Activity Request: Outreach to MoveOn.org

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Let's get MoveOn.org MOVING on something tangible to alleviate the suffering by Americans from workplace discrimination employment credit checks.

Contact link for MoveOn.org
http://pol.moveon.org/feedback/fb/form.html?tp=suggest

[Sample Letter]

FICO Scores Drop to New Lows
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/12/credit-scores-sink-to-new_n_642616.html

Bankruptcy Filings Highest Since 2005
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38744083/from/toolbar

Fidelity Sees Record Number Raid their IRS
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38783832/ns/business-your_retirement/

What does all the above really mean? One simple thing: half of America can’t get a job or change jobs for better pay. In just a few short weeks after Congress returns on Sep. 8, beginning in the House Committee on Financial Services, Congress will debate passage of HR3149: The Equal Employment for All Act. For most jobs, the legislation will make it illegal for employers to use an American’s private and personal credit report to hire and fire. Without the help of your group and full mobilization with all the numbers you can muster and groups like yours, the bill doesn’t have even the slightest chance of passing. The reason is simple: money. The big three credit bureaus have already paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars to members of Congress in order to bribe them to protect their revenue stream. In addition to that, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and 19 other business lobbying groups have paid in millions in PAC money. All are poised, ready and sitting with their finger on the trigger to stop passage of HR3149 by calling in their markers and behind the scenes arm twisting. Even if you may be opposed to passage, this pay-to-play outright bribery of Congress to kill a bill that 90 percent of Americans support is horribly wrong and smacks the word “democracy” in the face.

While the issue disproportionately impacts minorities, the truth is no group of Americans is immune in our struggling economy. The FICO numbers in the linked article above guesses at number of 70 million, but the real number is far closer to 100 million since evaluation of credit reports by employers is completely arbitrary. This number includes entry level personnel and professionals such as doctors, lawyers, sales people, marketing people, etc.. The percentage of use of credit reports by employers is now at least 60+ percent of all jobs and 80+ percent of all white collar jobs. No race, profession or socio-economic segment of America is immune.

The sad news is that without your action and full mobilization in support of HR3149, millions of Americans will continue losing their homes, their cars, their dignity and their children will starve. Employment credit checks are a catch 22 with no way out: bad credit = no job and no job = bad credit. America needs you to stand up for the people and fight the corporate greed. If not for the people with ruined credit, do it for their children, their spouses, their extended families and all generations of Americans that follow. Please act now to stop this senseless practice and the needless suffering of millions of your fellow Americans.

Committee Chair, Rep. Barney Frank, (202) 225-5931

House Committee on Financial Services: 71 Members Total
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/committee.xpd?id=HSBA

[End Sample Letter]