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ADA Updates

In an outrageous statement today presumptive Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) said the Iraq war will be won and Osama bin Laden will be captured by the end of his first term.

“Someone should remind John McCain his first term isn’t going to last 100 years,” said ADA National Director Amy Isaacs.  “Because that’s how long he once said he’d be happy to have our troops fight.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released data on the current rate of unemployment that once again missed the mark.  The real rate of unemployment buried within the report is 9.2% - an increase from last month.  BLS is reporting that unemployment declined to 5.0% in April, based on an increase in government jobs and service sector employment.  The reported number does not include those who have been unable to find work for so long they have simply given up, those that cannot work because of inadequate transportation or illness or those that are willing to work but due to economic conditions, can only find part-time employment.

Five years ago, President George W. Bush landed in a fighter jet on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln and announced “mission accomplished” in Iraq.  His showboating should receive a Guinness award as the most foolish press stunt ever.

Five years later, we know different. 

More than 95% of the U.S. troops killed and 98% of troops wounded in Iraq happened after he declared the mission was accomplished.  With almost 50 deaths this month bringing the total to 4051, April was the deadliest in seven months.  The cost of the war has exceeded $525 billion and more than half of the troops in the “coalition of the willing” have pulled out.

Washington, DC - Amy Isaacs, ADA National Director, responded to Senator John McCain’s speech on health care reform with the following statement:

“John McCain spoke of letting American families make the decision when it comes to health care.  What he did not say was that under his plan the decision is between having health care and not having health care.

“He is offering us Bush 2.0 by continuing to give billions of tax dollars to corporate providers and drug manufacturers that have raised their premiums to unaffordable levels for most Americans.  He says these companies need to do a better job of holding down costs yet offers no ideas – I’m willing to bet they’ll hold down costs just as well as the oil companies.

On April 16, the House Ways and Means Committee approved ADA President Rep. Jim McDermott's (D-WA) bill to expand unemployment benefits.

HR 5749 gives workers an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits, on top of the 26 weeks already authorized under law. Residents of states with unemployment rates at or above 6 percent would get an additional 13 weeks, totaling one year of benefits.The bill will help struggling workers as Democrats move forward a second time on legislation to stimulate the economy.

ADA members' efforts help to block Bush Medicare cut.

Washington, DC - Amy Isaacs, ADA National Director, responded to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's postponement of a vote on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement with the following statement.

"Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) thanks Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and all Members of Congress who stood up for working Americans today. The Colombia FTA is just another example of the Bush Administration's trying to divert attention from the real problems we face, many a direct result of similar "free" trade agreements. ADA calls on Congress to now move quickly with legislation that will address the current economic crisis. Millions of homeowners are facing foreclosure, thousands have run out of unemployment benefits and hardly anyone can afford quality health care.

In an unprecedented move, President Bush sent the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement up to Capitol Hill this week, against the strong objections of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional leadership. This is the first time a President has sent a trade agreement under Fast Track in complete defiance of the top leaders of Congress. Under Fast Track trade authority rules, the House will likely face an up-or-down vote on the Colombia deal before the end of August, and perhaps as soon as this month.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, General David Petraeus gave evidence that the Iraq troop "surge" has been a failure. As President Bush has ordered the slow reduction of forces from Iraq, violence has spiked, and now General Petraeus is telling Congress we need to stop bringing troops home.

The sharp drop of 232,000 jobs in the private sector of the economy in March underlines the urgent need for the Federal government to inject further stimulus to reverse the dismal economic situation. Gains of 18,000 jobs in government, primarily at state and local levels resulted in the loss of 80,000 jobs overall, resulting in an unemployment rate of 5.1%.