http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...0304/ap_on_go_
pr_wh/bush_political_ads_13
"Sandman" wrote in message
...
Firefighters inflamed over blatant hypocrisy of Bush's opening political
TV
ad:
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRe...d=155-03032004
WASHINGTON, March 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The General President of the
International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO (IAFF), Harold
Schaitberger, issued the following statement today after President Bush
unveiled new political ads that use images of fire fighters in September
11,
2001 attacks for political gain:
-- As Bush Trades on Heroism of Fire Fighters, His Homeland Security
Funding
Cuts Hurt Fire Fighters and Communities --
"I'm disappointed but not surprised that the President would try to trade
on
the heroism of those fire fighters in the September 11 attacks. The use of
9/11 images are hypocrisy at its worst. Here's a President that initially
opposed the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and now uses
its
first anniversary as cause to promote his re-election. Here is a President
that proposed two budgets with no funding for FIRE Act grants and still
plays on the image of America's bravest. His advertisements are
disgraceful.
"Bush is calling on the biggest disaster in our country's history, and
indeed in the history of the fire service, to win sympathy for his
campaign.
Since the attacks, Bush has been using images of himself putting his arm
around a retired FDNY fire fighter on the pile of rubble at ground zero.
But
for two and a half years he has basically shortchanged fire fighters and
the
safety of our homeland by not providing fire fighters the resources needed
to do the job that America deserves.
"The fact is Bush's actions have resulted in fire stations closing in
communities around the country. Two-thirds of America's fire departments
remain under-staffed because Bush is failing to enforce a new law that was
passed with bipartisan support in Congress that would put more fire
fighters
in our communities. President Bush's budget proposes to cut Homeland
Security Department funding for first responders by $700 million for next
year and cuts funding for the FIRE Act, a grant program that helps fire
departments fund equipment needs, 33 percent by $250 million. In addition,
state and local programs for homeland security purposes were reduced $200
million.
"We're going to be aggressive and vocal in our efforts to ensure that the
citizens of this country know about Bush's poor record on protecting their
safety and providing for the needs of the people who are supposed to
respond
in an emergency."