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Occupy Sonoma, recover democracy

Editor, Index-Tribune:

 

All across this country we are rising up to defend democracy against the overwhelming monied influence of the yacht class, 1 percent no tax set, who think they can purchase our politics like a commodity. They even own their own networks to sell it on. We live in desperate times.

We have all witnessed, or endured, increasing poverty, waves of foreclosure, many more homeless, families cut adrift, jobless and afraid. This crisis represents the final historical dead-end of the unregulated "free market" greed-fest of the Greenspan era over the last few decades. We are now paying the price. Some more than others.

We, the American people, bailed out Wall Street. That favor was not returned. Main Street was cut out.

Now the bill is due. Wall Street must pay for the damages of their decades of excess. But, as it stands, their only program is to socialize their losses, and privatize the gains. We insist on accountability and shared sacrifice. We believe that we are all in this together, and that our solidarity can awaken a new spirit in America.

Join us in the Sonoma Plaza this Friday at 5 p.m.. Stand and march in the public square for economic and social justice in the U.S.

The change we want:

1. Foreclosure moratorium.

2. Financial transaction tax.

3. Tax fairness: end Bush-era cuts for the rich.

4. Prosecute financial malfeasance.

5. Restore public sector jobs.

6. Roll out national jobs program.

This solidarity action is sponsored by Sonoma MoveOn, the Sonoma Peace and Justice Center, and Sonoma Valley Democrats. We give a shout-out to the courageous young folks in New York who have inaugurated the American Autumn.

Ben Boyce

Sonoma