Come on creative donewaiting types...



Dear MoveOn member,

Top Republicans in the House of Representatives are now vowing to vote on their reverse Robin Hood budget proposal within 48 hours. Your work has helped erode their support, and the vote is too close to call.

That's why today we're launching our "Face America" photo petition—calling on Congress to literally look us in the eye and do the right thing.

We're aiming to collect thousands of photos of ordinary Americans with homemade signs, asking Congress to oppose the Republican plan to cut services for poor while handing tax breaks to the rich. To make sure you're heard, we'll deliver every photo to every member of Congress before the final vote and run some as online ads in the newspapers Congress reads.

To join the photo petition, just attach your photo (or photos) to an email, and send it to:


faces@moveon.org

You can see photos from other members by going to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moveon/tags/faceamerica/

Joining the "Face America" photo petition is easy. Just write a simple message on whatever is handy, grab a digital camera, point and shoot.

Aim for short, easy to read messages like:

Stop the reverse Robin Hood budget!
Hands off Medicaid, food stamps and student loans!
No empty plates this Thanksgiving!
Don't rob the poor to give to the rich!
Be creative!

If you've benefited from any of these programs, make your message personal, like Don't cut my student loans! or Hands off my health care!

Feel free to get the whole family in the picture—the more of us there are, the more powerful our message will be.

To add your picture to the petition, just email it to:
faces@moveon.org


Yesterday, MoveOn members gathered at "Speak Outs" in 147 cities to tell personal stories about how Medicaid, food stamps, and student loans have improved our lives. The events were a huge success.

Nearly 75% of the Speak Outs were attended by local reporters, giving a powerful megaphone to the hard working families targeted by the Republican budget proposal at this pivotal moment.

Here's what some MoveOn members reported about their local Speak Out:

One of our volunteer speakers was a middle-class mom who talked about how at one time in her life she depended on food stamps and how important that was to her during a time of personal crisis. She wants to make sure others in need have the same opportunity to get help when needed.
–Kathy, St. Paul, MN

The surprise moment came when a man identified himself as a registered Republican and stated that he was a disabled veteran. He said that what was going on with the budget cuts was disgusting, neither compassionate nor conservative!
–Emily, Bedford, NY

The best story was hearing from a very young woman how she was helped through college and while a single Mom by federal funding (college loans, WIC, and Medicaid).
–M. J., Lindenhurst, IL


The best moment was when our speaker was interviewed with the promise of being on NBC-2 news tonight.
–Pete and Paula, Punta Gorda, FL

When Congressional Republicans introduced this immoral budget plan, they were counting on it getting buried in procedure and sliding right through. But your work has helped the faces behind the numbers to break through, and has turned this into a fight we can win.

Please help put us over the top by adding your picture to the "Face America" photo petition today, by attaching it to an email to:

faces@moveon.org

And you can view the pictures already in the photo petition by going to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moveon/tags/faceamerica/

Thanks for all that you do,

–Ben, Micayla, Eli, Carrie and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Thursday, November 17th, 2005

P.S. As we work to block the reverse Robin Hood budget, we also have to think about what comes next. Our friends at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have launched a competition to find simple, powerful ideas to improve the day-to-day lives of ordinary Americans—new policies, new programs, or just a new way of doing things. It's a grassroots brainstorm, and one idea will win a $100,000 prize.

You can learn more and submit your idea at http://www.sinceslicedbread.com

Support our member-driven organization: MoveOn.org Political Action is entirely funded by our 3.3 million members. We have no corporate contributors, no foundation grants, no money from unions, no major donors program. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. If you'd like to support our work, you can give now at:

http://www.moveonpac.org/donate/email.h ... TqpcLg&t=2

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://political.moveon.org/?id=6374-52 ... TqpcLg&t=3
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

can I also just say how hilarious it is (that sort of incredulous, pissed off kind of hilarity) that the GOP is suggesting that it's the student loan subsidy program that's causing the deficit to spiral out of control?? Are you fucking SERIOUS? we could send everyone in the country to college for the cost of one middle east war. okay, I'll admit that I didn't crunch the numbers, but a hundred billion dollars would pay for a lotta OSU caps and gowns.

Jonathan Swift where have you been? Anyone hungry? I'll sell you some infant meat at $0.99/lb...any takers? anyone?