[act-ma] 3/24: To Get Charlie on the MBTA, Support the People's Budget

Mon Mar 23 10:05:46 PDT 2015

   [image: Massachusetts Peace Action]
 *Fed Up with MBTA Budget & Service Cuts?*
 The People's Budget would increase funds to the MBTA and make the trains
run on time! Join us as we bring this message to commuters on *Tuesday
morning, March 24, 7:30 to 9:30 am*, at *North** Station*.  Meet on
Causeway Street between the subway entrance and the commuter rail station.

Join the *Budget for All! **Coalition* as we pass out flyers, sing our MBTA
song, and talk to the press and commuters about the *People's Budget. * More
info
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmasspeaceaction.org%2Fevents%2Fsubways-or-submarines-there-is-an-alternative-to-mbta-budget-service-cuts>

   Though the MBTA’s subway cars have not been replaced in decades ,
the “Trains
that Never Returned
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmasspeaceaction.org%2Fhome%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F03%2FThe-Trains-that-Never-Returned.doc>”
song that *Budget for All!* sings at our rallies is an updated version of a
1949 campaign song written for mayoral candidate Walter A. O’Brien,
standard bearer of the Progressive Party (and a 1959 hit for the Kingston
Trio).   The MTA, later renamed to the MBTA, had bought out the privately
owned Boston subway and trolley system at an exorbitant price and imposed a
fare increase on commuters.

 The Progressive Party was the *Budget for All! *Campaign of its day.  It
called for an end to the recently begun Cold War, struggled against Jim
Crow, and called for national health insurance and nationalization of the
energy industry.  Like the Progressives of 1949, we call for a People’s
Budget – which would create 8.4 million good paying jobs, invest $1.9
trillion in America’s future, and put  $820 billion federal dollars towards
infrastructure and transportation improvements, like fixing the MBTA.  It
would pay for that spending by restoring reasonable tax rates on incomes of
$1 million and up and on corporations and by cutting the  Pentagon’s slush
fund, the Afghanistan war, and useless and destabilizing nuclear weapons
modernization.

 Join us on Tuesday morning at North Station as we sing “The Trains that
Never Returned
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmasspeaceaction.org%2Fhome%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F03%2FThe-Trains-that-Never-Returned.doc>”
and leaflet commuters, telling them to call Congress and vote for *People’s
Budget*. Call Congress yourself at (202) 224-3121 and email your
representatives
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Forg.salsalabs.com%2Fo%2F161%2Fc%2F3952%2Fp%2Fdia%2Faction3%2Fcommon%2Fpublic%2F%3Faction_KEY%3D17429.>
.

 And, *Budget for All!* supporters – Ever wonder why that card in your
pocket is called a Charlie Card?  You owe it to yourself as a Bostonian, as
a progressive, and as an MBTA rider to learn the song.  A little practice
wouldn’t hurt before Tuesday morning’s rally!  Check it out at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Jw_v3F_Q0
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=5&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DS7Jw_v3F_Q0>.
Musical styles have changed, but our issues haven't!
 ===
 Last Tuesday, the new Republican majority in Congress introduced a budget
proposal that would gut Medicare, defund the Affordable Care Act, and make
deep cuts to domestic programs such as food stamps, housing, education, and
the environment. They've made these proposals before -- but since they now
control both Houses of Congress, it might really pass. Their budget would
also increase the Pentagon’s slush fund which pays for the Afghanistan war
and the war on ISIS.

 But the Congressional Progressive Caucus has an alternative. They call it
the *People’s Budget: A Raise For America*, and it is the polar opposite of
the Republicans' budget proposal.

 Congress will vote on budget proposals as early as next week – so *contact
your Representative TODAY and ask him or her to vote for the People’s
Budget*
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=6&url=http%3A%2F%2Forg.salsalabs.com%2Fo%2F161%2Fc%2F3952%2Fp%2Fdia%2Faction3%2Fcommon%2Fpublic%2F%3Faction_KEY%3D17429>
*.*

 While working families face smaller paychecks, corporations and the
wealthy are amassing record wealth. American families know the system is
rigged in favor of the corporations. The *People’s Budget* makes the
economy work for everyone. It creates high quality jobs and reduces family
expenses, restoring the buying power of working Americans to drive a full
economic recovery.

 The *People’s Budget* creates 8.4 million good paying jobs by 2018;
invests $1.9 trillion in America’s future; and puts $820 billion towards
infrastructure and transportation improvements.   Ask your Representative
to support the People’s Budget!
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=7&url=http%3A%2F%2Forg.salsalabs.com%2Fo%2F161%2Fc%2F3952%2Fp%2Fdia%2Faction3%2Fcommon%2Fpublic%2F%3Faction_KEY%3D17429>

 The *People’s Budget *cuts waste from the base military budget, eliminates
the Pentagon’s “Overseas Contingency Operations” slush fund, ends the US
military presence in Afghanistan after 2016, cuts unnecessary spending on
destabilizing nuclear weapons, requires that the Pentagon be audited, and
invests in diplomacy. It also provides a new framework to transition
workers in military industries to good jobs in the civilian sector.

 The *People’s Budget *would bring in revenue and redress extreme
inequality by closing corporate tax loopholes and by a progressive tax on
incomes over $1 million a year.   It tackles the climate crisis by imposing
a carbon tax as well as by funding transportation improvements.

The *People’s Budget *is a package that brings together the big issues –
taxes, jobs, government services, and militarism – and asks our Members of
Congress to take a stand for peace and justice and against austerity and
war.

Support of the Progressive Caucus budget in Congress has grown from 77
votes in 2011 to 89 last year. Let’s keep up the momentum by adding ever
more support this year!   In Massachusetts, Reps. Jim McGovern, Mike
Capuano, and Katherine Clark voted for the progressive budget last year,
but Reps. Keating, Kennedy, Lynch, Neal, and Tsongas voted NO.  Rep. Seth
Moulton will be voting on the budget for the first time.  *Will your
Representative vote for the Progressive Budget this year?*

 *Write Congress now to support the People’s Budget
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=8&url=http%3A%2F%2Forg.salsalabs.com%2Fo%2F161%2Fc%2F3952%2Fp%2Fdia%2Faction3%2Fcommon%2Fpublic%2F%3Faction_KEY%3D17429>!*

  [image: Cole Harrison]

Yours for peace and justice,

Cole Harrison
Executive Director

P.S. Read more details on the People's Budget!
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=9&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcpc.grijalva.house.gov%2Fthe-peoples-budget1%2F>

P.P.S.  Please click now to ask your Representative to support the *People’s
Budget! *
<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=10&url=http%3A%2F%2Forg.salsalabs.com%2Fo%2F161%2Fc%2F3952%2Fp%2Fdia%2Faction3%2Fcommon%2Fpublic%2F%3Faction_KEY%3D17429>

 ------------------------------

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11 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138
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-- 
Cole Harrison
Executive Director
Massachusetts Peace Action - the nation's largest grassroots peace
organization
11 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138
617-354-2169 w
617-466-9274 m
www.masspeaceaction.org
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