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CCV Statement on Economic Stimulus
Born out of a mass rejection of the failed policies of individualism and divisiveness, the Campaign for Community Values is a return to the beliefs our country was founded on: shared responsibility, shared sacrifice and shared success.
Take a look at what’s NEW in communities across the country since we last updated you:
Obama’s Economic Stimulus Must Address Inequality That Caused Economic Collapse
Stimulus package must provide job opportunities for low-wage workers
One of President-elect Obama's first actions in office will undoubtedly be the signing of an economic stimulus package to get our economy going again. At the Center for Community Change, we've studied the proposals, and we have a list of items we think are paramount to turning our economy around.
The following is a statement by the Center for Community Change’s Campaign for Community Values:
“While we're pleased that President-elect Obama is promising a bold effort, as advocates for low income and minority communities, we recognize that the stimulus package must address the root cause of our economic disaster: inequality. The sub-prime mortgage crisis, record consumer debt, and families being driven into bankruptcy are all problems rooted in inequality and are all contributing factors to our economic woes.
“One solution is to ensure that low-income people, women and people of color get a fair share of the jobs created by infrastructure projects. We need physical infrastructure and green jobs. But we also need human and community infrastructure — schools, health coverage and community health clinics — that will get all communities back on their feet and get people back to work.
“As more and more people lose their jobs, they are also losing their health care making the reauthorization of SCHIP ever more important. SCHIP should eliminate the current 5 year waiting period for legal immigrant children and include all pregnant women.
“Finally, lowering the minimum household annual income required to receive the Child Tax Credit from $8,500 to $3,000 would put more money back into the pockets of the families most in need, and increase their spending power.
“In his inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy said, ‘If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.’ For the economic stimulus package to work, it has to get everyone working – and make our economy work for all of us. And that means finally addressing the inequality that got us into this mess.”
Check out what else the Center for Community Change and Campaign for Community Change are doing to ensure inequality is addressed in the economic stimulus package:
· ACTION: Tell Congress: The stimulus package must reach everyone!
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5273/t/3127/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=903· BLOG: Stimulus for all?
http://www.communitychange.org/our-projects/movementvisionlab/blog/stimulus-for-all/view
Community Organizers Visit the Hill to Voice Concerns to their Elected Officials
Starting January 26, the Campaign for Community Values will bring 10 grassroots community leaders to Washington, DC to lobby their elected officials for universal healthcare, just and humane immigration reform and workers’ rights.
The leaders will come in groups of 10 from across the country every week for 14 weeks.
“We are bringing community leaders who might otherwise not have access to the halls of Congress,” said Gabe Gonzalez, director of the Campaign for Community Values. “It’s very exciting to see this level of involvement from people who traditionally have received the brunt end of our governmental policies. Now they get to be part of the change that makes our country work for all of us.”
Reporters interested in shadowing the community leaders should contact Mary Moreno at (202) 339-9316 or mmoreno@communitychange.org.
