International Day of Action: February 26th 2011
Washington’s proposed budget for the coming year sends a clear message: The wrath of budget cuts will fall upon the shoulders of hard-working Americans.
Obama seeks to trim http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/13/ usa-budget obamaidUSN1323655420110213">$1.1 trillion</a> from the
budget in the next ten years by cutting or eliminating over 200
federal programs, many dedicated to social services and education. For
instance, it cuts in half funding to subsidize heating for low-income
Americans; limits an expansion of the Pell grant program for students;
and <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2011/02/budget-2012-
environmental-prot.html">decreases</a> Environmental Protection Agency
funding by over 12%.
Meanwhile, Republicans are using their new House majority to slash
spending even more brutally. The GOP has made it clear that they are
bent on raiding funds for Social Security, Medicare, education;
determined to kill <a href="http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/
20110219/NEWS01/102190303/1002/rss/House-adopts-Rehberg-measure-defund-
health-care-law?odyssey=nav|head">health care reform</a>; and gut
needed investments in infrastructure, climate change and job creation,
at a time when America needs it most.
These cuts will come on top of very painful austerity measures made at
the state-level across our nation–-<a href ="http://www.cbpp.org/cms/
index.cfm?fa=view&id=711">worth hundreds of billions</a>--since the
recession began.
In short, budget cuts demonstrate that Washington has abandoned
ordinary Americans.
<b>But there is an alternative: Make corporate tax avoiders pay.</b>
Enjoying record profits and taxpayer-funded bailouts as the economy
slowly recovers from a financial crisis, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/
2008/08/12/news/economy/corporate_taxes/">nearly two-thirds</a> of US
corporations don't pay any income taxes, instead opting to abuse tax
loopholes and offshore tax havens. According to <a href="http://
levin.senate.gov/newsroom/supporting/2009/PSI.GAOtaxhavensreport.
011609.pdf">this study</a> from the non-partisan Government
Accountability Office, 83 of the top 100 publicly traded corporations
that operate in the US exploit corporate tax havens. Since 2009,
America’s most profitable companies such as <a href="http:// motherjones.com/mojo/2010/04/exxon-mobil-paid-zero-income-tax-offshore %20shelter-wal-mart-general-electric-forbes">ExxonMobil</a>, <a
href="http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/16/news/companies/
ge_7000_tax_returns/">General Electric</a>, <a href="http://
www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/26/91119/bank-of-america-wells-fargo-migh...">Bank
of America</a> and <a href="http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Citigroup_
%28C%29/Data/Deferred_Income_Taxes/2010/Q3">Citigroup</a> all paid a
grand total of $0 in federal income taxes to Uncle Sam. Tax havens
alone account for up to <a href="http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/
Citigroup_%28C%29/Data/Deferred_Income_Taxes/2010/Q3">$1 trillion</a>
in tax revenue lost every decade, money that could be invested in K-12
education, colleges, public health, job creation and hundreds of other
worthy public programs.
If we pay our taxes, why don’t they? If corporations profit here,
shouldn't they pay here?
It’s time for ordinary Americans to fight back and demand an end to
the corporate tax avoidance.
II. CALL TO ACTION
US Uncut is calling for a national day of non-violent direct action
across on Saturday, February 26 2011. Groups of citizen volunteers in
cities throughout the U.S. will take actions targeting Bank of America
branches demanding that it pays its fair share.
If there is a Bank of America in your city, then it is the central
target for action on Saturday. (If there is not, then choose another
target locally; the website should have more information on other key
corporations soon.) In the years leading up to 2007, Bank of America
played a major hand in creating the largest financial crisis in recent
history, and it has received generous bailouts and avoided both
accountability and restitution. On top of that, it has doled out <a
href="http://www.seiu.org/2010/12/big-banks-bonus-bonanza.php">$35
billion</a> in bonuses and grew bigger as the largest bank in the
country, holding over <a href="http://www.ffiec.gov/nicpubweb/nicweb/
top50form.aspx">$2.2 trillion in total assets</a>. <b>Since 2008, Bank
of America has shown a negative income tax rate. This means that not
only have they not paid any taxes, they have received <a href="http://
www.nhregister.com/articles/2011/02/15/business/bb6_bizbankofamerica0...">$15
billion</a> from the US government.</b>
Our sister organization UK Uncut (who inspired this very movement, and
whom we are acting in solidarity with on the 26th) has provided a
great suggestion for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIHg3-
xYJlI">how to execute a direct action at a bank</a>:
These <a href="http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/actions/organise">two</a> <a
href="http://brightonuncut.wordpress.com/da-training/">links</a>
should also be helpful, until US Uncut has more on the website.
Stay tuned to US Uncut for more ideas for actions and for downloadable
flyers that can spread a coordinated message.
III: GENERAL GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1. We are trying to protect and improve the quality of life for
ordinary people that is currently threatened by an unfair tax code for
corporations.
2. Visit US Uncut’s website with regularity (but again, please be
patient while things start up), follow US Uncut on twitter.
3. All chapters use the logo as a sign of solidarity, which will reach
global proportions very soon. We are using a branding strategy that
corporations use -- against them.
4. US Uncut does not support violence against people or property.
5. Point 4 does not mean we cannot be forceful or assertive.
6. There is unique and enormous power in acting in unity, so where
possible, we will coordinate actions through the website.
7. Chapters, like anyone, are free to act autonomously.
8. US Uncut and its chapters are a non-hierarchical and decentralized
structure. Its success must rest on shared values, identity and
commitment.
9. By abiding by these values, creative and autonomous action can
flourish, as people can act independently.
10. Creativity is vital
US Uncut is a horizontal movement. There are no centrally planned protests. If you want one in your town or city, you'll have to take it on yourself. Read http://www.usuncut.org/blog/how-to-organise-an-action our blog about how to organize an action and visit our http://www.usuncut.org/actions to list it.
Also remember to visithttp://www.ukuncut.org.uk" UK Uncut for some inspiration.
See you on the streets.
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