AFSCME, together with a number of groups around the country, including U.S. Action and Americans United for Change, formed the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities- or ECAP.
ECAP's goal is to offer a full-throated articulation of why it is critically important to begin reinvesting in our country after years of neglect.
Case in point, why does Bush feel the need to veto a bill that would insure millions of children across the country? Specifically, why does Bush, Cornyn, and every Republican member of the Texas Congressional delegation feel the need block 220,000 children from getting the insurance they need?
This week, ECAP and progressive groups all over the country are holding hundreds of events focusing on the need to override president bush's veto of the children's health insurance program (SCHIP). AFSCME, SEIU and Americans United for Change have launched a major paid advertising campaign and will flood Capitol Hill with hundreds of thousands of calls, emails and letters demanding that members of Congress do the right thing and vote to overide bush's veto of SCHIP. In Texas, that means going after Kay Granger.
The vote in the house next week is going to be close. In fact, we can specifically blame any of these Texas elected officials for being the one vote we needed to make the House veto proof. That's right, 17 Republicans voted against Texas children.
A recent poll commissioned by Americans United for Change, AFSCME and USAction on SCHIP pointed to some interesting observations. When people were told that Democrats want to spend more than Bush in order to cover more children, 63% agree with Democrats. But looking deeper, 3/5 independents agree; 1/3 Rs agree with Ds even when the statement is made in expressly partisan terms. The numbers go further showing 70% of women and 57% of men agreed with the Democratic position on CHIP funding.
The ad above will begin running next week in Rep. Kay Granger's district and hundreds of local field events will complement the TV ads. It is up to us to keep the pressure up and ensure they start representing us. It is time for Barton, Brady, Burgess, Carter, Conaway, Culberson, Gohmert, Granger, Hall, Hensarling, S. Johnson, Marchant, McCaul, Neugebauer, Paul, Sessions, Smith and Thornberry to stop blindly doing what the President says, and vote for Texas children.
