News Release

WASHINGTON – Economists and progressive leaders argued today that Monday’s White House “fiscal responsibility summit” should focus on continuing strategies to grow the economy through public investment and on health care reform, not on cutting Social Security or Medicare – and not on budget austerity plans that could worsen the current serious recession.

WASHINGTON – With President Obama poised to sign a $787 billion plan to resuscitate the economy in Denver, Colo. today despite a wall of Republican opposition, Campaign for America's Future co-director Robert Borosage praised President Obama for pushing Congress to act quickly.

WASHINGTON – The Institute for America’s Future, the research arm of Campaign for America’s Future, today released the report, “Beyond Recovery: America’s Public Investment Deficit,” highlighting the need for a dramatic change of national priorities to bolster long-term public investment. As the report states,

WASHINGTON – While the Senate finally moves towards a vote on an economic recovery package, Robert Borosage, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future, called on lawmakers to do the right thing for the American economy and pass a much-needed stimulus package.

WASHINGTON – As the Senate debates an economic recovery package, Republicans and editorial pages have issued salvos against the proposed “Buy American” provisions designed to ensure that the recovery money is spend in America. The provision would require government projects, such as highway spending, to give preference to domestic goods and services. Campaign for America’s Future co-director Robert Borosage said today such provisions are not only parallel to current law, but just plain common sense. Americans will be rightly outraged if Congress moves to spend stimulus dollars on foreign jobs.

With more people filing for unemployment than at any time in the past quarter century amid the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Campaign for America’s Future co-director Robert Borosage urged progressives who helped deliver President Obama’s electoral victory to rally around a historic opportunity to rebuild America. Borosage said quick and bold action is needed now to move the economic recovery plan despite obstacles in Congress.

The progressive base is on the march in support of the long-term investments President-elect Obama outlined in his economic recovery plan today, according to a statement released by Campaign for America’s Future co-director Roger Hickey. In response to the deepening crisis and more job losses, the Campaign for America’s Future last month released the Main Street Economic Recovery Plan that was endorsed by more than a hundred economists and dozens of labor and public interest leaders who represent more than 20 million Americans. All of the key elements of the Campaign for America’s Future’s “substantial, strategic, and sustained” recovery plan are in the president-elect’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.

A new public health insurance plan that competes directly with private insurers is essential to controlling health care costs and improving the quality of care, according to a new report released today by the Institute for America’s Future and the UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center on Health, Economic & Family Security.

The economy needs at least a $900 billion boost over the next two years, according to a detailed economic recovery plan released today by more than a hundred economists and dozens of labor and public interest leaders who represent more than 20 million Americans.

With U.S. automakers facing opposition for an expanded $34 billion rescue package on Capitol Hill today, Campaign for America’s Future co-director Robert Borosage said allowing the auto industry to go under would create a “body blow to the already battered economy.”