Coalition visits Virginia to push Obama's budget
A coalition of union, environmental and community-organizing groups will go door-to-door throughout Virginia this weekend to push for President Barack Obama's proposed $3.6 trillion budget.
Jessica Lee with the Virginia League of Conservation Voters said yesterday that the budget "is the blueprint for transformational change, which Americans voted for in November."
She was joined yesterday in the General Assembly Building by representatives of the Virginia AFL-CIO, the Virginia Education Association, the Service Employees International Union, the Virginia Green Jobs Coalition and the Sierra Club.
The proposed budget has come under fire from Republicans and some Democrats who think it tries to do too much at a time when the nation should focus on restoring the economy.
"We're in a crisis; we need to do everything we can," Lee said.
"The president's budget sends the nation on a clear and responsible path -- protecting families' well-being and making long-term investments in our nation's future," said Jim Gould with the Sierra Club's Virginia chapter.
Jason Simmons, an ex-Qimonda worker, said the plant could be used to develop green technologies that would provide thousands of jobs. The Qimonda plant in eastern Henrico County, which makes computer chips, is shutting down.
The Virginia groups are part of a nationwide coalition of liberal organizations that have signed on to a $5 million to $7 million campaign to help promote Obama's budget. They plan to use grass-roots events, phone-banking and e-mail campaigns to reach members of Congress, Lee said.
She said that to her knowledge the Obama White House did not initiate the campaign, called Rebuild and Renew America Now.
Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or twhitley@timesdispatch.com.
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