Don’t let the Big Banks get away with it

The Big Banks – yes, the same ones that cause the economic crisis, demanded a bailout, and are back to record profits and bonuses while joblessness remains at crisis levels – are trying to undo the financial reforms we won last year and trying to get out of being held accountable for their financial fraud.

We can’t let them get away with it.  Please take three minutes to keep banks accountable.

1. Call your state’s Attorney General TODAY at 866-200-6444 to demand a strong settlement against the Big Banks.  Say something like, “My Name is [NAME]. I am a resident of [STATE]. The Attorney General must come out in support a settlement that provides justice for millions of homeowners and holds the big banks accountable for their crimes. Nothing less is acceptable.” Today is a national call-in day.
2. Email Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to demand that derivatives, a financial tool that was a major cause of the financial crisis, not be exempted from regulation
3. Tell Congress:  Don’t strip the bank regulators of the funds to do the job

The big banks have a three-part strategy for getting away with their crimes and continuing the “jobless recovery” that keeps them rich and the rest of us struggling.  They want to:

1. Cut a deal that lets them off easy for crimes they’ve already committed.
   • As Oscar-winning film-maker Charles Ferguson noted, not a single financial executive has gone to jail, despite massive fraud.  This week, settlement talks are taking place between the big banks and the Attorneys General.
   • Tuesday, March 29 is a national call-in day.  Call 866-200-6444 and tell your AG, “Crime should not pay!  Demand real criminal penalties for any crimes committed and a settlement deal that reduces people’s debt”
2. Exempt trillions of dollars of dangerous derivative transactions from regulation.
   • The big banks have been lobbying Tim Geithner (himself a product of Wall Street) to let them continue trillions of dollars of risky derivatives trading without any oversight.  Rumor has it that he is listening.
   • Send an email to Geithner, telling home not to exempt these dangerous financial activities.
3. Strangle the regulators by cutting off funding.
   • Corporations and Wall street banks are trying bold new ways to prevent government from protecting regular Americans from Wall Street and Corporate Greed.  Lately, they’re attempting to simply eliminate funding for the agencies.
   • Tell Congress to give bank regulators the basic tools to do the job.

Please take 3 minutes to stop the Big Banks from turning back the clock on financial reform.