For Immediate Release
Monday, December 12, 2005
McEntee Unveils TV Spots Urging Moderates To Oppose Bush & GOP Leadership's Budget & Tax Cut Agenda
Kicks Off National Week of Prayer and Action for Compassionate Priorities
Washington —AFSCME and the Emergency Campaign for American Priorities (ECAP) kicked off a "National Week of Prayer and Action for Compassionate Priorities," which features new television ads to fight the Republican Congressional Leadership's effort to make Draconian cuts to vital public services to give new tax breaks to the super rich.
"We're demanding that moderate Republicans do the right thing — buck their leadership and vote against these reckless budget and tax cuts," said AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee. "What's at stake in the budget and tax debate is the future of hungry children, the education of our young people and the health of our society."
In the coming weeks, the House and Senate will have final votes on the budget and tax reconciliation bills. Passage of the budget reconciliation bill could mean up to $50 billion in cuts to vital programs such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, housing and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Passage of the tax reconciliation bill could mean up to $56 billion in tax breaks for the wealthy.
"This isn't about politics. It's about fighting for America's families. It's about fighting for what is right." McEntee added.
McEntee kicked off the week's activities at an event at the National Press Club, where he was joined by Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL) and Jim Wallis of Call to Renewal. Activities include:
- Television Ads: AFSCME and ECAP will be running television advertisements in Washington, D.C. and the districts of 7 moderate Republicans. The ads urge these politicians to oppose the final budget and tax cut bills. Targets include: Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL), Rep. Jim Nussle (R-IA), Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) and Rep. Joe Schwarz (R-MI). To view a sample ad, go to http://www.actnow.org/.
- Online Protest: AFSCME and ECAP will be conducting an online protest at http://www.actnow.org/, which so far has drawn 30,000 participants who have sent messages to Congress.
- National Week of Prayer and Action by the Faith Community: Jim Wallis of Call to Renewal, a church-based anti-poverty coalition, has organized hundreds of religious leaders from across America to come to the nation's capital on Wednesday, December 14th to hold a National Prayer Vigil on a Moral Budget. There will also be vigils outside Senators' and Representatives' district and state offices on the same day in 23 states. A Public Worship Service for a Moral Budget will be held on Tuesday, December 13th at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol Street in Washington, D.C.
- Newspaper Ads: The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) will be running newspaper advertisements targeting the following House members: Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. Jim Walsh (R-NY), Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ), Rep. Joe Schwarz (R-MI), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) and Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-OH).
- Billboards: SEIU is running billboards in the states of the following senators: Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR), Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
- Press Conferences: AFSCME and ECAP will be holding news events targeting more than 3 dozen moderate Republicans in the House and Senate.
The Emergency Campaign for American Priorities (ECAP) is a short-term national campaign formed by organizations committed to an aggressive grassroots, grass-tops, public relations and lobbying campaign to convince Congress to stop a Republican-backed plan that would drastically cut programs that primarily benefit the poor and middle class in order to pay for tax cuts that benefit only the super rich.
ECAP Coalition Partners include: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); ACORN; Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA); American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); American Friends Service Committee (AFSC); American Academy of HIV Medicine; Campaign for America's Future (CAF); Center for Community Change; Children's Defense Fund; Coalition on Human Needs; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities; Fair Taxes For All Coalition; Families USA; Food Research and Action Center (FRAC); Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR); MoveOn.org Political Action; National Council of Churches; National Women's Law Center (NWLC); OMB Watch; People For the American Way (PFAW); Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Rural Americans for a Secure Future (RASF); Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Sierra Club; United for a Fair Economy; United States Student Association (USSA); USAction; USPIRG; Voices for Working Families; Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW); and Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA).
