DENVER – An average American's tax bill bought only 0.04 seconds of the war in Iraq in 2007, according to Progressive Future's Invest in US Calculator.  This same tax tab could have funded 25 days of health coverage for an uninsured American, or powered a home with renewable energy for 89 days.

“Less than a second of war, or a month of health insurance for a poor child—I know where I want my taxes going, and I think most Americans agree that our leaders need to invest in us,” said Adam Lioz, Progressive Future Program Director.  
Progressive Future, a grassroots progressive nonprofit, unveiled the Invest in US Calculator today while launching its first major online initiative.  The “Invest in US” campaign calls on current and future leaders to shift spending priorities away from the war in Iraq and towards solving pressing problems at home. 

The calculator shows citizens how much of their 2007 tax bills went to the Iraq war, and what they could have funded instead—days (or years) of healthcare, Head Start for a student, powering a home with renewable energy, or higher education for an Iraq war veteran.

“To shift America’s priorities, it’s clear that citizens must lead,” added Political Director Brad Martin.  “Our Invest in US campaign will help Americans raise their voices for change.”
Martin pointed to recent events—from new momentum for a plan to get out of Iraq to Al Gore’s bold 100% renewable power challenge—and the upcoming elections as evidence that the time is ripe for Progressive Future’s call to invest in critical programs at home.

By petitioning online and in the streets, the group aims to get 25,000 citizens to sign its Invest in US statement, and join the campaign.  They’ll take the results to the media, the party conventions, and elected officials.

www.ProgressiveFuture.org/invest-in-us-calculator

To place the calculator on your own website, visit: www.ProgressiveFuture.org/invest-in-us-badge

Progressive Future promotes progressive values through grassroots action.  The Progressive Future network also includes the Progressive Future Education Fund, which runs the Community Voters Project, and Progress Florida, a joint project between Progressive Future and the ProgressNow network.