Americans United for Change (AUFC), the group best known for leading the fight to defeat the President's effort to privatize Social Security in 2005, has launched new radio spots targeting key Republicans as part of its ongoing "Bush Legacy Project". The spots, called "Two Peas in a Pod", make the case that these members (among others) enabled the Bush Legacy on the two issues which most define his failed presidency: the war in Iraq and the economy. The ad calls on these Members to reverse course - put families first and not Bush. Click here to hear new ad: "Two Peas in a Pod"
The Bush Legacy Project is a multi-million dollar effort that will include paid media, grassroots, and online tactics with the goal of cementing into history what the last 7 years of the Bush/Conservative ideology has wrought on America -- from the looming recession, the endless war in Iraq, shortchanged domestic priorities, millions more Americans uninsured, global warming ignored, stagnant wages, a mortgage crisis, the middle class squeeze, exploding deficit, the pathetic Katrina response, and the list goes on.
Just as importantly, the project is intended to tie Bush to the Republican members of Congress who have enacted the Bush program, and to put a stake in the heart of the failed conservative ideology that is at its core.
Bush's approval rating dropped to its historically lowest levels last week, but AUFC focus groups have shown that while swing voters can't stand Bush, they don't automatically tie the failures of his administration either to other Republicans or to conservative ideology.
In February, AUFC produced a spot that aired on national television before and after the President's final State of the Union Address. Click here to View
In addition, a new website - www.PresidentBushLegacy.com - was launched and will feature research, videos, and essays from a broad coalition of organizations documenting President Bush's Legacy, both foreign and domestic, during his tenure. In key battleground states, Americans United will be hosting roundtables with local citizens to reflect upon how the past 7 years of the President's policies have impacted their lives. Probably most interesting, Americans United will soon unveil plans for a traveling 'Bush Legacy' bus - a rolling museum featuring exhibits on the Bush Presidency concerning Iraq, Katrina, the economy, the environment, energy and a host of policy areas that have defined Bush's time in office.
If it's fully funded, the Bush Legacy Project will be a critical element in the ongoing effort to redefine American political values and to create an enduring progressive majority in America.
The new radio spots targeting Sens. Coleman in Duluth (MN) and Sununu in Manchester (NH) and Reps. Walberg in Lansing (MI), Young in Anchorage (AK), Porter in Las Vegas (NV) and Chabot in Cincinnati (OH) will go up tomorrow for the rest of this week and will be up all of next week in most of the markets.
Text of the new spot appears below:
Champagne corks were popping on Wall Street when the government bailed out Bear Sterns and other Wall Street financiers. Of course - President Bush has told us that the economy is strong. But people on Main Street know better. Gas prices, healthcare and college tuition have skyrocketed. And everyone knows wages haven't kept pace. And now, housing values are down and folks are losing their homes.
What has Senator Norm Coleman done? He's supported Bush's trickle down economics that got us into this mess - like tax giveaways for the wealthy and big oil companies. And Coleman has supported Bush's war in Iraq which is costing taxpayers 12 billion a month - money that could help families in Minnesota who are facing tough times. Coleman and Bush - two peas in a pod.
Call Norm Coleman at 202-224-5641 - and tell him to put Minnesota families first - not President Bush.
Paid for by Americans United for Change.
Robert Creamer is a long time political organizer and strategist and author of the recent book: Stand Up Straight. How Progressives Can Win, available on amazon.com.