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OP/ED from SALT
Faithful Citizen's Role in Politics?
By
John Horejsi, SALT Coordinator
Very often the argument is made that faith has no place in politics.
A quick review of U. S. history reveals that people of faith have been at the very heart of politics in this country since its formation.
All of us, as advocates for social justice and for the less fortunate, have a legitimate role to play in forging public opinion and influencing legislative voting on issues that directly or indirectly affect peoples' lives for good or ill.
Church leaders have continued to speak about our obligation to be involved in the political process that elects and governs. Our responsibility for the direction of public life can appear to be enormous.
How can we who are busy do our part?
Here are a few suggestions:
Vote: Since our elected officials have a great deal of influence on the common good, it makes sense that we at least find out what candidates believe about important issues such as the economy, arms control, military spending, caring for the poor, health care reform, creating jobs, and other important moral issues. Then we have to make the effort to get to the polls and vote.
Stay informed: Even reading the newspapers or watching the news frequently helps us to be aware of the way political life does or does not promote justice and well-being in society. Books, periodicals and magazines are good sources for analyzing issues in light of reason and faith. Excellent sources for information and insight are ecumenical organizations like Bread for the World, the Virginia Interfaith Center and SALT.
Advocate: Those elected to government posts respond to our opinions and concern especially when they are well reasoned and presented in a positive light. Our letters, calls and visits do contribute to a better future for all.
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Leave No Family Behind
by
john Horejsi, SALT
Letter to the Editor:
The government's promise to back mortgage giants Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae now seems to be just the tip of the iceberg. As I write this, Congress is debating a massive $700 billion bailout for financial institutions. Many are blaming the "greed" of Wall Street, and many others are bemoaning the fact that there were inadequate regulations on mortgage and financial entities.
These are complicated and intricate problems that many of us do not understand well. Yet we cannot simply allow the "experts" to deal with these difficulties because they clearly did not prevent the current mess. Our first instinct is probably not to ask what our faith tells us about these issues which affect our lives so much.
And yet we know that Christians have long offered another perspective on financial matters. The early church pooled their financial resources to care for those who were unable to "make it" without help. For many centuries, the church taught that lending money at interest was morally wrong. In 1891, Pope Leo XIII issued a major teaching document on the right of Christian workers to form and join labor unions.
Perhaps the most profound Christian perspective was put forward by the U.S. bishops in their 1986 pastoral letter, Economic Justice For All. It applied Biblical teachings and the church tradition on areas such as employment, poverty, agriculture and international development. The basic moral principles set forth by the bishops still speak to us: "Every economic decision and institution must be judged in light of whether it protects or undermines the dignity of the human person;" and "All members of society have a special obligation to the poor and vulnerable." Their fundamental insight that the economy exists for the benefit of all people offers an important counterbalance to the belief that the economy is there to create wealth for investors only.
As our country struggles to stabilize our economy, let us be advocates--a voice--to be sure that those representing us do not just "bailout" corporations and banks, but also find ways to lift up those who are in foreclosure or in danger of losing their homes.
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The SALT Model for Legislative Advocacy
On November 15, 2008, MVUC hosted the annual legislative preview of Northern Virginia UUs organized for social justice advocacy, or NOVA-LUUP. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington [UUCA] was the main organizer of the event, with the following churches and organizations in attendance: Bull Run Unitarian, Fairfax Unitarian, Good Shepherd Catholic, Quakers Friends, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice [UUSJ], Equality Virginia, Social Action Linking Together [SALT], the Virginia Interfaith Center. State Senator Patsy Ticer was also in attendance, and addressed the group. The following is the first in a series of write-ups of the main points of this meeting.
Social Action Linking Together, or SALT is a parish-based network of people trying to bring the social and economic justice teachings of the Roman-Catholic church to bear on public policy and legislation, at local and state level. John Horejsi is the SALT Coordinator. The following is a summary of his main points:
- SALT is non-partisan and volunteer-run.
- Its mission is to influence local and state policy by getting the church into the world to advocate for just causes.
- SALT researches legislative issues; selects two to three priority areas for action per legislative session; advocates for these issues by telephone and letter-writing campaigns, and by testimony; it builds relationships with legislators; it educates and raises awareness within its denomination and beyond, and trains others to get involved.
- Aspects of Virginia Legislature to be aware of:
- The main problem with advocacy in the Virginia legislature is its very short session, usually 45 days. There are at least 2,000 bills to be considered and voted on, and in the upcoming 2009 session, there will be 3,000 bills. Given the short amount of time, the volume of work and the intense lobbying involved, bills to support those less fortunate would probably not even be considered if there were no pro-active advocates such as SALT.
- Another, less known problem is that in Virginia, a bill can get killed in sub-committees, by a few votes. Unless one is a lobbyist, who serves on sub-committees is unknown until it is too late to do anything about rallying support for a bill.
- Finally, legislators are lone rangers, they tend not to speak to one another. Understanding this aspect helps advocates in their approach.
- The philosophy of SALT advocacy is to speak truth to power and not be bashful about the causes it promotes. Past SALT successes include:
- A repeal of the sales tax for food stamp purchases in Virginia and seven other states, increasing food aid by $9.5 million.
- A permanent Homeless Intervention Program [HIP], with $5.3 million funding.
- Passage of the Virginia Income Tax Credit [VITC], which boosts the income of 190,000 low-income workers.
- $11 million in funding for the continuation of support services for the homeless and 10% increase in TANF benefits [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families].
- Made VA the first state to pass-through 100% of the child support from the non-custodial parents directly to the child and custodial parent.
- Secured funding for EITC Mini-Grants for 4 new volunteer coalitions to do outreach and assist low-income families to claim federal EITC.
- Advocacy is made more possible by organizations such as SALT. When a bill that SALT supports needs intense public advocacy, SALT mobilizes its network into phoning their representatives in Richmond, and sending letters. This type of advocacy has been shown to work, as the accomplishments mentioned above testify.
- In the 2009 General Assembly session, SALT supports the following:
- Rental Assistance: SALT joins the Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness [a network that MVUC is a part of], to support a pilot Rental Assistance Program. This would provide funding to bridge the gap between one-third of a family's income and the fair market cost of housing. Families who could not otherwise afford independent housing, such as women with children moving from welfare to work, or working families in shelters would be priority targets in a 3-year pilot program.
- TANF Benefit Increase: Due to past SALT and other faith-based advocacy, VA families on TANF benefits received only one 10% increase in 2000, over the past 23 years. Meanwhile, inflation over the same period of time grew by 100%. A family of three receives $320 per month, less than a fifth of the federal poverty level. SALT urges a 10% increase in benefits for TANF recipients, to be funded primarily from a federal block grant.
- Transitional Assistance for Former Drug Offenders: SALT urges an end to the lifetime ban on TANF benefits for eligible individuals who have been convicted of drug-felonies. In 2005, the General Assembly lifted the ban that prevented ex-offenders from receiving food stamps, even after they paid their debt to society. A lifetime ban on TANF benefits for these individuals remains, which has the effect of punishing the ex-offender's family and hinders his/her successful re-entry into society upon release.
There are several ways to support any of these worthwhile causes:
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