Big banks and Wall Street crashed the economy in 2008 and left taxpayers to pay for the clean-up. Now, even though banks are once again making massive profits, they're choking loans and job creation. What's worse, many big banks pay next to nothing in taxes, while politicians are pushing to cut funding for Medicare, Social Security, education and other programs for working people.
Today, the United NY coalition, which includes New York SEIU Locals 1199SEIU and 32BJ, are organizing seniors and community members to hold "Knit-Ins" at bank branches throughout NYC and Long Island with the theme "Save Medicare- Make Big Banks Pay their Share." The seniors will visit banks with knitting circles to create blankets that say "Save Medicare," which they will later hand-deliver to members of Congress during the August recess. Vickie Owens, a 69-year-old retired health professional and senior rights activist from the Bronx, shares why she's taking part in the knit-in:
"Medicare is absolutely essential for my health, I have diabetes and need medications and constant treatment. We bailed out the big banks, got them on their feet, and now they just want to throw us taxpayers and senior citizens to the dogs."
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