Organized Money; How Progressives Can Leverage The Financial System To Work For Them, Not Against Them

Mestrich, Keith and Pinsky, Mark A.

ISBN 10: 1620975041 / ISBN 13: 9781620975046

Published by The New Press, New York, 2019

About this Item

[8], 294, [2] pages. Illustrations. Authors' Note. Selected Resources. Notes. Index. Signed by the author sticker on front of DJ. Signed by both authors on the title page. Minor red soiling on top edge and fore-edge. Keith Mestrich is a left-of-center banking executive and former labor union official who promotes the role of financial institutions with left-of-center political principles as partners to implement left-wing policy initiatives. Mestrich is currently transitioning out of his position as president of Amalgamated Bank, a financial institution owned by Workers United, a division of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Amalgamated markets itself as being friendly to left-of-center causes and participates in union-aligned advocacy campaigns. Mark A. Pinsky led the $150 billion community development financial institution (CDFI) industry from 1995 to 2016. With a track record of aligning capital with social, economic, environmental, and political justice, he was the strategic leader for the industry's growth from $2 billion to $140 billion. He is the author and editor of several books, the co-author (with Keith Mestrich) of Organized Money: How Progressives Can Leverage the Financial System to Work for Them, Not Against Them (The New Press), and speaks regularly on finance and society. He lives in Philadelphia, where he runs Five/Four Advisors, a strategic advisory firm. Two leading figures from the world of finance show how progressives can take their money away from conservative financial institutions and put it to good, lasting social use. The U.S. financial system may be working for some people, but it isn't working for most of us who care about progressive causes. In fact, our financial system taps your money to pay for a conservative agenda. It's a heads-they-win, tails-you-lose game when the fees you pay to use your credit card finance fossil fuels even when you buy green products. Conservative money muscle shapes our culture, society, politics, and public policy. In this bold call to action, two leaders from the world of progressive finance propose a strategy to challenge this conservative dominance of the financial sector: organized progressive money. It's a $10 trillion plan for a full- service, market-scale progressive financial system. Mestrich and Pinsky explain how progressives can take control with financial institutions of their own and products that align with progressive values. Organized Money warns that until progressives organize their money, they will lose again and again while conservatives will keep winning. It's a crucial message for the next progressive era, starting with the make-or-break 2020 election cycle, where American voters will be presented with a choice between conservative market fundamentalism that leaves them out or inclusive restorative capitalism that is good for people as well as profits. Written in clear, engaging prose for non- financial readers and finance leaders alike, Organized Money is required reading for everyone ready to confront the excesses of conservative power and influence. Derived from a Kirkus review: An exploration of how politically and socially progressive individuals can invest their money with financial institutions seeking to alleviate socio-economic inequities. Mestrich is the president of Amalgamated Bank, described as "the nation's leading socially responsible bank," and Pinsky is a former leader of what is known as the community development financial institution industry. The authors devote much of the book to educating their readers on the financial system. They understand that even the most politically progressive individuals tend to deposit their savings in nearby bank branches due to habit and/or convenience as well as buy insurance from massive corporations that feed elected officials tied to anti-egalitarian conservative politics. "Organized money holds immense power and influence, which we call money muscle," write the authors. "The.

Seller Inventory # 86952

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Organized Money; How Progressives Can Leverage The Financial System To Work For Them, Not Against Them
• Publisher: The New Press, New York
• Publication Date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1620975041
• ISBN 13: 9781620975046
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Sam Levitan (authors photograph)
• Edition: First Printing [Stated].
• Condition: Very good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Capitalism

About this title

Synopsis

Two leading figures from the world of finance show how progressives can take their money away from conservative financial institutions and put it to good, lasting social use

The U.S. financial system may be working for some people, but it isn't working for most of us who care about progressive causes. In fact, our financial system taps your money to pay for a conservative agenda. It's a heads-they-win, tails-you-lose game when the fees you pay to use your credit card finance fossil fuels even when you buy green products. Conservative "money muscle" shapes our culture, society, politics, and public policy.

In this bold call to action, two leaders from the world of progressive finance propose a strategy to challenge this conservative dominance of the financial sector: organized progressive money. It's a $10 trillion plan for a full- service, market-scale progressive financial system. Mestrich and Pinsky explain how progressives can take control with financial institutions of their own and products that align with progressive values.

Organized Money warns that until progressives organize their money, they will lose again and again while conservatives will keep winning. It's a crucial message for the next progressive era, starting with the make-or-break 2020 election cycle, where American voters will be presented with a choice between conservative market fundamentalism that leaves them out or inclusive restorative capitalism that is good for people as well as profits.

Written in clear, engaging prose for non- financial readers and finance leaders alike, Organized Money is required reading for everyone ready to confront the excesses of conservative power and influence.

About the Authors

Keith Mestrich is the president and CEO of Amalgamated Bank (AMAL), the nation's leading socially responsible bank. With twenty-five years of experience working in the labor movement and nonprofit organizations, Keith is a leader in the movement to build wealth for a purpose, not just for a profit. A noted social justice leader and popular speaker, he is the author (with Mark Pinsky) of Organized Money (The New Press). Mestrich lives in New York City.

Mark A. Pinsky, the founder and president of FiveFour Advisors, led the community development financial institution (CDFI) industry from 1993 –2016. With a track record of aligning capital with social, economic, and political justice, he was the strategic voice for the industry's $140 billion in assets under management. He is the author and editor of several books, including (with Keith Mestrich), Organized Money (The New Press), as well as a writer and speaker on finance and society. Pinksy lives in Philadelphia.