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Press Release
3/24/03
How are we going to fund the war?
The Freedom Girls have spent the last 1 1/2 years promoting the New Patriot
War Bonds. They have been driven by a strong Patriotism- and a little family
history. In 1944, five year-old Randi made the cover of " Popular
Photography" as a patriotic cherub touting war bonds– the same age
Anastasia was last year when " The Freedom Girls" began. In recent
months, the women have also created a $10 promotional Poster that they plan to
use the proceeds from to create inspirational war-bond postcards to mail to the
tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers . It has been expensive for the girls. They
have spent over $13,000 of their own money and they are both working two jobs .
The Treasury Department has been strangely silent. The U. S. Treasury wrote
Senator Inhofe that they were no longer going to market the Savings Bonds,
" Over the years, however, the cost of promoting savings bonds through
traditional methods grew. To reduce program costs, the Treasury recently decided
to market savings bonds in the future through the Internet, rather than through
its traditional methods. This change provides a more effective avenue than mass
marketing to communicate with customers about savings bonds and is also less
expensive." Starting Oct 1, 2003 the U.S. Treasury is cutting the marketing
department for the savings bonds program. All the Treasury department needs to
do is ask for free public service announcements, and The Freedom Girls would be
willing to do them for free.
The Freedom Girls disagree with the U.S. Treasury’s decision ." It's
going to cost America a lot of money to continue to fight in Afghanistan and
other places," replies Susan. " We need to borrow money the most cost
effective way". She also heard that the Treasury wants to exclude the
common American bond buyer without internet access, eliminate the purchase of
paper Savings Bonds as gifts to children and close 37 field offices. As for the
Patriot Bond, any red, white and blue colors or historic emblems of Patriotism
would be removed. Why is the Treasury making the savings bonds harder to BUY…...
because they want to fund the war by Market Securities.
The U.S. Treasury's current cost model shows that for every $1 billion
borrowed through Series EE and Series I Savings bonds, $17 million is saved in
comparison to costs associated with marketable securities, and last year there
were $9.8 billion worth of bonds sold a total of $161.4 million saved in 2002, a
great savings over marketable securities.
The Freedom Girls have offered their image to the Treasury in promotion of
the Patriot War Bonds, and to help get free advertising; but the U.S. Treasury
is not interested. Six year old, Anastasia does not understand why the Treasury
Department wants to take her patriotism away. " My hero's need our help and
we can do it through War Bonds," replies Anastasia.
The Freedom Girls are trying to get an audience with President Bush for
saving the Savings Bond Program and trying desperately to get in touch with the
new secretary of the Treasury so that it won't become impossible for individuals
( like the Freedom Girls) to promote the sale of the bonds.
The Freedom girls are asking all magazines to donate space and print the
Freedom Girls’ Poster and join us in our efforts to promote the Patriot Bonds.
For more information on
The Freedom Girls go to www.usfreedombonds.com.
The Freedom Girls
Susan@usfreedombonds.com
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