January 20, 2008

War on Greed for Martin Luther King's Birthday

Dear activists, colleagues and friends,

Today we honor Dr. King's birthday. We all know him because of his historic impact on civil rights, but many don't realize that later in life he fought just as passionately for the rights of workers and against the entrenched institutions of injustice.

"Equality means dignity. And dignity demands a job and a paycheck that lasts through the week."

The War on Greed is exactly this kind of fight. The livelihoods of families have been directly attacked by the actions of buyout billionaires like Henry Kravis putting Wall Street's special interests ahead of his 800,000 employees... and pocketing $51,000 an hour in the process.


Watch the video:http://warongreed.org/dreams.php?utm_source=rgemail

The first step must be taxing these buyout billionaires at a fair tax rate. It will not solve all the problems, but it is a strong and forceful beginning. With the presidential campaigns underway, it is the perfect time to force this issue into the campaigns the way we did with Wal-Mart and Iraq for Sale.

As our friend Rev. Yearwood, leader of the Hip Hop Caucus, has said: "We are facing a lunch counter moment for the 21st century."

Please join us at our virtual lunch counter by signing the petition to presidential candidates demanding they pledge to close the loopholes and tax the tax dodgers. Buyout billionaires are a menace to our economy. People are hurting, badly, and we must take beginning steps to bring the issue of corporate greed and economic equality to the nation's attention.

Robert Greenwald
and the Brave New Films crew

War on Greed: Starring Henry Kravis and his Homes

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Also on:YouTube (224,480 views)QuicktimeMP3
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Henry Kravis is a billionaire, the 57th richest person in America. He acquired this wealth by purchasing public companies with borrowed money. To pay off the debt, he cuts benefits at the company, sells its assets, and lays off employees.

This get-rich-quick scheme made him $450 million last year. Meanwhile, his tax rate is lower than teachers, firemen, nurses, even his own cleaning staff!

Yet everyday we hear another story, we live another experience, we see another example of the horrific economic pain our country is being devastated by.

It's time all of us started a WAR ON GREED.

Use this video as a funny, satirical, and poignant way of raising the issue with your friends, family and colleagues. Then start up your creative juices and figure out what *you* would do if you lived in one of Kravis' mansions for a day during the holidays. Would you feed the homeless? Throw a huge party? Sell everything on eBay?

Post a comment below with your your most creative use of Kravis' mansions, and you could be the star of our next video!

Yep, we'll pick the best idea and send a crew out to your home to film you challenging Henry Kravis to implement your idea. Then we'll make sure he sees it... and maybe a few reporters too. :)

Sara Gepp, who you can see in the video, wrote a letter to the Kravis Family. And for more on Henry Kravis and other borrow-and-buyout corporations, we've compiled some good background material here.


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