Whose Your Maverick Now? 4 days to go...

What are you going to do with the next 4 days?

Dear Voter:

4 days. That's all the time we have. Just 4 days to alert undecided voters AND those who need motivation about how John McCain has voted with President Bush 90% of the time. 4 days to tell them about how he has smeared Barack Obama with malicious fear-mongering and race-baiting tactics. 4 days to stress how McCain's temper and his health record secrecy could pose national security risks. 4 days to point out that McCain overplays his POW card each time he's backed into a corner.

What are you going to do with the next 4 days?

Each day leading up to the election, I'll be sharing a new Brave New Films videos outlining the real John McCain. Feel free to take the videos and send them to ALL the undecided voters you know and to ALL your friends in need of motivation.

Send along a personal note that conveys the time-sensitive nature of these videos and tell them to keep spreading them to all the undecided voters they know. And, by all means, feel free to donate $7 to Brave New PAC so they can continue their efforts to create more hard-hitting videos. For donat here <---

After TWO stolen elections and the hijacking of Our civil liberties...After eight years of the systematic shredding of Our Constitution...With 40 million Americans' uninsured and 20 million more under-insured...With 1.3 million homes in foreclosure...With what will be a 3 TRILLION dollar bailout using OUR money, the "anti-BIG GOVERNMENT" Republican party has privatized profits and socialized losses...With 9.5 million Americans' unemployed in the worst fiscal disaster since the Great Depression... With an outdated and broken system based on an incredibly shrinking and costly finite resource...With almost 5000 American soldiers dead in a war We were lied into...With a second ongoing war already being waged...With the systematic dumbing down of our children because We've allowed Our elected officials to revamp Our public education system that has left EVERY child behind...ASK YOURSELF: JUST WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH?

If We allow another stolen election to occur, We're merely part of the PROBLEM and NOT part of the SOLUTION. Sign up to volunteer at a polling station to monitor the voting process...Send out these videos...Knock on doors to encourage people to vote! Whatever You do, DO SOMETHING!

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Whose Your Maverick Now? 5 days to go...

What are YOU going to do with the next 5 days?

Dear Voter:

5 days. That's all the time we have. Just 5 days to alert undecided voters AND those who need motivation about how John McCain has voted with President Bush 90% of the time. 5 days to tell them about how he has smeared Barack Obama with malicious fear-mongering and race-baiting tactics. 5 days to stress how McCain's temper and his health record secrecy could pose national security risks. 5 days to point out that McCain overplays his POW card each time he's backed into a corner. What are you going to do with the next 5 days?

Each day, I'll be sharing a new Brave New Films videos outlining the real John McCain. Feel free to take the videos and send them to ALL the undecided voters you know and to ALL your friends in need of motivation. Send along a personal note that conveys the time-sensitive nature of these videos and tell them to keep spreading them to all the undecided voters they know.
And, by all means, feel free to donate $7 to Brave New PAC so they can continue their efforts to create more hard-hitting videos. For donations, click here <---

After TWO stolen elections and the hijacking of Our civil liberties...After eight years of the systematic shredding of Our Constitution...With 40 million Americans' uninsured and 20 million more under-insured...With 1.3 million homes in foreclosure...With what will be a 3 TRILLION dollar bailout using OUR money, the "anti-BIG GOVERNMENT" Republican party has privatized profits and socialized losses...With 9.5 million Americans' unemployed in the worst fiscal disaster since the Great Depression... With an outdated and broken system based on an incredibly shrinking and costly finite resource...With almost 5000 American soldiers dead in a war We were lied into...With a second ongoing war already being waged...With the systematic dumbing down of our children because We've allowed Our elected officials to revamp Our public education system that has left EVERY child behind...

ASK YOURSELF: JUST WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH? If We allow another stolen election to occur, We're merely part of the PROBLEM and NOT part of the SOLUTION. Sign up to volunteer at a polling station to monitor the voting process...Send out these videos...Knock on doors to encourage people to vote! Whatever You do, DO SOMETHING!

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Whose Your Maverick Now? 6 days left...

Dear Voter:

6 days. That's all the time we have. Just 6 days to alert undecided voters AND those who need motivation about how John McCain has voted with President Bush 90% of the time. 6 days to tell them about how he has smeared Barack Obama with malicious fear-mongering and race-baiting tactics. 6 days to stress how McCain's temper and his health record secrecy could pose national security risks. 6 days to point out that McCain overplays his POW card each time he's backed into a corner. What are you going to do with the next 6 days? Each day, I'll be sharing a new Brave New Films videos outlining the real John McCain. Feel free to take the videos and send them - one for each day of the next 6 - to ALL the undecided voters you know and to ALL your friends in need of motivation. Send along a personal note that conveys the time-sensitive nature of these videos and tell them to keep spreading them to all the undecided voters they know. And, by all means, feel free to donate $7 to Brave New PAC so they can continue their efforts to create more hard-hitting videos. For donations, click here.

After TWO stolen elections and the hijacking of Our civil liberties...After eight years of the systematic shredding of Our Constitution...With 40 million Americans' uninsured and 20 million more under-insured...With 1.3 million homes in foreclosure...With what will be a 3 TRILLION dollar bailout using OUR money, the "anti-BIG GOVERNMENT" Republican party has privatized profits and socialized losses...With 9.5 million Americans' unemployed in the worst fiscal disaster since the Great Depression... With an outdated and broken system based on an incredibly shrinking and costly finite resource...With almost 5000 American soldiers dead in a war We were lied into...With a second ongoing war already being waged...With the systematic dumbing down of our children because We've allowed Our elected officials to revamp Our public education system that has left EVERY child behind...

ASK YOURSELF: JUST WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH? If We allow another stolen election to occur, We're merely part of the PROBLEM and NOT part of the SOLUTION. Sign up to volunteer at a polling station to monitor the voting process...Send out these videos...Knock on doors to encourage people to vote! Whatever You do, DO SOMETHING!

Donate HERE ---> donate <---

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Whose Your Maverick Now? 7 days left...

Dear Voters:

7 days. That's all the time we have. Just 7 days to alert undecided voters AND those who need motivation about how John McCain has voted with President Bush 90% of the time. 7 days to tell them about how he has smeared Barack Obama with malicious fear-mongering and race-baiting tactics. 7 days to stress how McCain's temper and his health record secrecy could pose national security risks. 7 days to point out that McCain overplays his POW card each time he's backed into a corner.

What are you going to do with the next 7 days?

Each day, I'll be sharing 7 Brave New Films videos outlining the real John McCain. Feel free to take the videos and send them - one for each day of the next 7 - to ALL the undecided voters you know and to ALL of your friends in need of motivation...

Send along a personal note that conveys the time-sensitive nature of these videos and tell them to keep spreading them to all the undecided voters they know. And, by all means, feel free to donate $7 to Brave New PAC so they can continue their efforts to create hard-hitting videos like the 7 you'll be getting.

After TWO stolen elections and the hijacking of Our civil liberties...After eight years of the systematic shredding of Our Constitution...With 40 million Americans' uninsured and 20 million more under-insured...With 1.3 million homes in foreclosure...With what will be a 3 TRILLION dollar bailout using OUR money, the "anti-BIG GOVERNMENT" Republican party has privatized profits and socialized losses...With 9.5 million Americans' unemployed in the worst fiscal disaster since the Great Depression... With an outdated and broken system based on an incredibly shrinking and costly finite resource...With almost 5000 American soldiers dead in a war We were lied into...With a second ongoing war already being waged...With the systematic dumbing down of our children because We've allowed Our elected officials to revamp Our public education system that has left EVERY child behind...ASK YOURSELF: JUST WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH?

If We allow another stolen election to occur, We're merely part of the PROBLEM and NOT part of the SOLUTION. Sign up to volunteer at a polling station to monitor the voting process...Send out these videos...Knock on doors to encourage people to vote! Whatever You do, DO SOMETHING!

Donate HERE ---> donate <---

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Friend’s of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - a Petition.

Today, I signed up as a member of Friends of the U.S. Chamber and wanted to share with readers a little bit about this a new grassroots initiative brought to Us by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Friends of the U.S. Chamber is brought to you by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region. Their goal is twofold.

Firstly, their forum provides the People another opportunity to join hundreds of thousands of concerned People across the country and allows them to add their voices to the debate on important issues impacting People and their communities. Secondly, it's supposed to help educate citizens regarding key bills and issues they care about and to enable the People to respond to action alerts by writing elected legislators. My first course of action was to sign the "Dear 44" - a petition to the next President of the United States. Will the next President favor policies that encourage job creation, lower energy prices and prosperity? - OR - will he take the road of higher taxes, higher energy prices, more regulation, more litigation and more Union corruption?

If you'd like to make your voice heard - please sign the "Dear 44" petition to tell Senators' Obama and McCain you too want a President who supports the pro-growth agenda. When You go to the site, You can opt to receive updates on the issues You choose that are of specific interest to You and also to receive e-mails asking you to Take Action on these specific interests. These tools and resources are designed to promote, protect and advance You and Your community's local business interests. Check it out & pass it on!

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week: What's it's REALLY about.

Whipping up hatred for Muslims...on a university campus near you!

OCT. 22nd-26th, 2008.

ACT NOW! RESIST!

brought to you by:

world cant wait!

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Term Limits: It’s OUR Decision!

Term Limits: It's OUR Decision!



graphic design: A. Golden, eyewash design - c. 2008

In 1993, New Yorkers overwhelmingly voted for terms limits - two four-year terms for elected officials in New York City. In 1996, New Yorkers voted again to keep term limits, and keep them at just two terms. No matter how you feel about term limits, one thing is clear: it's OUR decision, NOT the politicians. If they want to change term limits, it should be done the fair way, by asking the voters' permission.

But, a new bill introduced in the NY City Council would do just the opposite. The bill would ignore the voters and give politicians a third term (the same politicians who will vote on it). City Hall needs to hear from you. If you're a New Yorker, please sign the petition and make your voice heard: http://itsourdecision.org/ .

You can also see where your Council member stands, see a term limits time line or tell a friend. For more information please visit: http://www.partyheadquarters.org

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

After $440K Spa Spree, AIG gets ANOTHER LOAN!

AIG secures another huge federal loan.

Troubled insurance giant American International Group will take a $37.8 billion loan from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, on top of the $85 billion loan it got last month.

(AP) - The Federal Reserve has agreed to provide insurance giant American International Group with a loan of up to $37.8 billion, on top of one made to the troubled company last month.

Under the new program, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will borrow up to $37.8 billion in investment-grade, fixed income securities from AIG in return for cash collateral. These securities were previously lent by AIG's insurance company subsidiaries to third parties.

Last month, the Fed provided an $85 billion loan to the company, which was on the brink of bankruptcy. And, let's see what they did with YOUR money...

From: Scott Vogel, Washington Post
It's the kind of publicity you just can't buy.

Times are tough in the tourism business; accordingly, hotel chains around the world are pulling back on their advertising buys. But that's okay, there's another way tourist-hungry resorts can gain attention in a down economy: host a retreat for AIG executives.

Consider the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort on the sun-splashed California coast somewhere between Los Angeles and San Francisco. In fact, the St. Regis seems to be still reeling from the experience, on the evidence, that is, of its "Last Hurrah" package, which although technically designed for expecting couples in need of a babymoon, sounds just as perfect for the bailout-bound.

Oh, by the way, there's a world-class golf course on the premises where the AIG folks recently racked up almost $7,000 in charges; better yet, -- just to keep this felony theme going -- said golf course was once a favorite of O.J. Simpson's.

And after a hard morning on the back nine, what better place to repair to than Spa Gaucin, where "Each treatment begins with the toss of a coin into our 'Well of Desires,' where symbolically all your cares will be left behind." (Huh. Ya gotta think that that well is clogged with pennies at this point.)

By now we've all heard AIG's various justifications for its $440,000 profligacy, how the conference was planned long in advance of the bailout (you know how those cancellation fees can get you), how it was a standard reward for the insurance firm's top sellers, how it was a way to prevent the brain drain that -- let's face it -- often accompanies a company's descent into insolvency.

But let's go back to the St. Regis. No publicity is bad publicity, remember, which is why the resort is booked solid for the next two weekends, according to the Los Angeles Times. And those seeking a room at the next hot spot on the disaster tourism circuit would do well to immediately call Reservations at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay further up the coast. It's yet another elegant monument to decadence that sits on yet another bluff overlooking yet another gorgeous strip of the Pacific. And next week, the Ritz-Carlton will also have something else in common with the St. Regis: dozens of AIG executives huddling together in style, whooping it up on another junket of dubious necessity in a time of crisis.

UPDATE:

Thursday, October 9th 2008, 2:00 PM

AIG executives cancel planned California spa retreat

BY: CORKY SIEMASZKO, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Still smarting from their spanking for blowing $500,000 at a swanky resort after getting an $85 billion taxpayer bailout, AIG execs have cancelled a planned spa weekend at a posh California hotel.

The conference for AIG agents at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay next week was scrapped "after a re-evaluation of the costs under the new circumstances," AIG spokesman Joe Norton said Thursday.

Among other things, Norton cited "the need to repay the fed while still serving the needs of our policyholders."

RELATED: EXPERT'S ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT 401K

AIG pulled the plug on plans for a weekend of pampering for a privileged few after the feds agreed to lend AIG another $37.8 billion to stay afloat - on top of the $85 billion the troubled insurer received just last month.

"I cannot fathom how in the same day - the very same day that AIG asked the government for another $37.8 billion loan, the company would even consider moving forward with plans to host another large conference at another large luxury resort," said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), a senior member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is probing the Wall Street crisis.

This means that AIG will have to figure out another way to "motivate and educate" 150 top agents who were expecting to stay in an ocean front hotel 30 miles south of San Francisco where the cheapest rooms go for $400 a night.

ANALYSIS: THE QUESTIONS EVERYONE WANTS ANSWERED

Among other things, the hotel features candle lit spas and Roman style mineral baths, two championship golf courses, and restaurants that have a tasting menu with wine that costs $167 per person.

Norton did not return an e-mail asking if AIG has cancelled any other expensive junkets for employees and top executives.

But an e-mail mistakenly sent to Bloomberg News revealed that AIG had the chutzpah to consider launching an ad campaign to justify the high-priced junkets.

That's "a really bad idea," AIG's public relations consultant George Sard wrote.

"To spend the taxpayer's money on an expensive ad campaign to apologize for how you used taxpayer money leaves you open to further attacks," Sard wrote to AIG flak Nicholas Ashooh.

Revelations on Tuesday that AIG execs blew $500,000 at the St. Regis resort in Monarch Beach, Calif. drew nationwide condemnation. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino called it "despicable."

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, said in his debate with GOP rival, Sen. John McCain, that AIG should repay the U.S. Treasury for spending taxpayer money at the resort.

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Friday was an historic day - a renewed faith in humanity.

Friday was an historic day. For Jocelyn Voltaire anyway. At 11am yesterday, Ms. Voltaire was scheduled to lose her home in Queens Village - just miles from where the final Presidential debates were held just one night prior, in Hempstead, NY. The home she'd lived in for the past 20 years... The home where she raised her four children...The home in which she worked three jobs and on which she put a VERY REAL US$55,000.00 down-payment - over 20 years ago. In 2007, her mortgage payments skyrocketed from a manageable US$850 a month, to over US$2,000 - literally overnight - when her lending company - Litton Loan Service - sold out to Goldman Sachs. In spite of her oldest son, - a marine soldier - sending her money to help, she was simply unable to keep up.

And, like thousands to come, Jocelyne watched in horror as her home was put on the auction block. Thanks to the amazing video clip by American News Project, Code Pink & Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman brought Jocelyn's plight to attention.

At 9:05 am EST, CODEPINK sent out an urgent call to our their email list. AND, jaws dropped when they saw the response. Donations of $5... $25... $500... even $1,000! Within an hour, they'd raised over $10,000! And the money kept pouring in, along with beautiful messages of support.

Jocelyne was moved to tears. And the mortgage bankers, with CODEPINK's immediate promise of $15,000 at 11am, were "moved" to stop the auction - JUST IN TIME.

We The People, did it!!! While Our government has PILFERED billions of Our tax dollars to bail out the super-wealthy, We came together to bail out one desperate mother. Thanks to The People - in one day - raising over $30,000 from 650 donors, We showered Jocelyne the true American spirit - love and compassion. We modeled exactly what We wanted Our government to do - bail out FAMILIES facing personal disaster, not FINANCIERS!

However, Jocelyne still faces enormous hurdles - both financial and emotional. She must pull herself out of a deep depression from the recent loss of her eldest son. She has to recover her health so she can start working again. She has to fix up her home so she can get renters to augment her income. And, she still has to renegotiate her loan and make monthly mortgage payments.

BUT, thanks to The People, Jocelyne now has a second chance. CODEPINK found a wonderful pro-bono lawyer to help Jocelyne battle the predatory lenders and re-structure her loan. And, after wiring the mortgage company $15,000, CODEPINK will use the funds that keep coming in to help Jocelyne make her monthly payments and get back on her feet.

Jocelyne is feeling exhausted, but renewed. She is ready to unpack the boxes she has been living out of for the past year. She now feels surrounded by people who want to lift her up, not toss her out. More importantly, she wants to use her experience to help others. How's that for a renewed faith in humanity?

At the press conference CODEPINK held on the courthouse steps - surrounded by dozens of cameras - Jocelyne said, "To all of you facing similar disasters, don't be silent, don't be ashamed. Step forward and call out for help. That's what I did, and a miracle happened. These angels came to help me. We all have to pull together and help each other."

You are those angels and CODEPINK members are in awe of the generosity, the compassion, the willingness of people to REALLY stand up for Main Street Americans. Now, they're asking us to PULL TOGETHER in the coming months, as Jocelyne asked us to do, and to move Our government to do the same... BAIL OUT MAIN STREET, NOT WALL STREET!

Thanks for making miracles happen. Here's to Jocelyne, to you and to S-O-L-I-D-A-R-I-T-Y!

Send messages to these CODEPINK members: Dana, Deidra, Desiree, Farida, Gael, Gayle, Jean, Jodie, Liz, Lori, Medea, Nancy & Rae

P.S. Jocelyne still needs all the help she can get. If you have not yet donated and are moved to do so, click here.

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

e-mail to an associate re: BAILOUTS.

This post might be a little late, but I truly feel the continuing discourse to be imperative for US to learn. In the last week I've been busier than a squirrel gathering nuts for a long winter: Signing Petitions...Photographing Anti~BAILOUT Demonstrations... Ringing "representatives"... Writing News Bulletions ...Observing the "Debates" ... and apparently starting a few of my own ...

We can not know where we're going until we understand where we've been, right? So, in lieu of the coming elections, I feel this subject to be extremely relevant for a myriad of reasons. This is an e-mail exchange I had with a once dear friend who moved to the Left Coast from NYC & who seems, alas, to have drunken the political Kool-Aid. I figured, if we were entertaining this debate, then many of you out there were too.

The following is a dissertation, of sorts and is how I spent a chunk of time last Thursday. After getting as close to "hate mail" as the English can muster, from numerous dear friends overseas, I felt the need to share that not every American is an ignoramus dullock ~ clueless to the ongoing financial malestrom brewing worldwide, thanks to a minority few corporate elite in America's highest eschelons.

Enjoy, and feel free to pass along any of the information exchanged! Debate is cornerstone to the success - or failire - of any "free and open" society. At least it was. More importantly, REMEMBER THIS ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4th! The implications of this Corporate welfare check are nearly uncomprehensible - the affects of which will be felt for the next seven generations.

Here goes: ******************************************************************************************************************

From: ***Blank for obvious reasons*** [mailto:blankforobviousreasons@mac.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 10:56 PM To: agolden@eyewashdesign.com; NoWallStreetBailout.com@143793-www1.freedomworks.org
Subject: Re: No Wall Street Bailout! petition

It's not a bail out, it's going to unfreeze our credit market. It's not perfect, and we certainly wish we weren't here, but my dear friends in the Senate have been working very hard to save us from certain financial crisis - the kind that would ruin all of us. If it weren't for the Republicans deregulating everything, we wouldn't be here, but since we are, we have to do something

- All my love,

*********************************************************************************************************************************

From: a*******@***********.com [mailto:blankforobviousreasons@mac.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2008 4:56 AM
To: ***Blank for obvious reasons***; NoWallStreetBailout.com@143793-www1.freedomworks.org
Subject: Re: No Wall Street Bailout! petition

It most certainly is a bailout. It's corporate welfare to the ninth AND disaster capitalism in Action. I'm inclined to agree with Naomi Klein when she wrote in the Huffington Post last week, "'It would be a grave mistake to underestimate the right's ability to use this crisis -- created by deregulation and privatization -- to demand more of the same.' Further, 'What Gingrich's wish list tells us is that the dumping of private debt into the public coffers is only stage one of the current shock. The second comes when the debt crisis currently being created by this bailout becomes the excuse to privatize social security, lower corporate taxes and cut spending on the poor. A President McCain would embrace these policies willingly. A President Obama would come under huge pressure from the think tanks and the corporate media to abandon his campaign promises and embrace austerity and "free-market stimulus.""

Your dear friends in the Senate may now be working very hard on this bill, but I ask you, "Where have our "leaders" been for the last 25 years?" Up the arses of corporate American companies who finance them through campaign donations and perks, that's where. The next thing you're going to tell me is there's no such thing as corporate lobbyists, there's no need for campaign finance reform, that our income tax goes toward school funding, that we don't spend three times more money on prisoners/its system than we do on our school children/its system AND that America's a democracy, rather than a Constitutional Republic. Come on! ~

As painful it is to admit, it's not just the Republicans' deregulating "everything" (though we know they're THE kings of deregulation). In 1999, Phil Gramm (but one of many Democrat turncoats) authored a bill to remove all the regulations governing Wall Street and our banking system. The bill passed and signed by C-L-I-N-T-O-N ~ our favorite bad boy (mine, anyway). And BOTH the Democrats AND the Republicans have been happily asleep at the proverbial wheel for the last 25+ years of Reaganomics ~ coasting on cruise control and well aware of the financial shit-storm a-brewing.

There are 1.3 million homes in foreclosure right now. This is what is at the heart of this problem. So, instead of giving the money to the banks as a gift, we could, say, pay down each of these mortgages by $100,000, then force the banks to renegotiate the mortgage so the homeowner can pay on its current (real) value. To insure this help doesn't go to speculators & those who have tried to make money by flipping houses, this bailout should only be for people's primary residences. And, in return for the $100K pay-down on the existing mortgage, the government gets to share in the holding of the mortgage so it can get some of its money back. Thus, the TOTAL initial cost of fixing the mortgage crisis at its roots (instead of with the greedy lenders) is $150 billion, NOT $700 billion.

More importantly, the proposed "bailout" would permanently price out of the housing market all responsible Americans who have been patiently saving to buy a house they can actually afford. The current housing correction is necessary to remedy the historic run-up in housing prices over the past decade. By bailing out the housing market, the government will prevent housing prices from returning to affordable levels ~ thereby ensuring that renters' won't be able to buy a home & current homeowners won't be able to upgrade.

Photograph: A Golden, eyewash design - c. 2008
NYC Wall Street BAILOUT demonstration: September 25, 2008

The government bailout of the housing market is both fiscally and morally irresponsible; it's an unfair subsidy being paid to the wealthy (bankers); the greedy (mortgage brokers, flippers & yes some homeowners) & the incautious (some homeowners, again), with little-or-no benefit to those paying the bill (taxpayers). Remember, bailing out borrowers also means bailing out their lenders. Under the proposed bailouts, responsible people lose and have to give their money to gamblers, liars, and sleazy lenders. This is privatizing profits and socializing losses. It doesn't matter if one's been dutifully paying one's monthly fixed-rate mortgage. It doesn't matter if one bought a smaller house based on what one could truly afford. And it doesn't matter if one's a renter who chose not to jump into the housing mania. What Congress is proposing is essentially making it our job to pay up for others' irresponsibility. Why don't they just tax us to cover Las Vegas gamblers' losses as well? That's pretty much what they're proposing ~ this much is crystal clear.

And, last night, the Senate "lit the Christmas tree". This new bill is truly a travesty; it makes NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES to improve the bill. Instead, it solely provides little presents to wavering Senators' & Representatives' in the form of "tax breaks broad enough to save 20 million people an average $2,000 a year in higher taxes and narrow enough to help a makers of wooden toy bow-and-arrow sets".

Pundits & politicians are lying to us so fast & furiously, it's hard not to be affected by all the fear mongering. Admittedly, the Dow having the biggest one day drop in its history was dramatic, but its 7% drop came nowhere close to "Black Monday" in 1987 when the stock market ~ in one day ~ lost 23% of its value. In the 1980s, 3,000 banks closed, but America didn't go out of business. These institutions have always had their ups~and~downs.

No, this catastrophe happened because we let the fox have the keys to the henhouse ~ unchecked ~ for three decades too many. The credit market isn't frozen ~ that's just more Chicken Little. In fact, just yesterday, I was offered a $5,000 personal loan from one of my banks & approved for nearly ten times that in student loans (for one year). I kind of like Michael Moore's plan. Sure it's got some spazzy holes, but at least he's come up with something somewhat logical, which is more than I can say for the majority of our elected Senators or House of Representative "leaders".

It will truly be a sad day in America when our politicians vote to bail out the few from their irresponsibility to the detriment of the many who were responsible. WE THE PEOPLE deserve better.

Love returned,
ME

Additional Economic Resources on the Bailout:
Politico: "Many Economists Skeptical of Bailout"
Dean Baker's Blog
Paul Krugman's Blog
Robert Reich's Blog

F.Y.I. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >

History of U.S. Gov't Bailouts
September 29, 2008 4:23 pm EDT

With the flurry of recent government bailouts, this is an attempt @ putting them in perspective. The circles below represent the size of U.S. government bailouts, calculated in 2008 dollars. They are also in chronological order. The chart focuses on U.S. government bailouts of U.S. corporations (and one city). Not included are instances where the U.S. government aided other nations. Check out how the Treasury did in the end after initial government outlays.

Industry / Corporation ●Year ● Cost in 2008 U.S. Dollars ● What Happened

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● Penn Central Railroad 1970 $3.2 BILLION

In May 1970, Penn Central Railroad, then on the verge of bankruptcy, appealed to the Federal Reserve for aid on the grounds that it provided crucial national defense transportation services. The Nixon administration and the Federal Reserve supported providing financial assistance to Penn Central, but Congress refused to adopt the measure. Penn Central declared bankruptcy on June 21, 1970, which freed the corporation from its commercial paper obligations. To counteract the devastating ripple effects to the money market, the Federal Reserve Board told commercial banks it would provide the reserves needed to allow them to meet the credit needs of their customers.

● Lockheed 1971 $1.4 BILLION

In August 1971, Congress passed the Emergency Loan Guarantee Act, which could provide funds to any major business enterprise in crisis. Lockheed was the first recipient. Its failure would have meantsignificant job loss in California, a loss to the GNP and an impact on national defense. (What happened after the bailout?)

● Franklin National Bank 1974 $7.7 BILLION

In the first five months of 1974 the bank lost $63.6 million. The Federal Reserve stepped in with a loan of $1.75 billion. (What happened after the bailout?)

● New York City 1975 $9.4 BILLION

During the 1970s, New York City became over-extended and entered a period of financial crisis. In 1975 President Ford signed the New York City Seasonal Financing Act, which released $2.3 billion in loans to the city. (What happened after the bailout?)

● Chrysler 1980 $3.9 BILLION

In 1979 Chrysler suffered a loss of $1.1 billion. That year the corporation requested aid from the government. In 1980 the Chrysler Loan Guarantee Act was passed, which provided $1.5 billion in loans to rescue Chrysler from insolvency. In addition, the government's aid was to be matched by U.S. and foreign banks.

● Continental Illinois National Bank & Trust Co. 1984 $9.5 BILLION

The nations's eighth largest bank, Continental Illinois had suffered significant losses after purchasing $1 billion in energy loans from the failed Penn Square Bank of Oklahoma. The FDIC and Federal Reserve devised a plan to rescue the bank that included replacing the bank's top executives. (What happened after the bailout?)

● Savings & Loan 1989 $293.8 BILLION

After the widespread failure of savings and loan institutions, President George H. W. Bush signed and Congress enacted the Financial Institutions Reform Recovery and Enforcement Act in 1989. (What happened after the bailout?)

● Airline Industry 2001 $18.6 BILLION

The terrorist attacks of September 11 crippled an already financially troubled industry. To bail out the airlines, President Bush signed into law the Air Transportation Safety and Stabilization Act, which compensated airlines for the mandatory grounding of aircraft after the attacks. The act released $5 billion in compensation and an additional $10 billion in loan guarantees or other federal credit instruments. (What happened after the bailout?)

● Bear Stearns 2008 $30 BILLION

JP Morgan Chase and the federal government bailed out Bear Stearns when the financial giant neared collapse. JP Morgan purchased Bear Stearns for $236 million; the Federal Reserve provided a $30 billion credit line to ensure the sale could move forward.

● Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac 2008 $200 BILLION

The near collapse of two of the nation's largest housing finance entities was yet another symptom of the sub-prime mortgage and housing market crisis. In an effort to prevent further turmoil within the financial market, the U.S. government seized control of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and guaranteed up to $100 billion for each company to ensure they would not fall into bankruptcy.

● A.I.G. 2008 $85 BILLION

When AIG was unable to secure a private-sector loan, the federal government intervened by seizing control of the insurance giant.

● Auto Industry 2008 $25 BILLION

In late September 2008, Congress approved a more than $630 billion spending bill, which included a measure for $25 billion in loans to the auto industry. These low-interest loans are intended to aid the industry in its push to build more fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly vehicles. The Detroit 3-General Motors, Ford and Chrysler-are the primary beneficiaries.

● Troubled Asset Relief Program 2008 $850+ BILLION

The Bush administration has proposed a rescue plan to ease the current crisis on Wall Street. If approved by Congress, the Treasury Department will be authorized to purchase up to $700 billion of distressed mortgage-backed securities and other assets and then resell the mortgages to investors.

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Why should responsible Americans be forced to Pay for the mi$take$ of other$? A bailout is morally irresponsible because it encourages reckless and irrational behavior. Here's a short list of the many "moral hazards" a bailout enables:

A bailout sends the wrong message about personal responsibility. It tells Americans in no uncertain terms that their financial decisions have no consequences; the government will pick up the tab. A bailout tells responsible Americans that they are suckers. If responsible Americans' had been smart, they would have overextended themselves, purchased homes they could not afford and taken out home equity loans based on the paper value of their property. Then, when the bill came due, they could just pass it on to the government. A bailout allows banks, mortgage brokers, speculators, and re-financers to benefit from their abuse of the system. By doing so, it encourages these people to act irresponsibly, in future. A bailout will force Americans who acted responsibly to pay for those who did not. The average American - who saved and scrimped for years to buy a house, but could not because speculators and over-extenders boosted home prices beyond affordability - will now be forced to pay for the homes of those who were less scrupulous.

A bailout will have a disproportionately negative affect on minorities and youth.

Minorities and Americans under 35 are disproportionately underrepresented amongst homeowners. While non-Hispanic Whites enjoy a 75% homeownership rate, less than 50% of Blacks and Hispanics own homes. Similarly, ONLY 42% of Americans under 35 own homes, compared to 80% for Americans 55 and older. A government bailout will perpetuate this race and generation gap by propping-up inflated house prices, thereby permanently pricing minorities and a generation of youth out of the market. And, in a Kafkaesque irony, these folks will actually have to pay to prevent themselves from buying homes (i.e., taxes).

A bailout is also fiscally irresponsible:

A bailout props up over-inflated housing prices, thereby putting homeownership out of reach for young families and responsible Americans who recognized that there was a bubble. The housing market needs the correction that the bailout seeks to prevent because the average American cannot afford to purchase a home. "You cannot be both in favor of affordable housing and in favor of propping up home prices!" A bailout creates perverse incentives. Rather than punishing their behavior, it encourages fiscal irresponsibility among bankers, mortgage brokers, speculators, and refinancers. These folks made money hand over fist in the past nine years (remember, home borrowers who tapped their home equity received cash money to pay for Escalades, vacations, and stainless steel appliances; now they want you to pay for it!). Why change your behavior when you benefit from it? A bailout shifts the risks of falling market prices from financially secure banks to the American taxpayer. As a result, either taxes or the federal deficit will skyrocket! This is a government handout we simply cannot afford & moreover, It Is Wrong! A bailout is contrary to the free market principles upon which our economy is based. It jams a huge wrench into the market correction, with negative effects that will be both severe and long-term.

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THE DEBATE CONTINUES...

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

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