Inside Americans for Prosperity’s campaign to stop the virus and get Americans back to work safely

Feb 12, 2021 by AFP

Americans for Prosperity is focused on advancing policies that improve the lives of the American people, allowing us all to become more prosperous. Given the continuing challenge posed by coronavirus and the policy responses adopted to combat it, it’s critical for government at all levels to pursue reforms that empower us to recover stronger. AFP has launched a new campaign, Save Lives, Save Livelihoods, aimed at exactly this goal.

This effort will encourage AFP activists to engage with lawmakers and policymaking officials in Washington and their local communities. It will include grassroots efforts to show the strong public support for smart policies, utilizing events where possible, as well as earned and paid media, and digital efforts.

“The policy solutions in our agenda will protect public health and get our economy going again, and all lawmakers should support them,” said AFP President Tim Phillips. “We plan to mobilize our grassroots activists to rally broad support around this better way to save lives and livelihoods while working against damaging policies that will halt recovery — especially the $1.9 trillion for spending largely unrelated to COVID-19 already offered by the president.”

It’s possible to overcome the virus and grow the economy, because we’ve seen smart efforts adopted in a number of states and localities to unleash the American economic engine while also combating coronavirus.

AFP’s grassroots teams have been a part of the efforts to adopt these reforms.

In the wake of the spread of coronavirus in the United States, AFP launched the Health Care Reimagined campaign. This effort was aimed at eliminating barriers and empowering people to take greater control of their own care. Thanks in part to the efforts of our grassroots teams, 31 bills supported by AFP were enacted across the country, and governors issued over 130 executive orders in 29 states to ease or waive restrictions to health care access.

But these efforts notwithstanding, it’s clear more must be done to overcome coronavirus and grow the economy. That’s why Americans for Prosperity is launching the Save Lives, Save Livelihoods campaign. With more Americans having access to new tools, including coronavirus vaccines, it’s time for a new approach — one that increasingly empowers workers, entrepreneurs, business owners, and others to drive a powerful and thriving economy.

“Unless lawmakers are offered an alternative,” Phillips said, “the new Washington will adopt the same pandemic response strategies of last year that we know won’t work. The renewed push by President Joe Biden, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi to simply spend trillions more tax dollars along with unrelated items picked from a partisan wish-list shows they continue to view this pandemic as a crisis to leverage, not a problem to solve.” He added that any COVID response spending should be timely and targeted to those hit hardest.

This initiative begins with stopping the virus. But we also know steps are needed to recover stronger. We need to clear the way for people to get back to work quickly and safely. We should reject massive spending, bailouts and other bad deals that do little good in the short run, and much harm in the long run. We must advance a personal health care option, keep the tax burden low, and help secure prosperity. But those reforms won’t happen unless policymakers in Washington act.

We’re counting on a team of grassroots activists around the country to help advance these common-sense reforms. Join us and become part of the Save Lives, Save Livelihoods campaign.