS NEED JOBS, NOT CUTS. Many of our best workers are sitting idle, while the work of rebuilding America goes undone. Together, we must rebuild our country, reinvest in our people and jump-start the industries of the future. Millions of jobless Americans would love the opportunity to become working, tax-paying members of their communities again. We have a jobs crisis, not a deficit crisis.

To produce this Contract for the American Dream, 131,203 Americans came together online and in their communities. We wrote and rated 25,904 ideas. Together, we identified the 10 most critical steps to get our economy back on track and restore the American Dream:

  1. INVEST IN AMERICA'S INFRASTRUCTURE. Rebuild our crumbling bridges, dams, levees, ports, water and sewer lines, railways, roads and public transit. We must invest in high-speed Internet and a modern, energy-saving electric grid. These investments will create good jobs and rebuild America. To help finance these projects, we need national and state infrastructure banks.
  2. CREATE 21ST-CENTURY ENERGY JOBS. We should invest in American businesses that can power our country with innovative technologies like wind turbines, solar panels, geothermal systems, hybrid and electric cars, and next-generation batteries. And we should put Americans to work making our homes and buildings energy efficient. We can create good, green jobs in America, address the climate crisis, and build the clean energy economy.
  3. INVEST IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. We should provide universal access to early childhood education, make school funding equitable, invest in high-quality teachers, and build safe, well-equipped school buildings for our students. A high-quality education system, from universal preschool to vocational training and affordable higher education, is critical for our future and can create badly needed jobs now.
  4. OFFER MEDICARE FOR ALL. We should expand Medicare so it's available to all Americans, and reform it to provide even more cost-effective, quality care. The Affordable Care Act is a good start and we must implement it—but it's not enough. We can save trillions of dollars by joining every other industrialized country—paying much less for health care while getting the same or better results.
  5. MAKE WORK PAY. Americans have a right to fair minimum and living wages, to organize and collectively bargain, to enjoy equal opportunity and to earn equal pay for equal work. Corporate assaults on these rights bring down wages and benefits for all of us. They must be outlawed.
  6. SECURE SOCIAL SECURITY. Keep Social Security sound, and strengthen the retirement, disability, and survivors' protections Americans earn through their hard work. Pay for it by removing the cap on the Social Security tax, so that upper-income people pay into Social Security on all they make, just like the rest of us.
  7. RETURN TO FAIRER TAX RATES. End, once and for all, the Bush-era tax giveaways for the rich, which the rest of us—or our kids—must pay eventually. Also, we must outlaw corporate tax havens and tax breaks for shipping jobs overseas. Lastly, with millionaires and billionaires taking a growing share of our country's wealth, we should add new tax brackets for those making more than $1 million each year.
  8. END THE WARS AND INVEST AT HOME. Our troops have done everything that's been asked of them, and it's time to bring them home to good jobs here. We're sending $3 billion each week overseas that we should be investing to rebuild America.
  9. TAX WALL STREET SPECULATION. A tiny fee of 1/20th of 1% on each Wall Street trade would raise tens of billions of dollars annually with little impact on actual investment. This would reduce speculation, "flash trading," and outrageous bankers' bonuses—and we'd have a lot more money to spend on Main Street job creation. 
  10. STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY. We need clean, fair elections—where no one's right to vote can be taken away, and where money doesn't buy you your own member of Congress. We must ban anonymous political influence, slam shut the lobbyists' revolving door in D.C. and publicly finance elections. Immigrants who want to join in our democracy deserve a clear path to citizenship. We must stop giving corporations the rights of people when it comes to our elections. And we must ensure our judiciary's respect for the Constitution. Together, we will reclaim our democracy to get our country back on track.

Source:

1. "Dow Jones Industrial Average," Google Finance, August 8, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262902&id=29649-10220574-m1T1ehx&t=6

2. "Disapproval Rate for Congress at Record 82% After Debt Talks," The New York Times, August 4, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262766&id=29649-10220574-m1T1ehx&t=7

3. "U.S. Jobs, Economy Largely Considered Country's Most Pressing Issues: Poll," The Huffington Post, July 19, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262903&id=29649-10220574-m1T1ehx&t=8



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Monday, August 8, 2011

Fwd: Jobs Not Cuts: Wednesday in Bayside

Dear MoveOn member,

We've had enough. Late Friday afternoon, the United States had its credit rating downgraded for the first time in our history. The "tea party downgrade" came largely because Republicans in Congress blocked each and every attempt to make the rich and big corporations pay their fair share.1 It's up to us to make sure Congress hears how angry we are at what's happening right now in America.

That's why grassroots leaders from the American Dream movement are organizing hundreds of "Jobs Not Cuts" events nationwide on Wednesday, August 10, to kick off a month of action during the congressional recess (check out the original invite below). We need to let those in Washington who are standing up for us—like Rep. Gary Ackerman—know that we have their backs. Together, we can stop our nation from falling into a tea party recession—and focus on creating jobs that invest in America instead.

Can you help send a powerful message that we need "Jobs not cuts" in Bayside on Wednesday at 12 p.m.?

Yes, I'll be there!

Thanks for all you do. 

–Lenore, Wes, Michael, Carrie, and the rest of the team

Source: 

1. "S&P Downgrades U.S. AAA Bond Rating to AA+, Outlook Negative," Talking Points Memo, August 5, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262833&id=29603-10220574-RM4Oiix&t=2


We're mobilizing by the thousands on Wednesday, August 10, to urge Congress to create jobs, not enact more cuts. There's an event in Bayside at 12 p.m.—can you attend?

RSVP for Jobs Not Cuts

Dear MoveOn member,

Disgust, frustration, and anger. That's what the country is feeling over the debt ceiling deal.1 And if nothing changes, we can look forward to more of the same.

With Congress coming home for the August recess, the media will be following how voters are responding—whether we just sit at home and yell at the TV, or if we get out there and make our voices heard. Too many of us have family and friends who are unemployed, and too many members of Congress seem unaware that there's any kind of jobs crisis. That's why we have to get out there and ask even our strongest champions like Rep. Ackerman to be louder voices for "Jobs, not Cuts."

So we're joining with partners in the American Dream movement to hold "Jobs Not Cuts" events nationwide on Wednesday, August 10. We'll gather at congressional offices and show our support for progressive policies that create jobs and protect needed services. We'll make our message loud and clear: jobs, not cuts!

Can you come to a Jobs Not Cuts event in Bayside at 12 p.m. on Wednesday?

Click here to RSVP. 

When you sign up, you can indicate if you're currently unemployed (or underemployed) and willing to share your story—it's the stories from our community that will really help get Congress and the local media to pay attention. Then join us on Wednesday, and wear your red, white, and blue clothes to the event to show what the American Dream movement is all about.

The jobs crisis is hurting American families, but it's being ignored by the majority of Congress. These events are just the first step in a huge push to shift the battle lines to the left and rebuild the American Dream. We need to stay loud and visible, and keep the focus where it belongs: jobs. Can you join in on August 10?

Yes, I'll be there.

Thanks for all you do.

–Lenore, Michael, Wes, Marika, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Debt showdown unites Americans—in frustration," Associated Press, August 1, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262674&id=29603-10220574-RM4Oiix&t=6



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Friday, August 5, 2011

Angry at Congress? Protest Wednesday in Brooklyn

We're mobilizing by the thousands on Wednesday, August 10, to demand Congress to create jobs, not enact more cuts. There's an event in Brooklyn at 4 p.m.—can you attend?

RSVP for Jobs Not Cuts

Dear MoveOn member,

Disgust, frustration, and anger. That's what the country is feeling over the debt ceiling deal.1

Republicans held the economy hostage to protect tax cuts for the wealthy, and Democrats opened the back door to cuts for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.2 Meanwhile the jobs crisis keeps getting worse, and the stock market has dropped dramatically, further slowing recovery.3

But we can't just stay home and yell at the TV or groan as we read the newspaper. With Congress home for the summer starting next week, we have to make the most of our opportunity to show them exactly how disgusted, frustrated, and angry we are. The media and members of Congress will be watching closely to see how voters are responding during the August congressional recess. 

That's why we're joining with partners in the American Dream movement to hold "Jobs Not Cuts" events at district offices nationwide next Wednesday. Can you help make sure Rep. Michael Grimm gets a wakeup call to start creating jobs and stop cutting our path to the American Dream?

Click here to RSVP for a Jobs Not Cuts event in Brooklyn on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

When you sign up, you can indicate if you're currently unemployed (or underemployed) and willing to share your story—it's the stories from our community that will really help get Congress and the local media to pay attention. Then come out on Wednesday, August 10, at 4 p.m.—and wear your red, white, and blue clothes so we can show everyone what the American Dream movement is all about.

This is the perfect time for us to turn up the heat, and turn the focus to what it will take to rebuild the American Dream. We need to show Rep. Grimm that we're sick of the cuts, sick of political games, and sick of them ignoring the jobs crisis in our community. Can you join thousands of angry Americans on Wednesday, August 10, at hundreds of "Jobs Not Cuts" events at congressional offices nationwide?

Yes, I can!

Thanks for all you do.

–Lenore, Wes, Michael, Carrie, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Debt showdown unites Americans—in frustration," Associated Press, August 1, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262674&id=29524-10220574-8nua8_x&t=5

2. "EPI president critical of proposed debt ceiling deal," Economic Policy Institute, August 1, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262581&id=29524-10220574-8nua8_x&t=6

3. "Stocks Tumble as Signs Point to Weak Global Economy," The New York Times, August 4, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=262675&id=29524-10220574-8nua8_x&t=7



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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Take a quick survey?

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Click here to fill out the survey.

Thanks for all you do.

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