Demonstrations: No Blank Check for Wall Street Scam Artists!

PALO ALTO: Thursday, September 25, 4:30 - 6:00 PM
Lytton Plaza, University Ave. and Emerson St., Palo Alto
"No Blank Check for Wall Street" picket and petitioning. Bring signs, some materials provided. Help us circulate petitions to Congress to stop the blank check.
Sponsored by Peninsula Peace and Justice Center ~ http://www.PeaceandJustice.org ~ 650-326-8837.

SAN MATEO: Thursday, September 25, 5:00 PM
Outside Congresswoman Jackie Speier's Office, Fourth Ave. and El Camino Real, San Mateo
Let the community know that Peace Action sees this as a critical PEACE AND JUSTICE issue.
Sponsored by Peace Action of San Mateo County ~ http://www.SanMateoPeaceAction.org ~ 650-342-8244.

SAN JOSE: Thursday, September 25, 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library Steps, 150 E. San Fernando St., San Jose
Speak Out about the Bailout--No Blank Check for the Wall Street Con Men!! COME OUT and SPEAK OUT.
Sponsored by San Jose Peace and Justice Center ~ http://www.SanJosePeace.org ~ 408-297-2299.

Background: George Bush will address the nation Wednesday night about the Wall Street bailout. We need to push back! If Congress is going to hand over $700 billion in taxpayers' money--which seems more than likely--then the taxpayers should get something out of it.

Congress is moving rapidly--far too rapidly--on legislation to bail out Wall Street scam artists whose unfettered greed and fraudulent accounting practices have brought the country's financial systems to the brink of collapse. Rather than getting a bailout, they should be posting bail for their criminal conduct.

But that isn't going to happen. Congress is going to write the check. It is clear that no level of protest from the people who will be paying for this Authorization for the Use of Financial Force will be able to stop the steamroller. (A Rasmussen poll yesterday found only 25% support for the massive bailout.)

Faced with this situation, Representatives and Senators need to hear from their constituents immediately. We demand that the bailout bill have some strong and meaningful common-sense controls--not just the blank check that the Bush White House is demanding. If we the people are going to finance this fiasco, we demand:

* Equity ownership for taxpayers in any corporation receiving bailout money.
* Strong re-regulation of Wall Street and significant public oversight of the bailout.
* No "golden parachutes" for executives of failing corporations; restrictions on CEO salaries.
* Help for Main Street as well as Wall Street: An immediate freeze on foreclosures; help refinancing mortgages; extensions of unemployment benefits and food stamps; government investment in infrastructure projects that will create jobs.
* No more closed-door lobbying by the financial services industry.