Weigel

Get Excited, Liberals!

Organizing for America, the outgrowth of the Obama-Biden campaign that has frustrated liberal activists who think it’s failed to capitalize on Obama’s movement, is asking members to support – of all things – the salary freeze on non-military federal employees. From the e-mail announcing the campaign:

The economy is growing again, yet all across America families and businesses have been tightening their belts. The President knows their government must do the same.

Yesterday, he announced a proposal to freeze pay for non-military federal employees for two years – a plan that will lead to $60 billion in savings over 10 years. It’s one of many tough choices the President has made to cut costs in the upcoming budget to begin to put our nation’s fiscal house in order. And it follows directly from this administration’s dedication to stretching federal dollars and reining in the long-term deficit.

Now, if you listen to some talk radio hosts or a few of the talking heads on cable news, you’ll hear a very different assessment of our fiscal policies. These voices ignore the irresponsibility of the past while pinning the blame for “reckless spending” solely on this administration. It would make a good fairy tale if it weren’t so dangerously untrue.

But these voices – as loud as they are – are spreading bunk. Cutting costs and spending responsibly has been a cornerstone of this administration’s record. And we need your help to get the truth out there.

Will you take a few minutes and write a letter to the editor today to set the record straight?

Using our letter-to-the-editor tool is easy, and we’ll provide tips and talking points to get you started.

The letter from OFA director Mitch Stewart points out – accurately – that Obama froze White House staff salaries on his first day in office. And as we all remember, that move prevented the subsequent rise of an anti-spending conservative movement that would imperil Obama’s agenda and win the 2010 elections.