Bush Nominee Blocked After He Pushes $30B Tax Break for Wal-Mart

Last week, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) grilled White House budget director nominee Jim Nussle at Nussle's Senate confirmation hearing. The interchange, which you can watch here, was absolutely extraordinary. Sanders forced Nussle to go on record admitting that at a time the White House is trying to prevent better-funding children's health care programs, he supports giving the members of Wal-Mart's Walton family alone a tax break worth more than $30 billion.

Now, just today, the Associated Press reports that Sanders is using his filibuster power to block Nussle's nomination, putting his entire confirmation in jeopardy. "President Bush is completely out of touch with the economic realities facing working families," said Sanders, announcing his filibuster. "He needs a budget director who will make him face the facts, not his fantasies."

The White House is demanding that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid schedule a floor vote immediately so that Nussle can be confirmed before the congressional recess. Get in touch with Reid by calling his office at 202-224-3542. Tell him not to buckle - and not to let the Senate confirm as the nation's top budget official an extremist like Nussle who thinks its a better idea to give the Walton family a $30 billion tax break than to fully fund children's health care programs.