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Wall Street Banks: Pay Us Back

Just six banks are giving out enough in bonuses to nearly cover every state's estimated budget shortfall this year.

How can the banks reward themselves like it was some sort of banner year? The least they can do is pay us back before they lavish all that money on themselves.

If they won't pay it back, we need to take it back. Sign our letter to your members of Congress, calling for a fee on the banks to recoup our bailout money.

 

Petition Text
Dear Members of Congress:

We are outraged that the banks who received billions of bailout dollars directly from the TARP program, then even more from the taxpayer bailout of AIG (which used much of it to pay them) and then more from the Federal Reserve, have now declared billions of dollars in bonuses without fully paying back taxpayers.

It's time to put Main Street first. Support President Obama's new fee on the big banks who took taxpayer funds and used them to make massive profits and declare massive bonuses without getting the economy moving again.
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Come to an Activist Workshop in Amherst!

MASSPIRG in conjunction with the Public Interest Network is organizing a Free Activist Workshop at UMASS Amherst on Saturday, October 17th. Show-up ready for action. We will spend the day moving between large group overviews and small groups to give people an opportunity to learn and internalize skills.

The skills we are focused on are the skills passionate activists need to know how-to-do.

Here's the agenda:

1:00 – 1:15 Welcome/Introductions

1:15 – 1:30 Overview of Working with the Media

1:30 – 2:30 Small Groups: Planning a News Conference

2:30 – 3:00 Overview of Pitching Reports

3:00 – 3:45 Small Groups: Pitching Reports

3:45 – 4:00 Break, Meet fellow area activists

4:00 – 4:30 Overview of Building a Coalition

4:30 – 5:15 Small Groups: Coalition Outreach

5:15 – 5:30 Wrap-up


The trainers will be experienced staff from Environment Massachusetts and the Public Interest Network. It's a chance to meet some of the people behind the email addresses. This event is open to the public, feel free to spread the word to other activists.

The training will be held at UMASS-Amherst in the Bartlett building, Rm 127.

Please RSVP by filling in the form to the right.

After you RSVP, Naomi Roth, the training facilitator, will be in touch with directions and more details about the training.

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Attending?
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Is your credit union converting into a for profit bank? Is your credit union converting into a for profit bank?
Where did the money go? Where did the money go?
Ask your Lawmakers to Co-Sponsor MASSPIRG’s Public Interest Agenda Ask your Lawmakers to Co-Sponsor MASSPIRG’s Public Interest Agenda
What would you ask the Wall Street bankers? What would you ask the Wall Street bankers?
Tell Your US Senators to Vote for Credit Card Reform Tell Your US Senators to Vote for Credit Card Reform
Support MASSPIRG in 2010 Support MASSPIRG in 2010

Stop The Corporate Takeover of Democracy

The Supreme Court ruled to lift a 60-year-old ban that kept corporations from influencing federal elections — rights specifically granted to people.

Already, moneyed institutions have too much power over government. I shudder to think of a situation in which Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil and Big Pharma have even more control.

Tell your members of Congress to protect our democracy.

Petition Text

Dear Member of Congress,

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United vs. FEC would allow corporations to spend money directly on attack ads supporting or opposing Congressional candidates.

This decision was made under the pretext that because a corporation is a “person,” they should be allowed to spend their massive aggregated wealth to influence elections.

A corporation is not a person with voting rights. Giving corporations the rights of people would fundamentally change our democracy.

Rep. Van Hollen, Sen. Schumer and the White House are working to protect our democracy from the implications of this decision.

I urge you to take swift action in support of this effort.

Sincerely,

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Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group: 44 Winter St, 4th Floor • Boston, MA 02108