We are still waiting for The Gazette to publish Kathy's op-ed on microcredit and Kate's LTE on foreign aid reform. I keep checking the paper every morning. One of these mornings I'm going to be oh, so excited to see us in print.
The House has passed SCHIP and the Senate is voting on it today. Of critical importance is the provision to cover children of legal immigrants who have not been in the U.S. for five years, as well as women immigrants who are pregnant and have not been here five years.
The Senate is currently debating the economic stimulus package that President Obama (doesn't it feel good to say that?) submitted. Chances are the Senate will pass a higher dollar amount than the House and it will go into conference committee for a final bill for each house to pass. I was quite pleased to see a story on ABC News in which they had three economists grade the various portions of the package. The increase in food stamps and unemployment benefits got an A from each of them. They realize that money given to the poor gets spent and into the economy quickly.
I am looking forward to March and doing some tv production in Iowa City. Jos said he would do a program on the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Credit. I would also like to do a program on microcredit, health care for all (one domestic program and one global program) and a program on the MDGs, as well as Education for All (a global campaign). I will take some more training in February so I'm "qualified" to run the equipment in the studio and edit booth. Mohammed is already trained so if he's free I'd like to use his expertise.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
RESULTS this week
I talked to our global regional coordinator on Tuesday night. The news (embargoed until next Monday) of microcredit reaching one hundred million people worldwide by 2007 is phenomenal! Kathy Hall agreed to attach her name to an op-ed on this news for The Gazette. I'm going to write a press release tonight to go to tv and radio stations. This could be the beginning of the end of poverty. Blows my mind!
Today I talked to our domestic regional coordinator. SCHIP has passed the House and is out of the Senate Finance Committee and ready for debate on the Senate floor. Monday night after our meeting I faxed 12 letters -- 7 to Senator Grassley and 5 to Senator Harkin, thanking them for their support of SCHIP.
Wednesday I put together information for the remaining pages of our website and sent it off to Mohamed Soliman. Soon we'll be able to reference our website in our letters, op-eds, press releases, the list goes on. We'll put the microcredit news on the website Monday.
If you haven't already done so, please go to the RESULTS website, www.results.org, and click on Donation Center. You'll be able to make your annual contribution of $35 to RESULTS there rather than writing a check and giving it to me.
Today I talked to our domestic regional coordinator. SCHIP has passed the House and is out of the Senate Finance Committee and ready for debate on the Senate floor. Monday night after our meeting I faxed 12 letters -- 7 to Senator Grassley and 5 to Senator Harkin, thanking them for their support of SCHIP.
Wednesday I put together information for the remaining pages of our website and sent it off to Mohamed Soliman. Soon we'll be able to reference our website in our letters, op-eds, press releases, the list goes on. We'll put the microcredit news on the website Monday.
If you haven't already done so, please go to the RESULTS website, www.results.org, and click on Donation Center. You'll be able to make your annual contribution of $35 to RESULTS there rather than writing a check and giving it to me.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
What's Going On in RESULTS This Week
There was no global call this week -- nothing legislatively going on for global issues. However, Sen. Clinton did a great job talking with the Senate committee which will approve her for Secretary of State in talking about revamping foreign aid to target poverty.
On the domestic call today we talked about group planning, which our group has already done. I just have to fill out the paperwork and get it to our Regional Coordinators.
On the media front, there was a fine letter in Sunday's Gazette about domestic poverty and a call to action to do something about it. So I submitted a letter Sunday night and it was published today, asking for people to call our Members of Congress on SCHIP reauthorization, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (known in Iowa as Hawk-I). This legislation was vetoed twice by President Bush and Senator Grassley was one of the prime movers on this bill. So now it's being voted on this week by Congress and we'll probably have two different versions coming out of the House and Senate, so we'll be making more calls when it goes to conference prior to going to President Obama's desk for a signature.
I also have an editorial packet on Microcredit that I think we should use to build an op-ed for the Gazette. I'll have that ready for you to read Monday night to see who wants to lend their name and photo to the piece.
Since Dad died, I haven't had much time to work on RESULTS. Been driving Mom to various appointments and doing various errands. She doesn't drive in bad weather -- and it's been nothing but bad weather since Dad died! No, I take that back. There was one day she took her car out and did an errand on her own. So I haven't done much work on Mohamed's website. The Diversity Task Force is going to help me in that, though. This weekend I'll have some time to get some things started. And once Spring gets here, we'll start television production in Iowa City.
I am so looking forward to our meeting Monday night at 7. I am always energized by being with you!
On the domestic call today we talked about group planning, which our group has already done. I just have to fill out the paperwork and get it to our Regional Coordinators.
On the media front, there was a fine letter in Sunday's Gazette about domestic poverty and a call to action to do something about it. So I submitted a letter Sunday night and it was published today, asking for people to call our Members of Congress on SCHIP reauthorization, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (known in Iowa as Hawk-I). This legislation was vetoed twice by President Bush and Senator Grassley was one of the prime movers on this bill. So now it's being voted on this week by Congress and we'll probably have two different versions coming out of the House and Senate, so we'll be making more calls when it goes to conference prior to going to President Obama's desk for a signature.
I also have an editorial packet on Microcredit that I think we should use to build an op-ed for the Gazette. I'll have that ready for you to read Monday night to see who wants to lend their name and photo to the piece.
Since Dad died, I haven't had much time to work on RESULTS. Been driving Mom to various appointments and doing various errands. She doesn't drive in bad weather -- and it's been nothing but bad weather since Dad died! No, I take that back. There was one day she took her car out and did an errand on her own. So I haven't done much work on Mohamed's website. The Diversity Task Force is going to help me in that, though. This weekend I'll have some time to get some things started. And once Spring gets here, we'll start television production in Iowa City.
I am so looking forward to our meeting Monday night at 7. I am always energized by being with you!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
RESULTS Conference Call this Saturday
The domestic conference call will be at 11:30 a.m. at Christ Church. The global call will be at 1 p.m. at Christ Church. We will meet in the library. The global call will focus on foreign aid reform, which is aimed at providing foreign aid based on human need rather than based on politics.
Since we have already done our group planning (in December) we will be ready to look over our plan at the January meeting and submit it to RESULTS.
Since we have already done our group planning (in December) we will be ready to look over our plan at the January meeting and submit it to RESULTS.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Domestic Campaigns Call December 2
I was on the Domestic Campaigns conference call Tuesday night. Jos Linn led the call. Meredith Dodson, manager of domestic campaigns and currently on maternity leave, was on the call, as was Jinny Vogts, RESULTS Board member, and Joanne Carter, Executive Director of RESULTS.
The way things look, the campaigns this year will focus on appropriations for HeadStart and daycare; healthcare for all; and refundable tax credits (making the $8500 income threshold for the Child Tax Credit permanent, and the Earned Income Tax Credit for single/childless taxpayers).
I made an impassioned plea for RESULTS to work on Immigration Reform, since current US Immigration policy creates poverty and denies undocumented workers protection under Minimum Wage and Workers Compensation laws. I didn't get anything but a polite response, so I don't think I was effective in arguing my case. But I tried.
The way things look, the campaigns this year will focus on appropriations for HeadStart and daycare; healthcare for all; and refundable tax credits (making the $8500 income threshold for the Child Tax Credit permanent, and the Earned Income Tax Credit for single/childless taxpayers).
I made an impassioned plea for RESULTS to work on Immigration Reform, since current US Immigration policy creates poverty and denies undocumented workers protection under Minimum Wage and Workers Compensation laws. I didn't get anything but a polite response, so I don't think I was effective in arguing my case. But I tried.
Domestic Call December 4
The only thing going on in Congress is the fact that they increased unemployment benefits with the most recent economic stimulus package. Seven weeks for most areas and 20 weeks for areas with high unemployment. Word is Congress will wait until after the Inauguration January 20 to act on further economic stimulus bills.
I reported that I had sent RESULTS a check for $600 in November from bread buttering, and that we were going to send another $100 in December. (I needed that money to cover expenses for December bread buttering. RESULTS will be happy to get our November check and happy to get our December check.)
I reported that I had sent RESULTS a check for $600 in November from bread buttering, and that we were going to send another $100 in December. (I needed that money to cover expenses for December bread buttering. RESULTS will be happy to get our November check and happy to get our December check.)
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Global Call December 3
I finally have internet again, after 10 days of being offline. Good to be back!!
The call tonight focused on the World Bank letter in the Senate. There are 11 signers right now and it closes on Friday. I'll call Senators Grassley and Harkin tomorrow to see if I can get them to sign on.
The conference call December 13 isn't confirmed as to a speaker. It may be RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter as speaker. I'm going to take December off from the conference calls as I'll be coming off a week of fundraising. I can give out the number to call in and the Library is reserved for those of you who want to listen in.
I had a great conversation with new RESULTS activist Mohamed Soliman tonight. Some exciting ideas to explore at our December 15 planning meeting.
The call tonight focused on the World Bank letter in the Senate. There are 11 signers right now and it closes on Friday. I'll call Senators Grassley and Harkin tomorrow to see if I can get them to sign on.
The conference call December 13 isn't confirmed as to a speaker. It may be RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter as speaker. I'm going to take December off from the conference calls as I'll be coming off a week of fundraising. I can give out the number to call in and the Library is reserved for those of you who want to listen in.
I had a great conversation with new RESULTS activist Mohamed Soliman tonight. Some exciting ideas to explore at our December 15 planning meeting.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Domestic Call November 20
Douglas, Tom and I discussed the November action, which is to talk to members of Congress about the economic stimulus package. Douglas noted that Congress decided not to bail out the American automobile manufacturers after the three CEOs flew in private jets to DC, at a cost of $20,000. A first-class ticket would have been $800. Douglas mentioned that you don't wear a fur coat to beg for a loan.
We talked about fundraising and I reported that Cedar Rapids is looking at $700 profit on November herb bread. That's over the goal we had set of $600, so RESULTS will be pleased. We've collected about $500 so far. I'm still waiting for funds from Peoples Church and about 10 customers from Christ Church to pick up their bread and pay.
A sailor and a pirate go into a bar and start drinking and talking. The sailor notices that the pirate has a peg leg, a hook on one arm and an eye patch. The sailor asks, "How did you wind up with a peg leg?" The pirate answers, "I fell overboard into a pool of sharks. As my shipmates were pulling me back onboard, a shark bit off my leg at the knee." "Wow," said the sailor. "And how about that hook? What happened there?" "We were boarding an enemy ship and fighting with swords and one of the enemy took his sword and cut my hand clean off." "Wow," said the sailor. "And how about the eye patch?" "One day," said the pirate, "a seagull pooped in my eye." "And you lost your eye to bird poop?" asked the sailor. "Well," said the pirate, "it was my first day with the hook."
Have a wonderful thanksgiving!
We talked about fundraising and I reported that Cedar Rapids is looking at $700 profit on November herb bread. That's over the goal we had set of $600, so RESULTS will be pleased. We've collected about $500 so far. I'm still waiting for funds from Peoples Church and about 10 customers from Christ Church to pick up their bread and pay.
A sailor and a pirate go into a bar and start drinking and talking. The sailor notices that the pirate has a peg leg, a hook on one arm and an eye patch. The sailor asks, "How did you wind up with a peg leg?" The pirate answers, "I fell overboard into a pool of sharks. As my shipmates were pulling me back onboard, a shark bit off my leg at the knee." "Wow," said the sailor. "And how about that hook? What happened there?" "We were boarding an enemy ship and fighting with swords and one of the enemy took his sword and cut my hand clean off." "Wow," said the sailor. "And how about the eye patch?" "One day," said the pirate, "a seagull pooped in my eye." "And you lost your eye to bird poop?" asked the sailor. "Well," said the pirate, "it was my first day with the hook."
Have a wonderful thanksgiving!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
