Taxes, Rallies, Politicians, Rich Folk, and Who's to Blame?

Russ Kronke is a member of our Frankfort, Kentucky, MoveOn Council. He brought the following information for sharing at a recent meeting of our council. I immediately appreciated how Russ had put a difficult subject into a clear concise document that, to me at least, asks the right questions and gives the right information. Thank you, Russ, for sharing this with us.
Mike
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TAX DAY RALLIES, ETC

PROBLEM

• Verizon, Amazon, BFA, GE, Citi, etc are doing what the tax laws allow them to do. The corporation lobbyists may have influenced legislation, but corporations are not the right target.

• It’s the government, its rules and regulations and the legislators who are being bought off that are the problem.

• Rally, where, why and how? To get what? What can I do?

DEFICIT: It’s the revenue, not the spending.

WHY IS REVENUE A PROBLEM?

• Oil subsidies

• Corporate tax loopholes

• Tax cuts for the wealthy

• Jobs shipped overseas

• Unemployment, insufficient job creation

• Republican obstructionism and Democrat wimpishness, Lobbyists.

• Citizens United Supreme Court Decision (Koch Brothers, Chamber of Commerce)

IS THERE A SPENDING PROBLEM?

• We certainly don’t want waste but we don’t want to cut good programs. Republican ideology is attempting to slash good programs.

• Too much war and defense spending

• Need to spend more in areas that will create jobs and improve the economy.

• Education needs support.

HOW CAN IT BE FIXED?

• Grass roots activism to get leadership to act

• Educate the public and get them to vote

• President and Democratic leadership need to take a stand

• It can only be fixed by Congress and the President.

WHAT ABOUT ENTITLEMENTS (SS, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID)?

• Social Security is solid for 30 years --- do not touch

• Medicare only source of affordable health care for seniors.

• Medicaid is being abused by states and needs some reform.

• Health Care costs need to be contained. They increase too much too fast.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

• Rallies? Town halls? What kind? Where?

• Get our organizations to support going after the real target, Congress and President

• Demonstrations? Target legislators?

• Letters to editors

• Educational forums and material

• ????????????????

MoveOn.org---Political Action

Make Them Pay Tax Day Protest

WHAT: Make Them Pay Tax Day Protest

WHO: Lexington-Frankfort Area MoveOn Members and Friends

WHERE: U. S. Post Office, 1088 Nandino Boulevard , Lexington, KY

WHEN: 5 PM-8 PM - April 18, 2011

On Tax Day, Lexington-Frankfort Area Residents To Protest Corporate Tax Dodger Chase Bank

Participants At “Make Them Pay” Event To Deliver Tax Bill To Chase Bank

On Monday, April 18, Tax Day, Lexington-Frankfort Area residents will protest outside Chase Bank and urge them to pay their fair share of taxes.

The event is part of a nationwide Tax Day campaign called “Make Them Pay.” Events similar to the one in the Lexington-Frankfort Area are taking place all over the country targeting “The Deadbeat Dozen”—GE, Bank of America, Google, BP, Amazon, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Boeing, ExxonMobil, FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Chase—wealthy corporations that are doing everything in their power to avoid paying taxes in America.

“During these difficult economic times, when all Americans are being asked to sacrifice, it is simply wrong that Chase Bank is shirking their American duty to pay their taxes,” said business owner Rikka Wallin. “We are protesting on Tax Day because corporate tax dodgers have a responsibility to our community and our nation to pay their fair share. We pay our taxes. Chase Bank should too.”

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR CONTACTS:

Rikka Wallin 859-272-9166

rikka@insightbb.com

Mike Mansfield 502-682-8704

revjmike@gmail.com

MoveOn.org Political Action is a political action committee powered by 5 million progressive Americans. We believe in the power of small donors and grassroots action to elect progressive leaders to office and to advance a progressive agenda. We do not accept any donations over $5,000, and the average donation to MoveOn.org Political Action is under $100.