Thursday, September 25, 2008

Americans For Prosperity urges you to contact Joe Biden

Senator Joe Biden, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, has done it again! He put his foot in his mouth when he recently told an environmentalist in Ohio that America doesn’t need coal plants! Poor Senator Biden didn't know he was being filmed. Luckily however, he was filmed and his comments have sparked outrage throughout Virginia. From those who would lose their jobs in Southwest Virginia to the Virginia families whose energy bills would increase without the benefit of coal plants, many have come forward to voice their concerns.

I am writing you today to ask you to call 1-877-850-2008 or e-mail Senator Biden today and let him know that his careless words could have a DEVASTATING effect on Virginia's working families. Tell Senator Biden we don't need his environmental alarmism here in Virginia.

Below, are the comments we released to the press yesterday concerning this matter. I thought they would be of interest to you.

Senator Biden’s comments can be viewed here.

Sincerely,


Benjamin Marchi
State Director
Americans for Prosperity-Virginia


Free-Market Citizen Group Says Biden’s “No Coal for America” Approach
Would Result in Lost Jobs, Even Higher Energy Prices


For Immediate Release – September 24, 2008
Contact Ben Marchi, (804) 380-9240

Biden is putting extremist environmental ideology ahead of jobs for Virginians

RICHMOND – The Virginia chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) today called U.S. Senator Joe Biden’s pledge of “No coal plants here in America!” out of touch with the concerns of average Virginians. Video footage surfaced today that showed Senator Biden telling an environmentalist he wants “no coal plants here in America.” This comment was a complete “about-face” from comments Sen. Biden made at the United Mine Workers Fish Fry just days ago in Castlewood, VA where he praised the possibilities of coal.

AFP Virginia Director Ben Marchi issued the following statement:

“Senator Biden’s scorn for domestic, coal-generated power isn’t felt or understood by the folks who rely on it to power their homes and businesses and keep Virginia’s economy strong.

“Sen. Biden told folks in Southwest Virginia just days ago that ‘Only people from coal country truly know what it means to have to get back up.’ Based on Sen. Biden’s promise of no coal plants in America, the hard working citizens of Southwest Virginia will be scraping themselves back up if he has his way.

“Right now Virginia’s families are concerned about the economic downturn and whether they’ll be able to continue to make ends meet with high energy prices. Expanding domestic energy production – not limiting it – is the commonsense approach to lowering energy prices.

“Senator Biden’s categorical opposition to coal-based energy is disturbing to say the least since such an approach would eliminate badly needed jobs from a place we can’t afford to lose them. The coal industry is a vital part of Virginia’s economy as well as to all of Appalachia, from Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio down through East Tennessee.

“Virginians aren’t about to be fooled by slick political rhetoric. They understand that higher energy taxes and more regulation are bad for our struggling economy. Making energy more expensive so Americans use less might be music to the ears of global warming alarmists, but it has no place in our nation’s energy policy.”

AFP has been activating citizens in support of policies that will lower energy prices by increasing American supplies and making domestic production less expensive. The centerpiece of the group’s grassroots campaign is a coast-to-coast hot air balloon tour to expose the hot air in the global warming and energy debates.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

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