Welcome to the “Fiasco 35” – the most expensive weapons system known to humanity.
You know this can’t continue. We can’t pay for the investments we need at home – health care, education, Social Security, infrastructure and human needs – if we continue to squander our tax dollars on extraordinarily wasteful Pentagon pork and let millionaires and huge corporations off the hook.
That’s why, in the midst of the current debate over “sequester,” which is bureaucratese for “a monumentally stupid way to govern,” USAction is playing a special role.
We’ve recruited more than 120 national organizations and 240 local and state groups to sign a letter to Congress: Protect our troops, refocus our priorities, quit spending on things we can’t afford so that we can afford the things we need.
And we played a lead role in organizing Pull the Pork from the Pentagon: A National Day of Action. More than 30 events took place in 25 states, reinforced by more than 100,000 USAction members signing petitions to Congress, along with other online activists recruited by USAction allies CREDO Action, MoveOn.org and WAND.
Our events in both Washington, D.C. and around the country first drew notice the morning of Feb. 27 in the Washington Post in an article that effectively captured our message – stop the sequester but rein in wasteful Pentagon spending.
Affiliates across the country joined us to pull the pork from the Pentagon. In Annapolis, volunteers with Progressive Maryland delivered pulled-pork sandwiches to all 188 members of the Maryland General Assembly. In Portland, Maine People’s Alliance gathered outside the offices of U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, munched on pulled-pork sandwiches and exchanged “piggy balloons” before delivering petition signatures to the district offices. And MPA’s work went far deeper – the organization trained 150 MPA activists on the issue of wasteful Pentagon spending at the group’s annual lobby day.
And in Medford and Portland, Oregon Action protesters gathered to sing “McDonnell Douglas Had A Farm” and delivered 3,596 petition signatures, 279 handwritten letters and two pig balloons to the office of U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer.
This week and into April, our work continues. We’re broadening our coalition to include even more civil rights groups, labor, environmental organizations and students. We’re pressing our message that reining in wasteful Pentagon spending – and putting a stake through the heart of the Fiasco 35 – is essential for us to achieve prosperity for all.
Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Jobs Now and local citizens assembled outside a fundraiser today for Governor Scott Walker and New Jersey GOP Governor Chris Christie, calling attention to how much more extreme Wisconsin’s Governor than New Jersey’s on issues such as Medicaid. Governor Christie, in addition to a number of fellow GOP Governors around the nation, has accepted federal funds to fill the holes in Medicaid while Governor Walker has not.
During Gov Christie’s budget address last month he highlighted how accepting the federal funds was “the smart thing to do for our fiscal and public health” and that “refusing these federal dollars does not mean that they won’t be spent. It just means that they will be used to expand health care access in New York, Connecticut, Ohio or somewhere else”. Governor Christie made his decision after watching Walker turn the money down for Wisconsin.
Governor Walker’s move, if not reversed by the Legislature, will cost Wisconsin over five times more by 2020 to cover fewer people. If Wisconsin accepts the federal Medicaid funds like New Jersey, over the next decade over 200,000 more Wisconsinites would have access to BadgerCare. By accepting the federal revenue Wisconsin would save $58 million this budget alone and exponentially more through the next decade. Not doing so threatens jobs and lives.
USAction Program Director Alan Charney noted that besides Christie, Republican governors embraced by the Tea Party have moved to accept new federal Medicaid dollars provided by ObamaCare for their citizens, including Jan Brewer of Arizona, Rick Scott of Florida and John Kaisch of Ohio. “These governors are doing right by their states,” Charney said. “In contrast, Gov. Scott Walker is doing wrong by the people of Wisconsin. The real question – given the critical importance of health care, job creation and economic security for Wisconsinites--is whether there is any value, any ideal, or any principle that Walker won’t ignore in order to raise campaign dollars from wealthy CEOs?”
“Accepting federal funds would have created over 10,000 jobs in our health sector and beyond. Walker will instead deny thousands more the freedom to make their own health and economic decisions by denying them affordable health coverage,” said Kevin Kane, Healthcare Organizer at Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “Walker’s decision is clearly politics, not good policy, and it is a level of callousness that not even Chris Christie could show.”
Jamecca Cohee at today's Walker fundraiser
“It’s like Gov Walker didn’t even consider the human impact of his decision,” said Jamecca Cohee, a mother and a homecare worker in Milwaukee. “My job doesn’t offer health care, so my children and I rely on BadgerCare. My son requires medications and I suffer from high blood pressure issues. With Walker kicking parents like me off of BadgerCare, how are we supposed to live our lives? Especially when, without care, we’ll have to worry about critical and possibly life-threatening complications from my condition.”
Federal Medicaid funds for BadgerCare can be accepted at any time, throughout this budget process and even after. If Wisconsin at any point allocated it, federal funds would immediately be directed to BadgerCare.
Citizen Action of Wisconsin held a media call today with U.S. Congressman Mark Pocan to respond to U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan's latest budget. Congressman Pocan serves on the House Committee on Budget, and is engaged in the process taking place today to consider Ryan’s budget.
“The GOP Budget we are considering today represents little more than recycled policies that have already been rejected by the American people and unrealistic proposals that will never occur. From keeping the sequester in place, to turning Medicare into a voucher program, to devastating tax increases for middle class families, this budget will harm our economic growth and stunt the positive gains we’ve made,” said U.S. Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02), member of the House Committee on the Budget. “Instead, our focus should be on growing our economy and creating an environment where businesses can expand and hire workers. When we invest in infrastructure, education and research and development, we support our small business owners and create jobs for Wisconsin.”
“Citizen Action of Wisconsin strongly opposes Paul Ryan’s attack on health security,” said Robert Kraig, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “Access to affordable health care is a necessity for all Americans. It is especially important for seniors who have earned the freedom of a secure retirement. As a country we learned over half a century ago that private for-profit health insurance does not work for seniors, yet Ryan is determined to repeat the life threatening mistakes of the past.”
Citizen Action of Wisconsin echoes Congressman Mark Pocan’s call to take progressive Wisconsin ideas nationally as an alternative to Ryan’s draconian budget, especially the concept of using government negotiating power to lower exorbitant prescription drug prices. Wisconsin’s SeniorCare program has successfully negotiated millions of dollars prescription drug cost savings for our state’s seniors and is a model for how the Federal Government could find efficiencies without cutting seniors benefits or medical providers.
“Citizen Action of Wisconsin supports Congressman Mark Pocan’s effort to ensure the freedom and health security of all Americans, especially those of Medicare age. Access to affordable health care makes it possible for seniors to enjoy the freedom of a secure retirement”, said Robert Kraig, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “As a country we learned over half a century ago that private for-profit health insurance does not work for seniors, yet Ryan is determined to repeat the life threatening mistakes of the past.”
Likewise, Citizen Action of Wisconsin echoes Congressman Mark Pocan’s call to take progressive Wisconsin ideas nationally, especially the concept of using government negotiating power to lower exorbitant prescription drug prices. Wisconsin’s SeniorCare program has successfully negotiated millions of dollars prescription drug cost savings for our state’s seniors and is a model for how the Federal Government could find efficiencies without cutting seniors benefits or medical providers.
Robert Kraig speaks at State Capitol media conference with Congressman Mark Pocan
“Senator Ron Johnson had the opportunity to stand with hard working Wisconsinites; instead he chose to filibuster the Senate Bill that would have averted the Sequester,” said Jennifer Epps-Addison, Economic Justice Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “Make no mistake, the refusal to act by Senator Johnson and his tea-party conservative co-conspirators shows complete disregard for the devastation these unnecessary cuts will cause in the lives of Wisconsin families. Senator Johnson has once again chosen to protect the interests of millionaires and big corporations, instead of his constituents.”
Jennifer Epps-Addison speaks to a reporter this week in Milwaukee
“We can fix this, but the path forward requires everyone, including millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share,” Epps-Addison continued. “End tax breaks for shipping jobs overseas. End tax breaks for oil companies and make the wealthiest Americans pay taxes at the same rate they paid in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. And put an end to wasteful Pentagon spending – beginning with the albatross known as the F-35 fighter jet. It’s time to invest in economy boosting policies like increasing education spending, which would create more than twice as many jobs as spending on bloated Pentagon defense contracts like the ones handed out to Halliburton,” concluded Epps-Addison.
“The issue before us today is not the size of our government. The issue is who our government works for – the super-rich and CEO campaign contributors or working families and the middle class? We need a Congress that stands – and an America that works – for all of us. Because we are all in this together,” concluded Robert Kraig.
With Sequester Looming, Community Groups Demand Senator Ron Johnson Protect the Interests of the People of Wisconsin, Not Corporate Special Interests and Defense Contractors.
As part of a National Day of Action across the U.S., members of Citizen Action of Wisconsin and community partners gathered at the Downtown Milwaukee Social Security office to demand politicians put an end to wasteful Pentagon spending, say no to cuts in vital programs and services, and focus on creating jobs and opportunity. After brief speeches, the group passed out flyers to low wage workers in the Grand Avenue Mall and marched to Senator Ron Johnson’s office where they delivered more than 3,000 petitions calling on Senator Johnson to pull the pork from the pentagon.
“Pull the Pork from the Pentagon” events are taking place in Wisconsin and in more than two dozen states across the country today. Nationally, more than 100,000 USAction members have signed petitions demanding that Congress take action.
“Pull the Pork from the Pentagon,” the National Day of Action, is taking place as Congress faces a series of deadlines on our country’s budget priorities, including possible automatic spending cuts scheduled to take place beginning Friday.
“We have to stop paying for the things we can’t afford so that we can afford the things our families need,” said Jennifer Epps-Addison, Economic Justice Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “This includes Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and the Affordable Care Act. And it includes discretionary domestic programs such as Head Start, nutrition aid, job training, education and cancer screening, just to name a few.”
Epps-Addison noted that the heads of three of America’s largest military contractors earn a combined $74.4 million a year – the head of Northrop Gunman makes $26 million; the head of Lockheed Martin, $25.4 million; and the head of Boeing, $23 million.
“At issue today is not the size of government but rather who government works for – military contractor CEOs or working families and the middle class,” said Lori Fatla, public school teacher and Citizen Action Member. “We must recognize that strength and respect abroad are built, and based, on economic strength at home. And we cannot thrive if obsolete and unnecessary weapons systems are consuming our precious resources.”
Can't make it to an event? Call your Senators at (888) 872-1238 and ask them to Pull the Pork from the Pentagon! Just use the Click-to-Call tool below and we'll connect you directly to your Senators' offices.
Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02) held a media conference today with Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin Robert Kraig, highlighting the urgent need to avert the sequester and protect Wisconsin jobs and middle class families. Unless Congress acts, $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts will take effect on March 1, resulting in the loss of more than 36,000 Wisconsin jobs and reduced resources for critical services such as education, small business loans, Meals on Wheels and Head Start.
“The sequester’s across-the-board spending cuts represent a budget tornado,” said Congressman Mark Pocan.. “The cuts would bring severely harmful effects to our communities here in Wisconsin, slowing our economic growth, reducing key services and resulting in the loss of more than 36,000 Wisconsin jobs. This is irresponsible and unacceptable. Congress must come together on a balanced, common sense plan that responsibly reduces our deficit while maintaining investments that drive economic and job growth.”
“The best way for Congress to avoid this unnecessary and self inflicted crisis is to find the political courage to ask the wealthy and large special interests to pay their fair share,” said Robert Kraig, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. ”This human-made crisis literally pits corporate tax loopholes against children, seniors and our most vulnerable citizens. It is time for Congress to put the opportunity, security, and freedom of most Americans over the demands of wealthy special interests feeding at the public trough.”
“If this sequester is allowed to take effect, close to 373,000 seriously mentally ill adults and seriously emotionally disturbed children could end up being untreated nationally,” said Janie Harris, a Madison nurse. “This population is one of the least able to handle this level of abandonment.”
"The sequestration will increase hardships for vulnerable people and families in our community, especially for families with young children,” said Colleen Alvey, a licensed social worker. “As the resources available to families shrink, 600,000 women and children would be dropped from the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. We cannot put these vulnerable populations at risk because of politics and partisanship.”
In anticipation of Governor Walker’s budget address this evening, when he will formally announce his plan to turn down billions in health care reform dollars earmarked for Wisconsin, Citizen Action of Wisconsin Executive Director Robert Kraig made the following statement:
“Scott Walker’s decision to turn down billions in federal Medicaid dollars to strengthen BadgerCare is not only bad public policy it is profoundly immoral. Walker is putting political calculations ahead of the health security of Wisconsin citizens. Rather than level with the people of Wisconsin about the true implications of his dangerous decision, Walker has concocted an elaborate smokescreen designed to confuse and mislead the public. Once the smoke clears, the simple fact will remain that Walker’s scheme will result in tens of thousands fewer people gaining access to health security at more than 5 times the cost to the state. It may be a good political deal for Walker to posture as an opponent of health care reform, while confusing the public about the true consequences of his actions, but it is a shockingly irresponsible act for someone who is sworn to uphold and protect the best interest of the people of Wisconsin.”
"What the Governor is proposing is not a middle of the road approach as he has suggested," said State Senator Dave Hansen. "It is an extreme plan that puts him to the right of Tea Party Governors like Arizona Governor Jan Brewer who chose to accept the federal help. His ‘go it alone’ decision will cost taxpayers more than under the federal plan, fewer people will receive health care and we will lose out on over 10,000 new jobs."
The Governor’s recent refusal to accept $12 billion in Medicaid funds over 10 years for BadgerCare will have a devastating impact on Wisconsin. While details about the Governor’s actions are only slowly becoming public, it is already clear that by rejecting the federal funds for BadgerCare, Governor Walker is forcing 88,000 Wisconsinites off BadgerCare, and will end up costing Wisconsin taxpayers over $294 million more.
“This decision is not set in stone, there still is time for Wisconsin to accept this federal revenue and legislation has already been proposed,” said Kevin Kane, Healthcare Organizer at Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “Charging Wisconsinites more to cover less people under BadgerCare in Walker’s plan is not a ‘middle path’, it’s a cruel trick. Health reform is the law of the land, the Governor must stop trying to gain political points at the expense of peoples’ lives.”
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Wisconsin could add 211,000 citizens to the BadgerCare rolls by accepting federal Medicaid funds. The expansion also would save the state an estimated $495 million over the next 10 years, as well as create an estimated 10,500 healthcare jobs in Wisconsin.
“I previously had access to BadgerCare, but after covering a broken leg I found myself placed back on the waiting list,“ said Nevin Graves, a local resident of Green Bay. “Unable to get coverage, I could have lost a leg after an infection went untreated. I went from being able to work to being denied the ability to get proper care to adequately return to work. The Governor must accept this money so people can get the care they need.”
For more information about the effects of strengthening BadgerCare by expanding Medicaid, visit: Citizen Action of Wisconsin
