“BILLIONNAIRES FOR THE BAILOUTS” TO LOBBY HOUSE BANKING COMMITTEE BEFORE VOTE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:rnOctober 1, 2008. 5:45pmrnrnContact: Ruth Castel-Branco, 202.489.2273rnrn“BILLIONNAIRES FOR THE BAILOUTS” TO LOBBY HOUSE BANKING COMMITTEE BEFORE VOTErnrnWASHINGTON, DC- As the House gets ready to vote on a new set of bailout initiatives tomorrow, DC community, labor, student and faith organizations will be staging a rotating street theater action targeting the House Banking Committee on Capitol Hill.rnrnTitled “Billionaires for the Bailouts,” this satirical street theater piece aims to expose the inadequacy of the proposed bailout in resolving the economic crisis. “Wall Street expects a blank check from Congress and we want to send a loud, clear message to our reps that we, the taxpayers, will not stand for this kind of corporate greed,” said Mackenzie Baris, director of DC Jobs with Justice. “Any government recovery plan must be accountable to the people and to our needs. Working people need good jobs, affordable housing, affordable health care and secure pensions.” rnrnDC Jobs with Justice activists are calling for a Main Street rather than Wall Street recovery plan, even if such a plan takes longer to iron out.rnrn“It was strange to see those who had said everything was fine wake up one day last week and decide we were finally in a crisis and something had to be done,” said ACORN president Maude Hurd speaking about the fast-track approach Congress has taken. “We’ve known there was a crisis with foreclosures for more than a year now, and nothing Congress has done will make a dent in the crisis we see on Main Street. It is imperative that we continue to press for solutions to fix the underlying problem here: Unaffordable mortgages that families cannot afford.”rnrnDressed as the “Billionaires for the Bailouts,” DC Jobs with Justice activists will gather in front of the Capitol 10:30am tomorrow Thursday, October 2nd before entering to visit house banking committee members. This action is an excellent photo opportunity and part of several dozen actions taking place across the country as part of a National Day of Action.rnrn###