Nurses, PDA, and MoveOn join forces: Tax Wall Street/Heal America Campaign (video)

 Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), MoveOn.org, and local nurses are joining forces here in Tucson and nationwide to tell Congress that we are fed up with their coddling Wall Street, their failed 30-year experiment with trickle down economics, and their blatant disregard for Main Street America.

In a pre-Labor Day demonstration on Thursday, September 1, 2011, Tucson nurses and members of PDA and MoveOn will gather at the Tucson office of Senator Jon Kyl to urge him to “have a heart.” Kyl– not know for having a heart, except when it comes to corporate or military welfare– has been appointed to the 12-member Super Congress which will decide on future budget cuts— and hopefully revenue increases– to lessen the federal deficit.

Nationally, nurses are coming together to promote their Main Street Contract and urging all Americans to take the pledge to work toward achieving these goals:

• Jobs at living wages to reinvest in America.
• Equal access to quality, public education.
• Guaranteed healthcare with a single standard of care.
• A secure retirement with the ability to retire in dignity.
• Good housing, and protection from hunger.
• A safe and healthy environment.
• A just taxation system where corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share.

If you want to work toward these goals, come to Kyl’s office at 6840 N. Oracle Rd., Suite 150 at 6 p.m. Click here for a map. Click here to RSVP.

Here’s more information about the event in Tucson from the organizers…

As a member of the congressional “Super Committee,” Arizona Senator Jon Kyl has the power to be a “Super Hero” by making corporations and Wall Street pay their fair share. Or he can be a “Super Villain” by enacting budget cuts that will hurt millions of elderly, low income and middle class Americans. Join Progressive Democrats, Southern Arizona MoveOn, and local nurses for a September 1st “Main Street” action at Senator Jon Kyl’s office in Northwest Tucson. Tell Senator Kyl and the rest of the Super Committee to “Have a Heart.” We will be writing heart-shaped “heartfelt” messages to Sen. Kyl asking him to defend vital programs and make corporations and Wall Street pay their fair share.

Meet at 6 p.m. in front of Senator Jon Kyl’s office in Tucson for a speak out and sing along. We will videotape the event and send footage, along with a care package of heart-shaped letters asking Sen. Kyl to “have a heart” and defend social programs.

Let’s make sure our member of Congress is standing up for us by creating more jobs and putting our economy back on track for us—not just the rich and big corporations. I hope you can join me and other local MoveOn members.

Here’s background from PDA…

In more than 60 locations from Maine to California, the 170,000 registered nurse members of National Nurses United will be hosting events aimed at healing the damage done on Main Streets all over America by Wall Street’s special interests.

It may be that summer is coming to a close and fall is just around the corner, but for millions of people all over the country, months of economic hardship have made simple pleasures like holiday weekends or even backyard barbecues all but fond memories as homes are foreclosed, savings depleted and families struggle to make it from day to day. This is not the reality we want for our neighbors, our communities or ourselves. It is not the future we want for our children or our nation.

Not everyone has suffered, though. Quite the contrary. Those with the highest incomes and the most wealth have seen their fortunes expand even as millions lost what had taken them years to attain. So, if we are to challenge and to change the course before there is no turning back, we have to come together with our allies and fight to take this nation back.

PDA will join the nurses in these actions and events to show our solidarity. And, PDA fully supports the nurses’ Main Street Contract for America campaign, (click here to take the personal pledge). We stand with all who have suffered and are still suffering financial trauma and job loss, healthcare injustice, retirement insecurity, inadequate or unsafe housing situations, and other preventable damages to our communities. Nurses bring compassion, caring and community with them as they host events, and as any of us lucky enough to have been part of previous actions can attest, the nurses also bring passion, clarity and joy to the struggle.

For those for whom it is impossible to get to one of the many sites for the events, it is also possible to participate virtually by signing and sharing a petition in support of a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) structured strongly enough to make sure that those who caused the damage on Main Street are the ones who pay to repair that damage. The FTT could raise more than $350 billion dollars to help all of our communities. If you tweet, you can also use the Twitter petition targeted to Representative David Camp as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee to Support the Wall Street Transaction Tax. And better still, send these links far and wide within your own networks of friends and allies. This campaign is growing stronger every day, and the nurses want us all on board.

Let’s make this the best possible pre-Labor Day celebration of our shared commitment to one another. Join in. There is no time to waste.

Join Nurses Across the Country on September 1 to Demand a Tax on Wall Street