http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/ en Americans United Copyright 2008 2008-07-02T21:17:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/pain_at_the_pump_thank_george_bushs_foreign_policy/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/pain_at_the_pump_thank_george_bushs_foreign_policy/#When:21:17:00Z The National Security Network has released a new report showing that the current gas price crisis is a direct result of the foreign policy blunders of George Bush and his rubber-stamp conservative supporters in Congress.Bush's hawkish foreign policies -- from the invasion of Iraq to his belligerent rhetoric directed toward Iran -- has only exacerbated the historic instability of the most prolific oil-producing area in the world. As NSN President Rand Beers said about the report,"We have had a 7 fold increase in the [price of oil] since the war in Iraq began and the references to a potential conflict with Iran. We have had a single day spike of $11 in reference to a question about a military incident about Iran. Americans need to understand that what is happening in the Persian Gulf and what is being said about things in the Persian Gulf are all significant contributors to the rise in the price of oil. And that is what Americans today are feeling - the result of activities and words of this administration."What's more, the war in Iraq has made it much more difficult for the government to soften the blow of these skyrocketing energy prices. The hundreds of billions of dollars spent in Iraq are funds that we don't have available to provide relief to American families who are suffering as a result of the oil price crisis.In a conference call about the NSN report, USAction program director Alan Carney noted that"In order to jumpstart this economy, we need to reinvest in our businesses, technology and infrastructure. However, the war in Iraq is diverting all of our resources. The only way we can improve this economy is to end the war in Iraq..."If George Bush hadn't chosen to start this war in the first place, oil prices would likely be much more manageable, and we'd have the resources to provide real economic relief to Americans who need it most. When it comes to skyrocketing oil prices, the blame goes all the way to the top. 2008-07-02T21:17:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/the_bush_legacy_tour_kicks_off_today/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/the_bush_legacy_tour_kicks_off_today/#When:14:34:00Z With Republicans reeling due to their association with President Bush, and amid what supporters of the President have dubbed his "legacy year," Americans United for Change (AUFC) will unveil its much anticipated flagship effort - the Bush Legacy Bus - with a cookout in front of the headquarters of the AFL-CIO (two blocks from the White House) today. The cookout will begin at 11:30 A.M. followed by a speaking program at 12:30 P.M. which will include, among others, AFLCIO President John Sweeney, AUFC President Brad Woodhouse, and a number of everyday Americans who have been affected by the Bush/Conservative Legacy. The bus will be open for tour beginning at 10:00 A.M. and following the speaking program at 12:30 P.M., will drive by the White House where photographers and television cameras can see it in front of the White House from the corners of 16th and H Streets, NW. At 1:30 P.M. the Bus Will Leave the AFL-CIO to go to Capitol Hill where it will be open from 2:30 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the corners of 1st and D Streets, SE (across the Street from Tortilla Coast Restaurant). The 28 ton, 45-foot long biodiesel-powered museum on wheels features interactive exhibits on the worst policy failures that grew out of the conservative agenda. Visitors will be given the chance to reflect on the Administration's tragically inept response to Hurricane Katrina, mismanaged and endless war in Iraq, ‘trickle-down' economic policies that favored the wealthiest Americans and more. From Washington D.C., the Bush Legacy Bus heads to Dayton, Ohio, to hold House Republican Leader John Boehner accountable for supporting Bush's conservative agenda. The bus then goes on to Louisville to do the same for Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell - the second of nearly 150 stops on a coast-to-coast tour throughout the summer and fall stopping in the hometowns of Bush's allies in Congress, both national political conventions, and symbolic and historic locations like New Orleans and Crawford, TX. Click here to visit the Bush Legacy Tour homepage. 2008-06-24T14:34:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/a_lifeline_for_the_unemployed/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/a_lifeline_for_the_unemployed/#When:16:48:00Z Americans who are hurting and out of work need a break.With the unemployment rate ballooning from 5 percent to 5.5 percent in May -- the largest monthly increase since 1986 -- Congress is considering a crucial bill to extend unemployment benefits for millions of Americans who can't find jobs and whose benefits run out.The House will vote this afternoon on this legislation, which provides up to 13 weeks of additional benefits to all out-of-work Americans, and up to 26 weeks in states with the highest unemployment rate. In these difficult economic times, Congress is working to provide an important lifeline for those hit hardest by the looming recession.Paying for groceries, gas, and rent shouldn't be impossible. Extending unemployment benefits would not only provide assistance to needy Americans, but would be an important boon to the economy. The Congressional Budget Office has found that every $1.00 invested in unemployment benefits generates $1.73 in new demand, reinvigorating the economy and stimulating growth.But President Bush still opposes this bill. White House Press Secretary Dana Perino casually noted last week, "While it's a concern that the unemployment rate jumped to 5.5 percent, that is still historically low." The President should tell that to the millions of Americans crunched by home foreclosures, a credit crisis, sky-high gas prices, and an economy that has already shed 324,000 jobs this year alone.George Bush's policies of corporate welfare and tax cuts for the wealthy have failed to trickle down to ordinary Americans. While he offers billion-dollar bailouts to Bear Stearns, the President continues to oppose action in Congress that would help those who need it most.Today, Congress can make a statement that they stand with struggling American families, not George Bush.  2008-06-11T16:48:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/oops_mccain_again_clueless_on_economy/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/oops_mccain_again_clueless_on_economy/#When:18:19:00Z John McCain said yesterday he believes "the fundamentals of the economy are very strong. Very strong": Of course, John McCain is free to believe whatever he wants -- but that doesn’t make it true. Today the AP reported that the unemployment rate jumped to 5.5 percent in May. That's the biggest monthly rise since 1986, and it reflects 49,000 jobs cut by employers. It's clear that despite McCain's bizarre proclamations, the economy really is in trouble: “For the average American there is not debate that the economy is in a recession,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com. “That’s because their net worth is lower, their purchasing power is lower and it is tough to find a job. If you lose a job, it is tough to get back in,” he said. It shouldn’t really be that surprising that McCain is so out of touch on economic issues. He's said before that “[t]he issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should" and that working families' economic hardships are mostly "psychological." McCain is also the 8th wealthiest U.S. senator, the owner of 9 homes, and worth more than $13 million. The economy seems to be working quite well for him. For the rest of America, though, it's a different story. If John McCain can't acknowledge the problems with the economy, how is he going to fix them? He won't. McCain's economic proposals would provide little relief for the vast majority of Americans. They'd be nothing more than a continuation of George Bush's tax breaks for huge corporations and millionaires, bad trade deals, and failure to provide relief for working families struggling with the housing crisis and skyrocketing health care costs and gas prices. John McCain can say the economy is doing just fine. The facts, though, say he's dead wrong. 2008-06-06T18:19:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_ad_stop_the_propaganda_end_the_war/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_ad_stop_the_propaganda_end_the_war/#When:00:55:00Z Americans United for Change tonight released this new web ad reminding Americans of the Bush Administration's propaganda campaign to get the U.S. into a war in Iraq.  Download the Backup Material (.doc) 2008-05-31T00:55:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_ads_praise_democrats_middle_class_tax_rebates/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_ads_praise_democrats_middle_class_tax_rebates/#When:03:53:00Z Americans United for Change will debut the following television ad Friday praising Democratic Members of Congress for their support of tax rebates for America's middle class. Carol Shea-Porter Script Kirsten Gillibrand Script Ciro Rodriguez Script Nick Lampson Script media, video_ads 2008-05-30T03:53:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/mcbushs_indefensible_opposition_to_the_gi_bill/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/mcbushs_indefensible_opposition_to_the_gi_bill/#When:16:26:00Z "Support the troops" isn't just a slogan, but apparently someone forgot to tell George Bush and John McCain.The President -- with McCain's eager support -- has threatened to veto the new GI Bill, an important piece of legislation passed by the House earlier this month that would pay for four years of college for veterans who have served at least three years since 9/11. Current GI educational benefits only cover about 60 percent of public college tuition and 30 percent for private schools. The new bill would boost that benefit to cover the full cost.It's the least our nation could do to show our gratitude for the sacrifices these brave troops have made.In an editorial yesterday, the New York Times took Bush to task for his heartless position on the GI Bill:He is wrong, but at least he is consistent. Having saddled the military with a botched, unwinnable war, having squandered soldiers' lives and failed them in so many ways, the commander in chief now resists giving the troops a chance at better futures out of uniform. He does this on the ground that the bill is too generous and may discourage re-enlistment, further weakening the military he has done so much to break.Yesterday, both John McCain and the White House made this argument once again, but as Think Progress pointed out earlier this month, a Congressional Budget Office analysis found that the likely decline in troop retention would be completely offset by an increase in recruits achieved by the improved educational benefits.Once again, George Bush and John McCain refuse to let the facts get in the way of misleading defenses of their indefensible positions. For such staunch supporters of the war in Iraq, their lack of support for the ones bearing the burden is extremely disappointing and out of touch with the true toll the war has taken on our military. 2008-05-27T16:26:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_ads_target_those_turning_their_backs_on_the_troops/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_ads_target_those_turning_their_backs_on_the_troops/#When:21:03:00Z Americans United for Change will debut the following television ads Friday criticizing the President and conservative members of Congress for turning their back on the troops and the New GI Bill. Michele Bachmann Michele Bachmann Script and Supporting Material Steve Chabot Steve Chabot Script and Supporting Material Tom Feeney Tom Feeney Script and Supporting Material Randy Kuhl Randy Kuhl Script and Supporting Material media, video_ads 2008-05-22T21:03:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/bushs_sacrifice/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/bushs_sacrifice/#When:21:17:00Z This week President Bush revealed he had given up playing golf to honor the soldiers fighting in Iraq. Americans United for Change and the Bush Legacy Project examine that sacrifice in this new video. media, video_ads 2008-05-14T21:17:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/bush_threatens_veto_on_foreclosure_assistance/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/bush_threatens_veto_on_foreclosure_assistance/#When:14:42:00Z The subprime mortgage crisis has really put President Bush's misguided priorities in stark relief.Yesterday, the House passed legislation to provide assistance to half a million homeowners facing foreclosure. The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act is a crucial bill that will prevent desperate American families from losing their homes.But George Bush has threatened to do the unthinkable and veto this legislation, denying help from the housing crisis to those who need it most.According to the Pew Center on the States, between 7,000 and 8,000 people a day are filing for foreclosure on their homes. One in 33 homeowners is projected to be in foreclosure over the next two years, as a result of subprime loans made in 2005 and 2006.As these thousands of families each day plant foreclosure signs in their yards, Bear Stearns and other Wall Street financiers are humming along -- thanks to the $30 billion bailout Bush supported last month. His administration's incompetence and inaction allowed the subprime crisis to get this bad, and now he's blocking efforts to ease the burden on American families.As the bill's sponsor Rep Barney Frank said,"I think it would be a declaration that he's stopped trying to govern," Mr. Frank said, as if the president were saying: " 'I'm through governing, let's just yell at each other for the rest of the year.' "Although we'd all be thrilled if Bush actually were no longer governing, the fact is he's still in office -- and still doing his best to block any assistance for the American people. 2008-05-09T14:42:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_radio_ad_questions_ensign_porter_votes_against_fair_pay_act/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_radio_ad_questions_ensign_porter_votes_against_fair_pay_act/#When:13:57:00Z Americans United for Change debuted a new radio advertisement today rebuking Senator John Ensign (R-NV) and Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV) for their votes against the Fair Pay Act. By standing with President Bush, Ensign and Porter voted against Nevada's women and minorities who have seen their right to earn a fair wage weakened. Across the nation, women make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes, and African-American women earn just 63 centers for every dollar a man makes. Hispanic-American women earn just 52 cents for every dollar a man makes.Senator Ensign recently voted to block the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act – meaningful legislation that would level the playing field for women and men who have been victims of pay discrimination by allowing them to seek justice in the courts.  Rep. Porter voted against sister legislation which passed in the U.S. House in July.  Click here for supporting material media 2008-04-30T13:57:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/mccains_fuzzy_tax_cut_math/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/mccains_fuzzy_tax_cut_math/#When:21:10:00Z In December John McCain said, "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should."McCain claims he was just joking, but looking at his actual economic plan, it certainly appears his initial claim was correct: When it comes to the economy, John McCain really doesn't know what he is talking about.In today's column, Paul Krugman analyzes McCain's tax plan, and he concludes that it "doesn't seem to embody any coherent policy agenda. Instead, it looks like a giant exercise in pandering."That's because McCain uses fuzzy math to hide the true cost of his irresponsible tax cuts. As Krugman writes,According to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, the overall effect of the McCain tax plan would be to reduce federal revenue by more than $5 trillion over 10 years. That's a lot of revenue loss -- enough to pose big problems for the government's solvency.Krugman explains that McCain and his advisers responded to this analysis by falsely criticizing the Tax Policy Center's methodology -- but avoiding the substance of its conclusions: It's the sort of fiscal double-talk that has been a Bush administration hallmark. In any case, it offers no answer to the principal point raised by the Tax Policy Center analysis, which has nothing to do with scoring: the McCain tax plan would leave the federal government with far too little revenue to cover its expenses, leading to huge budget deficits unless there were deep cuts in spending.And Mr. McCain has said nothing realistic about how he would close the giant budget gap his tax cuts would produce -- a gap so large that eliminating it would require cutting Social Security benefits by three-quarters, eliminating Medicare, or something equivalently drastic.It's time John McCain starts being straight with the American people about the true costs of his economic plan. 2008-04-28T21:10:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/experts_react_to_petraeus_centcom_nomination/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/experts_react_to_petraeus_centcom_nomination/#When:15:10:00Z Yesterday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said General David Petraeus will be promoted as the next commander of U.S. Central Command. Petraeus was the driving force behind last year's "surge" in Iraq, and earlier this month he told Congress that troop withdrawals after August are unlikely. President Bush's nomination of Petraeus as CentCom commander raised eyebrows among retired military officers and national security experts. Chief among their concerns is Petraeus' heavy focus on the Iraq war and a potential lack of objectivity when it comes to broader strategic decisions -- particularly concerning the conflict in Afghanistan, where Petraeus has never served. Major General Mel Montano (USANG, Ret.) said, As CENTCOM commander, General Petraeus has the responsibility of the entire theater to manage... We keep hearing that Al Qaida is continuing to plan attacks on U. S. cities and allied countries. Well if we had concentrated on the command structure of Al Qaida in Afganistan there would not be any planning cells or Al Qaida leadership to do so. Lawrence J. Korb, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, asked if after a year and a half as the Commanding General of Multinational Forces in Iraq, can General Petraeus objectively asses priorities as the overall commander of the war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan? If history is any guide, General Petraeus will have difficulty remaining impartial. These are important questions, and Petraeus should have to address them during his confirmation hearings before the Senate. Read the full statements after the jump. 2008-04-24T15:10:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/out_of_touch_or_out_of_his_mind/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/out_of_touch_or_out_of_his_mind/#When:15:40:00Z John McCain talked about the economy on Bloomberg News last night. Here's what he had to say:"You could make an argument that there's been great progress economically over that period of time (the past seven years)."Well, you could make that argument, Senator McCain -- but you'd be wrong.The past seven years have seen a steady erosion of the middle class. Though our nation's GDP has risen, average family incomes are down. Bush's tax cuts have disproportionately benefited the wealthy, while everyone else is left to struggle with rising health care costs, rising gas prices, foreclosures, and outsourced jobs.The American people certainly aren’t buying John McCain's argument. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll released today shows that 90 percent of the American public gives the economy a negative rating, with a majority saying it's in "poor" shape. Yet McCain insists on standing by the failed record of George Bush.It should be clear to any rational observer: This economy isn't working for the vast majority of Americans.John McCain is either completely out of touch or out of his mind. If the American people have a better understanding of the economy than John McCain, then why should they trust his economic plan? 2008-04-18T15:40:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_ads_target_those_complicit_in_the_bush_legacy/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/new_ads_target_those_complicit_in_the_bush_legacy/#When:18:46:00Z Americans United for Change is rolling out a series of radio ads targeting two Senators and four Members of Congress who have contributed to the Bush Legacy on Iraq and the economy. The ads call on them to reverse course and put American families first. Rep. Jon PorterPorter Ad Transcript  Senator Norm ColemanColeman Ad Transcript  Senator John SununuSununu Ad Transcript  Rep. Don YoungYoung Ad Transcript  Rep. Tim WalbergWalberg Ad Transcript  Rep. Steve ChabotChabot Ad Transcript  media 2008-04-16T18:46:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/mn_taxpayers_urge_sen_norm_coleman_to_invest_in_america/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/mn_taxpayers_urge_sen_norm_coleman_to_invest_in_america/#When:17:51:00Z Yesterday -- Tax Day -- Minnesota taxpayers gathered outside the office of Senator Norm Coleman to urge him to vote for investment in America, not endless war in Iraq.At the gathering in Minnesota, taxpayers held up a check for $12.5 billion -- the amount the war has cost the state so far.With a nationwide recession looking more and more likely, we cannot afford to continue spending more than ten billion dollars a month for a war with no end in sight. As Muriel Vaughan of the Minnesota Women's Political Alliance put it,"As thousands of Minnesotans head to the post office today to file their taxes, we want answers from Senator Coleman as to how much longer we will continue to spend over $10 billion a month of our national treasure in Iraq while shortchanging critical priorities here at home, like education and healthcare for our kids, seniors and veterans."Here's the breakdown of the cost of the Iraq war so far, from the Congressional Research Service:$123.6 billion every year$10.3 billion every month$2.4 billion every week$338.6 million every day$14.1 million every hour$235,160 every minute$3,919 every secondAnd here's what we could fund with the money we spend each day in Iraq:2,060 more Border Patrol agents could be hired to protect our borders for a year.18,000 more students could receive Pell Grants to help them attend college for a year.48,000 homeless veterans could be provided with a place to live for a year.317,000 more kids could receive every recommended vaccination for a year.955,000 families could get help with their energy bills through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for a year.Nearly 480,000 women, infants and children could receive nutritional help with the WIC program for a year.2.6 million Americans without adequate health insurance could have access to medical and dental care at community health centers for a year.More than 100 local communities could make improvements to their drinking water with help from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for a year.937 additional National Institutes of Health grants for research into diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer and diabetes could be provided for a year.Source: House Appropriations Committee 2008-04-16T17:51:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/april_15th/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/april_15th/#When:21:44:00Z It's almost Tax Day - and Americans United for Change is reminding President Bush and his allies in Congress to "Invest in America, Not in Iraq."The Iraq War has already cost U.S. taxpayers a staggering $526 billion in direct costs and roughly $1.3 trillion to the economy.  That is $16,500 for each U.S. family of four, or roughly $3 billion for each Congressional district in the country.Meanwhile, middle class Americans are bracing for a recession here at home - and the Bush Administration hasn't been responding. As Reuters reported last month:Washington's overall spending on domestic programs outside of defense, such as education, highways and law enforcement, has grown. But over the seven years of the Bush presidency, that funding represents a declining share of the budget and economy.Tomorrow, Americans United for Change is teaming up with Members of Congress, veterans, military families, community leaders, faith leaders and concerned citizens to co-host nearly 50 events in front of post offices across the country. The events will be highlighting the enormous financial burden taxpayers are shouldering as the war in Iraq drags on into its 6th bloody and costly year.Update: In addition to the nearly fifty Tax Day/Cost of War events taking place throughout the country tomorrow, Brave New Films is launching a new website called "The $3 Trillion Shopping Spree" -- http://3trillion.org/ -- a unique, virtual shopping experience for Americans who want to try to comprehend the astronomical price tag of this war by relating it to real world purchases.  Americans can now discover: "Just What could I do with a $3 trillion gift certificate to anything in the world?  How many plasma TVs could you buy?  How many Cadillac Escalades?  Or for that matter, how many deadly diseases could you cure?  How many new schools could you build?  How much HIV medication for AIDS victims around the world?" 2008-04-14T21:44:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/aufcs_jeremy_funk_talks_about_the_war_on_new_yorks_rnn/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/aufcs_jeremy_funk_talks_about_the_war_on_new_yorks_rnn/#When:14:20:00Z video_clips 2008-03-28T14:20:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/mcbush_on_iraq_the_same_old_thing/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/mcbush_on_iraq_the_same_old_thing/#When:16:08:00Z video_ads 2008-03-26T16:08:00-05:00 http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/the_cost_of_war/ http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/the_cost_of_war/#When:17:46:00Z Americans United for Change President Brad Woodhouse, discussing the cost of the Iraq War on CBS news: video_clips 2008-03-24T17:46:00-05:00