The Big Banks – yes, the same ones that cause the economic crisis, demanded a bailout, and are back to record profits and bonuses while joblessness remains at crisis levels – are trying to undo the financial reforms we won last year and trying to get out of being held accountable for their financial fraud.

We can’t let them get away with it.  Please take three minutes to keep banks accountable.

1. Call your state’s Attorney General TODAY at 866-200-6444 to demand a strong settlement against the Big Banks.  Say something like, “My Name is [NAME]. I am a resident of [STATE]. The Attorney General must come out in support a settlement that provides justice for millions of homeowners and holds the big banks accountable for their crimes. Nothing less is acceptable.” Today is a national call-in day.
2. Email Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to demand that derivatives, a financial tool that was a major cause of the financial crisis, not be exempted from regulation
3. Tell Congress:  Don’t strip the bank regulators of the funds to do the job

The big banks

Continue reading Don’t let the Big Banks get away with it

The same Wall Street and corporate CEOs that created the economic crisis which caused budget shortfalls are financing the attack on workers and the middle class in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and elsewhere.

Wall Street recklessness and corporate greed wrecked our economy, eliminated millions of jobs, damaged our communities and forced millions from their homes.  The corporate criminals got bailed out and are back to record profits, record cash reserves and big bonuses as usual.  Jobs with Justice coalitions and allies won some valuable bank reforms in the first round, but the struggle continues.  Don’t let them get away with corporate crime!

Wall Street and the US Chamber of Commerce are quietly trying to undermine any effort to hold banksters accountable for their massive fraud.  They are trying to

Continue reading Oscar Winner Asks: Are banks “too big to jail”?

They said we couldn’t do it, but they were wrong.  JwJ and our partners out-organized the big banks!

On Thursday, two years after the financial meltdown that has spiraled into the worst economic crisis in a generation, the Senate finally voted to approve the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act.  This financial reform bill takes some key steps towards breaking the control that Wall Street has over our country.

This important victory is just the beginning.  We will continue organizing to hold the big banks accountable and work to ensure that the banks who profit from our money benefit our communities.

They said we couldn’t do it.  But they were wrong.  JwJ and our partners overcame $1.5 Million PER DAY of banker lobbying!

On Thursday, the Senate plans to vote on the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act.  This financial reform bill that takes some key steps towards breaking the control that Wall Street has over our country — and we need everyone to ACT NOW to pass it!

Last summer, insiders pronounced banking reform “dead.” They said ‘everyone’ had forgotten about the Wall Street bailout and the obscene bonuses — and that Congress was too dependent on bank money as it approached election season to do anything that would actually make a difference.  But a series of mobilizations across the country kept the heat on Congress and an important step towards breaking the power of the banks is within our grasp.

Let’s be real:  The Dodd-Frank bill, already passed by the US House, is not the end of the struggle.  The big banks are still too big.  They still need to be broken up and

Continue reading ACT NOW to Hold Banks Accountable

Wall Street recklessness and corporate greed have destroyed our economy and hijacked our democracy.  Corporate lobbyists representing the big banks paved the way to deregulate Wall Street, and now they’re standing in the way of reforms that would protect people and strengthen our economy.

Wall Street has a DC address. K Street is where the corporate lobbyists have their offices and plot their schemes to buy and sell politicians like commodities on the stock exchange.  Since last year and so far through 2010, big banks are spending about $1.4 million a day in lobbying and political expenses to fight reform.  There are four Big Bank lobbyists for every member of Congress.

Join Jobs with

Continue reading Showdown on K Street Monday, May 17th

We are building a movement.

Since January, Jobs with Justice has been working with labor and community partners to send a message to Congress:  Rein in Wall Street.  We need good jobs, now.

The work of Jobs with Justice members, activists, and allies is starting to add up to a national movement that is changing the debate in Washington, and our momentum is building.  Just last week, the Senate overcame a threatened Republican filibuster and brought us closer to meaningful reform of Wall Street.  Senator Durbin, the #2 Democrat, spoke out in favor of an amendment to cut down the size of “too-big-to-fail” banks.  We also learned that the Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation of Goldman Sachs.

Over the last few months, Jobs with Justice activists and allies have been out on the streets time and time again to take our message to the banks and to Congress.  Last week, JwJ was part of mobilizations challenging Wall Street and corporate greed in San Francisco, Kansas City, Denver, Chicago, and New York City.

Continue reading Keep the Pressure on to Rein in Wall Street, Demand Good Jobs