The 99% to Olympia: No more big bank tax cuts

by Nate Jackson Hundreds of silent protesters lined the halls beneath the state capitol dome.

We had dollar bills strapped over our mouths and watched as Washington State Legislators slinked by on their way to a party. It was hard to understand what they were celebrating. They had just rammed through a budget that slashes essential services while doling out more tax breaks to big banks. Activists and concerned community members from Washington CAN!, Fuse and Working Washington came to Olympia to do something about it.

This last week we have been in Olympia to tell our legislators that we won’t stand for a budget that does not reflect our values. Budgets are a moral statement. What we value, we should fund. We value quality education, affordable healthcare and good jobs for those that want to work. We reject continuing giveaways to big banks and tax breaks for the 1%. This budget passed by the Senate doesn’t reflect those values, and we can’t let it stand.

On Tuesday we had a sit in.

One of the main architects of the state senate all slash budget was State Senator Zarelli. So we went with dozens of people to send him a message: stop balancing the budget on the backs of the poor. Stop playing politics with people’s lives.

We sat in Senator Zarelli's office sharing our stories on how his all-cuts-all-the-time budget would directly affect our lives, leaving us wounded.

Will is a man who has is disabled and cannot work. He previously owned and operated a successful software company, but the sudden onset of a mental disorder stripped him of the ability to work. He is taking medications to combat the symptoms.

"Without the disability lifeline I couldn't afford my meds," he said. "I'd be in prison or dead."

He talked to the cluster of media cameras about how Senator Zarelli's budget would quite possibly end his independence.

"I'm getting better with the meds. I hope to be able to work soon," he said. "But this budget...it will take me again to a place where I won't be able to come back."

Senator Zarelli’s office called the cops.

On Wednesday we tried to appeal to the allegiances of the state senators who voted for the strip-healthcare-fund-big-banks-budget. We pretended our schools, clinics and universities were named after big banks.

Wearing baseball caps with names written on them like "Wells Fargo Elementary," "Citigroup Childcare," and "JP Morgan Chase Clinic," we asked our legislators if we could get funding now that we looked like their favorite constituents.

Senator Sheldon checked the “yes” box for big banks when it came to his budget vote, but he ran away from us when we asked him for funding now that we were big bank wannabes. He mumbled something under his breath and rushed off ducking around a corner. He was pretty fast.

Senator Rodney Tom, who also said yes to big bank loopholes, decided to talk to us in his office for quite a while. Too bad his argument was fundamentally flawed.

"When you negotiate you don't say 'here's my final offer right from the beginning," he said. "I trust the leadership; Murray and Zarelli will work this out. They know where I stand. Those things will get fixed."

Let's translate that from politician to English.

Imagine a bully in the playground is throwing his weight around. He is pushing and shoving and sees a good-natured kid waving at him. The bully strides over and demands five dollars. The kid, following Senator Tom's logic, should give the bully five dollars and then politely beg for one of them back.

Voting for a budget that goes against the values you “hold dear” doesn’t make any sense at all no matter how you spin it.

The state senate had shown where its values lay reaffirming their allegiance to the one percent and big banks by dishing out special tax breaks that annually run into the billions. Their budget cut deep: eliminating the disability lifeline, cutting environmental protection funding and stripping tens of millions from our already threadbare schools.

We value funding essential services like education and healthcare by having everyone paying their fair share. The big banks have taken enough bailouts and tax breaks. It’s time our state senators stop pretending the big banks need more public cash when services we actually care about are on the chopping block.

It’s time for the big banks and the 1% to pay their fair share. Budget problem solved.

Hundreds tell Wells Fargo: Pay your fair share!

By Nate Jackson On Tuesday, we gathered at Westlake Park to say we’ve had enough. We are sick and tired of Wells Fargo and other big corporations wiggling out of paying their fair share.We have done our part, but it’s time the big corporations did their part too. They need to pay their fair share.

After a short rally at Westlake, more than 200 of us marched to the Wells Fargo building brandishing a giant sized check emblazoned with the $18 Billion dollars in special tax benefits Wells Fargo has weaseled out of Congress. While cars honked in support, security guards quickly locked the doors and taped up xeroxed off signs saying the bank entrance was closed.

But we weren’t going to let that stop us. We came to Wells Fargo to send a message about their need to pay their fair share, and we were going to deliver it.

RJ Williams, standing on the raised platform of the steel sculpture right outside the main entrance to the Wells Fargo building, talked about how he was suffering from health care cuts caused by big corporations and the 1% not paying their fair share.

“I’ve beat cancer twice before,” he said. “I don’t know if I can beat it again if I don’t get the healthcare I need. Wells Fargo and the other ones need to do their part. I’ve already done mine.”

RJ wasn’t the only one connecting the dots between the big bank evading its taxes and the slashing of services that we need more than ever.

Joanne Julaton, a recent nursing graduate, was there because she sees the direct line between big corporations like Wells Fargo shirking their responsibilities and health care cuts that impact workers and patients.

“The money that Wells Fargo doesn’t pay should be going to public schools and especially healthcare,” she said. “Hospitals need that support and if they don’t get it they can’t hire. If Wells Fargo would pay their fair share, we would all be doing better.”

Members of El Comite, an immigrant rights groups, joined us at our rally and march too. They’re outraged by Wells Fargo’s investment in Geo Group, a company that runs private prisons which often double as immigration detention centers. That means Wells Fargo gets a return on investment when people get locked up. Money from misery.

Our economy is not working the way it needs to when a company like Wells Fargo can profit from foreclosures, bailouts, and private prisons and then save billions by dodging their taxes while the rest of us pay the price in cuts to healthcare, education, and other services.

So we’re going to keep up the pressure until we can make things right. Wells Fargo and the rest of the big corporations need to do their part and pay their fair share.

The media was in attendance as well: KIRO TV Wells Fargo Tax Evader

They're the Dirty Thirty: 30 big corporations who invest millions in lobbyists so they can avoid billions in taxes.

by Nate Jackson Your taxes should be based on how much you earn — it’s only fair. So why are there 30 big corporations who make big profits but haven’t paid their fair share for years? Could it have something to do with the millions they invest in lobbyists who push for special tax benefits?

Wells Fargo Bank is the worst corporate tax evader in the Dirty Thirty, and it’s time they paid their fair share. That’s why on Tuesday, January 31st we’re having a rally and march to the bank.

Since the big banks got bailed out in 2008, Wells Fargo has spent nearly $14 Million on a lobbying effort that has bought them an effective Federal income rate of 0%. In fact, they managed to get a $681 million Federal income tax refund on their $50 billion profit.

It’s the same story for the rest of the Dirty Thirty. These giant corporations, including General Electric, FedEx, and a slew of energy firms, have gamed the system to avoid paying their fair share. Basically, they’ve paid out millions in lobbying fees to evade billions in taxes.

It’s a good investment for them, but a disaster for us. All together they’ve sidestepped $200 billion in Federal Taxes. If these big corporations would pay their fair share, we’d have the resources we need to invest in our schools, rebuild our infrastructure, and secure a better future for our communities. Join us on Tuesday, January 31st at 12 noon to tell Wells Fargo it’s time for them to pay their fair share. We’ll rally at Westlake Park and then march to the big bank and tell them with all our voices that we’ve had enough of their paying lobbyists to win special tax benefits from our elected officials.

Thousands descend on "K" Street Lobbyists

by Nate Jackson Working Washington and other west coast community groups marched down from the National Mall to the infamous “K” street singing gospel songs, chanting and spilling out into the street. We were headed to a big 1% lobbying firm on our way to “K” street to make sure they got the memo. We were going to shine a light on their influence of our legislators. They are elected by us, and should be working for us.

“K” Street is the main hub of 1% lobbyists in Washington DC. It is home to dozens of firms who are hired by special interest 1% groups to influence, cajole and sway our elected officials. They look out for the 1% and leave the rest of us behind. Not this time. We had a message for them. Enough is enough.

Susie Escada, a woman from Tacoma lost her job. She has been working for 50 years.

“I just lost my job a year and a half ago,” she said. “I came to Washington DC because no one is hearing what we are saying. Congress is not willing to help the middle class or the working class anymore.”

Escada has been living off of unemployment insurance and it is nearly running out. This economy hasn’t just affected her; her daughter has had to move back in.

“How demoralizing,” she said. “My daughter is 47 years old and can’t find work. She had to move back in with me. Something needs to be done because they aren't listening to us.”

Hunter Marshall, a nursing student from Seattle came to DC because he is finishing school and has no prospects for a good job.

“It used to be that nursing was a steady job,” he said. “Health Care was supposed to be the golden ticket to a good job with good benefits. It’s just not the case anymore. It’s really hard to find a job right now.”

The problem is that our elected officials were too busy listening to the 1% lobbyists or looking out for their own special interests instead of doing the work for which they were elected, doing what is best for us, their constituents. That is why we were marching today on “K” Street.

Spirits were high as onlookers stopped in their tracks as we took over street after street. We were fired up and we were not going to be deterred. We swarmed by big banks, 1% lobbying firms and sub-prime mortgage lenders. We yelled “shame!” as we stopped by the big corporations like Wells Fargo and Citi Bank who got bailed out while they kicked us out of our homes.

The firms up and down “K” Street circulated warnings and memos to their workers and partners warning that the people were coming. There was extra security, locked doors and a massive police presence. They did not want to be held accountable by the 99%, but it was too late.

When we got to “K” street we were joined by other groups from the entire protest and our numbers rushed into the thousands. We shut down the intersection on “K” street and brought our message of jobs, not cuts directly to the people whose very job it was to cut jobs for the 99%.

We sang “We shall overcome” with a chorus of thousands. We chanted and danced in the streets. It was wonderful. Everyone helped each other and kept each other safe.

A few of us decided to make a stand. They locked arms in the middle of the intersection and refused to move. They were teachers, construction workers and clergy, unemployed and unafraid.

They were arrested, but not defeated. It was a choice to stand up for the 99% and show that the 1% have been holding the rest of us captive. The 1% lobbyists on “K” Street had the ear of our elected officials, but they never expected the people to show up to challenge that. It’s a challenge that we can and will win.

Whose Capitol is it anyway?

by Nate Jackson

The 1% don’t cast many votes, but they seem to own the Capitol anyway. They certainly pay for it, with their huge campaign donations and their army of corporate lobbyists.

Join us on Wednesday November 30th to highlight the 1% agenda in Olympia and speak out for what the 99% want: jobs, not cuts. But be warned: we expect representatives of the 1% to hold a counter-demonstration, so be on the lookout for ballgowns, top hats, and signs calling for still more cuts.

The State Legislature begins a special session this week to consider $2 billion in new cuts to critical state programs — cuts that come on top of the $10 billion they’ve already cut over the past few years.

We’ve sacrificed enough and we have a different vision for Washington.

We want something better for our state. That’s why community groups, working people, students, faith leaders, and others will be coming to Olympia this week for a week of action to Occupy the Capitol. Together, we’ll raise our voices and say “enough is enough — we need jobs, not cuts.”

Thousands gathered at the Capitol on Monday, starting off the week of action with a bang. There will be more action today. Then on Wednesday, Working Washington will be in Olympia to call attention to the agenda of the 1%.

Join us this Wednesday, November 30 in Olympia. At 10 am, we’ll meet in the Columbia Room in the legislative building in Olympia at 10 am and spread the word about what the top 1% really want from our state. Then at 12 noon we’ll rally on the steps of the Capitol and shine a public light on what the 1% has been doing all these years and call to account those who do their bidding.

The 1% may show up with their caviar and monocles and their proposals to slash education, health care and other public services. But we won’t back down.

Join us.

Nov: 10 The Port of Poverty celebrates the 1%

By Nate Jackson If you are the Port of Seattle and most of your workers make poverty level wages what do you do? You throw a party to celebrate your overpaid executives, the one percent.

The Port of Seattle calls itself “The Port of Prosperity." We call it the "Port of Poverty." The Port on November 10th is having a self-congratulating $1,750-a-table banquet for the overpaid executives. There is just one problem.  They forgot to invite the people who actually create the wealth of the port: the workers. That’s why we are holding our own banquet to honor the Port Workers at the Bell Harbor Conference Center at 5:30 pm.

It’s not the “Port of Prosperity” for workers. It’s the “Port of Poverty.” Workers are not treated with the respect they rightly deserve. No one understands that better than the airport workers who were just fired for praying.

26 Hertz airport workers were“ suspended” a few weeks ago for practicing their religion. Now they have been sacked.

Sadly, Hertz is far from the only port company that is taking advantage of its workers. The average worker at the ports are working poverty level jobs with no benefits, no job security and rules that change on managerial whims. Meanwhile, the Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani, still makes$400,000 a year. It’s not right and that’s why we are standing up for good jobs at the port.

On Thursday, November 10 we are holding our own banquet to honor workers who work hard every day, providing essential port services, and don’t get the respect we deserve. We stand together. Every job at the Port of Seattle should be a good job. Won't you join us at the Bell Harbor Conference Center at 5:30 pm?

This is our port and we should benefit from all our hard work.

November 5th: We’re breaking up with Big Banks.

By Nate Jackson Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JP Morgan Chase isn't just the top 1% — he's the top 1% of the top 1%.

On November 2nd, he came to Seattle to speak on "business leadership". Instead, we told him that we weren't satisfied with the kind of leadership he and the other big banks represent.

Our country is in a jobs crisis and the big banks are only making it worse. They have continued to lay off workers while giving CEOs bonuses, refused to modify loans to keep us in our homes and even charge folks when they use their EBT cards.

Enough is enough. It's over. It's time to break up with the big banks.

Too many of us are hurting from the unfair business practices of the Big Wall Street Banks. They put profit over people, think layoffs as good for their bottom line and Dimon even thinks that foreclosures are “giving debt relief.” That’s not what we believe.

We understand that in order to make lasting change we all need to work together. That’s why as a first major step, this Saturday, November 5^th we’re moving our money out of Big Wall Street Banks.They’ve had their chance and now we’re breaking up.

Chase Bank hasn’t been a good relationship. When they first took over Washington Mutual they fired 3400 employees as a way of introducing themselves to our state. They then raised fees on social services like EBT for which they were already being paid by the state at the ridiculous cost of $8 million a year, your tax dollars not at work.

Chase Bank didn’t stop there. They then gave even larger bonuses and pay to their CEO Jamie Dimon ballooning his pay to nearly $10,000 per hour. In fact, he is the highest paid banker in the United States. His earnings have exploded while he continues to foreclose on Washingtonians; nearly 10,000 and counting while making a profit on food stamps from folks who can least afford it.

We're breaking up with Big Banks because we've had enough with an economic system that keeps giving bailouts and bonuses to the big banks while the 99% are still struggling to find good jobs. We've had enough with a system that protects loopholes for private jets while cutting education and health care. And we've had enough with CEOs who make millions a year while they lay-off thousands of workers.

We’ve had enough and we’re not the only ones.In Long Island, New York the Village of Hempsted closed its Chase Bank account as a city to protest the unfair foreclosure and banking practices of JP Morgan Chase.

The city of San Jose moved nearly $1 Billion out of Bank of America as the city could not abide that huge international banks financial practices anymore in the face of the economic challenges of San Jose residents.

Even states are moving their money; Massachusetts has moved millions of dollars out of big banks Chase and Wells Fargo.

We’ve had enough of big banks profiting off of business practices that hurt the 99% and enrich shareholders and greedy CEOs who have benefited off of our hard work. We are standing up, and taking our hard earned money away from big banks that do not have our best interest at heart.

Join us on November 5 to say enough to business as usual, enough to giving our money to big banks that then hand it over to greedy CEOs and enough to rewarding big banks for laying us off.

We’ve had enough. We’ve talked enough and it’s time we started acting.

Who We Are-Dixie Mitchell

Dixie Mitchell talks about how she is facing foreclosure from a big wall street bank.