Michael Swayze's Community Resources

Category: Advocacy

  • Congress To Block Consumer Protection Rule

    A Congressional vote is expected as early as Tuesday, July 25, on a resolution to block a new rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that prohibits class action bans in forced arbitration clauses of consumer contracts.

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rule “would make it easier for consumers to file or join an existing group lawsuit if they are harmed by a financial service provider, such as a bank or credit card company”, according to a statement appearing on the Board’s website.

    Action to prevent this consumer rule from going into effect is supported by Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee. The GOP’s bill, H.J. Resolution 111, sponsored by Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA) uses the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal the Bureau’s rule.

    What can you do to protect consumer rights and support the new protections against mandatory arbitration? You can take the following direct action, today:

    • Telephone Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who represents New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District and a member of the House Financial Services Committee. His Washington office number is 202-225-4465. We need as many calls as possible.
    • Ask,”Will the Congressman support ordinary New Jersey people hurt by bad actors and oppose any resolution to take away our day in court?”
    • Support the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s force arbitration rule, which restores our 7th Amendment right to our day in court when companies like Wells Fargo engage in widespread wrongdoing.
    • Ask what is the Congressman’s position on H.J. Resolution 111.

    Please let me know if you hear anything back on his position by emailing me at my contact page.

  • Senate Call-In To Stop TrumpCare

    The United States Senate is scheduled to vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act later this month by which 23 million will lose their health care coverage. Political analysts currently believe the TrumpCare bill (American Health Care Act, or AHCA) currently before Congress will pass unless there is overwhelming reaction by the voting public.

    “Our pressure makes political change possible”, according to Ben Wikler, Washington director of MoveOn.org. He went on to state “an uprising is needed to stop the Republican bill from passing”. The following doable actions have been suggested:

    • Use social media to message your friends about the American Health Care Act.
    • Contact your U.S. Senator – especially Republican Senators – using the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly to the requested Senate office.
    • Call everyday and flood Senate offices with phone calls. (Wednesday, June 13 is a national call-in day.)
    • Recruit others to call.
    • Join a local Indivisible Group.
    • Attend rallies outside a Republican Senator’s district office.

    Particular emphasis has been placed on calling Senate Republicans from the states of Alaska, Colorado, Ohio, Maine, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Arizona and Nevada. Urge friends and family in these states to take action, too.

    A full listing of Senators is available at https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.

  • Dear Senator Toomey

    A dramatic speech was given this month by an advocate at a ‘Tuesdays with Toomey’ event in Philadelphia. Myra Young provides the human side to the story of why there are demonstrations all across the United States. There are millions of Myra Young’s in our country, all struggling to make ends meet, all wondering how they will put food on the table, all living paycheck to paycheck.

    Take a few minutes to read and share the TalkPoverty Weekly article about her and listen to her speech at a recent #TuesdayswithToomey event.

    The following is a version of Ms. Young’s remarks made on February 7, 2017. The comments should be intended to every United States Senator and Representative. Send a copy to your elected officials.

    Dear Senator Toomey,

    You don’t know me. You have never met me, or answered any of my calls. But you have power and influence over my life—and my children’s well-being—and that scares me.

    So Senator Toomey, let me introduce myself: My name is Myra Young. I’m a mother, an advocate, and I live in poverty.

    I work hard to take care of my family. For the last 22 years I worked as a certified nursing assistant, but I still lived in poverty and needed government assistance to put food on the table and to keep my kids healthy. Two months ago, the company I worked for closed and I was laid off. Now without my job, my struggle is even more difficult. I only receive $33 a month in food stamps—barely enough to get my family through one healthy meal. My kids need fruit and vegetables, but I simply cannot afford them.

    Last week, my 10-year-old son asked, “Mom, why do you cry so much?”

    I told him, “Because I want to take care of you and your sister, but it’s so hard.”

    But why is it so hard, Senator?

    It’s hard because wages are too low.
    It’s hard because we have to beg for scraps when we need help.
    And it’s hard because of politicians like you, Senator Toomey.

    You have everything I want: a safe home to go to, a job that pays a good wage, and a family in good health. But you want to take away the little bit I have by
    cutting programs that help me — and people like me — feed my family. That hurts us. That keeps us down. And that makes me angry.

    You are wrong, Senator Toomey.
    You are wrong if you don’t protect these programs.
    You are wrong if you don’t care about my family.

    Would you be able to survive one week in my shoes? Would you be able to manage the daily struggle of trying to feed your family? Manage the stress of not knowing if you will be able to pay rent for the month? Manage the fear that your child may need health care that you cannot afford?

    If I were in your shoes, and had the power to help a mother with two disabled children, I would do it. I would make sure she has the services she needs to care for her family. I would take care of the more than 1.6 million people in Pennsylvania who live paycheck to paycheck.

    Senator Toomey, as a member of Witness to Hunger, my sisters and I will continue to speak out and fight for the needs of our children, families, and communities.

    It’s your responsibility to do the same.