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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (20)
December 20, 2007
OFFE Launches Statewide Ballot Initiative Petition Drive in California
According to Operation Firing For Effect (OFFE), California Director of Operations, Rusty Rustan, all requirements have been met and OFFE has begun collecting signatures on a ballot initiative petition in the great state of California. The petition was authored by OFFE and submitted to the Attorney General’s office by Mr. Rustan several weeks ago. The ballot initiative makes the request that the following voter’s opinion question be included on California’s general election ballot to be held in November of 2008.
“Shall the federal government be required to adopt mandatory full funding of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of ensuring that all eligible honorably discharged U.S. veterans, Reservists and National Guard of the United States of America receive quality and accessible healthcare and related services?”
To view the title and summary of the OFFE ballot initiative, visit the Office of Attorney General for the State of California at this link, and scroll down to Initiative number 07-0073; http://ag.ca.gov/initiatives/activeindex.php?active=A
OFFE volunteers are asking for California residents to sign and volunteer to help collect the required 500,000 signatures needed to place the question on the 2008 general election ballot by April 30, 2008.
The California project was inspired by a resolution written by OFFE two years ago, which call for the U.S. government to mandate full funding of the veterans healthcare system. Since its conception, the OFFE resolution has received the endorsement of several prominent Americans and labor unions. Country music legend and American icon Willie Nelson is one of the celebrities that has publicly endorsed the OFFE crusade for full funding of the VA.
OFFE’s resolution has also received endorsements from several high-profile politicians, including; Presidential Candidates, New York Senator Hillary Clinton and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. To view a list of OFFE resolution endorsements visit; http://offe2008.org/public_html/resolution.htm
The OFFE California Initiative Petition drive is merely the latest chapter in the nationwide grassroots movement to improve and protect the medical services earned by our men and women in uniform. Several months ago, Cook County Illinois, Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a referendum placing the same question concerning the full funding of VA healthcare on their primary election ballot on February 5th. Cook County was the first to put this issue before voters. Since that time, a number of neighboring counties in Illinois have joined the nationwide movement and have adopted the Cook County referendum, allowing their resident voters to voice their opinion on the subject. It should be noted that Cook County Illinois and Orange County California are the two largest counties by population in the U.S., with over 8 million residents between the two.
The OFFE Ballot Initiative Petition Team is confident that this issue will bring out the voters in California and Illinois, especially among our military families. A great opportunity has been created for millions of Americans to have their voices heard concerning the future treatment of our veterans. The ground work has been done. Now, it’s up to the voters in California and Illinois to take advantage of the opportunity to speak up and be heard. If you support full mandatory funding for veterans healthcare, get involved today! Don’t wait for the other guy to stand up first, stand up on your own NOW and support this effort.
OFFE needs volunteers in California to collect signatures on this historic petition. If you are a veteran, or the family member of a veteran, or you have a family member currently deployed overseas, or you have family currently living in California, we need your help now. OFFE is quick to point out that this issue affects all Americans, not just our veterans. Since enlistment and retention in our all volunteer military is directly related to the way we treat our former military personnel and their families, and because we all benefit from the security and protection our military forces provide for us all, veteran’s healthcare becomes a matter of national security, and the responsibility of all Americans. The time to defend our troop’s needs is NOW!
Here’s a few ways you can assist; get your copy of the California Ballot Initiative Petition by visiting WWW.OFFE2008.ORG and click on the California State flag. Read the instructions very carefully and printout both sides of the Petition. Next, take a copy to work with you and get your coworkers or fellow union members to endorse it. Take copies to your church or synagogue and collect signatures. Send the signed petitions to the address provided in the instructions. Then you can take great pride in the fact that you have contributed to the future healthcare needs of our men and women in uniform.
And remember, if you do nothing, you can expect nothing to change. Now, the rest is up to you.
Jere Beery
National Public Relations Director
Operation Firing For Effect
www.offe2008.org
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