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CVH and VOCAL-NY Disrupt Debt Debate: Highlight Need to Shift Focus to Raising Revenue over Cutting Spending

Submitted by sondra on Thu, 2011-08-04 12:49
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Twenty-two members and an intern from Community Voices Heard (CVH) and VOCAL-NY were arrested for disrupting the House floor debate on the debt bill on Monday, August 1st while demanding greater attention to revenue instead of spending cuts to programs we all depend on. 

The action drove the message home to Congress and the American people - there's a real solution to the revenue crisis, and it starts with putting the responsibility on the shoulders of those who created it:   Make Wall Street Pay.  If Wall Street doesn't pay - Americans will pay the price.  The action was the first in a series nationwide actions being organized by affiliates of National People's Action, a network of community and congregation based organizations.

 
Watch video of the action and check out our press roundup copied below. The action was widely covered by the media, including stories by CNN, NPR, the Associated Press and Washington Post, which reported on our demands for focusing on raising revenue, including taxing Wall Street profits and closing corporate loopholes, instead of spending cuts.

Agnes Rivera, Co-Chair of the CVH Board and a public housing resident, stated: "It is our responsibility to ensure that the GOP and all politicians in D.C. understand what’s at risk — our lives, our families, our communities, our values, our future and the prosperity of America."

 
Bobby Tolbert, a VOCAL-NY Board member living with HIV/AIDS who relies on Medicare and HOPWA, stated: "John Boehner should stop worrying about keeping his job as Speaker of the House and start worrying about creating jobs for the millions of Americans who are unemployed.”

Agnes and Bobby were among those arrested following the action.  (Please consider donating to cover legal costs related to these unexpected arrests, including misdemeanor charges of "disruption of Congress" and disorderly conduct.)

 
Media Coverage: 
 
 
Twitter Chatter:
 
  • @2chambers Washington Post: dozen protesters expelled frm House gallery, They were chanting: "Boehner get off it, it's time to tax corporate profits"
  • CNNPolitics: #CNN's Xuan Thai reports several protestors cuffed in House chamber after chanting "Hey Boehner get a clue, it’s about revenue"
  • RT @ryanjreilly: Speaker Boehner was waiting for elevator, which opened up toprotestors under arrest. [VOCAL members, in fact]
  • JoshuaHol: Release: 20 Protestors Arrested after disrupting House Debt debate Demanding Boehner & GOP Stop Holding U.S. Hostage & Start Creating Jobs
  • nationaljournal National Journal: RT @poulsont: VIDEO protestors interrupt House statements on debt deal http://njour.nl/nijA3U
  • daveweigel: Bunch of protesters hauled out of House, yelling stuff like "it's about revenue!" and "tax the wealthy!
  • MotherJones: RT @AndrewKroll: Getting lively up in Congress. Some protesters getting zip-tied after yelling in the Gallery. http://yfrog.com/kjz9imbj
  • Roll Call: RT @jessicalbrady: Protesters leaving the House shouting "Hey Boehner, get a clue, it's about revenue."
  • CSPAN: Protests disrupt House debate on debt package… Reminder: public can't see protesters because House controls cameras.
  • ThinkProgress: RT @2chambers A dozen protesters expelled from House gallery. They were chanting: "Boehner, get off it, it's time to tax corporate profits"
  • Washington Post: Protesters disrupt House during debate on debt deal; 22 arrested - WaPost http://wapo.st/mV04n1
  • HuffPostPol HuffPost Politics: ICYMI, 22 protesters arrested in the Capitol today for jeering Boehner & the debt deal inside the House. http://huff.to/n7t9KD
  • Washingtonpost The Washington Post: Protesters disrupt House during debate on #debtceiling deal; 22 arrested http://wapo.st/nrPUqg
 

The final debt deal fails to ask multimillionaires, Wall Street banks or corporations to pay a penny more, despite broad based public support for a balanced approach that includes raising revenue. It authorizes the Treasury to raise the debt ceiling by at least $2.1 trillion through 2013 in exchange for trillions in spending cuts over the next ten years, which will be decided in two phases. The first phase includes $1.1 trillion in discretionary (non-entitlement) spending, with specific program impacts to be determined.The second half of spending cuts will include as much as $2.5 trillion in cuts, to be determined by a joint committee of the Senate and House, and will be voted on by the end of 2011. This second phase could include major cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.

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