UPDATED: Guess which green hero Mark Ruffalo thinks can save the planet?

UPDATE:

An Update from Rio de Janeiro, site of the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development and the Rio+20 Cúpula dos Povos (People’s Summit), where social movements convened to strategize and share their current approaches to the global economic and climate crises. For a report on those activities, click here.

Jobs with Justice's National Field Director, Treston Davis-Faulkner, joined the Grassroots Global Justice delegation, and sent us pictures of some of the various workshops and sessions where the financial transaction tax (ftt) was the subject of discussion.

One exciting session was a meeting and rally of trade-unionists and NGOs regarding the Robin Hood Tax in Rio during the Rio +of 400-500 trade-unionists, NGOs and movement organizations  at a local bank. 

During the workshop, the majority of comments from panel and participants focused on basics of what a FTT is and how FTT could help create in terms of good jobs, human rights (health, housing, etc.) in many countries struggling economically and ecologically.  The point was also made clear that austerity is not the way forward, but that smart growth through this type of progressive taxation will help reinvigorate the economy and allow working people to participate.  It was a unifying conversation.  Participants pledged to keep conversation going. 

And so do we!!!

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Hold off on your smashing - because apparently its Robin Hood! Who knew?!

There's a new national campaign launching today, and is part of a growing global movement in support of a small and simple idea that could play a central role in solving our very large and complicated financial crisis. Its known as the "Robin Hood Tax", or financial transaction tax, which would consist of less than half of 1% tax on trades in Wall Street, and could raise hundreds of billions of dollars in revenues in the coming years.

As part of the national launch on June 19th there will be local "Robin Hood" actions in over a dozen cities, including one in Washington DC where National Nurses United, Health GAP, National People's Action, and Jobs with Justice lined the halls of Congress outside of a congressional hearing where Jamie Dimon himself was scheduled to testify this morning.

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Moving forward there will be different ways for people everywhere to get involved, including:

• Place your own Robin Hood bill into circulation! Simply put a mask on George Washington, write your issue, then circulate the bill;

• Spread the Video!  Watch and share this video featuring celebrities and ordinary folks supporting the Robin Hood Tax;

• Participate in a local Robin Hood Action! Visit the campaign website to sign-up and stay connected

• Spread the word via social media to your friends and family! Remember to use the #RHT hashtag!

We'll keep you updated on this and other efforts to make wall street pay!