Next week, the members of the American Bankers Association (ABA) are congregating at the Sheraton in downtown Chicago for their annual conference, with appearances by conservative Republican commentators Newt Gingrich and George Will. During the three-day conference, SEIU, Action Now, National People's Action, and dozens of other activist organizations will hold a series of events highlighting the growing discontent with big banks and their over-reliance on greed and profits at taxpayers' expense.
On the Huffington Post, SEIU's Anna Burger discusses why progressives won't be letting the banksters party in peace this Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in Chicago:
The financial section of the newspaper is starting to read like the script for a far-fetched crime movie. A group of villains hatch a plot to steal trillions of dollars from unsuspecting Americans. They drive the country into economic chaos, funnel money from families and small businesses into their own pockets, then leave all of us to clean up their mess. And not only do they get away with it, they pay themselves billion dollar bonuses and throw lavish parties to celebrate their conquest.
But this isn't a movie, it's really happening. Wall Street bankers have taken $17.8 trillion of our tax dollars through bailouts and turned them into massive pay and bonuses for themselves. Goldman Sachs alone is expected to pay more than $23 billion just in bonuses this year; that's more than $43,000 a minute, every minute.
So, my question to you is: if you could get all the architects of this scam together in one place, what would you say to them?
Hurry up and decide, because they're all getting together in Chicago this weekend -- and we're headed there to meet them.
The big bank execs are gathering in the Windy City for the American Bankers Association conference. It's a four day celebration of wealth and opulence; some of the items on the agenda include a roaring 1920s swing dancing party, a luxurious riverboat cruise, and celebrity appearances from Newt Gingrich and George Will. And it's all funded with our tax dollars.
Read the rest of Anna's piece on Huffington Post here.
Full report on ABA's actions to lobby against financial reform here. Check out the schedule of the three days of actions in Chicago here, as well as after the break.
Note: If you're a blogger who'd like to cover the largest protest against big bank greed since the financial crisis, please contact john[dot]vandeventer[at]seiu.org or kate[dot]thomas[at]seiu.org.
National Taxpayer Mobilization to Break Bank Greed
WHAT: Taxpayers converge on Goldman Sachs CEO's NYC home to demand the bank use billions in bonuses to help alleviate foreclosures and job loss before heading to Chicago.
WHO: Hundreds of working families and community groups
WHEN & WHERE: 11:15 am EDT
15 Central Park West, New York, NY
WHAT: Taxpayers put big banks and Wall Street on trial for breaking their commitments to the American taxpayers.
WHO: Hundreds of taxpayers from across the country who've lost their jobs, homes, and retirement security because of the economic crisis, workers, community leaders and allies, and academics.
WHEN & WHERE: 4:30 pm CDT
Hyatt Regency Chicago
151 East Wacker Drive
WHAT: Demonstrations at Goldman Sachs and outside American Bankers Association.
WHO: More than 1,000 retirees, family farmers, clergy, workers, students, homeowners, and community allies.
WHEN & WHERE: 10:30 am CDT - Goldman Sachs Chicago Headquarters
71 S. Wacker, Chicago
Taxpayers will ask Goldman Sachs to donate its entire projected $23 billion dollar bonus pool to prevent every foreclosure in America in 2010 AND lift one million families out of the poverty and joblessness.
12:00 pm CDT - Demonstration outside American Bankers Association convention, 301 East North Water Street
WHAT: Taxpayer march on American Bankers Association conference to demand banks stop lobbying against needed financial reform.
WHO: More than 5,000 workers, clergy, and community allies and leaders from 20 cities.
WHEN & WHERE: 10:00 am CDT - Prayer vigil at Intersection of Wacker and Stetson.
10:30 am CDT - March begins at Intersection of Wacker and Stetson.
11:00 am CDT- Rally outside the Sheraton Hotel, 301 E. North Water St. Crowd will assemble on Park Dr.
* Live photos and videos from the events will be posted to www.seiu.org/bigbanks , www.StopBankGreed.org , or www.ShowdownInChicago.org for more details as the events unfold.
Groups participating in the three days of mobilizations include: A New Way Forward, AFL-CIO, Action Now, Albany Park Neighborhood Council, Alliance to Develop Power (ADP), Americans for Fairness in Lending, Americans for Financial Reform, ARISE Chicago, Brighten Park Neighborhood Council, Central Illinois Organizing Project (CIOP), Center for Community Change (CCC), Change in Terms, Change to Win, Citizen Action, Chicago Coalition of the Homeless, Communities United for Action (CUFA), Community Voices Heard (CVH), Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization (CCISCO), Grassroots Collaborative, Green Party of Nevada, Fuerza Laboral/Power of Workers, Illinois Hunger Coalition, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Jobs with Justice, Gender Just Metanoia Centers, Inc., Michigan People's Action (MPA), MoveOn, National People's Action, Northside Action for Justice, Northside POWER, Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition, People Organized for West Side Renewal (POWER), PUSH Buffalo, Right to the City Alliance, Rights for All People (RAP), Roomdad Productions, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), SEIU Illinois State Council, SOUL, South Austin Coalition Community Council (SACCC), Sunflower Community Action, Syracuse United Neighbors (SUN), Teach Our Children (TOC), The Grassroots Collaborate, UE, UCLA Undergraduate Students Association, Workers United, and Working In Neighborhoods (WIN)
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