AFSCME Launches Ad Campaign

January 01, 2006

AFSCME, the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have launched a television advertising campaign opposing the Republicans' proposed federal budget, which cuts critical social services, including health care for seniors.

The ads target moderate Republicans who have supported these social programs in the past but caved in to their right-wing leaders last December. As AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee puts it, "They voted with their leadership to push this Draconian plan in order to give billions more in tax breaks to millionaires. Thankfully, these moderates will have a chance for redemption when the bill comes up for a final vote in the House on February 1st."

The ad campaign started airing in 11 House districts on January 18 and will run for seven days. Watch the ads online.

The joint campaign is part of a month-long effort by the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities and its coalition partners in 35 states to defeat the budget bill. In addition, AFSCME, ECAP and SEIU will be holding local events to showcase the new ads about the harmful effects of the budget bill. Activities will include town hall meetings with members of Congress, press conferences, direct mail, print and radio advertising, e-mail, phone calls, district meetings, a nationally coordinated lobbying effort and an innovative online protest that has already drawn nearly 30,000 participants to http://www.actnow.org/.