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Stop the Abuse: It's Time to Break Up With Your Big Bank
Jan 14, 2010
Hello, I'd like to take a moment to address the millions and
millions of you all across America who are currently stuck in an
abusive relationship.
Now I know what some of you are thinking: Who is Bill Maher to give me relationship advice?
But that doesn't mean I don't know a dysfunctional relationship when
I see one. Especially when it's staring me right in the face.
You know who you are. Those of you staying in a relationship long
after it's turned bad. Sticking around despite the abuse -- even as
it's gotten worse and worse over the years. Sticking around only
because it seems easier than breaking up -- and besides, where else are
you going to go?
That's right, I'm talking to all of you that keep doing your banking
at the giant, too big to fail, Wall Street banks that brought our
economy to the brink of disaster, were rescued by trillions of dollars
of our taxpayer money, then paid us back by using that money to hire
lobbyists to convince our lawmakers in Washington to kill financial
reform.
They took our money... but cut back on lending.
They took our money... and made record profits -- and paid themselves record bonuses.
They took our money... then returned to the risky behavior that led
to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, with record
unemployment, bankruptcies, and foreclosures.
They took our money... but kept on with all the greedy, abusive,
ruthless, and cold-blooded practices that have earned them untold
billions of dollars a year -- year after year after year. Things like
charging you outrageous fees for anything and everything, jacking up
your credit card interest rate to 30 percent for being late on one
payment (it's a good thing sodomy is legal!), and refusing to
renegotiate your mortgage after the housing bubble they helped create
burst.
These big banks, deemed "Too Big To Fail" by our Wall
Street-friendly leaders in Washington, are convinced that they can get
away with anything -- because they always have.
But here's the thing. You don't have to put up with this nonsense.
You don't have to stay in a loveless, abusive relationship with your
Big Bank.
In fact, it's easy to get out -- and into something much, much better.
My friend Arianna Huffington has started a campaign designed to
convince people to move their money out of these big banks and put them
into smaller, local, community banks and credit unions that are more
likely to see you as a person, not as an account number... and also to
reinvest in the community where they are.
It's a pretty simple idea: If enough people who have money in one of
the Big Six banks -- that is, JP Morgan/Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, Bank
of America, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs -- move it into a local
community bank or credit union, then collectively we, the people, will
have taken a big step toward fixing our broken financial system.
It's easy, and painless, and will send a powerful message to Wall Street and to our leaders in Washington.
Face it: Real change is not going to come from Congress. It's not
going to come from the White House. And it's certainly not going to
come from the lobbyists Wall Street hires to make sure their special
interests keep beating out the public interest.
We've got to do it ourselves. And moving your money is a great way to start.
This is not a conservative idea or a liberal idea. It's not left or
right. It's populism at it's best -- and it's already attracted people
from all walks of life who are sick and tired of the Big Banks and are
ready to do something about it.
So it's time to go break up with your banker and get the hell out. Go to MoveYourMoney.info
and see just how easy it is to end your abusive relationship and find
true banking love. Or, at least hot, sweaty, monkey, banking sex.
MoveYourMoney.info. Tell 'em Dr. Bill sent you...
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Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Hello, I'd like to take a moment to address the millions and
millions of you all across America who are currently stuck in an
abusive relationship.
Now I know what some of you are thinking: Who is Bill Maher to give me relationship advice?
But that doesn't mean I don't know a dysfunctional relationship when
I see one. Especially when it's staring me right in the face.
You know who you are. Those of you staying in a relationship long
after it's turned bad. Sticking around despite the abuse -- even as
it's gotten worse and worse over the years. Sticking around only
because it seems easier than breaking up -- and besides, where else are
you going to go?
That's right, I'm talking to all of you that keep doing your banking
at the giant, too big to fail, Wall Street banks that brought our
economy to the brink of disaster, were rescued by trillions of dollars
of our taxpayer money, then paid us back by using that money to hire
lobbyists to convince our lawmakers in Washington to kill financial
reform.
They took our money... but cut back on lending.
They took our money... and made record profits -- and paid themselves record bonuses.
They took our money... then returned to the risky behavior that led
to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, with record
unemployment, bankruptcies, and foreclosures.
They took our money... but kept on with all the greedy, abusive,
ruthless, and cold-blooded practices that have earned them untold
billions of dollars a year -- year after year after year. Things like
charging you outrageous fees for anything and everything, jacking up
your credit card interest rate to 30 percent for being late on one
payment (it's a good thing sodomy is legal!), and refusing to
renegotiate your mortgage after the housing bubble they helped create
burst.
These big banks, deemed "Too Big To Fail" by our Wall
Street-friendly leaders in Washington, are convinced that they can get
away with anything -- because they always have.
But here's the thing. You don't have to put up with this nonsense.
You don't have to stay in a loveless, abusive relationship with your
Big Bank.
In fact, it's easy to get out -- and into something much, much better.
My friend Arianna Huffington has started a campaign designed to
convince people to move their money out of these big banks and put them
into smaller, local, community banks and credit unions that are more
likely to see you as a person, not as an account number... and also to
reinvest in the community where they are.
It's a pretty simple idea: If enough people who have money in one of
the Big Six banks -- that is, JP Morgan/Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, Bank
of America, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs -- move it into a local
community bank or credit union, then collectively we, the people, will
have taken a big step toward fixing our broken financial system.
It's easy, and painless, and will send a powerful message to Wall Street and to our leaders in Washington.
Face it: Real change is not going to come from Congress. It's not
going to come from the White House. And it's certainly not going to
come from the lobbyists Wall Street hires to make sure their special
interests keep beating out the public interest.
We've got to do it ourselves. And moving your money is a great way to start.
This is not a conservative idea or a liberal idea. It's not left or
right. It's populism at it's best -- and it's already attracted people
from all walks of life who are sick and tired of the Big Banks and are
ready to do something about it.
So it's time to go break up with your banker and get the hell out. Go to MoveYourMoney.info
and see just how easy it is to end your abusive relationship and find
true banking love. Or, at least hot, sweaty, monkey, banking sex.
MoveYourMoney.info. Tell 'em Dr. Bill sent you...
Hello, I'd like to take a moment to address the millions and
millions of you all across America who are currently stuck in an
abusive relationship.
Now I know what some of you are thinking: Who is Bill Maher to give me relationship advice?
But that doesn't mean I don't know a dysfunctional relationship when
I see one. Especially when it's staring me right in the face.
You know who you are. Those of you staying in a relationship long
after it's turned bad. Sticking around despite the abuse -- even as
it's gotten worse and worse over the years. Sticking around only
because it seems easier than breaking up -- and besides, where else are
you going to go?
That's right, I'm talking to all of you that keep doing your banking
at the giant, too big to fail, Wall Street banks that brought our
economy to the brink of disaster, were rescued by trillions of dollars
of our taxpayer money, then paid us back by using that money to hire
lobbyists to convince our lawmakers in Washington to kill financial
reform.
They took our money... but cut back on lending.
They took our money... and made record profits -- and paid themselves record bonuses.
They took our money... then returned to the risky behavior that led
to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, with record
unemployment, bankruptcies, and foreclosures.
They took our money... but kept on with all the greedy, abusive,
ruthless, and cold-blooded practices that have earned them untold
billions of dollars a year -- year after year after year. Things like
charging you outrageous fees for anything and everything, jacking up
your credit card interest rate to 30 percent for being late on one
payment (it's a good thing sodomy is legal!), and refusing to
renegotiate your mortgage after the housing bubble they helped create
burst.
These big banks, deemed "Too Big To Fail" by our Wall
Street-friendly leaders in Washington, are convinced that they can get
away with anything -- because they always have.
But here's the thing. You don't have to put up with this nonsense.
You don't have to stay in a loveless, abusive relationship with your
Big Bank.
In fact, it's easy to get out -- and into something much, much better.
My friend Arianna Huffington has started a campaign designed to
convince people to move their money out of these big banks and put them
into smaller, local, community banks and credit unions that are more
likely to see you as a person, not as an account number... and also to
reinvest in the community where they are.
It's a pretty simple idea: If enough people who have money in one of
the Big Six banks -- that is, JP Morgan/Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, Bank
of America, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs -- move it into a local
community bank or credit union, then collectively we, the people, will
have taken a big step toward fixing our broken financial system.
It's easy, and painless, and will send a powerful message to Wall Street and to our leaders in Washington.
Face it: Real change is not going to come from Congress. It's not
going to come from the White House. And it's certainly not going to
come from the lobbyists Wall Street hires to make sure their special
interests keep beating out the public interest.
We've got to do it ourselves. And moving your money is a great way to start.
This is not a conservative idea or a liberal idea. It's not left or
right. It's populism at it's best -- and it's already attracted people
from all walks of life who are sick and tired of the Big Banks and are
ready to do something about it.
So it's time to go break up with your banker and get the hell out. Go to MoveYourMoney.info
and see just how easy it is to end your abusive relationship and find
true banking love. Or, at least hot, sweaty, monkey, banking sex.
MoveYourMoney.info. Tell 'em Dr. Bill sent you...
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