Fredericksburg, VA — As part of the commitment to economic justice and statewide campaign to educate the public on the effects of current national budget negotiations, Virginia Organizing's Fredericksburg Chapter will gather outside The Ponshop on Saturday to share desserts and distribute information on the "fiscal cliff" and budget showdown with downtown visitors.

Fredericksburg Chapter leader Ginny Downie said the main reasons for this demonstration are to move people to action and to raise awareness. "During the French revolution, the economic disparity between the rich and the poor became so great and the rich so far removed from the reality of the situation that Marie Antoinette was credited with saying, ‘let them eat cake’ when asked what the poor should eat if they have no bread. We aren't looking for a revolution so much as an evolution toward a more just society. In 2010, 93 percent of financial gains went to the wealthiest one percent. This is not a sustainable model for our nation," said Downie. 

Another Fredericksburg Chapter leader, Charlotte Jones, said, "The preamble to the Constitution says our government is to 'promote the general welfare,' but our legislators are so out of touch. They have plenty and they don't know what it might be like to have barely enough." 

The Fredericksburg Chapter has been particularly active on tax and revenue issues. The Chapter sent a delegation to the White House in July and again in November for briefings on the budget and economy and how national economic policies affect local people. 

Downie, who attended both White House briefings, said, "The biggest insight I got from our trip to the White House was the importance of the voices of the people. When we speak, our elected officials are listening. Things change when we speak out."

Virginia Organizing has been educating people across the Commonwealth about the "fiscal cliff" and the economically just way to resolve the budget negotiations.

Virginia Organizing supports ending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent and protecting and expanding social safety net programs that directly affect people in the most vulnerable circumstances. 

To interview a Virginia Organizing spokesperson or demonstration participant, please contact Amanda Pohl at 804-337-1912 or amanda@virginia-organizing.org. 

Virginia Organizing is a statewide grassroots organization that brings people together to create a more just Virginia. 

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