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Tag Archives: GRO

Showdown in the Heartland

28 Wednesday Apr 2010

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bank of America, GRO, missouri, QC Holdings, Robin Acree, Showdown in the Heartland

“Bank of America, Bad for America!” chanted the crowd gathered in the shadow of the impregnable, forbidding Bank of America tower in Kansas City on Tuesday. A coalition of progressive groups brought a couple of hundred demonstrators to KC on Tuesday. The plan there, as in other cities on Tuesday, was to soften up “Bad for America” for Wednesday’s massive demonstration at the annual stockholders’ meeting in Charlotte, N.C. The Bad for America slogan was for openers. The rally goers had lots more:

“Bailout. No thanks.

Bust up. Big Banks.”

“Predatory lender.

Criminal offender.”

“Big banks, you suck.

You’ll do anything for a buck.”

“Who got the money, money?

Who got the money, money?

You got the money, money.

We got the bill.”

Okay, it’s doggerel. But does a pack of greedy dogs deserve anything better?

Too bad yesterday that we didn’t have a fly (with a video camera) on the local executive’s wall, because it must have chafed the suit and tie that he had to tolerate the de classe crowd on the public sidewalk in front of his domain. (As a group, we had to stay off their property. I ventured onto the plaza to take pictures and was politely instructed by a cop to move back to the sidewalk.) Anyway, a video of the exec’s remarks about us would probably have electrified a crowd that was already galvanized. Mr. Bank Exec had to play it gracious, though. When the hoi polloi wanted into the bank to deliver a letter with its demands, he ordered that the group’s representatives be allowed in with no fuss. Otherwise, we’d have just hung around on the sidewalk chanting and showing our signs to the passing traffic.

Robin Acree of GRO was gutsy and funny leading the rally. She called out the CEO of B of A, Brian Moynihan, for heading an operation responsible for more foreclosures than anybody else. She pointed to a picture parody of Don Early, head of the payday loan company QC Holdings. In Missouri, those bloodsuckers charge an average of 431 percent annually on loans.

And guess who the third largest shareholder in QC Holdings might be. Its name begins with Bank and ends with America.

 

Robin told the story of attending a hearing about payday loan companies in Hannibal–a meeting that was also attended by the Missouri payday loan industry spokeshole, Tom Linafelt. Out on the parking lot after the hearing, she heard him say to one of his buddies, “That group that was badmouthing us, that’s those people from Mexico, MO. They’re out to take us down.” Robin grinned at the memory and told the crowd, “Too right!”

    

Notice at the end of the video that some of us have more youth and bounce than some of the rest of us.

After having its say at Bad for America, the crowd moved on to the KC offices of QC Holdings, which is in an office building so expensive that the sign in front is marble with real gold hammered into the words “Corporate Woods.” QC Holdings is on the fifteenth floor. That’s private property. And a security guard with an attitude promptly said, in his snarkiest voice, that he was calling the cops. Once the cops came, they politely asked the group to leave, and the crowd departed.

Step a few presumptuous toes onto their private property, and you find out how gracious the well heeled really are.

75 years later, we need another WPA

09 Friday Apr 2010

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

GRO, missouri, WPA

I didn’t know that there’s a bill in Congress with 140 co-sponsors in the House to re-create the Depression era WPA. GRO (Grass Roots Organizing) is part of coalition of 60 national organizations pushing the bill. A press release from the Missouri chapter of GRO explains:

Mexico, Missouri GRO-Grass Roots Organizing today commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Works Progress Administration, a $10 billion federal program that placed millions of people in hundreds of thousands of jobs from 1935 until war production brought full employment in 1943.  

GRO – Grass Roots Organizing is marking the anniversary by calling upon Congress to pass

legislation by Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., that would put one million people to work almost

immediately, doing essential jobs in local communities across America. Miller’s Local Jobs for America Act, which already has gathered more than 100 cosponsors, is pending in committee. The

Local Jobs for America Act would provide $100 billion over two years to create or save a million public and private sector jobs; extend critical support to local communities to maintain essential services; and fund private sector job training to help local businesses put people back to work.

Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, William Clay and Russ Carnahan have announced their support

for the measure.
 GRO recognizes them for taking a stand to bring badly needed jobs to Missouri.

Missouri’s three actual Democrats in the House have signed on. 140 is a good start. Getting to 216 will require that quite a few of the House’s Ikes sign on as well.

March Forth on March Fourth

23 Tuesday Feb 2010

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

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GRO, March Forth on March Fourth, missouri

It’s one thing to hear about drastic state budget cuts; it’s another to hear from the people directly affected. GRO is sponsoring a Show-Me Showdown in Jeff City on Thursday, March 4th to spotlight some specific people who are being hurt.

The event is shaping up to be a huge solidarity rally for Thursday, March 4.

Working with people from across the state, we have made some great progress with turnout commitments!  We are headed to the Missouri State Capitol for the Show-Me Showdown because it’s about time for a face-off between the people and the greedy corporate elite interests!

We’re especially focusing on the harmful Missouri state budget cuts to the disability community, public sector jobs, state workers benefits, education, and health care…the list goes on. We want an economy and state legislature that works for us!

Will you join us on Thursday, March 4 for the Show-Me Showdown?  If so, GREAT!  Email lily@gromo.org or call toll-free (877) 581-9595 so that we can save your seat on the bus!

The Disability Rights Day Rally is 11:30 am, Monday, March 1 at the State Capitol!  They will hit the lawmakers when they arrive that week and we will get em’ right before they head home!

Some Details about the Show-Me Showdown day:

We’ve got buses coming from central and southeast Missouri and St. Louis and some vans from Kansas City.

The event kicks off promptly at 10:30 in Jefferson City on the south capitol steps with lively entertainment, heartfelt testimonials, street theater and action!

We are seeking out funds so we’ll cover lunch for anybody who signs up to ride with us. So far we’ve got 200 people who said that they are coming and we want hundreds more!

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