Robert Reich Joins San Francisco MoveOn Rally to Defend the American Dream

Participants to stand in solidarity with Wisconsin workers, protest Republican attacks on the American Dream at every level of government

SAN FRANCISCO, March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, March 15, local MoveOn members will gather to defend the American Dream.  The event will urge Congress to stand strong against attacks on the American Dream and workers' rights by Republicans, at both the state and national level, and will highlight the potentially disastrous effects of the Republican budget. Republicans in Congress are holding the middle class hostage--proposing a federal budget that would cut 700,000 to 1 million jobs from our communities and slash funding to support preschool and college students, pregnant women, unemployed workers, and send 10,000 veterans into homelessness.

Professor Robert Reich pointed out, "In states facing a budget shortfall, revenues from corporate taxes declined $2.5 billion in 2010, while corporate profits jumped 28% in 2010 (3rd quarter) to $1.6 trillion, the biggest one-year jump in history. Wages fell for all but the wealthiest Americans, whose income grew 5-fold."

"Their plans to cut health care services including family planning would force more unintended pregnancies on the most vulnerable women. And then deny access to abortions. This isn't a budget, it's a slap in the face to the public workers, services, and institutions making the American Dream possible," according to Ellen R. Shaffer, EQUAL Health Network/Silver Ribbon Campaign.

At the event, participants will also stand in solidarity with Wisconsin workers, who had many of their rights stripped from them last week in a Republican power grab. Last week, Wisconsin Republicans rammed through their attack on workers' rights in a shocking power grab, and Congress is poised to strike a horrible deal on the federal budget, gutting health care, environmental protections, and housing assistance. "Instead of punishing working Americans, we need to stop these attacks and invest in America by making corporations and millionaires pay their fair share,"  said MoveOn member Frank Burton

SOURCE MoveOn.Org