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Health GAP is…

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• An international AIDS activist organization dedicated to eliminating the barriers to lifesaving HIV treatment for everyone.

• A strong believer in direct action organizing and strategic policy making.

• The sponsor of the Student Global AIDS Campaign• Began with a series of beautifully choreographed

direct actions targeting then VP and Pres. Candidate Al Gore for his role in preventing South Africa from importing generic, affordable medications.

Global economic crisis

•Who Caused it?•Who does it Impact?

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Impacts• Increases in the cost of food and fuel are estimated

to have pushed more than 100 million people back into poverty.

• The World Bank: in all developing countries an additional 200,000 to 400,000 infant deaths per year may result from the financial crisis (from 2010).

• A $65bn hole in the budgets of the low-income countries as a direct result of the financial crisis, – Remittances dried up– Investment, export revenues and credit declined

• Yet more pain is in the pipeline. Aid spending is set for dramatic reductions.

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Is there enough $ for everyone to get Health?

• Globally top 1% = 40% of all wealth• Top 10% = 85%

• Global Wealth, Rich Countries = 88%

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The Solution We Can All Work on Together

Gorillas, LGBT community, People living with AIDS, Homeless, Unemployed, Unions, etc.

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What is the Robin Hood Tax?• Taxing financial instruments such as:

Stocks, Bonds, Foreign Exchange, Derivatives: Futures, Swaps, Options

• Average rate: 0.05% would generate: up to $400b worldwide

• Rate of .5% would generate up to $350 billion in the U.S. alone

• In Europe, campaign calls for 50% domestic; 50% international: – Jobs+Development/health + climate change

• In U.S. campaign is asking for higher percentage point to add additional demands: create jobs, provide education, full healthcare.

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• Currency – foreign exchange: Currency – foreign exchange: • 1973: $4 trillion per year; 1973: $4 trillion per year; • mid-80s: $40 trillion per yearmid-80s: $40 trillion per year• 2004: $500 tr. pa = $1.9 tr. per day2004: $500 tr. pa = $1.9 tr. per day• 2007: $800 tr. pa = $3.2 tr. per day2007: $800 tr. pa = $3.2 tr. per day• 2010: $1,000 tr. pa = $4 trillion per day2010: $1,000 tr. pa = $4 trillion per day

Rate: 0.005% - Intelligence Capital Rate: 0.005% - Intelligence Capital • Revenue: $45-50 Billion per yearRevenue: $45-50 Billion per year

Currency Transaction Levy Currency Transaction Levy

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History of FTTs• Tobin taxes: Originally refer to

James Tobin, currently used by the media to mean all financial transaction tax.

• 1970s: Tobin’s original idea was about taxing currency/forex – 1% in order to REGULATE not

generate revenue– Would dramatically cut down on

transactions… which Tobin wanted

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Legislation and Support So Far:• The Currency Tax Levy is a subset of this larger tax. Just on

currency. Would raise $30 billion if there was a .005% tax on 4 most traded currencies.

• Congressmember Pete Starks introduced legislation to create a currency transaction levy that would specifically fund the fight against global AIDS and climate change (DeFazio-Harkin bill would fund domestic jobs)

• Congressmember Ellison Bill, HR 6411 with a great rate of .5% and talks about AIDS in the findings.

• Gates, the Pope, Sachs, Archbishop of Canterbury, Chris Martin, Anna Wintour, Mark Ruffalo, to name drop a few, have come out in favor

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How Does It Work:

VAT? / Sales Tax04/19/23 11

Myth Busting…

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It Needs to Happen Everywhere…• FTTs – commonplaceFTTs – commonplace: over 25 years: over 25 years

introduced permanently or temporarily on stocks, introduced permanently or temporarily on stocks, corporate/government bonds, futures, general corporate/government bonds, futures, general computerised financial transferscomputerised financial transfers

• Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK and US Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK and US

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Will it Hurt the Financial Sector?

• Profit to Financial Sector:

• Bonuses: global pot for 2011 $600 billion and a $1,000 billion (one trillion dollars); R1.1 billion from must ABSA in South Africa

• banking was the most profitable industry in the world, 26 times more profitable than the average industry

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It WILL Hurt the Financial Market…

• Volume of financial transactions: 70x the size of “real economy”

• Tradebots in the US who hold a stock on average for just 11 seconds.

• Financial experts agree-this is the danger zone of trading.

• RHT will kill about 50% of (robo) trading• Our revenue estimates take this loss into

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It will never happen…

• THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT HAS OPENED A SPACE FOR US TO FINALLY START TALKING ABOUT AN END TO REPEATED BUDGET CUTS.

• 11 COUNTRIES IN EUROPE, INCLUDING GERMANY AND FRANCE, HAVE JUST IMPLEMENTED A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION TAX. IT IS HAPPENING…

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We Can’t do it!

• Syringe Exchange• Inclusion of women in clinical trials• Ryan White CARE Act• Housing for people with AIDS• US Global AIDS Plan and subsequent expansion to $48 billion• AIDS drugs drop from $15,000 to $89/year due to generic competition• Activists campaigned for the creation of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB,

and Malaria-new way to do development• Americans with Disabilities Act• Bank Regulation• End of Child labor• Etc, etc.

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UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES…• DRESSING LIKE ROBIN HOOD IS NEVER A BAD THING• GOING NAKED IS NEVER A BAD THING• Organize a rally outside your Member of Congress’ office or

invite them to a town hall on global AIDS. Now is the time for Congress to keep their promises on AIDS.

• Meet with your congressmember-very few people actually do this!

• Ellison bill to be re-introduced, press conference, day of actions in early March

• MOBILIZE FOR APRIL 20TH (NO, NOT THAT 4.20) IN DC (G8/G20 FINANCE MINISTERS AND GOVERNORS)

• FTT messaging at Occupy Everywhere• Do any Robin Hood Action!

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Grassroots Action Thus Far…

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Health GAP and VOCAL-NY

Mobilizing Occupy Wall Street

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VOCAL-NY on World AIDS Day

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AIDS Activists have been Occupying Wall Street for 25

Years…

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Contact Info

Jennifer FlynnManaging Director

Health GAPjflynn@healthgap.orgCell + 1 917 517-5202

Skype: jenniferaliceflynnHeadquarters: +1 212 537-0575 x 3

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