Why Do We Allow the Big Banks to Bilk Us?

  I received a letter from Card Member Service informing me of a change in my credit card account. My APR was being "revised" from 8.99% to 12.99%. Naturally, I wondered why since I pay the minimum required or more and am not late.. I read further and was astonished at the blatancy of the  following statement: "The change in the APR on your credit card Account was made as a result of a review of your Account and our decision was based on the net level of profitability on the Account."

 Banks can borrow money at 0%. My savings account earns .15%. The bank uses my money and offers me a credit card at 12.99%. Do the math - who is being served here? Have you noticed similar changes in your account?

Do you know the profits of the "poor" banks that we bailed out? Here is one example: Bank of America received a  $1.9 billion tax refund from the IRS last year, although it made $4.4 billion in profits and received a bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department of nearly $1 trillion.  The question we all have to  ask is: Why do we put up with a banking system that is so clearly "taking us to the cleaners"? What are your ideas for change? I'm looking at my credit card habit.

"The Freedom Riders"

Fifty years ago the “Freedom Riders” boarded busses to Mississippi as a first step to stop segregation in transportation and lavatories. It was a small group of black and white young people trained in non-violence who risked their lives and forced the Kennedy administration to take action about segregation.

On May 17^th a documentary film commemorating their bravery will be aired on PBS’s program “The American Experience.” Even if you know about the “Freedom Riders,” watch this film. It is deeply moving to witness the sacrifices they made to overcome deep-seated racial hatred and violence.

Young peaceful protesters in many Middle Eastern Countries are in the streets, crying out for freedom from oppressive dictators. Many have already given their lives. Americans are again on the march also. Protests to protect their right to collective  bargaining, to make choices about their own bodies, the treatment of immigrants, profiteering corporations and other infringements of rights and freedom. Change comes with commitment, action and love. Gramma Sez “let our united hearts be the voice of our society.”

 The film premiers on PBS on May 16th at 9pm/8pm central. Go to http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/ for more information.

Grandmother Revolution

What fun to tune into Patch Adams again and find out that he is urging us to make the same change that Gramma Sez is needed! We all know what the problems are and they are painful. What I love is Patch's emphasis on the 'how' of making the change. As a woman I know there is nothing more joyful than helping people to solve their problems and find happiness. Our world won't survive unless we become more loving and willing to share and care about each other. Let's join Patch in living this dream together.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF 'PRECEDENT'?

Be a Model   Take the Lead   Be First
YOU CAN DO IT - BE A PRECEDENT

 A Precedent makes changes in one’s own life and is a model citizen. Precedents are leaders in their communities with new ideas about how to participate in self-governing.

There is a demand by people all over the world to change  to more  democratic governments. Their revolutions are being televised and we are witnessing violence an civil wars as part of the changes.

America had its revolution and a Civil War. Now in our country the President can't make the many changes he says he wants to make. The Congress is stalemated. The Supreme Court has a business bias. The corporations, billionaires and millionaires are really in charge. We’ve been asleep, apathetic, depressed and/or just plain cloned by advertising in the media to be good consumers and workers rather than vocal, active citizens.  Gramma Sez it's time for an evolution - a make-over instead of a take-over.  We can begin by insisting that sharing and caring about our welfare be the major role of  local, state and federal governments. This evolution will be "internalized." We can communicate and come to agreements because of the technology we have now and then act together to make the changes we want. We can form a companion government based on a new idea for Us being involved.

Who is going to make this happen??? Why you and me – Us –  by first acting collectively  to change our own attitudes toward one another. We can learn to participate in governing  besides just voting and expecting others to make it happen.    

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Gramma Announces She is Running Us For Precedent!

Last week our President, Barack Obama, announced that he is beginning his campaign for re-election.  His campaign chest is purported to become $1,000,000,000 - one billion dollars!  The Republicans also have several possible candidates, some of whom are very wealthy. We don’t need money to be the determinant of who runs for office, who runs our government or who runs our lives. We also don’t need vitriolic attacks based on making an opponent look bad when power is the real goal and not the welfare of the people. That’s why I’ve decided that now is the time to announce the launching of a new kind of campaign called - Us for Precedent. 

This campaign is a model for a different quality of political conversations and actions that acknowledge the connectedness and equality of all human beings without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, religion, education, class or sexual persuasion.We must immediately act as our own representatives to prove to ourselves and the world that as Americans we can agree to realize the ideal of a government that truly cares about the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of ALL its citizens.  Every major religion in the world says the same thing in different words - that we must do unto others, as we would have others do unto us.  Imagine 2012 State and Federal budgets based on this universal principle!

If you and I can agree to model this principle in our daily lives, then we can set a precedent for a new kind of self-governing society that is truly democratic.  It is Gramma's hope that politicians of all parties will re-examine their motives for wanting to govern and commit to the Platform of the Us for Precedent campaign.

To join the Us for Precedent campaign add your email to my mailing list in the column to the right of this posting or follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

Let Us be the change to realize the American dream.

Am I the Best Person I Can Be?

The process of personal change begins the moment you recognize that you want  to change and are willing to take an action or actions to find out if the "doing"  you've decided to try works. The first of the Us for Precedent goals asks "Do I feel good about Myself?" and "Do I feel good about You?".   On this blog I'm going to make some suggestions  that you can practice to see if your answer to both questions can remain yes.  The actions described are simple and practical.  Watch and learn from the instructional videos and become your own model or precedent for change.

US FOR PRECEDENT AGREEMENTS

Us for Precedent

A Process of Creating a United State

As a Precedent I agree to make the following changes and commitments:

My Personal Changes – I Agree to:

1.     LOVE of self and others as the motivation for my actions.

2.    TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for daily maintenance of a healthy, happy lifestyle.

3.    RECOGNIZE and HEAL my part in family problems, grudges and divorces.

4.    PARTICIPATE in the lives of elders (relatives and neighbors) and honor their right to grow old with dignity and in safe happy environments.

5.    BUY and SELL locally to support sustainable community economies including using local banks and credit unions.

6.    CARE for the earth as my personal home.

My Community Commitments – I Will Act to See That My Local Government:

1.     GIVES top priority to the physical and emotional needs, the learning opportunities and safe recreational facilities for our children.

2.     SHARES community resources so that each person has food, shelter, and opportunities to learn and work.

3.     ACKNOWLEDGES the connectedness and equality of all human beings without regard to age, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, education, class, or sexual persuasion. 

4.     HONORS all veterans and their families with the personal understanding and services they need to lead peaceful lives.

5.     IDENTIFIES those persons endangered by violence, domestic abuse or neglect.

State/ National Actions – I Will Raise My Voice to My Legislative Representatives to:

1.    INSIST that each person in every country has the right to water, food, sanitation, shelter and the pursuit of happiness.

2.    DEMAND that the resources located in a country be used for the general welfare of the people of that country and not be exploited by large corporations.

3.    SELECT JUDGES from candidates not identified by political party or religion and require that all funds for their campaigns be public information.

4.    PROHIBIT seeds from being owned by a corporation and protect seeds that are the result of a farmer’s harvest.

Activate a circle of friends to join you in working toward realizing the goals of Us for Precedent.

DOES KING MONEY RULE YOU?

Gramma Sez:

It is time for KING MONEY to be
DETHRONED and
EARTH OUR MOTHER
Be RESTORED As
QUEEN of LIFE on the Planet!

GETTING STARTED

The first Us for Precedent Party happened on Sunday, Jan. 30th. We considered the Party Platform, decided on some changes, and will present the final draft by the end of this week.  We shot an hour of video defining the mission of Us for Precedent, explaining the Platform and presenting some start-up  Gramma raps. The editing process will help clarify our format. We will meet again next Sunday at 3:00 at my house. Just wanted you to know we welcome your energy and creativity in this planning and strategy phase! Gramma Sez the time for us to commit to evolving our consciousness consciously is NOW.