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Democratic Candidate Calls on President Bush & Sen. DeWine to Cancel Fundraiser and Meet with those Affected by Misguided Administration Proposals
Cincinnati, OH - Paul Hackett, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate and veteran of the Iraq War, today challenged President George W. Bush and Republican Senator Mike DeWine to cancel a fundraiser planned in Ohio later this month and visit with Ohioans that are suffering under the Bush Administrations failed policies and neglectful budget priorities.
The fundraiser hosted by big Republican donors for Sen. DeWine's re-election campaign costs $4,200 per person for the dinner reception, but guests must raise $10,000 if they wish to attend the VIP reception and have their picture taken with the President.
"President Bush and Mike DeWine should skip the fundraiser and tour the most economically devastated areas of Ohio. I want them to look into the eyes of Ohioans I talk to everyday on the campaign trail - the Ford employee in Batavia who will soon lose their job, the senior citizen that depends on Medicare for affordable healthcare and the college student buried in loans - and explain these budget cuts," Hackett said. "This is fiscally irresponsible, plain and simple. It is shameful and immoral for this President and the Republican-controlled Congress to make these cuts on the backs of regular Americans. It's time Ohio had someone in Washington to stand up for what's right."
In the 2007 federal budget President Bush submitted to Congress this week, he made his priorities known in a startling way; defense and national security funding were increased, while social services, higher education and economic aid were either slashed or ignored in the budget proposal.
"The Bush Administration is cutting aid to every segment of society that needs it most - the poor, elderly, small business owners, students and veterans," Hackett said. "This administration and the Republican-controlled Congress are completely out of touch with the most basic needs of Ohioans. National security should always be a budgetary priority, but so should creating jobs, protecting Medicare, creating affordable healthcare options and helping our fellow Americans when they need it the most. Extending tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires at a time when our country is at war and so many regular Americans need the support of their government is just immoral."
Most notably, the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland will have to cut 300 jobs and many programs this year because of cuts in President Bush's budget. This is exactly what Ohio can not afford to lose; high paying, high-tech jobs that stimulate Ohio's economy and keep talented minds inside Ohio's borders.
"President Bush has declared war on Ohio's economy, which has lost more than 340,000 jobs on his watch. That is just shameful. Rather than shaking hands and patting backs at a big dollar fundraiser for Sen. DeWine, he should reset his priorities and show some fiscal leadership," Hackett said.
BACKGROUND
The City of Columbus Will Lose Almost $2 Million in Federal Block Grants.
The City of Columbus will lose $1.8 million in block grants from the federal government. Those cuts in funding will have to be covered by the city and Columbus taxpayers. Additional cuts in federal funding will be a $32 million loss for the Columbus Community Development Block Grant program. That is a 20 percent cut in federal funding for that program.
Small Manufacturing Firms Lose Out.
The Manufacturing Extension Partnership will be cut to $46 million from $104.4 million. The program offers consulting centers in Cincinnati and Cleveland to aid small and medium sized manufacturers.
Low-Income and Elderly Will Lose Supplemental Food Aid.
President Bush cut $107 million from the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which gets food to low-income women with children and senior citizens.
Bush Budget's Health Savings Accounts Leave Corporate Banks Poised To Reap Benefits.
Bush's budget proposal includes incentives for health savings accounts, which critics say "do little or nothing to contain health care costs or enroll 43 million uninsured Americans." Corporate banks nationwide "are hoping to capitalize" on Bush's HSA proposal, "drawn by the promise of lucrative fees they can generate." Most banks "charge $50 to $75 to set up a health savings account, and they collect perhaps $40 or more each year in maintenance charges and service fees." Under these assumptions, banks would pocket an estimated $100 million for every million enrollees in HSAs. Commercial banks have already contributed more than $2.6 million to congressional Republicans and Republican candidates in the 2006 cycle.
Bush Budget Ignores Generic Drugs, A Move That Will Benefit Big Pharmaceutical Companies.
The Generic Pharmaceutical Association argued that the Bush budget includes insufficient funding for the FDA's Office of Generic Drugs, which has more than 800 pending applications to market generic prescription drugs. Brand-name pharmaceutical companies have fought to keep cheaper generic drugs off the market for years. More than 70% of the pharmaceutical industry's campaign contributions in the 2006 cycle to date have gone to Republicans, totaling more than $2.6 million.
Bush Budget Includes Drilling in ANWR, Rewards Oil/Gas Industry.
President Bush's budget once again includes his proposal to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, a proposal that has repeatedly been defeated by Congress. In the 2006 election cycle, the oil and gas industry has already given more than $1.5 million to Republican members of congress and Republican candidates. In addition, nearly 50 of Bush's 2000 and 2004 top fundraisers were from the oil and gas industry.
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