National Nurses United

RAD_June 2011 6/30/11 12:43 PM Page 9 RoseAnn DeMoro Executive Director, National Nurses United Making Wall Street Pay Nurses know it's high time to force the corporations that broke our economy to pony up the money to fix it. F media would have us believe that the big cause of bankruptcy. Our children are in rom maine to California, corporations will leave this country if overcrowded classrooms and our sick in nurses have launched a asked to pay their fair share. We've heard overflowing emergency rooms. Soup campaign for a new direction that story before. Corporate America has kitchens, food pantries, and food stamps for America to reverse the received an endless stream of tax cuts, have become the new norm for 49 million disastrous course of policies bailouts, loopholes, shelters, rollbacks in households. that demand ever more hardregulations, and other handouts that have At the same time, economic wealth is ship for Main Street while giving more tax fueled their economic bonanza and lavish concentrated among a shrinking percentage breaks and special favors to Wall Street. lifestyles. But what have they given back in of the super rich, and corporations make National Nurses United proposes a Main return other than spiraling unemployrecord profits while nearly 60 percent of Street Contract for the American People to ment, and demands for more and more U.S. firms paid no taxes for a year or more reclaim an economy premised on good jobs corporate charity? the past decade. at living wages, healthcare for all, quality It's a sad fact that we have to shake up America has the wealth to end the education, good housing, protection from Wall Street and Washington to persuade the despair and deprivation; it's just being hunger, a safe environment, and a secure policy makers that the most pressing probhoarded by those on Wall Street and retirement for everyone. lem in America is not the debt ceiling, or corporate board rooms, and the politiIt's a program that says we've all had how much they can slash Medicare or Social cians they elect and control to protect enough of the calls for "shared sacrifice," Security. their privilege. where all the concessions come from There's a reason that so many politicians To reclaim this nation, that's where we working people while resources continue are unwilling to look beyond their corridors have to start. To make Wall Street pay. A to be transferred to those who need it the to the wreckage and hurt in our least. communities. As one CongresA big rally in Washington, Corporate America has received an sional aide recently told NNU, D.C. in early June astride the endless stream of tax cuts, bailouts, "Wall Street runs this place." White House and the loopholes, shelters, rollbacks in But there is an antidote in Chamber of Commerce, the regulations, and other handouts that the collective voices that can lobbying arm for big busihave fueled their economic bonanza ring out from coast to coast, ness, kicked off this effort. and lavish lifestyles. But what have like the ones that have been Nurses stepped it up on they given back in return other than shaking Madison, Lansing, June 22 with a protest on spiraling unemployment, and demands Columbus, and other cities Wall Street in New York to for more and more corporate charity? this year. demand that the high rollers As part of our Main Street who created the economic campaign, NNU is asking crisis pay to rebuild America. people to tell us their stories. How is your first step, the one nurses and many others in The message is directed to policy family facing the economic struggles labor and community groups have makers in Washington and state capitals endured by so many? Read the stories nursembraced, is a tax on Wall Street greed and who push for deeper cuts in jobs, educaes across the country are sharing at speculation. tion, healthcare, retirement plans, secure www.nationalnursesunited.org/ It would be a small fee on the buying and housing, protection from hunger, and selling of stocks, bonds, credit default swaps, blog/entry/stories-from-main-street/. And, other bedrock programs that are not just please tell us where it hurts, at www.nationderivatives – all that speculative activity that a "safety net," they are the foundation of alnursesunited.org/story. brought foreclosures and ruin to so many our society. We'll use these accounts to make the case and brought so little in return. Europeans We have become a nation of communifor change in policies and priorities and for are on the verge of enacting a similar tax, ties and people who are enduring uncona rebirth for our nation. It's long overdue. and our June 22 action was held in concert scionable pain through staggering with events across Europe for a financial unemployment. Millions of people have transaction tax. given up looking for work and are facing RoseAnn DeMoro is executive director of National The lobbyists and their shills in the unpayable medical bills that are the main Nurses United. JUNE 2011 W W W. N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N AT I O N A L N U R S E 9

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