By Nathan Jackson
99% SuperPACs have been meeting from South to North Seattle and across from Tacoma to Bellevue. We are dedicated groups coming together to bring forward the issues that really matter to the 99%: good jobs, affordable healthcare, and political system that isn’t rigged against us. We learn about what causes these problems, like our free screening of the film “Heist: who stole the American Dream,” and then we get to the action.
Last month, 99% SuperPAC activists from across King County joined up to march against cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. We stomped down from the First Hill neighborhood to the International District gaining support from medical workers as we marched. Some of them spoke at the rally raising their concerns about their patients being left behind as politicians continue to slash budgets of essential health services.
Then we got word of a couple of 1% fundraisers for Republican McKenna. He has through his campaign promises and shown that he would not put the needs of the 99% above those of the 1%. So we decided to crash their parties.
McKenna spoke before the Washington Apartment Association, known for trying to make booting us out of our homes easier, and glad handed as they attempted to raise thousands of dollars for him as a fellow traveler.
The Washington Apartment Association asked McKenna what his priorities would be if he was elected governor. McKenna’s answer? Nothing about good jobs. Nothing about closing tax loopholes for the big corporations and richest amongst us. Nothing about lowering healthcare costs or ensuring that the 99% have a fair shot. Mostly just more tax giveaways for businesses.
In the same day the Washington Restaurant Association (WRA), a lobbying group probably best known for depressing restaurant workers’ wages, held a fundraiser for McKenna since he has similar beliefs. In fact, he was the one who gave them the advice that a sub minimum wage, a so called “training wage,” was something the WRA should lobby for.
The location? Bellevue restaurant El Gaucho, where their steaks range from $65 - $125 a pop.
The Washington Restaurant Association had a few drinks with McKenna and tried to raise $10,000 for their chosen candidate. We were outside waving signs, chanting and hearing stories from workers who were struggling to make ends meet from the depressed wages they got from the same folks who were swirling wine in glasses a few feet away.
We also had a crack team of activists inside the restaurant undercover. Right in the middle of another “blah-blah- you-are-just-like-us-wanting-to-cut-minimum-wage” speech, the inside team started to mic-check.
We are gaining momentum and one of the ways we can keep this going, besides y’all getting even more involved, is to make sure that we aren’t forgetting that little thing called voting.
As you know this is an election year and in Washington State we have until October 8th to make sure we are registered to vote. If you’re already registered you can check here at this link to make sure your address and all that is up to date: www.myvote.wa.gov. You can also register there if you haven’t already.
If you can forward this information to friends and family as unfortunately there are still folks who aren’t registered. In 2008, 6 million people didn’t cast their votes because they either missed the deadlines or hadn’t updated their information.
We're also launching a major "Get Out The Vote" campaign.
You can sign up to volunteer following the link here: Get Out The Vote.
Imagine what we could accomplish if we all made our voices heard both on election day and afterwards. If we all stood up, sent in our ballots and then held those elected officials accountable to us, the 99%, what a difference we could make.
Let’s keep the momentum rolling here in Washington State. We need to get registered, vote, get organized and keep taking actions to take it to the 1%. The 99% is bigger than them and together we can get justice.