CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Citizen Action Group began its campaign last week to support President Obama's budget proposals.

Those proposals, WV-CAG and its affiliates believe, will make affordable health care available to everyone, promote greater educational opportunities, promote clean energy and lessen dependence on foreign oil.

Gary Zuckett, executive director of WV-CAG, said, "The president's jobs-and-economic-recovery plan was a major step towards turning the economy around by creating or saving 3.5 million jobs while also providing tax relief to 95 percent of Americans.

"This budget continues that process of building our economy from the bottom up by investing in people and communities."

The campaign is also backed by Larry Matheney, secretary treasurer of the West Virginia AFL-CIO; Sam Hickman, director of the state chapter of the National Association of Social Workers; and Rick Wilson, a state leader of the American Friends Service Committee and Economic Justice Project.

Wilson said, "After years of misguided federal priorities and budget battles, it's nice to be in a situation where we can actually be for something."

Zuckett said, "President Obama inherited the nation's worst economic crisis in generations, and the largest deficit in history. ...

"His proposed budget returns fairness to our tax code and makes significant down payments on quality, affordable health care for America, world-class education and a clean energy future."

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Citizen Action Group began its campaign last week to support President Obama's budget proposals.

Those proposals, WV-CAG and its affiliates believe, will make affordable health care available to everyone, promote greater educational opportunities, promote clean energy and lessen dependence on foreign oil.

Gary Zuckett, executive director of WV-CAG, said, "The president's jobs-and-economic-recovery plan was a major step towards turning the economy around by creating or saving 3.5 million jobs while also providing tax relief to 95 percent of Americans.

"This budget continues that process of building our economy from the bottom up by investing in people and communities."

The campaign is also backed by Larry Matheney, secretary treasurer of the West Virginia AFL-CIO; Sam Hickman, director of the state chapter of the National Association of Social Workers; and Rick Wilson, a state leader of the American Friends Service Committee and Economic Justice Project.

Wilson said, "After years of misguided federal priorities and budget battles, it's nice to be in a situation where we can actually be for something."

Zuckett said, "President Obama inherited the nation's worst economic crisis in generations, and the largest deficit in history. ...

"His proposed budget returns fairness to our tax code and makes significant down payments on quality, affordable health care for America, world-class education and a clean energy future."

Wilson believes Obama's proposed budget will stimulate economic demand and help Americans hit hardest by current economic problems.

"Like many Americans, we share the concern about the growth of federal debt," Wilson added. "However, in these extraordinary times, the initiatives proposed in the president's budget will help position the country for sustainable growth for the long term so that we can move towards rational deficit reduction as the economy improves."

The budget proposal also includes plans to have the federal government give loans directly to students, eliminating the Federal Family Education Loan Program that uses private banks.

The proposed Direct Loan Program would be run by the government and dramatically reduce interest payments paid by students after they leave college.

WV-CAG is affiliated with USAction, a group that works to "create the nation's leading progressive coalitions."

Zuckett said the goals of WV-CAG and USAction are discussed in more detail on the Web sites www.rebuildandrenew.org and www.usaction.org.

Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.comor">pjny...@wvgazette.comor 304-348-5164.