(02-16-2007) Bono praises Reid on AIDS funding - RGJ*

[HelloAngel]

Bono praises Reid on AIDS funding


By DIANA MARRERO

WASHINGTON -- Bono, the lead singer for the band U2, is a big Harry Reid fan these days.

That's because the Senate majority leader helped secure a $1.3 billion boost in federal funding for global AIDS programs this week.

The increase means the U.S. will spend $4.5 billion this year on programs to fight AIDS, HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, mainly in Africa. The money funds AIDS drugs and mosquito netting, among other prevention and treatment programs.

"Sen. Reid and his colleagues came through," Bono said in a statement released Thursday. "His leadership and their resolve deserve the respect of all who work on these issues, and the countless souls, literally hundreds and thousands, who will now owe the United States their lives."

Reid was able to salvage the $1.3 billion increase in AIDS spending that would have been lost under the Democrats plan to keep spending by the various federal departments and agencies at their current fiscal levels.

Bono's praise for Reid's leadership on the issue marked a change of heart for the Irish singer.

Just two months ago, Bono, an outspoken advocate for ending AIDS and poverty in Africa, expressed disappointment with Reid after he could not gain assurances from the Nevada Democrat that the funding boost would not be lost this year.

On Thursday, Bono had nothing but praise for Reid, saying the longtime politician had been an "amazing guide" during his visit to Capitol Hill last year.

Reid spokesman Jon Summers said the senator "appreciates the kind words."

"This is something Sen. Reid feels was the right thing to do," he said.

Summers said he did not know if Reid was a fan of U2's music but said: "He likes Irish folk music and he's a huge music fan."

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070216/NEWS07/702160401

 

[Jamila]

 

[Jamila]

That was for Bono, not Reid.

 

[JCOSTER]

keep after 'em Bono....nice job!

 

[last unicorn]

It's just amazing how Bono is able to turn peoples' hearts and minds around. Great to hear.

 

[Jamila]

Actually last unicorn I think the Congress was more concerned about the 200,00 people who contacted them NOT to cut the budget than they were influenced by the B-man.


They greatly disrespected Bono back in Dec. 2006 as the article states.


LOVE AND PEACE....

 

[Rachel D.]

I got an email from ONE that said 200,000 members sent letters and that's why the money got through. They wouldn't listen to Bono, so it was ONE members who changed their minds.

 

[Jamila]

Yep - that's the honest truth, Rachel D.

Congress - including the Democrats - were ready to turn their faces away from support of ONE and were very rude to Bono

UNTIL 200,00 of us flooded their offices with letters, emails, faxes, etc. and then they decided to support this increased money.


Of course, Bono has to thank them publicly - I just wonder how he TRULY feels inside.

I know how I would truly feel if I was him.

 

[Jamila]

I'm sorry - I'm hurrying with my posts today (very busy).

That number should be 200,000.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Yep - that's the honest truth, Rachel D.

Congress - including the Democrats - were ready to turn their faces away from support of ONE and were very rude to Bono

UNTIL 200,00 of us flooded their offices with letters, emails, faxes, etc. and then they decided to support this increased money.


Of course, Bono has to thank them publicly - I just wonder how he TRULY feels inside.

I know how I would truly feel if I was him.

I think he knows how politics and politicians work by now, and so he doesn't take it too personally.
I don't know how rude they have been, to be honest. If they just told him that the can't make it or something, it's not necessarily rude, but politics.
So it depends on how they handled it and all.

But when they discovered that so many people were very concerned about this funding, they "changed" their mind.

It's good that so many people sent letters, and those two senators (or representatvies?) started this "Dear Colleague" letter.

The voice of the voter is, sadly, still the only thing politicians are concerned about in regards of the next election.

 

[last unicorn]

So people actually have power, good to hear.
I hope the politicians are at least a little ashamed that they tried to turn the whole issue down first.

 

[Teta040]

What Vincent Vega said. And sadly I think this kind of voter advocacy and lobbying, which is what this gov't was designed for by the Founding Fathers, is seldom practiced these dyas. People don;t know how effective they can be if they tried. They really ARE our "public servants" if we make them be. Call it selfishness on thier part (only caring about votes) but hey, whatever works!

So now the question is: given Bush's enthusiastic response to the prospects of actually SIGNING THE CHECK, so to speak (not just talk--funny how the Millineum Fund just slowly disappeared the past 2 yrs, yup, that was the Republican controlled Congress' idea ALONE, sure, uh-huh!)

.....are we looking for another Dubya-patented little noticed (to the media, anyway) executive order secretly slashing that paltry $1.3 bil from the overall budget when the big budget bill is voted on in the near future? IS the Senate vote veto-proof (60 votes?) THAT, my hopeful friends, is the only thing that matters. It's the only thing this guy will understand--or, given Cheney's likely opinion in the matter, maybe not.

Jamila? More info please? Where do we go from here and how can we contact the WHITE HOUSE (the place that REALLY matters?) I'll bet the White House itself in any Adminstration is not used to personal lobbying by the people! This guy will not listen to Congress...we have to let him know what we are feeling.

 

[Rachel D.]

^ Bush is already in favor of the funding. He mentioned it in the State of the Union this year and another time a few years ago. Bono mentioned once that he used to think that the President can get what he wants done quickly, but learned that the President is "held hostage" by Congress, as he put it. I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't be too quick to blame the President (as popular as it may be to do so). Bono's already got him on board.

 

[Teta040]

But remember that Bush also "approved" $5 billion for the Milleneum Challenge Fund and it somehow disappeared from Congress after 3 yrs. Bush can talk all he wants, but talk costs nothing and gets only free political brownie points. What I'm talking aobut is Bush actually signing into law a Congress-passed measure that will actually get the money on its way. Seeing the thing through, the same way he pushes for war funding. Few politicians worldwide have done that, if you go back and carefully check the record.