by: Kristiane Skolmen, Stephanie Taylor, Adam Green, Neil Sroka, and the PCCC team

Last week, Bank of America announced they will charge a new $60-per-year fee to use debit cards on basic things like groceries. It will pad their profits by an estimated $2 billion.

In reaction, a TV host cut up her Bank of America card on the air.

Now, Congressman Brad Miller — from Bank of America’s home state of North Carolina — is going on offense against Bank of America with legislation that would make it much easier for customers to switch banks.
To gain momentum, Miller needs other members of Congress to pile on this week.

When the new debit card fee was announced, Sen. Dick Durbin said, “Bank of America customers, vote with your feet, get the heck out of that bank.”

A right-wing blogger wrote, “I actually agree with Durbin to a point.” One person shared, “After 30 years of banking with Bank of America, today I walked into a local branch and asked to speak to the branch manager and closed every account.”

But here’s the catch — Bank of America intentionally puts up obstacles to customers leaving.
In many states, walking into a bank branch isn’t even enough! Miller’s bill would change that — allowing people to close accounts by phone or Internet, and have things like direct deposit transfer automatically.

Across America, a simmering rage is coming to a boil against Wall Street greed.
The Occupy Wall Street movement has channeled this anger. Today, we’re focusing it into a deep corporate accountability campaign against one of Wall Street’s worst actors.
Rep. Miller’s bill is just the first step. Later, we’ll organize at local branches across the country and target Bank of America with hard-hitting ads.

We’ll deliver this petition to Congress, and work with Rep. Miller to move his legislation forward. Thanks for being a bold progessive.
– Kristiane Skolmen, Stephanie Taylor, Adam Green, Neil Sroka, and the PCCC team
P.S. On the petition page, you can also write a note to Occupy Wall Street protesters. Our staffer on the ground will personally deliver these notes to their General Assembly.

http://act.boldprogressives.org/survey/sign_wallstreet_movemoney/?rd=1&source=e1-v2-4mo-fin&t=4&referring_akid=5434.1203186.u1G1Ea