Thank you for your 300+ signatures on our petition for a Financial Speculation Tax! Nearly 2/3rds of you also added insightful comments that will strengthen our campaign.

We delivered your petition to Senator Wyden in the windy parking lot of the Washington County Democrats.

Jody Wiser Talks to Senator WydenSenator Wyden listened to our petition, but as you probably know, he has long had a “comprehensive” tax reform plan of his own. Accordingly, he referred to DeFazio’s “Let Wall Street Pay for the Restoration of Main Street Act,” H.R. 4191, as “piecemeal reform.”

Now, we agree with Wyden that comprehensive tax reform must be on the national agenda. But given our immediate federal budget crisis, for him to dismiss this proposed speculation tax as “piecemeal reform” is not adequate. First of all, H.R. 4191 isn’t even about reform. Rather it restores a tax on speculation that served the country well for fifty years. As Jody forcefully pointed out (bottom picture), we can’t simply let Wall Street off the hook and just walk away from $100 billion a year in tax revenue.

She also pointed out to Wyden that DeFazio has now had $300,000 used against him in attack ads by a front group, all paid for by one hedge fund manager, Robert Mercer. This concerted attack shows just how much Wall Streeters want to kill the Financial Speculation Tax.

Voters can no longer accept Wyden’s position that we’re leaving taxes the way they are until the day when we can reform them comprehensively. We can’t let perfect be the enemy of better. It’s time for us to write to Wyden individually and let him know that his position on this important reform is not okay. To contact him by email, you can go through his website: http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Jody implores Wyden

But snail mail is always better:

Senator Ron Wyden
223 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Or by phone at 202-224-5244.

We’ve now met with Senators Wyden and Merkley as well as Representative Blumenauer. We have a meeting scheduled with Representative Schrader and are currently in the process of scheduling one with Representative Wu.

Thanks for all your help!