Burger: Change Begins Now in America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 29, 2008

CONTACT:
Greg Denier
Noreen Nielsen
(202) 721-0660

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Change to Win chair Anna Burger issued the following statement in anticipation of President Bush’s final State of the Union address tonight.

“Change begins now in America. Seven years of the Bush administration has left the state of our union weaker, poorer and less prepared for the future. Our nation is facing one of most serious economic downturns in decades. Working families are struggling to make ends meet due to rising food and gas prices, home heating bills and health care costs. Real wages are declining, unemployment is rising and retirement benefits are disappearing. The Bush administration has sacrificed the needs of working men and women for the interests of the powerful and privileged.

“Now is the time to reverse the policies of the Bush administration. We need bold and immediate action from our congressional leadership to begin restoring the American Dream for all working families.”

“The congressional leadership needs to develop an immediate stimulus program that will boost the purchasing power of America’s working families and reinvigorate our economy. The eligibility period for unemployment insurance should be extended and benefits improved. Assistance should be provided to the states to help pay for essential programs such as Medicaid and a temporary increase in food stamp benefits, SSI benefits, and home heating assistance. We need to provide immediate help to families at risk of losing their homes due to foreclosures and falling housing prices.

“Congress must also provide a long-term vision for restoring the American Dream by developing comprehensive health care reform that combats skyrocketing health care costs and provides access to quality, affordable health care for all men, women and children.

“Our leaders need to initiate a program to rebuild America’s infrastructure that addresses neglected investments and helps create good jobs with wages that can support a family, while ending free trade deals that continue to send our jobs overseas and drive down wages and labor standards.

“The American Dream is realized or lost at work. We must fix what happens in the workplace. Our economic growth program must include protection for the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively. Restoring worker bargaining power can turn the sub-standard jobs of today into the middle-class jobs of tomorrow that are the foundation of the American Dream.

“As the Bush administration looks to the past, we must look to the future. Change to Win is the labor movement of the 21st century and we believe that change begins now.”

** Note: Media representatives interested in scheduling an interview should contact Noreen Nielsen at noreen.nielsen@changetowin.org. **