National Nurses United

NEWS BRIEFS Top minds gather for Robin Hood Tax conference NATIONAL ome of the top minds in the world in favor of levying a small sales tax on global financial transactions gathered with National Nurses United RNs, health activists, and other groups in Washington, D.C. in late October for a conference about how to encourage the adoption of what is often called a Robin Hood Tax. Attendees also braved the rain to rally and march through the streets of the capital, and to pay visits to Congressional legislators to ask for their support. A prominent proponent of financial transaction taxes, European Parliament Vice President Anni Podimata, gave a special briefing for U.S. Congressmembers describing how these financial transaction taxes are an innovative solution for raising hundreds of billions of dollars every year—a revenue generator now being implemented across Europe. "Above everything, we believe this is about fairness and justice," said Podimata to the conference attendees. "The FTT will become a reality because it's a fair tax. It's a means to shift part of the burden from citizens to S 8 N AT I O N A L N U R S E a sector which is admittedly undertaxed. It is politically unacceptable to have been increasing taxes on labor and pensioners and give into lobbyists claiming that the [financial] industry will not be able to withstand this tiny tax." Podimata was joined by noted economist Jeffrey Sachs; Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Judy Chu, John Conyers, and Donna Edwards; Wallace Turbeville, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker; and leaders of a campaign to enact a similar tax in the United States. H.R. 1579, also known as the Inclusive Prosperity Act or Robin Hood Tax, is now pending in Congress and could generate up to $350 billion a year to fund jobs, housing, healthcare, and fighting climate change and AIDS. W W W. N AT I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G The Robin Hood Tax campaign is endorsed by more than 160 local and national organizations. "With the financial transaction tax, we can raise the revenue we need and discourage excessive speculation on Wall Street," said Robert Pollin, an economics professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, in a presentation to the conference on Oct. 29. He noted that such taxes are levied in the world's second largest financial market, London, and the fastest-growing securities markets in the world, including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Russia. "If they can do it, so can we." NNU registered nurses were there to share stories about how funds from a Robin Hood Tax could be used to provide healthcare and alleviate human suffering. "We have to have this happen. Failure is not an option," said Karen Higgins, RN, co-president of National Nurses United and an ICU nurse in Boston. "I watch every day people coming in from the community that have insurance and are continuing to struggle. They're not following through [with care] because of copays. And we're seeing more and more children coming in with adult diseases." —Staff report NOVEMBER 2013

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