Hello Everyone:

Here is the MSNBC video link of Jon Soltz on The Ed Show last Friday, March 5 where he linked clean energy and national security:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35732868#35732868  (04:29)

Is America safer without foreign oil?
March 5: Playbook: Jon Soltz of VoteVets.org talks about his organization’s ad linking clean energy and national security.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35732868#35732868  (04:29)

Here is the website and the VoteVets.org YouTube ad that Jon Soltz mentioned in this video:

http://www.billiondollarsaday.com/

BILLION DOLLARS A DAY

YouTube ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRxIIxxQRE4&feature=player_embedded

VoteVets.org VA Ad: "Tough"  (1:04)

votevets
March 03, 2010

Right below is the full MSNBC Ed Show transcript of this dialogue.

Jon Soltz's main point in this very interesting and informative interview is "basically what we‘re trying to say is less American consumption of oil means less money to states that supports terrorism.  That stuff comes back and kills our troops overseas, like our veteran in the ad."

Jon Soltz also made three other good points in this interview which are "we need Democrats to lead," "We‘re going to be aggressive," and his trying to show Senators "how you should frame this debate."  While the context of these points is about the topic of linking clean energy and national security, I definitely think that these principles should also apply to many other important issues like health care!
 
Mitch Dworkin

http://mitchdworkin.com/
Check out my political website!

http://www.securingamerica.com/

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16039
RESOURCES: Speeches, Articles, and Career Highlights to help define Gen. Clark!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on July 7, 2008 - 2:51pm.

http://www.securingamerica.com/ccn/node/7191
Listen to Gen. Wes Clark fight for Dems on Sean Hannity's radio program: An excellent example for all of us to follow and what we all need to be doing to help fight back against extreme right wing Neocon smear propaganda!

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35764215/ns/msnbc_tv-the_ed_show/

'The Ed Show' for Friday, March 5th, 2010
Read the transcript to the Friday show

Guests: Luke Russert, Bill Halter, Adam Green, Raul Grijalva, Jack Rice, Jonathan Alter, Heidi Harris, Glenn Greenwald, Jon Soltz, Lizz Winstead

ED SCHULTZ, HOST:  "In my playbook tonight, a veterans organization is fighting for clean energy.  The group VoteVets.org has a new commercial out that makes the connection between clean energy and national security.  They argue that if Congress passes legislation that makes us less reliant on foreign oil, it will also make us safer. 

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE:  That is the type of IED that earned me a Purple Heart in Iraq six years ago.  This is what our troops are up against today:

EFPs, especially designed to pierce American military armor.  It‘s devastating weapon and it was created in oil rich Iran.  They‘re ending up in the hands of our enemies. 

Every time oil goes up a dollar, Iran gets another 1.5 billion dollars to use against us.  Connection between oil and the enemy couldn‘t be clearer.  We need to break that connection by breaking our addiction, and we can by passing a clean energy climate plan.  It will cut our dependence on oil in half.  Some in Congress say it‘s a tough vote, not as tough as what our troops are up against. 

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ:  Joining me now is Jon Soltz of VoteVets.org.  Mr. Soltz, good to have you on tonight.  That is very coupling ad.  There‘s no question about it.  I want to ask you straight up, is it accurate? 

JON SOLTZ, VOTEVETS.ORG:  Absolutely, it‘s accurate, Ed.  We wouldn‘t put anything out that isn‘t.  The United States is the largest oil consumption country in the world.  We buy oil through—basically what happens when we buy the oil is it‘s driving the price up.  If we cut our production in oil, which the House legislation did, then we lower the price of oil across the board.  And then that hurts countries like Iran. 

Iran is very involved with terrorist organizations across the Middle East, like other countries are inside the Middle East.  But basically what we‘re trying to say is less American consumption of oil means less money to states that supports terrorism.  That stuff comes back and kills our troops overseas, like our veteran in the ad. 

SCHULTZ:  Jon, why haven‘t the Democrats or those who are in favor of clean energy in the Congress—why haven‘t they made a compelling case the way you have?  And are you somewhat frustrated that they haven‘t?  Are you asking them to do so?  It‘s kind of a three part question.  It all plays into one.  You‘re being very aggressive, saying that Congress has a responsibility because of this.  Your thoughts? 

SOLTZ:  Vote Vets is an aggressive organization because the stakes are so high for the people in it.  Our veterans, members of ours are still overseas fighting and getting killed.  We‘re going to be aggressive. 

The first thing is that the House was initially aggressive, passed this legislation that would cut our dependence on foreign oil in half.  What‘s happened in the process it there have been a lot of other issues that have arisen in our country.  We got involved in the health care debate.  There‘s now the jobs bill, and a bunch of other things that Congress thinks is a high priority. 

I would encourage everyone who sees this ad to go to Vote Vets, go to Operation Freeze—and really look at the facts here, and call Congress and say, listen, we need the Senate to move on John Kerry/Lindsay Graham‘s legislation, that is going to lower dependence by 50 percent.  Once we get it through the Senate, OK, then we‘re well on our way to getting this done.  It‘s only through the House.

And we need Democrats to lead.  This is about Senator Reid and the Democrats pushing this through to make it a priority. 

SCHULTZ:  Why is the ad running in Virginia, North Dakota, Montana, Missouri, Maine, Indiana, Alaska, and West Virginia?  Why just those states? 

SOLTZ:  Well, the message we‘re trying to show those senator is exactly what you said in your prior question.  We want them to see how they can talk to their constituents about this subject, that there‘s all these things here about—the big oil industry is promoting. 

You‘re either with big oil or you‘re with the troops on this.  We want them to show how important it is for them to go with the military.  We think it‘s important for Senator Warner in Virginia, or Senator Baucus in Montana, these senators—this is against Democrats and Republicans, to say, this is how you should frame this debate.  We know you‘re going to say this is a tough vote, but this is not as tough as what our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan face.  We want to show them how to talk about this with their constituents. 

SCHULTZ:  Jon Soltz, VoteVets.org, super job. 

SOLTZ:  Appreciate it. 

SCHULTZ:  I think it‘s very effective.  And I hope it does motivate some lawmakers to get after it, because you make a coupling case.  It‘s something that we can easily wrap our arms around and understand.  As you say, that is one of the 290 bills that the House has passed, that the Senate hasn‘t moved on.  Thanks, Jon.  Appreciate your time..."