Download the Flier (pdf)

AFSCME Projects Massive Video in Ohio Cities Showing What’s At Stake for Voters in November

Sept. 1, 2010 - This week, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME)/OAPSE/OCSEA/Council 8 is projecting “The Choice,” a video highlighting what is at stake this November, on buildings in Cleveland, Columbus, and CIncinnati. The showing is part of AFSCME’s week-long Main Street Film Festival, a multi-city campaign designed to lay out the choice facing voters in November.

“The Choice,” which features the tagline “History only repeats itself if you let it,” highlights the consequences of returning Republicans to power: more favors for Wall Street, more Bush-style tax cuts for the rich and more attempts to privatize Social Security. Rep. John Boccieri has repeatedly stood up for jobs and retirement security and fought against favors for Wall Street. In contrast, Republicans have made clear that they will continue their disastrous policies of the past, including attempts to privatize Social Security.

“While John Boccieri has fought for more jobs, better retirement, and affordable health care, his opponent wants to take us back to the very policies that got America into this economic mess in the first place,” said Joe Rugola, Executive Director of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees, OAPSE/AFSCME Local 4. Rugola also serves as President of the Ohio AFL-CIO. “Ohio working families have a choice this November. We can move forward to save jobs and protect Social Security, or we can go backward. History only repeats itself if you let it.”

“We have a clear choice this November: Politics as usual or a leg up for the middle class. We can let the Wall Street robber barons continue to write the rules and outsource our jobs or we can support candidates that truly want a better Ohio for us all like John Boccieri. I choose Ohio,” said Ohio Civil Service Employees Association/AFSCME Local 11 President Eddie L. Parks.

The Main Street Film Festival activities come after a series of recent reminders of what’s at stake this November. In July, Representative Boccieri was a key vote in passing a Wall Street reform bill, despite near-unanimous Republican opposition. In August, Boccieri voted to save the jobs of hundreds of thousands of teachers, police and firefighters – a move that 60 percent of Americans supported. And recently, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) released a “budget blueprint” that would privatize Social Security. Ryan would become the Budget Committee chair if Republicans gain power in the November elections.

Who: The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME), OAPSE/AFSCME Local 4, OCSEA/AFSCME Local 11, AFSCME Council 8

What: Main Street Film Festival: The Showing of “The Choice”

When and Where: Aug. 31, Downtown Cleveland; Sept. 1, Downtown Columbus at N. High St. & 2nd Ave.; Sept. 2, Downtown Cincinnati at W. 6th St. & Race St.

See Related

OCSEA News