Follow-up to "We Won't Be Sold Out" Rally

We blogged about the "We Won't Be Sold Out" rally yesterday. Here's a snippet of video (courtesy of Joy Sabl) from the event which occurred in the pouring rain:

  You can see the text of a follow-up email which was sent to Sen. Bob Casey's Pittsburgh staffer by Democracy for Pittsburgh after the jump.

"We Won't Be Sold Out" Rally and more today

Fuck the Fiscal Cliff
Via One Pittsburgh press release:

Frustrated community leaders, activists and organizations like One Pittsburgh are joining thousands across the country in a collective “What gives?!?!?!” to elected officials like Senator Bob Casey who didn’t seem to get the memo back in November. On December 10, hundreds will gather to say it bigger and louder: We want jobs, not cuts, from our elected leaders.

There will be several actions happening today including:

On December 10 we’ll make hundreds of phone calls while hundreds more participate in a Facebook flash mob, demanding that Casey stick to his word and fight for the middle class, One Pittsburgh will be flying a very large message over the city, a message that neither Sen Casey nor Sen. Toomey can miss, or misunderstand.

Rally info via Facebook:

"We Won't Be Sold Out" Rally
When: Monday, December 10, 2012, 2:30 PM
Where: 11 Stanwix Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Walmart Vs. Small Business Saturday

Yesterday, was Black Friday and in 100 cities in 46 states Walmart shoppers were met with protesters:

At the Walmart in Paramount, Calif., near Los Angeles, about 600 protesters, including an estimated 100 Walmart workers, turned out Friday morning. In Hanover, Md., 400 store employees, union workers, activists and other supporters showed up at a Walmart Supercenter Friday.

In Pittsburgh, about 130 protesters showed up at the Walmart store at the Waterworks Mall. One Pittsburgh, helped to organize the protest here. From their press release:

In October, over 100 Walmart workers went on strike at 12 different stores in 10 separate states, including Walmart warehouse workers in CA and IL. They were protesting intimidation and retaliation from Walmart managers as the workers sought to organize for a fair wage. Walmart intensified its retaliation in order to silence the workers. Rather than cow to the bullying tactics, Walmart associates across the nation are standing up and walking out. Walmart workers on both coasts have already walked out on strike as of November 19thand 20th, in protest over Walmart's scramble to scare associates into not taking action on Black Friday. One Pittsburgh, community organizations and concerned shoppers will join with the workers on Black Friday, taking a stand against Walmart’s bullying and a stand for fair wages and workers’ rights.  

Regular folks throughout the country are wising up to the tactics used by big corporations to keep profits and CEO salaries high and keep working families down. Walmart is one of the richest corporations in the world, and the Walton Family has a combined wealth that equals 40% of the rest of America combined. Yet many of their workers cannot afford to take care of their own families, and are forced to use state funded healthcare and food stamps. Workers, taxpayers and shoppers are tired of Walmart’s greed and on Black Friday they’ll be taking a stand,

Here are some photos from that protest (courtesy of Joy Sabl):

Today, is Small Business Saturday. If you don't like the economics and social ramifications of big box stores like Walmart, you can support locally-owned businesses by shopping there today (and the rest of the year as well). To make your shopping easier in the city of Pittsburgh, Councilman Bill Peduto sponsored legislation in City Council that will suspend meter enforcement citywide today for "Small Business Saturday."

One new store you may want to check out is the East End Book Exchange -- a "bookstore committed to maintaining an active enthusiasm for books and print culture. We offer a well-curated selection of used titles, along with new works by your favorite local authors." They're located at 4754 Liberty Avenue -- right in the middle of Bloomfield. (This is an unpaid plug, folks.)

So, check out some local stores and keep your money in town!

Happy Halloween! Now help get out the damn vote!

 You know what's at stake! There's lots of ways to help in this last week. If you don't, something very scary could happen! To volunteer, you can go to http://www.barackobama.com and One Pittsburgh will also set you up to help. Here are some great events that you can attend leading up to the election:

 

WHAT: UNITED STEELWORKERS' STEEL BLITZ FOR BARACK
WHEN: Friday, November 2nd, 11:00 AM
WHERE: USW Headquarters, 60 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

 

WHAT: ED GAINEY FOR OBAMA PRE-ELECTION RALLY WITH FRIENDS
WHEN: Friday, November 2nd, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
WHERE: Kingsley Center, 6435 Frankstown Avenue (at the corner of East Liberty Boulevard and Frankstown Avenue)
For questions or directions, contact Leeretta or Lori at 412-945-0024. Facebook event page here.

WHAT: PEDUTO FOR OBAMA GET OUT THE VOTE CANVASS
WHEN: Saturday, November 3rd, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
WHERE: Meet at the home of Natalie Greene, 4425 McCaslin Street, Greenfield
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact: info@billpeduto.com 

WHAT: JOHN MCINTIRE DANGEROUSLY LIVE COMEDY SHOW
WHEN: Saturday, November 3rd, 10:30 PM
WHERE: Cabaret Theater, 655 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA (Downtown)
RSVP on Facebook (or just show up)
 

WHAT: EUGENE DEPASQUALE FOR PA AUDITOR GENERAL - STEELERS PARTY& RALLY
WHEN: Sunday, November 4th, 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
WHERE: James Street Gastropub (former James Street Tavern), 422 Foreland Street, Northside
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact: info@billpeduto.com 

 

Mitt Romney GOP Convention Watch Party

Meet Mitt Romney: Candidate for the 1%

Via One Pittsburgh:

One Pittsburgh hosts a public watch party of this year’s Republican National Convention speech by Mitt Romney, who will accept his nomination for President on Aug. 30 in Tampa Bay. The event will be in Schenley Plaza. There will be two 15 foot screens, one of the speech and one for commentary on the speech in real time.  

This November, Americans will vote in an election that will affect us for generations to come. Will we end historic programs like Medicare and Social Security, and out vouchers in their place? Will we reinstate the Bush tax cuts or allow them to expire? Mitt Romney’s “Come Back Team” claims that Romney’s business background gives him the experience to put our economy back on track and deliver prosperity to all Americans. One Pittsburgh will offer educational games and live speech decoding to reveal the real Romney economics—tax breaks that never trickle down to the rest of us, cuts to education, health care and low –wage, no-benefit jobs  

Pittsburgh – Thursday at 8pm, Pittsburghers will gather in Schenley Plaza – in Oakland – to meet Mitt Romney, candidate of the One Percent. Family friendly games like InSource/OutSource, Tug of War, Unlevel Playing Field, and Pin the Deficit on the Folks Who Made It provide a fun way to get the facts before listening to Romney’s acceptance speech. Pittsburgh workers from Dunkin’ Donuts and Burlington Coat Factory – both Bain companies that continue to build the Romney family fortune – are in Tampa right now to ask Mitt Romney to use his experience to help them get ahead. They’ll return for Thursday’s watch party to report what they learned and to predict the future of a Romney Economy from the point of view of those living in it now. When Romney takes the stage in Tampa, One Pittsburgh will be here in Pittsburgh to help de-code his speech and to offer a chance at a real dialogue with real people in real-time, on a split screen.  

Who: One Pittsburgh, community members, coalition partners, low wage workers attending RNC in Tampa Bay  

What: Presidential nomination acceptance speech, games family, music  

When: 8pm, Thursday, August 30  

Where: Schenley Plaza, Oakland

Facebook page here

Rally to Celebrate the Affordable Care Act

It's constitutional, bitchez!

We're liberals -- win, lose -- we rally!

Via One Pittsburgh:

Rally to celebrate the Affordable Care Act and tell Corbett we demand a PA Healthcare Exchange
When: Today! June 29, 2012, Noon
Where: Piatt Place 301 5th Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 (map)
What: The Affordable Care Act has been upheld by the Supreme Court, guaranteeing that millions of Americans will receive healthcare! As Attorney General, Tom Corbett filed a lawsuit against the ACA. We are going to rally to celebrate the SCOTUS decision and to remind Corbett that WE WON and that we demand he stops dragging his feet to create PA's healthcare exchange.

RSVP at link above or via MoveOn.

(Graphic via Facebook)