The Pinal County Greens today passed a resolution urging Congress to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank and attacking anti-business Republican politicians for blocking this needed action.
"Right-wing Republicans seem intent on destroying the Export-Import Bank, an important institution which has financed exports since the Depression," said Richard Grayson, Pinal County Greens co-chair. "Unless it is reauthorized, the bank faces the possibility of shutting its doors completely by the end of May. Inaction by these commerce-hating conservatives could harm and even destroy many small businesses in the United States." Grayson specifically charged anti-business Congressman Jeff Flake with plotting to destroy the Export-Import Bank: "Jeff Flake is spitting in the face of every small businessperson in Arizona who depends on financing their exports and imports." As The New York Times reported,
Exports have been one of the bright spots of the fragile recovery, but without Export-Import Bank financing, companies could struggle to complete contracts with overseas buyers. Those buyers will most likely turn to foreign competitors whose governments have more robust versions of the bank, businesspeople say.
“There’s not a bank in the United States that’s going to loan money to that customer of mine in Argentina to buy my airplane,” said David Ickert, vice president of finance at Air Tractor, which makes crop-dusting and firefighting airplanes in Olney, Tex. “There is not a free-market system that operates like that. It does not exist. We need the Ex-Im Bank, period.” Like so much else in Congress these days, it is not that simple.
With its charter set to expire in May, the bank is the target of conservative groups. They are making the case to Republicans that the bank, created in 1934 to finance sales to the Soviet Union, has no place in a free-market system. Club for Growth is holding it up as the next Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, crowding out private lending and offering dangerous loans that ultimately could be left in the laps of the taxpayer.
“Those groups are just wrong, period,” said Jay Timmons, president of the National Association of Manufacturers and a generous personal contributor to Republican candidates. The bank is financed with a small percentage of each loan it makes to foreign buyers of American exports, producing $3.4 billion in profits for the federal government over the last five years. Drew Greenblatt, president and owner of Marlin Steel Wire Products, in Baltimore, said he recently got a rush order for wire baskets from a firm in Singapore, assuming he could finance the sale. He went to the Export-Import Bank and paid a one-half-percent fee on the loan. The bank guaranteed 95 percent of the loan. He kept the plant working through the weekend and completed the sale. “Think about all the winners in this transaction,” he said. “Ex-Im got half a point. Baltimore City steelworkers got extra hours. I got extra profits to meet payroll, and hopefully I got a client who will reorder from me.”
"The Pinal County Greens will ask our representatives in Congress to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank without delay," said Grayson. "Anti-capitalist Republicans like Jeff Flake shouldn't keep holding American businesses hostage."
Today the Pinal County Greens took part in Central Arizona College's third annual Take Back the Night event, part of the well-known international movement that calls for the end of sexual violence and invites the public to join the college in its stand for safety and empowerment to "shatter the silence" and "stop the violence." Here is a report by Pinal County Greens co-chair Richard Grayson:
It began at 5 p.m. by the Pinal County Justice Court on Idaho Road, where participants gathered and heard a rousing and inspiring talk by Natalie Ehmka, founder of Pretty Feisty, whose passion stems from her personal experience with drug and alcohol-related sexual assault - an incident that happened during her college years. An expert on sexual assault prevention, she had effective advice and support for young women and for those of us concerned about their health and safety. Whistles were given out, and the group marched with signs over to the Superstition Mountain Campus of Central Arizona College, where we heard presentations by Apache Junction Police Chief Jerald Monahan, a consultant for the National Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative, who explained that most domestic violence victims don't report incidents because they fear not being believed and how police must take the attitude of "believe first." As the little girl sitting in front of us said, "Good job, Grandpa!" The fabulous Divine Essence performed some powerful slam poetry and spoken word pieces dealing with topics like women's self-esteem and empowerment, domestic violence, and caring for the next generation as well as one's peers. She was quite charismatic. In the middle of her own set, Divine Essence brought on Robert FlipSide Daniels, who also performed a couple of energetic pieces, one of which began sweetly as the story of a childhood crush but ended with an example of the unfortunate pervasiveness of domestic violence in our world. Nev Kraguljevic, director of residence life at Central Arizona College, acted as MC, but spoke from the heart as the survivor of a childhood in a family where domestic violence took place. This was the third annual CAC Take Back the Night, with the earlier two events held at the college's Signal Peak Campus. After all the speakers were given gifts by the college, little flashlights were distributed among the audience, and we used our whistles to "make noise" and call attention to the issues regarding women's safety. Near the close of the event, we had a moment of silence to remember the many victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence among the women of the world. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to Take Back the Night and are glad we got to attend.
Today the Pinal County Greens voted to join Greens in Pima County in endorsing community activist Charlie Manolakis in the April 17 Green Party primary for Congress in the special election in Arizona's Eighth Congressional District for the seat previously held by Gabrielle Giffords. The district includes parts of Pinal County, Pima County, Cochise County and Santa Cruz County. "As the only Green candidate on the Green Party primary ballot, Charlie Manolakis has won the support of Pima County Green Party members," said Richard Grayson, Pinal County Greens co-chair. "We are happy to join them in pledging our support for this fine candidate." Grayson noted that last week a Pima Superior Court judge threw out a meritless challenge to Manolakis' position on the ballot and urged independents as well as party members to vote for Charlie Manolakis on April 17. "As the Pima Greens' Claudia Ellquist wrote in January, 'a Green voice should be heard' in this special election for Congress to debate the Democratic and Republican candidates," Grayson said.
"Along with the rest of the Arizona Green Party, we are thrilled that Charlie Manolakis will be our voice."
The Pinal County Greens today announced their support of The Black and Brown Stand Up for Justice Rally at Cesar Chavez Plaza in downtown Phoenix on April 6. Richard Grayson, Pinal County Greens co-chair, said, "We strongly endorse this mass movement of local organizations such as the NAACP and community members in solidarity with the family of Trayvon Martin, for whom we all seek justice." The Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) in alliance with Puente Arizona have organized this rally to organize people of color in demanding justice in the law enforcement and criminal justice systems. The Black and Brown Stand Up for Justice Rally is also part of the "Arrest Arpaio, Not the People" campaign organized by Puente Movement to demand Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio face criminal charges for his negligence and violation of human and civil rights as outlined in a Department of Justice 2011 report. "At a minimum, we need to make sure everyone in Arizona is treated with dignity," said Pinal County Greens co-chair Grayson. "Sadly, that is not happening at present, and things must change."
Pinal County Greens Co-Chair today announced that he was a write-in candidate in the April 17 Arizona Green Party primary for Congress in the Eighth Congressional Seat formerly held by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. "I expect it will be a lonely campaign," said Grayson.
