News Release

WAR ROOM OPERATION TO TRACK CHANGES IN ECONOMY; DELIVER TALKING POINTS AND SOLUTIONS

Toby Chaudhuri — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

WASHINGTON – The Campaign for America’s Future launched an economic war room today to help frame the ongoing debate as the economy changes at an increasing pace and continues to get worse for millions of Americans. The operation will deliver daily poll-tested talking points to candidates, elected officials, talk show hosts, columnists, bloggers, labor leaders, activists and others, tying the latest research by think tanks like the EPI Policy Center to the latest opinion research by top strategists.

Campaign for America’s Future co-director Robert Borosage said the alerts will include a set of persuasive facts and arguments on key issues, linking to a comprehensive analysis of solutions to economic problems on people’s minds.

“The change in the economy has been abrupt and serious,” said Borosage. “Economic issues are obviously on everyone’s mind, so it’s important to understand what is happening and to have messages that can move people. Our effort provides real policy alternatives to the political messaging already out there.”

Democratic pollster Celinda Lake and Drew Westen, an Emory University professor who has studied the way Americans think about issues and make decisions, are advising Borosage on messages they have tested and measured for impact. Lake and Westen joined Borosage on a conference call with reporters today to launch the messaging project.

Lake said on today’s call that Americans are increasingly convinced the country is on the edge of a recession and that Washington is not responding adequately.

“Economic problems are creating deep discontent across America,” said Lake. “The American Dream is slipping away and people want leaders to focus on kitchen-table issues like jobs, education, health care, housing and retirement. They are to ready to support our ideas if we present our values and policy solutions in a compelling way.”

Westen said Americans, whether Democratic or Republican, are persuaded more by emotions and values than by a laundry list of issues so policy arguments must be linked to broader themes to connect with them.

“Progressives typically bombard people with a laundry list of issues and policy positions, while conservatives offer them emotionally compelling appeals, whether to their values or prejudices,” said Westen. “The war room is designed to change that.”

The need for the economic war room became clear when the Campaign for America’s Future met with dozens of elected officials and progressive leaders to discuss economic messaging. The group found that opinion leaders were better versed at political messages but less so on solutions and effective ways of communicating them. To fill that gap, more than 3,000 federal- and state-elected officials and 3,000 activists are already receiving alerts from the economic war room.

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**NOTE: Media representatives interested in more details about the economic war room should visit www.ourfuture.org/makingsense. Anyone interested in receiving real-time alerts, may do so by signing up on the website.**

THE RIGHT-WING BLOCK-AND-BLAME STRATEGY IS THE REAL STORY OF THE 110TH CONGRESS, REPORT SAYS

Toby Chaudhuri — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

WASHINGTON – Republicans in Congress, working in concert with the White House, organized a deliberate political strategy to sabotage the Democratic majority in Congress as it responded to a mandate to solve major problems facing the nation, according to a new report released today by the Campaign for America’s Future. With the American public registering overwhelming disapproval of the job Congress is doing, the facts in today’s report show that Republicans are to blame.

Campaign for America’s Future co-director Robert Borosage said that the reputation of the Congress would be very different had the Republican minority and President Bush not orchestrated a systematic campaign of obstruction to bottle up any progress.

“Now this is sort of like knee-capping the postman and then complaining that the mail is late,” said Borosage. “As Republicans posture about the do-nothing Congress, it's worth remembering that much would have gotten done had they not been in the way.”

The report shows that the Republican strategy forced a record number of cloture votes — 94 so far — that require a super-majority of sixty votes to end filibusters. This was reinforced by more than 119 veto threats by President Bush, essentially repealing majority rule. Never before has an ideological minority obstructed so many important measures from becoming law.

If Republicans had not adopted this strategy, majorities in both the House and the Senate favored passage of the following:

--WAR IN IRAQ: Setting a date certain to bring the occupation of Iraq to an end, freeing up the $12 billion a month in direct costs (almost a half-billion dollars a day) for vital needs here at home, and insuring that soldiers are guaranteed adequate rest and recovery between deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan;

--ENERGY: Investing billions in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency, creating green-collar jobs, and paying for it by repealing subsidies for oil companies already pocketing the greatest profits in recorded history;

--HEALTH CARE: Providing health care for millions of children of working and poor families, giving them with a chance for a healthy start to life, and saving seniors tens of billions of dollars in prescription drug prices by empowering Medicare to negotiate bulk purchase discounts.

# # #

**NOTE: An electronic copy of the report is available at www.ourfuture.org/obstruction.**

Economic And Energy Issues, Ending War In Iraq, Top Netroots' Concerns

Toby Chaudhuri — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

AUSTIN, TEXAS – Progressive bloggers and activists are most concerned about solving basic economic problems and our country’s energy crisis as well as ending the war in Iraq, according to a straw poll of participants at this year’s Netroots Nation conference conducted by the Campaign for America’s Future and Democracy Corps. Those polled also believe that ending the war in Iraq and solving our energy and health care crises should be top priorities for the next president.

“This straw poll was designed to help us understand a little more about who our netroots activists are and where they stand,” said Toby Chaudhuri, communications director for the Campaign for America’s Future. “There’s a sea change happening in American politics and it’s growing on the Internet. Progressives are gaining popularity, strength, capacity and political sophistication, far outpacing conservatives online.”

The straw poll helps describe the progressive netroots’ increased involvement in politics, which 68 percent say is because of the Internet.

Nearly half of those who participated said they contributed more than $200 to political campaigns in the last year (47 percent), with about a third saying they had given more than $400 (32 percent). Two-thirds also donated to political campaigns at the federal level (65 percent) and state and local level (67 percent).

Those who responded clocked lots of hours working on campaigns too. Although two-thirds said they don’t work in politics professionally (66 percent), the average blogger spends the equivalent of a part-time work schedule on political activities, averaging 24 hours of work every week.

Although it is widely understood that bloggers are young political beginners, about half have been active in politics for more than a decade (48 percent), with more than three-quarters active for more than 5 years (78 percent). Fifty-two percent have volunteered for state and local campaigns while 41 percent have done so for federal campaigns. Nearly 70 percent said they are 30 or above and about half (46 percent) said they are more than 40.

# # #

**NOTE: Complete straw poll results are available at www.ourfuture.org and www.democracycorps.org.**

NETROOTS NATION 2008
STRAW POLL FQ
Conducted By
Campaign for America’s Future and Democracy Corps
Thursday, July 17 to Sunday, July 20, 2008
Austin, Texas

ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Of the list of concerns below, please indicate which one of these is your top concern at this time.

Energy and global warming - 19%
The growing gap between the rich and the poor - 17%
Loss of constitutional rights - 15%
The war in Iraq - 11%
Corruption and special interests running Washington - 10%
Lack of affordable health care - 9%
The federal deficit and government spending - 3%
High gas prices - 2%
Lack of equal rights for gay and lesbian community - 2%
Terrorism - 1%
Making education more affordable - 1%
Increased debt owed to foreign nations - 0%
Increased taxes and more spending - 0%
Illegal immigration - 0%

Now, please indicate which of the concerns listed below is your next top concern at this time.

The war in Iraq - 17%
The growing gap between the rich and the poor - 12%
Loss of constitutional rights - 12%
Lack of affordable health care - 10%
Energy and global warming - 9%
Corruption and special interests running Washington - 9%
Illegal immigration - 4%
High gas prices - 4%
The federal deficit and government spending - 3%
Lack of equal rights for gay and lesbian community - 3%
Making education more affordable - 2%
Increased taxes and more spending - 1%
Increased debt owed to foreign nations - 1%
Terrorism - 0%

Now something a little different, of that same list of concerns, please indicate below which one of these you feel should be the top priority for the next administration.

The war in Iraq - 23%
Energy and global warming - 20%
Lack of affordable health care - 15%
The growing gap between the rich and the poor - 12%
Loss of constitutional rights - 7%
Corruption and special interests running Washington - 6%
The federal deficit and government spending - 3%
Increased debt owed to foreign nations - 3%
High gas prices - 2%
Making education more affordable - 1%
Illegal immigration - 1%
Terrorism - 0%
Increased taxes and more spending - 0%
Lack of equal rights for gay and lesbian community - 0%

Now, please indicate which of the concerns listed below you feel should be the next highest priority for the next administration.

Lack of affordable health care - 17%
Energy and global warming - 17%
The war in Iraq - 16%
The growing gap between the rich and the poor - 12%
Loss of constitutional rights - 10%
Corruption and special interests running Washington - 8%
The federal deficit and government spending - 4%
Making education more affordable - 3%
High gas prices - 3%
Increased debt owed to foreign nations - 3%
Terrorism - 1%
Illegal immigration - 1%
Increased taxes and more spending - 0%
Lack of equal rights for gay and lesbian community - 0%

CONGRESS

Overall, how much do you think Congress has accomplished this term, that is since January 2007: a great deal, a good amount, not too much, or nothing at all?

Not too much - 68%
A good amount - 16%
Nothing at all - 12%
A great deal -2%

[If 'Nothing at all' or 'Not too much'] On the scale below please indicate who you feel is most to blame for the lack of accomplishment in Congress?

Democrats in Congress are to blame (1) - 5%
2 - 1%
3 - 2%
4 - 2%
The Administration and Republicans and Democrats in Congress are to blame equally (5) - 29%
7 - 17%
8 - 15%
6 -11%
9 -3%
The Administration and Republicans in Congress are to blame (10) - 15%

VICE PRESIDENT

Please choose the statement which comes closer to your view, even if neither is exactly right:

Obama should pick someone politically similar to himself, reinforcing the dynamic nature of his candidacy and the urgent need for change, and keeping true to his liberal roots - 72%

Obama should pick someone more toward the political center in order to help balance the ticket and make him more electable - 25%

INVOLVEMENT

How long, would you say, have you been active in politics?

10+ years - 48%
5-10 years - 30%
3-5 years - 18%
0-2 years - 7%

Do you yourself post or contribute to a political blog?

Yes - 68%
No - 30%

[If 'Yes'] How long have you been posting or contributing to a political blog?

4-5 years - 23%
3-4 years - 24%
1-2 years - 27%
Less than 1 year - 14%

Please indicate below in what ways you are currently active in state and local politics and campaigns. Please check all that apply.

Donate money to a political campaign at the state or local level - 67%
Volunteer for a political campaign at the state or local level - 52%
Write for a political blog focusing on local or state politics - 26%
Work professionally for a political campaign at the state or local level - 19%
Write for an online publication other than a blog focusing on local or state politics - 12%
Produce other media or "mashups" focusing on local or state politics - 8%
Write for a print publication focusing on local or state politics - 6%

Now, please indicate below in what ways you are currently active in federal politics and campaigns. Please check all that apply.

Donate money to a political campaign at the federal level - 65%
Volunteer for a political campaign at the federal level - 41%
Write for a political blog focusing on federal politics - 30%
Work professionally for a political campaign at the federal level - 12%
Write for an online publication other than a blog focusing on federal politics - 8%
Produce other media or "mashups" focusing on federal politics - 8%
Write for a print publication focusing on federal politics - 3%

Approximately how much money have you contributed to political organizations or campaigns over the past 12 months.

$400 or more - 32%
$300-$400 - 5%
$200-$300 - 10%
$150-$200 - 9%
$100-$150 - 9%
$50-$100 - 12%
Less than $50 - 10%
$0 - I haven't contributed - 11%
Prefer not to answer - 1%

Do you work with a political organization, campaign or other such entity as part of your occupation?

No - 66%
Yes - 32%

Approximately how many hours a week do you devote to a political organization, campaign or website?

(Mean: 23.5, Median 12.5)

Had it not been for the advent of the internet, do you think your level of activity in politics would be more, less, or about the same as it is now?

Less - 68%
About the same - 25%
More - 6%

DEMOGRAPHICS

What is your gender?

Male - 58%
Female - 40%

What year were you born?

18-29 - 27%
30-39 - 23%
40-49 - 22%
50-64 - 22%
64+ - 2%

Please choose the term that best describes how you think of yourself in political terms.

Progressive - 47%
Liberal - 40%
Moderate - 12%
Conservative - 0%

# # #

GAS TO COST HOUSEHOLDS $2,300 MORE THIS YEAR THAN IN 2001

Toby Chaudhuri — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:00:00 -0400

WASHINGTON – Faced with gas prices nearing $4 per gallon and the heavy summer driving months ahead, households are expected to spend $2,300 more on gas this year than seven years ago, according to a new report released today by the Campaign for America’s Future.

Campaign for America’s Future co-director Robert Borosage said that the all-time high in gas prices shouldn’t surprise anyone because big oil companies wrote President Bush’s energy policy and the war in Iraq has driven up prices around the world.

“For seven years, Bush’s policies have completely failed to protect our nation’s energy security,” said Borosage. “While oil company profits are the highest in history, people across the country are paying the price at the pump. With everyday costs on the rise, Americans are under the most economic pressure in recent history.”

The report also provides state-specific evidence that the economy is in dire straits and that American families are hurting. It provides detailed information about state job losses and stagnant wages, and shows energy, health care and college tuition costs on the rise. States experiencing the most economic difficulties are Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Maine and Tennessee.

# # #

**NOTE: An electronic copy of the report is available at www.ourfuture.org.**

GAS PRICE INCREASE
BACKGROUND

The annualized cost of gasoline per household is computed by multiplying three figures.

--The average number of vehicles per household in both 2001 and 2008: 1.9
[Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Energy Information Admin., Transportation Energy Consumption Surveys]

--The average number of gallons consumed in a year: 573 in 2001 and 597 in 2008
[Source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Admin., Annual Vehicle Distance Traveled in Miles and Related Data.]

--The average price per gallon: $1.47 for 2001 (which is $1.78 adjusted to today’s dollar) and $3.80 today
[Source: Oil Price Information Service in cooperation with Wright Express, distributed by AAA.]

In 2001, (1.9 vehicles) x (573 gallons per vehicle) x ($1.47 per gallon) = $1,600.39

2001 adjusted for inflation, (1.9 vehicles) x (573 gallons per vehicle) x ($1.78 per gallon)= $1,937.89

In 2008, (1.9 vehicles) x (597 gallons per vehicle) x ($3.80 per gallon) = $4,310.34

Difference from 2001 to 2008 = $2,709.95

Difference from 2001 to 2008 adjusted for inflation = $2,372.45

In sum, “more than $2,300” is a very conservative figure.

ECONOMIC INSECURITY REPORT
STATE-SPECIFIC BACKGROUND

--MICHIGAN: Michigan’s number one ranking in economic pressures reveals America’s shrinking industrial base. The state has high unemployment and the largest decline per capita in both manufacturing jobs and construction jobs.

--NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina’s high ranking also stems from a decline in industry. It has the fourth highest decrease in goods-producing jobs and third highest decrease in manufacturing since 2000. North Carolinians also suffer problems with health care coverage. Thirteen percent fewer people in North Carolina got health care through their employers in 2006 than in 2000 and nine percent spend more than a quarter of their income on health care.

--OHIO: Ohio’s ranking is the result of low wages and high costs. Wages increased only two percent since 2000, and more than one in ten construction jobs has been lost. Public college tuition in Ohio has increased by more than 62 percent over the same period. A year of state college now costs 20 percent of a median Ohio family’s income.

More state-specific data is available at www.ourfuture.org.

State of the Union 2008

Toby Chaudhuri — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:22:00 -0500

WASHINGTON -- President Bush is expected to address problems in the nation’s economy while hailing the state of the union as strong tonight, but for Americans worrying about how to make ends meet, the country is headed in the wrong direction, according to numbers compiled today by the Campaign for America’s Future.

ON INCOMES:

-- Median household income in 2000 (inflation-adjusted): $49,158
-- Median household income in 2006: $48,201
-- 8-year increase in median household income in 2001: $6,000
-- 6-year decrease in median household income in 2007: $1,100
[U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 - 2007]

-- Salary of a full-time minimum wage employee without vacation: $12,168
-- Average salary of a CEO of one of America’s top 500 companies: $15.2 million
[Forbes Magazine, May 3, 2007]

-- Number of Americans living in poverty in 2001: 31.6 million
-- Number of Americans living in poverty in 2008: 36.5 million
[U.S. Census Bureau, Aug. 2007]

-- Amount more Americans earned than spent in 2001: +2.3 percent
-- Amount less Americans are earning than spending in 2008: -0.5 percent
[Bureau of Economic Analysis]

-- Total consumer credit debt in 2001: $7.65 trillion
-- Total consumer credit debt in 2008: $12.8 trillion
[Insurance Information Institute]

-- Decrease in median income from 2000-2006 in White American households: $745
-- Decrease in median income from 2000-2006 in African American households: $2,766
-- Decrease in median income from 2000-2006 in Hispanic American households: $1,043
-- Decrease in median income from 2000-2006 in Asian American households: $1,381
[U.S. Census Bureau. Aug. 2007]

-- Median income of African American households in 2006: $31,969
-- Median income of Hispanic American households in 2006: $37,781
-- Median income of White American households in 2006: $50,673
-- Median income of Asian American households in 2006: $63,900
[U.S. Census Bureau. Aug. 2007]

-- African Americans living in poverty in 2006: 24.3 percent
-- Hispanic Americans living in poverty in 2006: 20.6 percent
-- Asian Americans living in poverty in 2006: 10.1 percent
-- White Americans living in poverty in 2006: 8.2 percent
[U.S. Census Bureau. Aug. 2007]

ON HOUSING:

-- Percentage increase in home foreclosures in the last year: 68
[RealtyTrac. Dec. 19, 2007]

ON JOBS:

-- Total number of American manufacturing jobs in 2000: 17,263,000
-- Total number of American manufacturing jobs in 2006: 14,197,000
-- Number of American manufacturing jobs lost between 2000 and 2006: 3,066,000
[Bureau of Labor Statistics]

-- Yearly average number of new private sector jobs created from 1992-2000: 1.76 million
-- Yearly average number of new private sector jobs created from 2001-2008: 369,000
[Bureau of Labor Statistics]

-- Jobless African American workers in Dec. 2007: 9.0 percent
-- Jobless Hispanic American workers in Dec. 2007: 6.3 percent
-- Jobless White American workers in Dec. 2007: 4.4 percent
-- Jobless Asian American workers in Dec. 2007: 3.7 percent
[U.S. Department of Labor Employment Situation Summary, Jan. 4, 2008]

ON ENERGY:

-- Average price of a gallon of home heating oil in Jan. 2000: $1.40
-- Average price of a gallon of home heating oil in Jan. 2008: $3.39
[U.S. Energy Information Administration]

-- Average price of a gallon of gas in Jan. 2000: $1.59
-- Average price of a gallon of gas in Jan. 2008: $3.14
[U.S. Energy Information Administration]

-- Increase in the average price of home heating oil since Jan. 2000: +142 percent
-- Increase in the average price of gas since Jan. 2000: +98 percent

-- Price of a gallon of home heating oil in the winter of 2001-2002 (inflation adjusted): $1.36
-- Projected price of a gallon of home heating oil in the winter of 2007-2008: $3.32
[Energy Administration, Jan. 2008]

-- Amount of U.S. liquid fuel consumption that was imported in 2001: 52.75 percent
-- Amount of U.S. liquid fuel consumption that is imported in 2008: 60.38 percent
[U.S. Energy Information Administration]

-- Exxon Mobil profits in 2000: $7.9 billion
-- Exxon Mobil profits in 2006: $36.1 billion
-- Exxon Mobil’s profit per second during the second quarter of 2006: $1,318
[CNNMoney.com, July 27, 2006; Fortune500 2006]

ON HEALTHCARE:

-- Americans without health insurance in 2000: 38.4 million
-- Americans without health insurance in 2006: 46.9 million
[U.S. Census Bureau, Aug. 2007]

-- Decrease over 2 years in the number of uninsured Americans in 2001: 4.5 million
-- Increase over 6 years in the number of uninsured Americans in 2008: 8.5 million
[U.S. Census Bureau, Aug. 2007]

-- Number of children without health insurance: 8.7 million
-- Number of times President Bush vetoed additional health insurance for children: 2
[U.S. Census Bureau, Aug. 2007]

-- Americans receiving employment-based health insurance in 2000: 64.2 percent
-- Americans receiving employment-based health insurance in 2006: 59.7 percent
[U.S. Census Bureau, Aug. 2007]

-- Annual cost of family health insurance premiums in 2000 (inflation adjusted): $7,643
-- Annual cost of family health insurance premiums in 2006: $11,480
[Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust]

-- Uninsured White Americans in 2006: 10.8 percent
-- Uninsured African Americans in 2006: 20.5 percent
-- Uninsured Asians Americans in 2006: 15.5 percent
-- Uninsured Hispanic Americans in 2006: 34.1 percent
[U.S. Census Bureau, Aug. 2007]

ON COLLEGE COSTS:

-- Average cost per year at a public four-year college in 2000: $10,153
-- Average cost per year at a public four-year college in 2006: $13,089
[CollegeBoard, 2007]

-- Average yearly change in tuition costs for public four-year college since 2000: +29 percent
-- Average percent change in median household income during same period: -2 percent
-- Average debt shouldered by 2006 college graduates: $21,000
[The Project on Student Debt, Sept. 2007]

ON IRAQ AND THE MILITARY:

-- Number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq before the “Mission Accomplished” speech in 2003: 139
-- Number of US troops killed in Iraq as of Jan. 2008: 3,907
-- Number of Iraqi deaths after U.S. invasion: 1,139,602
[iCasualties.org., Jan. 3, 2008]

-- Number of US troops wounded in Iraq before the “Mission Accomplished” speech: 542
-- Number of U.S. troops wounded in Iraq as of Jan. 2008: 28,661
[iCasualties.org, Jan. 3, 2008]

-- Amount of total world military spending spent by U.S.: 47 percent
[Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation]

-- Total U.S. military expenditures requested for 2008: $644 billion
-- Total military expenditures of the 10 next top spending countries combined: $446.1 billion
[Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. Includes China, Russia, U.K., France, Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, India and Brazil, Feb. 5, 2007]

-- U.S. military base budget in 2001: $297.1 billion
-- US pending military base budget 2008, not including Iraq and Afghanistan: $481.4 billion
[White House Office of Management and Budget, Feb. 5, 2007]

-- U.S. budget spent on military not including Iraq in 2007: 50 percent
-- U.S. budget spent on education in 2007: 6.2 percent
[White House Office of Management and Budget, Feb. 6, 2006.]

-- Number of active duty army divisions rated at the highest readiness levels in 2001: All
-- Number of active duty or reserve brigade in the U.S. considered fully combat ready: 0
[Speaker of the House, Nov. 29, 2007]

ON DEBTS AND DEFICITS:

-- The national debt in 2001: $5.7 trillion
-- The national debt in Jan. 2008: $9.2 trillion
[U.S. Dept. of the Treasury]

-- Monthly U.S. trade deficit in Oct. 2000: $33.8 billion
-- Monthly U.S. trade deficit in Oct. 2007: $57.8 billion
-- U.S. trade deficit in 2000: $380 billion
-- U.S. trade deficit in 2007: $759 billion
[U.S. Census Bureau, Dec. 12, 2007]

-- Value of one Euro in Jan. 2000: $1.01
-- Value of one Euro in Jan. 2008: $1.45
-- Loss of value of the Dollar relative to the Euro from Jan. 2000 to Jan. 2008: 45 percent
[Federal Reserve Statistical Release]

-- Value of an ounce of gold in 2000 (inflation adjusted): $319
-- Value of an ounce of gold in 2008: $892
[GoldPrice.org, Jan. 22 2008]

-- U.S. budget surplus in 2000: +$236 billion
-- U.S. budget deficit in 2007: -$354 billion
[House Office of Management and Budget]

ON PRODUCT AND FOOD SAFETY:

-- Increase in consumer product safety spending from 2000 to 2006: 9 percent
-- Increase in number of U.S. imports from 2000 to 2006: 30 percent
[Consumer Federation of America]

-- Increase in the number of federal food inspections from 2000 to 2006: 8 percent
-- Percentage increase in number of agricultural imports from 2000 to 2006: 39 percent
-- Number of cases of food borne disease outbreaks in 2006: 25,659
[U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Food & Drug Administration, Center for Disease Control]

ON WORLD OPINION:

-- Number of people abroad who viewed America favorably in 2001: 58.3 percent
-- Number of people abroad who viewed America favorably in 2007: 39.2 percent
[Pew Research Center]

-- Number of people in Great Britain who viewed America favorably in 2001: 83 percent
-- Number of people in Great Britain who viewed America favorably in 2007: 56 percent
[Pew Research Center]

-- Number of people in Indonesia who viewed America favorably in 2001: 75 percent
-- Number of people in Indonesia who viewed America favorably in 2007: 30 percent
[Pew Research Center]

-- Number of people in Germany who viewed America favorably in 2001: 78 percent
-- Number of people in Germany who viewed America favorably in 2007: 37 percent
[Pew Research Center]

Sen. Boxer: Live Earth Concerts Can Spur Bold Policies, Urgent Action On Climate Change

Toby Chaudhuri — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0400

WASHINGTON - Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., today called for bold action to combat global warming in advance of the Live Earth concerts organized by former Vice President Al Gore designed to address climate change on Saturday. Sen. Boxer, who has held numerous hearings and briefings from the world's leading climate scientists as chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said that just six months ago, few would have predicted that meaningful action on global warming was possible in this Congress.

"Global warming is the challenge of our generation," said Sen. Boxer on a conference call with reporters. "People all over the world understand that action on global warming is needed now, and the American public is far ahead of the government when it comes to this critical issue. After serious engagement on this issue since the beginning of the year, we have begun to build the consensus necessary for action."

Apollo Alliance president Jerome Ringo, who serves on the board of directors of Vice President Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection, the group running the Live Earth concerts, joined Sen. Boxer on the conference call. Ringo said the federal government must lead the charge by making the investments that will create change, like it did with the Internet, the national highway system and the national railroad system.

"We are beyond the point of just protecting the environment, we need to heal it," said Ringo. "That requires nothing less than what it took to put a man on the moon, but this time it can't be just a national commitment, it needs to be a global one. It will require that we share the burdens of change across the shoulders of the world, but the United States needs to lead."

MoveOn.org Political Action executive director Eli Pariser outlined activities that his group plans to hold in conjunction with the Live Earth activities this weekend.

MoveOn.org Political Action, in conjunction with the Campaign for America's Future and other groups, will hold more than 7,000 Live Earth house parties on Saturday, the largest set of house parties the organization has hosted since the 2004 elections. At these parties the Democratic presidential candidates will share their positions on climate change via web cast.

Pariser said that in their video presentations the candidates will show some exciting movement on the issue of cap and auction, a policy that makes companies pay for their emissions. He indicated that the videos will show some of the top presidential candidates "clearly embracing" cap and auction.

On Sunday, MoveOn.org Political Action members will vote on which candidate has the best climate change policies. "For us, it's not just about new light bulbs, it's about new leadership," said Pariser.

Internationally, more than 10,000 events will take place in 129 countries, including eight giant concerts promoted by Vice President Gore and nearly 3,000 house parties organized by Avaaz.org, as part of the global effort to focus attention on the dangers of climate change. The festivities start on Saturday in Sydney, passing on to Tokyo, Shanghai, Hamburg, London, Johannesburg, New York and wrapping up in Rio de Janeiro, with a symbolic rendezvous in Kyoto, Japan and a base in Antarctica.

Vice President Gore announced on Friday that Washington has been added as a new location, four months after some Republicans resisted attempts to hold a concert in the nation's capital. The scaled-down Washington event will be a daytime concert at the National Museum of the American Indian's outdoor plaza, kicking off at 10:30 a.m. ET and featuring country music stars Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks.

# # #

**NOTE: Media representatives interested in more details about the Washington Live Earth event should visit http://www.americanindian.si.edu/motherearth/ . For media credentialing information or further details, please contact Amy Drapeau at 202-633-6614 or drapeaua@si.edu . **

Democratic Governors Unveil Plan To Create Clean Energy And Boost Job Growth

Toby Chaudhuri — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON - Democratic governors called for an ambitious jobs and energy plan today at a news conference sponsored by the Apollo Alliance at the National Press Club. Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M., Gov. Edward Rendell, D-Pa., and Gov. Brian Schweitzer, D-Mont., participated in the event with Apollo Alliance President Jerome Ringo and United Steel Workers President Leo Gerard.

The governors used the occasion to tout a plan devised by the Apollo Alliance that would develop renewable power, create oil savings, promote energy efficiency and support smart growth. Gov. Richardson endorsed the plan citing the need for state-level initiatives when there's inaction at the federal-level.

"We need a 'Man on the Moon' effort to end our reliance on foreign energy," said Gov. Richardson. "The Apollo Alliance's four-point plan for a new energy future is a solid roadmap to get this done. It is focused on state efforts because states are the incubators of innovation, especially when there's an absence of leadership at the federal level."

When asked what role energy will play in the 2008 presidential election, Richardson responded, "It is the top issue in the presidential race, the top challenge facing America because it deals with national security."

Governor Rendell, a leader in clean energy alternatives, called for the federal government to adopt a diverse, clean-energy portfolio like the one outlined by the Apollo Alliance and adopted in his home state of Pennsylvania.

"You've heard about Pennsylvania's advanced energy portfolio standards. We are the 21st state to have those advanced standards and we believe ours are the most comprehensive. However, we need national advanced energy portfolio standards, and the Apollo Alliance energy plan calls for that."

Citing the nation's precarious dependence on foreign oil, Gov. Schweitzer identified the Apollo Alliance plan as a roadmap for promoting national security while creating good jobs.

"Today, 65 percent of our energy - the lifeblood of this entire country - is imported, and most of it comes from unstable regions around the world," said Gov. Schweitzer. "We face a huge challenge today, and that's why I applaud the Apollo Alliance because they recognize that we can get this right. We could create hundreds of thousands of jobs for the heartland using less energy. We could produce a billion barrels of biofuels, and we could do it during the next 10 years."

The Apollo Alliance aims to end America's dependence on foreign oil. It was inspired by President Kennedy's original Apollo mission, and has received endorsements from major labor unions, business leaders and leading environmental organizations. Ringo, president of the Apollo Alliance, praised the governors for leading the country toward energy independence.

"Governors have the power to create thousands of good jobs while making us all more secure and protecting our environment," said Ringo. "Our plan captures the best and brightest ideas of these governors."

Gerard, a co-chair of the Alliance, said the public understands the tremendous potential for job growth when a commitment is made to the manufacturing of renewable energy products.

"Many of our nation's new governors campaigned on the idea that states could create good jobs by promoting clean energy," said Gerard. "This plan outlines how to breathe life into that commitment."

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**NOTE: Media representatives interested in a copy of the Apollo Alliance plan, can obtain an electronic copy at www.apolloalliance.org.**

FOR CLEAN ENERGY AND GOOD JOBS IN LOS ANGELES

Scott Laczay — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 13:17:41 -0500

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will join Apollo Alliance President Jerome Ringo, Councilmember Herb Wesson and members of the Los Angeles Apollo Alliance on Wednesday to announce the city's commitment to leading the fight for energy independence and job creation by promoting a green, sustainable and equitable economy.

Mayor Villaraigosa will also sign the "Apollo Challenge" and launch the Apollo Green Building Initiative, a bold plan to lay the foundation for an equitable and sustainable economy in Los Angeles by "greening" existing, deteriorating city-owned buildings while also creating good jobs that pay livable wages for low-income residents.

The Los Angeles Apollo Alliance is part of the broader nationwide Apollo Alliance that unites nearly 16 million union members and 11 million environmental organization members across the country to create new jobs, new energy and new independence for America by investing in the domestic clean energy sector.

-- Villaraigosa Announced Partnership With Apollo Alliance

WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2006 at 5 p.m. PST

WHERE: Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif.

PARTICIPANTS: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles, Calif., Jerome Ringo, president, Apollo Alliance, Councilmember Herb Wesson, 10th District

New Report: Senate Democratic Plan Would Create A Half Million New Jobs

Toby Chaudhuri — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

WASHINGTON – Alternative energy legislation sponsored by Democrats in the Senate would create 530,000 good, family-supporting American jobs, according to a new report released today by the Apollo Alliance. Half of these would be high-paying jobs manufacturing wind turbines, solar panels and energy efficient vehicles. Another 10 percent would be high-paying construction jobs as Americans go to work building wind farms, energy efficient homes and businesses, and new transit systems.

Today's report includes state-specific numbers illustrating that the Clean EDGE Act of 2006 would create thousands of jobs in every state in the nation, including many of those states hardest hit by the loss of 3 million manufacturing jobs. The Clean EDGE Act alone would replace 8 percent of these manufacturing jobs lost since 2000 in America.

Apollo Alliance president Jerome Ringo said his group has a 10-step national agenda to create energy independence by the year 2015. The alliance represents a coalition of national security, labor, environmental, civil rights and business leaders who are fighting for energy independence from foreign energy sources.

"It's time to kick American into high-gear with a modern Apollo plan that sets America free from dangerous, foreign oil, while creating millions of new jobs," said Ringo.

With gas prices skyrocketing and middle-class jobs getting shipped abroad in the past five years, Senators Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., joined the Apollo Alliance on a conference call with reporters today to release the new report on energy independence job creation.

"Americans are looking forward to a future where we buy fuel produced in the Midwest instead of the Middle East," Stabenow said on today's call. "We've known for a long time that investing in alternative energy would create thousands of good-paying jobs in Michigan, and this report is further confirmation. These jobs would benefit many parts of Michigan's economy, boosting our manufacturers, farmers, automakers and research centers."

"Investing in new fuel technologies will not only help break our fossil fuel dependence in favor of cleaner, more reliable alternatives, but will also create thousands of new family wage manufacturing jobs," said Cantwell, co-chair of the Apollo Alliance and a member of the Senate Energy Committee. "This report proves that betting on American ingenuity and technological expertise is far better than continuing to gamble on the future good will of unfriendly Middle East regimes for our energy needs."

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**NOTE: Media representatives interested in an electronic copy of the Apollo Alliance report can obtain a copy at http://www.apolloalliance.org/ **

APOLLO ALLIANCE REPORT:ESTIMATED NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED BY STATE

--Alabama, 7,815--Alaska, 806--Arizona, 8,172--Arkansas, 5,451--California, 53,751--Colorado, 7,504--Connecticut, 6,290--Delaware, 1,259--District of Columbia, 685--Florida, 23,064--Georgia, 16,995--Hawaii, 1,181--Idaho, 1,952--Illinois, 25,863--Indiana, 19,727--Iowa, 5,632--Kansas, 5,318--Kentucky, 8,287--Louisiana, 5,669--Maine, 1,867--Maryland, 7,262--Massachusetts, 13,072--Michigan, 29,318--Minnesota, 10,379--Mississippi, 3,952--Missouri, 13,782--Montana, 10,379--Nebraska, 2,769--Nevada, 3,328--New Hampshire, 3,071--New Jersey, 13,214--New Mexico, 2,235--New York, 27,154--North Carolina, 17,459--North Dakota, 852--Ohio, 25,634--Oklahoma, 5,342--Oregon, 6,748--Pennsylvania, 25,965--Rhode Island, 1,960--South Carolina, 10,705--South Dakota, 1,553--Tennessee, 11,976--Texas, 37,566--Utah, 4,045--Vermont, 1,411--Virginia, 13,425--Washington, 8,092--West Virginia, 3,076--Wisconsin, 16,586--Wyoming, 831

Mayor Villaraigosa To Highlight Bold Plan For Clean Energy And Good Jobs In Los Angeles

Toby Chaudhuri — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400

-- Villaraigosa Announced Partnership With Apollo Alliance

WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2006 at 5 p.m. PST

WHERE: Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif.

PARTICIPANTS: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles, Calif., Jerome Ringo, president, Apollo Alliance, Councilmember Herb Wesson, 10th District