End Price Gouging
Inflation is caused by Corporate Price Gouging Intensifying hardship middle America
QUICK READ: Corporate greed is hammering working American families who struggle to make ends meet and rebuild their lives after the COVID economic downturn. Its effects can be seen in steep rises of prices at the pump and spikes in mortgage rates.
CONTENTS:
BACKGROUND
Inflation is taking a devastating toll on the lives of many Americans.
Wage increases, rising labor costs. supply chain issues and Biden’s economic programs to build back America are just some of the excuses the CEOs of the world’s biggest corporation have deployed to explain rising prices.
In reality, corporate price gouging, fueled by the consolidation of large corporations that control commodity markets, allows unfettered possibilities to raise prices.
Inflation is real. We can see its effects in our daily lives - steep rises in prices at the pump, supermarkets, and online. The Federal Reserve’s policies for taming inflation, moreover, hurt most Americans. Consider the sharp increase in housing mortgages or car loans.
But so is corporate greed. It is overwhelming for hardworking American families trying to make ends meet and rebuild their lives after COVID’s economic downturn. Multi-national corporations are taking advantage of “tight markets” and the war in Ukraine to raise prices and profits to historical levels, benefiting their investors and corporate leaders.
Today heads of the largest corporations earn almost 400 times the wage of their average employees. This means that where workers receive 15 dollars an hour their bosses earn $6000 an hour.
Congress must pass the End Corporate Greed Acts in both the House and Senate.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Pass the End Corporate Greed Acts in both the House and Senate. This bill would tax corporations 95% specifically on profits made above their average profits during the five years before the pandemic. Pass much stronger Anti-Trust Legislation to make markets more competitive and eliminate price gouging.
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Pass the End Corporate Greed Acts in both the House and Senate. This bill would tax corporations 95% specifically on profits made above their average profits during the five years before the pandemic. Pass much stronger Anti-Trust Legislation to make markets more competitive and eliminate price gouging.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
Pass the End Corporate Greed Acts in both the House and Senate. This bill would tax corporations 95% specifically on profits made above their average profits during the five years before the pandemic. Pass much stronger Anti-Trust Legislation to make markets more competitive and eliminate price gouging.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Pass the End Corporate Greed Acts in both the House and Senate. This bill would tax corporations 95% specifically on profits made above their average profits during the five years before the pandemic. Pass much stronger Anti-Trust Legislation to make markets more competitive and eliminate price gouging.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Pass the End Corporate Greed Acts in both the House and Senate. This bill would tax corporations 95% specifically on profits made above their average profits during the five years before the pandemic. Pass much stronger Anti-Trust Legislation to make markets more competitive and eliminate price gouging.
Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Pass the End Corporate Greed Acts in both the House and Senate. This bill would tax corporations 95% specifically on profits made above their average profits during the five years before the pandemic. Pass much stronger Anti-Trust Legislation to make markets more competitive and eliminate price gouging.
Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Pass the End Corporate Greed Acts in both the House and Senate. This bill would tax corporations 95% specifically on profits made above their average profits during the five years before the pandemic. Pass much stronger Anti-Trust Legislation to make markets more competitive and eliminate price gouging.
Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Pass the End Corporate Greed Acts in both the House and Senate. This bill would tax corporations 95% specifically on profits made above their average profits during the five years before the pandemic. Pass much stronger Anti-Trust Legislation to make markets more competitive and eliminate price gouging.
ACTION THREE: Good Trouble.
GOOD TROUBLE: Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, go make some “good trouble.”
Get involved with Extinction Rebellion or another group working for climate change. For more information, click here.
Fridays at 4 - Letter and Postcard Writing — Indivisible Oregon.
Learn about persuasive language and communication research at the Zoom ASO Movement Briefings every second Wednesday. (DELAYED THIS AUGUST. WATCH THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATES.)
Join the campaign to hold the House and Senate at GiveNoGround.org
Work to protect democracy in the House by electing Democrats Val Hoyle in District 4, Jamie McLeod-Skinner in District 5, and Andrea Salinas in Oregon’s new Congressional District 6.
Check out the Poor People's Campaign Readies 'Massive, Nonviolent' Effort to Save Democracy
Outside of Portland? Check out COIN Oregon.
