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Protest in Hickory today against bailout plan

Hickory Daily Record

Published: September 25, 2008

HICKORY - Local citizens and members of TrueMajority.org today announced its participation in a national day of protest scheduled today in opposition to the $700 billion corporate bailout plan advanced by President Bush and Treasury Secretary Paulson. The protest will take place at 5 p.m. today in front of Rep. Patrick McHenry's Congressional Office at 87 Fourth St., NW, Hickory.

McHenry has spoken out against the bailout (see his response on Let's Talk Politics).

"From Wall Street to K Street to Main Street USA, we are speaking out against this terrible corporate giveaway," said Linda Osbon, local TrueMajority participant. "We are being asked to reward a bankrupt ideology that views government regulation as evil when, as recent events so aptly demonstrate, it is absolutely necessary."

The National day of protest features dozens of press conferences, demonstrations and other public events throughout the United States. Some of the events are being held by local and national organizations; others will be self-organized, spontaneous events involving individual taxpayers angered by the proposed corporate bailout, as introduced in Congress. Among the leaders of the organizing effort is TrueMajority.org, an online organization that has launched a Web site and notified its more than 600,000 members, urging them to take action against the plan.

Also assisting is the American Friends Service Committee, which is providing an 800 number for angry constituents to contact their representative and senators in Congress.

Osbon said that the bailout legislation would make it very difficult for Congress to invest in America's future in critical areas such as developing clean energy alternatives, improving education and infrastructure, and guaranteeing all Americans quality, affordable health care. She said any legislation that passes Congress must include a number of reforms aimed at protecting Americans and helping them by jump-starting the economy. "We must re-regulate the financial sector," Osbon said. "We must discourage additional foreclosures. We must limit the ability of CEOs of any institutions facing government takeover from lobbying and contributing to political campaigns. We must severely restrict executive compensation and golden parachutes. Finally, while we are helping Wall Street, we must lend a hand to Main Street. Congress must approve an economic recovery package for average American people."

Among the events taking place across the country: In New York City, nearly a thousand protestors will gather at 4 p.m. on Wall Street to engage in a demonstration fueled entirely by viral, word-of-mouth Internet activism. In Connecticut, activists will gather from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday in front of AIG company headquarters, 1 State St. in Hartford. In Minnesota, activists will gather at 5 p.m. Thursday in front of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis at 90 Hennepin Ave.

In Florida, members of the Florida Consumer Action Network will be phone canvassing their members, asking them to call their congressional delegation and urge a "no" vote on the Bush-Paulson bailout. The phone canvassing will occur from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at 3018 W. Kennedy Blvd, Suite B in Tampa.

-- Submitted by Linda Osbon on behalf of TrueMajority.org.