AUC Calls on the Former Alaska Governor to Use Platform to Support Financial Reform
On the Eve of Sarah Palin's Keynote Address to the National Tea Party Convention, Americans United for Change Calls on the Former Alaska Governor to Use Platform to Urge Republican Colleagues in Washington to Support Financial Reform
They Really Need to Hear It -- Wall Street Journal, 2/4/10: "GOP Chases Wall Street Donors"
WSJ: "Judson Phillips, a Tennessee attorney and organizer of the convention, says the tea-party movement, disparate as it is, includes many people "who believe that Congress pays far too much attention to Wall Street and not enough attention to Main Street." ["No Seat for Wall Street at Tea Party," Wall Street Journal, 1/12/10]
Washington DC - On the eve of Sarah Palin's $100,000 keynote address to the national Tea Party convention in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, Americans United for Change called on the former Alaska governor to take the opportunity to urge her Republican colleagues in Washington to support financial regulatory reform while addressing a crowd "who believe that Congress pays far too much attention to Wall Street and not enough attention to Main Street."
Palin's speech comes fresh on the heels of a new TV ad AUFC is airing this week called ‘Pigs at the Trough' urging Congress to pass President Obama's financial regulatory reform plan to hold Wall Street accountable and prevent another financial crisis. The speech also follows a stunning report from the Wall Street Journal this week that the Republican leadership has their hands out for campaign cash from Wall Street as compensation for obstructing financial reform.
Tom McMahon, Acting Executive Director, Americans United for Change: "Those tea party convention goers frustrated with Washington politicians being too cozy with Wall Street over the needs of Main Street might have some choice words for the Republican leadership today. In the aftermath a catastrophic financial collapse brought about by greedy and reckless behavior on Wall Street, Congressional Republicans circled their wagons around those responsible by trying to kill any and all financial reform - and now they are actually demanding compensation for their services from executives on Wall Street. House Minority Leader John Boehner, in particular, ought to be red faced with embarrassment.
"Will Sarah Palin take this opportunity to address the anger and frustration she will no doubt hear from tea partiers that Wall Street is back to their old ways after millions of lost jobs, billions in tax-payer funded bailouts and trillions of lost retirement savings? Will she tell her Republican colleagues to clean up their act and answer President Obama's call to pass financial regulatory reform that will finally hold Wall Street accountable and help prevent another financial crisis?
Ø Wall Street Journal: "GOP Chases Wall Street Donors." "Republicans are stepping up their campaign to win donations from Wall Street, trying to capitalize on an increasing sense of regret among executives at big financial institutions for backing Democrats in 2008. In discussions with Wall Street executives, Republicans are striving to make the case that they are banks' best hope of preventing President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats from cracking down on Wall Street. GOP strategists hope to benefit from the reaction to the White House's populist rhetoric and proposals, which range from sharp critiques of bonuses to a tax on big Wall Street banks, caps on executive pay and curbs on business practices deemed too risky." [Wall Street Journal, 2/4/10]
Ø Roll Call: "House Republicans Huddle With Lobbyists to Kill Financial Reform Bill." "In a call to arms, House Republican leaders met with more than 100 lobbyists at the Capitol Visitors Center on Tuesday afternoon to try to fight back against financial regulatory overhaul legislation. [Roll Call, 12/8/09]
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