Our Freedom Is at Stake - Rise Up against the Corporate Coup!

Firefighters at Madison after the Senate GOP Broke a Law to Pass Walker's Bill

 Defend the Dream Rally

Tuesday, March 15, 5:15PM

In front of Elting Library, 93 Main St, New Paltz

We are witnessing a hostile, corporate take over of our democracy and the longest undeclared war in America's history - the war on the middle class. When adjusted for inflation the middle class has less money today then in 1971, while America's richest have made out like the bandits they are. And no one has done better than the nation's richest 1/10 of 1% . Four hundred individuals now have more wealth than half of the American population- over 150 million people combined! Republican governors like Walker, Scott, Christie, Corbett and others are not out to only bust unions, but to also replace democracy with autocratic rule and do the bidding of their corporate benefactors; the well being of their constituents be damned.

Consider Corbett in PA, who wants to install a coal company executive (and large contributor) who would be given unilateral authority to override all state agencies, nullifying PA citizens protections (think fracking). Corbett also wants to cut $1billion from preK through college, while increasing the state's $2 billion prison budget by 11%. His call to cut state colleges and universities by 50% could close two of our country's oldest, black colleges. He refuses to impose an extraction tax on gas companies that could raise $200 million a year, but he wants to cut almost $50 million from state environmental programs charged with overseeing  the Marcellus Shale industry, already charged with polluting drinking water in the state.

The Republican governor in Michigan, Rick Snyder claims authority to fire elected officials in cities and towns and install his own person to dictate how those municipalities are run. Under the guise of financial emergency, these "Emergency Managers" would also have the power to nullify all contracts, including collective bargaining ones. Snyder can even hire a private company to declare a city is in a financial emergency and let that company take over the city, including its state contracts. All of this can be without any input from the voters. This is the antithesis of democracy and big government at its very worse.

Corporate dollars are fueling this antidemocratic agenda. In Wisconsin, Walker's bill also allows him to sell off state power plants and heating and cooling facilities, in a no- bid, Halliburton style way. Forbes identified the three companies that could most benefit from this stipulation and surprise- they are all owned by Koch Industries, that pumped over $1 million into Walker's campaign.

Forbes called this part of the bill "highly irregular" and added, "If governors begin giving away public utilities in exchange for campaign support, we are all in big trouble."

Meanwhile, back in DC, Republicans are trying to slash vital programs like food for needy women, children and infants, home heating oil help for seniors, eviscerating the EPA and other cuts that could cost up to one million jobs! Tax cuts for billionaires continue. Tax dodging by corporations  continues. Republicans want to balance the budget on the backs of hard working American families who have already sacrificed enough and have been hurt the most by an economic mess they did not create! The GOP wants to share sacrifice as long as it doesn't involve them or their rich friends.

ARE WE JUST GOING TO TAKE THIS? NO, WE ARE NOT!

Join us tomorrow night for a national day of action to Defend the Dream! We will be standing in solidarity with Wisconsin and all American workers and to demand that the rich and corporations pay their fair share! There are hundreds of these rallies planned for Tuesday, March 15, organized through MoveOn. Sign up to attend the one in New Paltz  here, or find one near you here. Or you can sign up on FaceBook. We hope to have many members of local unions joining us! We all need to stand strong together to Defend the American Dream!

"  If American workers are being denied their right to organize and collectively bargain when I'm in the White House, I'll put on a comfortable pair of shoes myself. I'll walk on that picket line with you as president of the United States of America because workers deserve to know that somebody is standing in their corner."   Remind President Obama of his campaign speech in 2007. 202 456-1414.