Potts Holds Press Conference to Kick Off Nuclear Disarmament Walk

Midge Potts for Senate 2010
www.electmidge.com

Contact: Midge Potts
midge@electmidge.com

Jay Marx
Proposition One Committee
MarxJay@Gmail.com



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10th, 2010
3:30 PM

Potts @ Press Conference:
"I am a serious candidate for US Senate."


Columbia, MO - Saturday April 10th, Midge Potts, Progressive Party of Missouri candidate for US Senate held a press conference at the Commission Chambers of the Boone County government complex in Columbia Missouri to explain why she is walking for nuclear disarmament, and to announce the details of the route and tentative schedule of her walk that will take her from the Ameren nuclear reactor in Callaway County to the Honeywell nuke bomb parts factory in Kansas City.

"Nobody is more serious than me in seeking to fill Kit Bond's seat in the US Senate," Midge Potts announced on Saturday. "I am walking for global nuclear disarmament so I can dramatize for people that we need to grow beyond our dependence to 20th century antiquated icons, such as nuclear power and nuclear weapons," said Potts, "Nuke bombs actually begin at heavy water nuclear power plants, where Plutonium is created. I am starting my walk near the Ameren nuclear reactor in the Reform Conservation Area in central Missouri, so I can dramatize the point."

Potts announced she is walking to raise awareness about the need for the United States to systematically convert America's nuclear arsenal into windmills and solar panels. She said she wants to divert much of the $50 billion dollars a year the Department of Energy spends to maintain an arsenal of over 6 thousand nuclear warheads into funding for retooling factories. She said the Honeywell facility in Kansas City, where bomb components are made for nuclear weapons, could be converted to build green technologies.

"I feel it is important to raise awareness about nuclear disarmament at this time when the Obama administration is offering the American people rhetoric claiming the US and Russia have reached an agreement to reduce nuclear stockpiles," Said Potts, "The United States has over 4000 excess weapons waiting to be dismantled, in addition to the 2400 nukes on high alert. If President Obama is sincere, I would like to know why the Department of Energy budget for dismantling these weapons is being cut by 38 million dollars, approximately one third of the current budget for this operation. The budget for dismantling America’s massive nuclear stockpile should be increasing in anticipation of the possible reductions being heralded by the White House. To make matters more confusing, the budget for developing nuclear weapons is being increased by 5 billion dollars over the next 5 years."

Potts Added "The money being wasted on America's nuclear arms program should be diverted directly to dismantling these barbaric weapons and to cleaning up the radioactive sites where they have been built and housed. Over half a trillion dollars has been spent in the last ten years on US nukes. I believe this money would be better spent to save lives by providing funds for universal health care for all Americans; this would put us much closer to being able to achieve balanced budgets without raising taxes. If elected to the US Senate, I will introduce the Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act, currently submitted by DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton in the House of Representatives as HR 1653. If enacted, this bill would help nuclear arms production facilities, such as the Honeywell plant in Kansas City, to be retooled in order to make products such as windmills and solar panels in Americas 21st century green economy."

Midge Potts said her walk would begin after the conclusion of the press conference. She announced plans to walk from the Reform Conservation Area to the Katy Trail, then onward into Jefferson City. She said she would walk on highway 50 for the remainder of her trek to Kansas City. She intends to conclude her walk on May 1st, the anniversary of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Potts' walk will coincide with the Proposition One Nuclear Disarmament Walk that the nation's capitol on April 8th and will arrive in New York City on May 1st where there will be a conference renegotiating the NPT this year at the United Nations.

"The journey has begun," said Jay Marx of the Proposition One in 2010 campaign based in Washington DC, "Now is the time for people everywhere to stand up an walk for an end to nuclear weapons. We are thrilled to have Midge walking in solidarity with our movement."

Tentative Schedule of Potts' Nuclear Disarmament Walk
April 10th - Ameren Nuclear Reactor
April 13th - Jefferson City
April 17th - California, MO
April 21st - Sedalia
April 24th - Warrensburg
April 28th - Lee's Summit
April 29th - Blue Springs
April 30th - Midtown KC
May 1st - Honeywell Factory on Bannister Road

Midge Potts, co-chair of the Progressive Party of Missouri, is the party's candidate for U.S. Senator in 2010. She and other party members are circulating petitions to get Ms. Potts and other Progressive Party candidates on the Missouri ballot this year.

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