The Bankers are coming, the Bankers are coming!

On November 4th, we will see the invasion of hundreds of unelectable, unaccountable, undesireable villains. A virtual army of vampires, only days after Halloween (and the election) will come to suck our poor dry, then flap away into the night.

The Bankers Association for Finance & Trade (www.baft.org) will descend upon our city for their Annual Conference on International Finance, at a time when the US congress enters its lame duck session and will be able to more easily pass through such vile legislation as that of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

What is BAFT?

What we know is that it is an affiliate of the American Bankers Association, describing itself as a "financial trade association whose membership represents a broad range of internationally active financial institutions and companies...BAFT serves as a forum for analysis, discussion and action among international financial professionals...affecting international trade and finance, including legislative/regulatory issues...BAFT plays a unique role in expanding markets worldwide, shaping public policy, and promoting practices that preserve the safety and soundness of the international financial system."

Its Board of Directors includes top executives from CitiGroup, US Bancorp, Bank of America, and most of the other largest US bank corporations, and corporate membership includes major banks all over the world: www.baft.org/menus/about/5_Member_Organizations.html

Among those participating in the Annual Conferense are "over 225 senior bankers together with corporate executives and management of government agencies."

What we believe:

What we believe is that this is one association within a network of subterranean villains led by a mighty cabal of rich white male vampire overlords. Our unsubstantiated claims lead us to put out a call for all poor people, concerned persons, and vampireslayers to resist and harass rich white, well-dressed male vampires that may lurk near the Intercontinental Hotel on November 4th and 5th.

What will they be doing at this Conference?

Besides discussing free trade and international finance, focused workshops will discuss the PATRIOT Act, the US Port Authority & terrorism, the Trade Bank of Iraq & the Coalition Provisional Authority, and the FTAA.

We call for autonomous actions and all groups intrested to participate with this call as a part of the Beyond Voting campaign. The World Business Forum will converge on Chicago two weeks later, so let's give BAFT a preview of Chicago's resistance. Focus your resistance on the Intercontinental Hotel, the delegates and Chicago-area banks. Please post this widely, and help us to organize against the real evildoers and powerbrokers. To the ballot box Nov. 2, to the streets Nov. 3!

To learn more in their own words, check out www.baft.org, www.baft.org/content_folders/14th_Annual_Conference_on_International_Trade/BAFT2004T&FUpdateProg2.pdf, or call 1-800-BANKERS (that is their real phone #!!!)
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