Hightower Lowdown

People are not merely complaining about Washington's meekness toward Wall Street's greed and destructiveness--they're organizing for changes that are more bold, comprehensive, and effective. Here are a couple of groups leading the way:

A New Way Forward. A web-based activist network funded by young people who're outraged by Wall Street's rapacious greed and Washington's timid response. Using netroots tactics, A New Way Forward allows ordinary people to organize protests, teach-ins, house parties, and other means to have a serious discussion about "too big to fail" and to rally support for decentralizing the financial system. Contact ANWF at http://www.anewwayforward.org.

Americans for Financial Reform. A broad coalition of some 200 national and state organizations--including groups representing consumers, labor, low-income folks, seniors, small business, students, and taxpayers. Led by Heather Booth, a veteran organizer of citizen coalitions for effective action, AFA is pushing aggressively for real reform of our financial system, ranging from Wall Street restructuring to local campaigns to stop the greedheaded policies of particular banks. Contact AFA at http://ourfinancialsecurity.org or 202-588-7715.

Open Government. If you want to let Obama know directly what you think of his Wall Street policies and to urge him to toughen his approach, contact his White House website http://whitehouse.gov/contact or call 202-456-1111.