[Peace-discuss] New Democratic front

[C. G. Estabrook]

["MoveOn, the Center for American Progress Action Fund, US Action, SEIU, 
VoteVets, and Americans United for Change" -- recognize this gang? Yes, it's 
"American Against Escalation in Iraq," with "New-and-Improved!" on the box-top, 
but with the same crunchy goodness (the crinkly sound of money from the Dem 
party financers).  Like AAEI, instead of ending the war, they want to use it to 
promote the Dem party's fortunes. I think we'd prefer principled opposition to 
the war, since they're likely to become supporters of a new president's war 
policy, if s/he's a Democrat. Distrustful as one might be of such motives, we 
can hope that they might do some good, for all their attempt to co-opt the 
anti-war movement.  --CGE]


	Anti-War Coalition Launches ‘Iraq/Recession’ Campaign,
	Tying Cost Of War To The Economy

Today, a coalition of progressive groups — including MoveOn, the Center for 
American Progress Action Fund, US Action, SEIU, VoteVets, and Americans United 
for Change — announced a new “Iraq/Recession” campaign, a $15 million nationwide 
effort to end the war and refocus our priorities here at home. The campaign will 
raise awareness of the domestic costs that have been neglected due to Bush and 
John McCain’s singular focus on Iraq.

John and Elizabeth Edwards joined in a conference call this morning to announce 
the campaign. “If the economy is your No. 1 issue when you’re voting, the war is 
also your No. 1 issue because there is a connection between the two,” Elizabeth 
Edwards said...

VoteVets unveiled a new ad today as part of the campaign, questioning McCain’s 
desire to stay in Iraq for a thousand years. In the ad, Rose Forrest — an Iraq 
war veteran — asks: “How about a thousand years of affordable health care? Or a 
thousand years of keeping America safe? Can we afford that for my child, Senator 
McCain? Or have you already promised to spend trillions of our dollars… in 
Baghdad?”...

A new poll of swing voters commissioned by US Action found that a huge majority 
— 69 percent of them — support ending the war and reinvesting in health care and 
new clean energy jobs. A recent AP poll found that 68 percent of Americans 
believe pulling our troops out of Iraq would help a great deal or somewhat in 
addressing our faltering economy.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/25/iraq-recession-campaign/