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Two Things You Can Do This Month to Break Your Abusive Relationship with Capitalism

Leah Fried has been an union organizer for 12 years. She helped organize and carry out the Republic Windows and Doors factory occupation and is featured in the new Michael Moore movie, 'Capitalism: A Love Story.'

By Leah Fried

Capitalism is fundamentally undemocratic and un-American. Yep, Michael Moore said it -- out loud and in a movie!

When you go see Capitalism: A Love Story you will be told that the reason you have those feelings of being abused, misled and ignored by corporate America (and most of our elected officials) is because you ARE being abused, misled and ignored.  You aren’t crazy, and you are right to be pissed off!

So now what?  It’s time to do something.  It’s time to act!  All over this country people are demanding that our economy work for us -- not the rich and powerful, but the majority of people.  

There are two things you can do this month.

First of all, you have to call, write and email your Senators over the health care bill.  This week the fight is in the Senate, as they work to merge two bills -- the Baucus finance committee bill and the HELP committee bill.  The Baucus bill benefits the health insurance companies and is worse than no reform at all, whereas the HELP committee bill includes a public option.  Of course I prefer a single-payer health care plan (Medicare for All) and I will definitely tell my senators that a national health plan would be the best solution, but also that I strongly prefer the HELP bill over the disaster that is the Baucus bill.  To find your senator’s contact information visit:  http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.

Secondly, you’ll get your chance to demand accountability from corporate America on October 27th in Chicago when the American Bankers Association comes to the city.  We are holding the World’s Largest Shareholders Meeting in the streets to demand they pay us back the bailout money and hand over their billions in bonuses to the people -- to be invested in saving people’s homes, jobs and neighborhoods. They took this bailout and then proceeded to make things even worse by refusing credit to businesses, refusing to negotiate with homeowners to keep them in their houses, refusing to invest in our economy.

Join workers from Quad City Die Casting, where Wells Fargo cut off credit causing over 100 people to lose their jobs on September 4th.  UE members at that factory got arrested blocking the road to demonstrate that Wells Fargo is a roadblock to economic recovery.  Wells Fargo is refusing to pay workers their earned vacation and $45,000 in medical bills the workers got stuck with when the company illegally and retroactively canceled their health insurance.

The AFL-CIO, Change to Win, UE, Jobs with Justice, Action Now, National People’s Action and a host of community and religious organizations will be there in the thousands to demand an end to this abuse by the banks.

To learn more about all of these stories and upcoming mobilizations visit www.ueunion.org.  UE is a independent, democratic union that is working hard to make the next Republic Windows and Doors plant occupation happen!

Leah Fried has been an union organizer with the UE (United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America) for 12 years.  She helped organize and carry out the Republic Windows and Doors factory occupation last December.  Leah appears in the new Michael Moore film 'Capitalism:  A Love Story.' She is tired of being in an abusive relationship with Capitalism, and declares: "Its time to realize Capitalism doesn't love us back -- lets leave him for good!"  Leah lives in Chicago with her organizer husband Jose and Jedi knight son Sam.