National People's Action

National People’s Action (NPA) is a left-wing community organizing network with state-level affiliates that partners with labor unions and left-wing activists to advance left-wing economic policies.^[1] Headquartered in Chicago, NPA was founded in 1972 by Austin neighborhood activist Gale Cincotta and professional organizer Shel Trapp.^[2]

Emira Palacios

History

Founded in 1972 by Cincotta and Trapp, NPA pushed for federal housing legislation including the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975, the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, and the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990.^[2] For many years Cincotta and Trapp offered training to its affiliates through their National Training and Information Center (NTIC). NPA survived the retirement of Trapp and the death of Cincotta in 2001, but refocused its efforts on legislative lobbying and direct action, de-emphasizing the training programs once offered through NTIC. In the mid-2000s, NPA leadership was embroiled in a scandal involving the misapplication of federal funds that NTIC had received. Then-executive director Joseph W. Mariano pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2008, and NPA itself settled civil actions brought by the United States Department of Justice.^[3]

George Goehl has been the executive director since 2008. ^[4]

Program

National People's Action conducted a series of "Showdown" events starting in October 2009. The events, dubbed "Showdown In America," "called for the end of corporate lobbying and too-big-to-fail financial institutions." ^[5] According to National People’s Action, it exists as a network to create a society in which "racial and economic justice are realized in all aspects of society, resulting in more equity in work, housing, health, education, finance, and other systems central to people's well-being." The organization pushes for stricter regulations on lending and financial institutions, including increased taxes. ^[6]

Reporting by the liberal magazine Mother Jones indicated that NPA was part of the Democracy Initiative, a left-wing coalition including labor unions and environmentalist groups intending to attack the involvement of businesses in American politics.^[7]

Criticism

National People’s Action is notable for aggressive tactics, especially protests against the residences of their opponents. Nina Easton of Fortune magazine reported on one such protest, at the home of a Bank of America executive. In association with the Service Employees International Union, NPA demonstrators descended on the executive’s home, protesting while only his son was home, Easton reported. Easton characterized the demonstration as “the politics of personal intimidation.”^[8]

Similar NPA demonstrations have been held at the homes of Republican politicians. ^[9]

References

1. ↑ Nina Easton (May 19, 2010). "What's really behind SEIU's Bank of America protests?". Fortune. Retrieved December 4, 2014. 
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Martin, Douglas (2001-08-17). "Gale Cincotta, 72, Opponent Of Biased Banking Policies". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-02-07. 
3. ↑ Andrew Ramonas (June 3, 2009). "Organization Settles Claim It Improperly Used DOJ Funds". Main Justice. Retrieved December 4, 2014. 
4. ↑ Sasha Abramsky (December 3, 2012). "George Goehl and the Fight Against Corporate Power". The Nation. Retrieved December 23, 2012. 
5. ↑ Peck, Sara (2010-05-14). "National People’s Action, Unions Stage ‘Showdown on K Street,’ Push Financial Reform". In These Times. Retrieved 2010-05-20. 
6. ↑ Sarah Anderson (April 23, 2013). "Inside-outside Strategy on Wall Street Tax". The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 4, 2014. 
7. ↑ Andy Kroll (January 9, 2013). "Revealed: The Massive New Liberal Plan to Remake American Politics". Mother Jones. Retrieved December 4, 2014. 
8. ↑ Nina Easton (May 19, 2010). "What's really behind SEIU's Bank of America protests?". Fortune. Retrieved December 4, 2014. 
9. ↑ Chuck Ross (October 17, 2013). "Obamacare ‘navigator’ stormed GOP official’s property". The Daily Caller. Retrieved December 4, 2014. 

Bibliography

• Rachel G. Bratt, Michael E. Stone, Chester W. Hartman, A Right to Housing: Foundation for a New Social Agenda (Temple University Press, 2006). ISBN 1-59213-432-7
• Frances Moore Lappé, Democracy's Edge: Choosing to Save Our Country by Bringing Democracy to Life (John Wiley and Sons, 2005). ISBN 0-7879-4311-8
• Jacqueline Mondros, Organizing for Power and Empowerment (Columbia University Press, 1994). ISBN 0-231-06719-4
• Kristina Smock, Democracy in Action: Community Organizing and Urban Change (Columbia University Press, 2003). ISBN 0-231-12672-7
• Michael Westgate, Gale Force: Gale Cincotta, The Battles for Disclosure and Community Reinvestment (Harvard Bookstore, Cambridge, 2011). ISBN 978-0-615-44901-2

External links

• About Us - Network
• Who Is NPA?

^[1]

1. ↑ Eric Zorn (October 14, 2010). "Bonus rhubarb! Zorn and Byrne on the Rorschach video". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 11, 2014.