[GPSCC-chat] S.F. Bank Action Tuesday, and more

[spencerg]

HI, Gerry, et al.:


       We are organizing a "Take Your Money and Run" effort here in 
Santa Clara County.  Anyone concerned may want to attend a "Food for 
Thought" event being organized for Saturday, May 22.  It will start at 5 
PM with snacks followed by dinner 5:15 - 6 PM, music 6 - 6:30 PM, then 
presentations and associated discussion 6:30 - 7:30 PM on Props 14 and 
15 and on abusive banks and what we can do.  Location to be announced 
later.


       I'm supposed to draft something for an announcement for the next 
Santa Clara County Green meeting, May 5th, 2010.  Merriam Kathleen is (I 
think) the primary organizer.  My role will be to provide some of the 
"raw meat" (figuratively), but I'd be pleased to have some help.  My two 
primary agendas for this are as follows:


             1.  Select a sensible, local alternative host for our 
checking account.  We currently bank with Wells Fargo.  We will leave as 
quickly as we can select someplace else to go to.  We thought that this 
is a task that would be better done with a group of like-minded people 
who can share the work of researching alternatives, so we are less 
likely to leave one unacceptable bank for something worse.


             2.  Find an organization to host a "Green Credit Card" with 
a contract that is half a page of simple English, easily understood and 
sensible.  The credit card I use the most is with United Services 
Automobile Association, but as far as I know, only accept current and 
former military and their families as clients.  We like them because 
they are a coop, not a corporation, they've treated us sensibly for over 
40 years, and we get a slight rebate on our credit card bills.  The 
"Green Credit Card" idea is partly to encourage people to "Take the 
pledge:  No credit card debt."


       If you want to reduce the bonuses senior banking executives give 
themselves, do not bank with a major bank, do not carry any credit card 
debt, and find a company that offers more sensible credit card service.


        More broadly, I believe that to grow the Green party, we need to 
become a social movement first and a political party second.  This is a 
first step in that direction.


       Comments?

       Best Wishes,
       Spencer Graves


On 4/25/2010 7:50 PM, Gerry Gras wrote:
>
> There are several actions around the country next week
> against banks.  Including one against Wells Fargo on
> Tuesday in San Francisco.
>
> Apparently there is an action against Bank of America in
> Syracuse (?!?).  I would expect one against BofA in
> California, but I have not found it yet.
>
> Here is general info:
>
> "Showdown on Wall Street and K Street"
>     http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/04/25-4
>
> "Showdown In America"
> ("Are you FED UP with Big Bank greed?"
>     http://showdowninamerica.org/
>
> And info about actions:
>     http://showdowninamerica.org/take-action
>
> And Tuesday's action against Wells Fargo in S.F.:
>     http://showdowninamerica.org/node/590
>
>
> Gerry
>
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>
-- 
Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
President and Chief Operating Officer
Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
751 Emerson Ct.
San José, CA 95126
ph:  408-655-4567