E-News: Grassroots Lobbying in OH, MI, NC
August 22, 2012
Grassroots Lobbying Across the Country
"I know enough to know that persistence and patience are important and that developing relationships with staff and politicians is the way to go."
-- FCNL supporter in New Hampshire after lobbying Sen. Shaheen’s staff
Members of Congress are home in their districts, and many of you are talking to them about federal budget priorities. In Cleveland, OH, FCNL’s Katherine Philipson joined a delegation organized by Cleveland Peace Action that asked Rep. Marcy Kaptur, in line to be the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, to cut Pentagon spending and save funding for Ohio communities as part of a balanced approach to deficit reduction.
In Michigan, the clerk of Kalamazoo Friends Meeting and other proponents of peace from Kalamazoo thanked Senator Carl Levin last week for calling for cuts in spending on nuclear weapons. They asked the Senator, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, to support cuts to Pentagon spending and reinvest in education and climate change prevention and preparation.
Following a meeting with Kay Hagan’s staff in Asheville, NC with FCNL supporters two weeks ago, a different group in Greensboro met with the senator’s staff to stress their concerns about what will happen if Pentagon spending is not cut significantly in the next ten years.
These are just some of the actions FCNL constituents are doing to keep cuts to the Pentagon budget on the national agenda. Will you add your voice to those calling for reducing Pentagon spending and preserving funds for education, human services and community services? Tell us about how you took action by emailing christine@fcnl.org.
What's New
- Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief-of-staff to Colin Powell, on lobbying with FCNL to prevent war with Iran: "[Invading Iran] is going to take ten years and $2 trillion." Watch the video.
Tila Neguse, the newest member of our domestic policy team, reflected this week on the Ryan budget.- Stock Gifts -- Another Way to Support Our Work. Did you know that you can transfer appreciated stocks to FCNL and avoid paying taxes on Capital Gains? Or that giving appreciated stock to the FCNL Education Fund can also provide a charitable tax deduction? Find out more.
College students are getting ready to return to campus, and many of them depend on Pell grants to help pay for their education. Share this image on Facebook (right) to show your support for moral budget priorities.- Your letters to the editor: the Richmond Times-Dispatch published Julia Hebner's letter, "Defense cuts must be allowed to stand" -- one of two letters to the editor on Pentagon cuts from FCNL supporters in the Times-Dispatch.
- Job Openings at FCNL: We have work opportunities for a Legislative Secretary for Foreign Policy (lobbyist) and a Capital Campaign Project Manager.
War Is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Washington, DC
Middle school students and adults from Community of Christ churches in Northern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and New York visited FCNL for a lobby training and went on 10 lobby visits as part of their mission trip.
Order your own War Is Not the Answer sign and see where this movement is showing up across the country. Find out how to submit your photo.
