TAX THE BANKSTERS - PULL YOUR $$ OUT OF THEIR BANKS

Today I joined a protest at Citibank by Freedom Plaza occupiers. The bank had to close its doors for the hour we were there and customers had to be turned away.

Six of our folks went inside the bank and one at a time made statements and held signs. More than 40 of us then followed them inside the bank and were led in chants by a person with a megaphone. A film crew got the whole action. It took 20 minutes for the police to arrive to move us all out onto the sidewalk where we continued to chant, hold signs, and pass out flyers to people on the street.

Many in the public stopped to see what was going on but most of the "suits" passed us by refusing to take our flyers. It's interesting that these "fiscal conservatives," dressed in their pinstripes, don't seem at all troubled by the fact that Citibank hasn't paid any taxes during the last four years.

On November 5 a global day of action will be held to remove your money from the corporate banks and put it instead in small local banks and credit unions. Next we've got to figure out the credit card system as the big corporate banks control that market.

Here is a list of complaints against Citibank that was on the flyer we handed out:

1. Citigroup has paid ZERO corporate taxes for the last four years.

2. Citigroup has 427 subsidiaries in foreign tax havens to hide their profits.

3. Citigroup was the LARGEST recipient of federal bailout money-- $476 billion.

4. CEO John Havens receives $9.5 million annually, while paying their tellers $12.65 an hour.

5. Citigroup just posted a 3rd quarter net profit of $3.8 billion, a 74% increase over last year.

6. Their largest stockholder is the nephew of Saudi King Abdullah.

Speaking of banks and Wall Street $$$, today in the Washington Post there is a story that Obama has raised more money from the banksters and hedge fund types than any of the Republican presidential candidates. How can anyone doubt that Obama is not still seen as "the man" by the big Wall Street operators?

He's given them damn near everything they want and will keep doing so until the people rise up.

You can see that Post story here