About 9 people in attendance.  Met outside the Undertown.  Initially with very small attendance we did not start a General Assembly.  Once we grew to about 9 people and it was clear several important proposals were ready, it was proposed to make this an official GA.  After discussion everyone unanimously agreed.  Everyone will continue to encourage others to attend so as many voices can be heard- and more energy can be drawn from.  (Also the online calendar will be fixed!)

Announcements

Outreach working group is meeting every Saturday we have a GA at 12 in front of the Mercantile Exchange (Swains) to do door knocking outreach.  Jack loves this.  We’ve done it twice.  Also meeting on alternating Tuesdays at 5:15 at the fountain for business outreach.  Will post on the online calendar.

Direct Action working group meets every Weds at 5:15 at Necessito Burrito.  All are always welcome!

Proposals

Proposal 1:  Proposal to “Endorse the Occupy Charlotte Call to Action“.

This is a national call to action from Occupy Charlotte North Carolina.From May 1st through May 12th Occupy Charlotte is calling on all People willing and able to fight against corrupt institutions, corrupt legislation and corrupters of legislation.

.May Day May: 1^st General Strike – In Charlotte or wherever you are, show the corporations and the elites that we may not run the country but we make the country run! If you are able, don’t work, don’t go to school, don’t buy anything… DO spend time with friends and family, at home or in the streets!

.May 3^rd: Duke Energy shareholders meeting in Charlotte — Duke Energy has enormous investments in coal and nuclear energy, and a virtual monopoly on utilities.Duke has also proposed a merger with Progress Energy, a merger which would make them the largest energy provider in the United States. In your communities, fight your own energy monopolies and tell them to stop funding dirty and dangerous energy!

.May 8^th: Vote against Amendment 1 in North Carolina! – In a state where same-sex marriage is already unlawful, this amendment would write discrimination into the state constitution and ban legal recognition for all unmarried couples, stripping all unmarried couples and their children of rights and protections. In your communities, declare that civil marriage is a civil right!

.May 9^th: Bank of America’s shareholders meeting in Charlotte – Convergence of actions begins on May 6^th. Bank of America needs no introduction. B of A’s funding of climate change, its role in theeconomic crises, its racist and predatory lending practices and heartless foreclosures have become public knowledge. In your communities, take action at Bank of America branches!

May 11^th: The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)’s “Spring Task Force Summit” in Charlotte – ALEC is a non-profit “policy” organization with over 2,000 legislative members and 300 corporate members. ALEC created the model legislation for the anti-union bills in Wisconsin as well as the anti-immigrant SB1070 in Arizona. In your communities, take action at an ALEC corporation — ExxonMobil, Bank of America, BP, Monsanto, Pfizer, Wal-Mart (see www.ALECexposed.com for more)!

In May, Charlotte NC will be the battleground for the Occupy movement. We urge everyone to come stand in solidarity with us.

OCCUPY WALL STREET SOUTH!

FIGHT BANK OF AMERICA

FIGHT AMENDMENT 1

FIGHT A.L.E.C.

FIGHT DUKE

FIGHT FOR CHARLOTTE

Passed by Consensus

Proposal 2: Friday Banking Related Direct Actions

As announced at previous GA’s:  Direct Action working group strives to do something every Friday centered around  banks.  They have vigiled at Chase, and delivered a pledge to US Bank, Bank of America, Chase Bank, and Wells Fargo. The group has also gone to the Jefferson County office for a public records request concerning the county’s contract with Bank of America. Research is being done to see if any local banks can handle county funds.
Whereas many of these acts were done spontaneously, we propose that for the sake of clarity, the GA officially endorses the Occupy Port Townsend Friday Direct Action events made over the last few months and are ongoing.  This endorsement applies to non violent direct actions focused upon big banks issues such as foreclosures and encouraging people, businesses, and institutions to move their money out of the big banks.
We further ask that the GA officially approves keeping photos and reports about these activities published on the Occupy Port Townsend website.

Amendment added:  All interested parties are always welcome to attend the Direct Action Working Group meetings!

This proposal was tabled at 4/14/2012 GA

This proposal passed by unanimous consensus 4/28/2012

Proposal 3:  Arran presented a proposal to endorse the shareholder revolt proposals that are coming up at the upcoming Bank of America shareholders meeting.

This proposal withdrawn after discussion.  Many people feel the only proposal appropriate for the share holders to present is one to break up or dissolve Bank of America.  Although most people agreed it is a good thing that share holders are standing up and wreaking havoc for the execs at the large Wall Street institutions.  Some just don’t feel it’s quite enough havoc…

Proposal 4:  Letter to County Elected Officials Requesting all Public Money Removed from Bank of America

This letter has been worked on by a number of individuals.  The group read and edited this letter.  The GA consensed unanimously to pass this letter and have it delivered as a letter from Occupy Port Townsend.  It was requested that a few people add a quote from a 2nd source such as RollingStone magazine.  This was done.

May 1, 2012

Dear County Commissioner Phil Johnson, County Commissioner David Sullivan, County Commissioner John Austin, and County Treasurer Judy Morris.

We ask that you immediately take any and all steps necessary to move all moneys under your control out of Bank of America, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Chase Bank, and any other bank not chartered in Washington State and move this money into a financial institution chartered in Washington State such as Kitsap Bank, First Federal, or even better, a credit union.

Specifically, we understand Jefferson County has large accounts at Bank of America, and we ask that these be emptied and closed.   Based upon a review of the county’s recently renewed banking services contract with Bank of America, this relationship can be terminated with just 45 days notice.  We further ask that any moneys you place under the control of the Wa State treasurer be moved elsewhere until the State ceases using Bank of America as their primary financial institution.

We encourage you to research why the big banks are a problem.  One source you might consider (although many of us feel it hardly goes far enough) is the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Texas that wrote in its annual report this year:

It is imperative that we break up the big banks…The ultimate destination—an economy relatively free from financial crises—won’t be reached until we have the fortitude to break up the giant banks.
http://www.dallasfed.org/fed/annual/index.cfm

Another fine source is Matt Taibbi of RollingStone magazine who writes:

At least Bank of America got its name right. The ultimate Too Big to Fail bank really is America, a hypergluttonous ward of the state whose limitless fraud and criminal conspiracies we’ll all be paying for until the end of time.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/bank-of-america-too-crooked-to-fail-20120314#ixzz1tUAjjAI6

Still another highly informative resource is a book by Simon Johnson and James Kwak titled “13 Bankers: The Wall Street Takeover and the Next Financial Meltdown.” Pantheon Books (2010)

Commissioner Johnson, Sullivan, Austin, and Treasurer Morris, is that not a rather broad spectrum of independent sources telling us the big banks are a problem?  We as a nation- according to the Texas Fed- will not have a strong economy until our nation “finds the fortitude to break up the giant banks.”   One way our nation can find that type of fortitude is for its local elected officials to stand up and say “We need to change.  We need to do things differently.”

We can no longer count on our State and National elected officials to lead with the independent courage and integrity we need- because to simply get elected these leaders must become partners with large corporate interests such as the Too Big To Fail banks.  We need our city and county elected officials to demonstrate what integrity and courage looks like.  We ask you to take a stand for us.  Stand up and say to Washington State: “Bank of America is no longer good enough for the people of Jefferson County.”

Sincerely,
Occupy Port Townsend General Assembly

Proposal 5:  Mike Regan will deliver the final letter Monday during the County Commissioner Meeting.

Passed by unanimous consensus.

Closing Announcements

GA Adjourned!