Tomorrow: The Beginning of the End for Frank Wolf's Career

Tomorrow, primary day in the 10th CD, marks the beginning of the end of Frank Wolf's overly-long-yet-extremely-unproductive career in Congress. If for whatever reason you've forgotten how bad Frank Wolf's been, I'll let "Americans United for Change" remind refresh your memory:

In the face of four consecutive months of negative job growth under the Bush economy totaling 260,000 lost jobs since the beginning of the year, Americans United for Change, the non-profit progressive issue advocacy group which recently launched its Bush Legacy Project, sharply rebuked U.S. Reps. Thelma Drake and Frank Wolf for voting against meaningful legislation to extend unemployment benefits to thousands of Virginia families in need. The goal of the Bush Legacy Project is to cement into history how two terms of failed conservative policies – supported by Bush and his allies in Congress including Sen. John McCain and Reps. Drake and Wolf - have weakened America’s security abroad while neglecting and undermining important priorities here at home.

With no help from Reps. Drake, Wolf -- the U.S. House passed an amendment to an Iraq/Afghanistan/Domestic priories supplemental appropriations bill last week that would provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state to workers exhausting the 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits – legislation that would extend benefits for 55,036 Virginia workers, according to the National Employment Law Project. In states with higher levels of unemployment, an additional 13 weeks would be available, for a total of 26 weeks of extended benefits.

“Voting to extend unemployment benefits to over 55,000 Virginia workers is the very least Reps. Drake and Wolf could have done after voting time and again to enable President Bush’s failed policies that have contributed to and even exasperated the economic downturn,” said Jeremy Funk, spokesman for Americans United for Change. “Ignoring these workers’ struggle, as Reps. Drake and Wolf clearly want to do, won’t make it go away. For four consecutive months, the U.S. economy has lost jobs. In total, 260,000 jobs have disappeared. Furthermore, there are 800,000 additional Americans looking for work than a year ago. The number of long-term unemployed – 1.35 million workers – is higher now than when Congress last extended unemployment benefits in 2002.”

“But Rep. Drake and Wolf think that more Bush tax cuts for millionaires is the only prescription for the ailing economy – tax cuts that never manage to ‘trickle-down’ to the people who really need it,” added Funk. “But, in fact, extending unemployment benefits is one of the most cost-effective and fastest-acting ways to help stimulate an economic recovery because the money is spent quickly; every $1 spent generates $1.73 in new economic demand, according to the Congressional Budget Office. How many more Virginia workers have to lose their jobs before Rep. Drake and Wolf realize that their ‘trickle-down,’ ‘Voo-doo’ economic policies never fail to fail? It’s time they get their priorities straight, stop contributing to Bush’s failed economic legacy, and instead focus on serious solutions for stimulating this worsening economy.”

OK, so those are all the reasons it's time to say "Farewell Frank." How about some reasons to vote FOR Judy Feder? Here's Bruce Roemmelt:

Judy Feder is my choice in the 10th for two huge reasons. Her health care background is stellar and the administration's (and Frank Wolf's) lack of addressing this issue is a very critical failure to me. Not only is it important to figure out how to insure 48 MILLION Americans with out health care, but it's also important to deal with the outrageous costs associated with health care that are added, for example, to every product produced in the USA. Judy is the clear choice to deal with this issue.

Then there is the war. Judy has been right on Bush's misguided policies from the beginning just like our next president Senator Obama. Speaking out and opposing the war in Iraq was not popular, nor respected three and four years ago, but Judy was there with a firm understanding of what is really needed to protect America. As a Vietnam veteran I fully support her.

A vote for Judy in the primary will be my initial support for her, prior to her election and taking a well deserved seat in the 111th Congress.

Is there anything more to say? Oh yeah, don't forget to vote tomorrow, and also to remind all your friends to vote, for Judy Feder and a new direction for our country. Thank you.