NWSOFA February 2015 Monthly Progressive Newsletter
What can We Learn from the Superbowl?
Is it the Half time performance , the Opening Ceremonies or the Entertaining Commercials? NO! What we LEARN from the Superbowl is that the Winning team (the New England Patriots) plays as a team. Everyone knows their assignments and executes them in concert with the other players to make plays. Play by play that team gets down the field and scores. They scores more than the other team and make that defensive play when it is needed most by intercepting at the goal line in the last seconds of play rescuing victory from the jaws of defeat!
At NWSOFA our season is twelve (12) months a year, fifty two (52) weeks a year. and we have to be ready to play every week, to work as a team and move our issues forward and defend against those whose mission is to suppress or negate our issues.. even if just a little every day, week, and month and at the end SCORE.. not with points .. but with votes .. and sometimes we achieve all that we are working towards and other times .. just move the issue down the field, gain support, and continue the momentum and CTION. “OFA is not a political campaign. We’re a built-to-last movement that’s not going anywhere. When the polls close and elections end, we’re the ones still here, fighting for the principles we believe in. We are and will continue to be the sum of millions of grassroots voices calling for change.” As Jim Messina, OFA Chairman of the Board stated recently.
For 2015 OFA has announced two (2) new initiatives on 1) Outreaches to the youth at the college and university level and 2) Outreach to the minorities in our areas, while continuing to work harder to win the hearts and minds of those that voted for: Marriage Equality, ACA Healthcare reform, Climate Change, Minimum Wage, Gun Violence Prevention, Equal Pay for Equal Work for Women, and Comprehensive Immigration Reform. If you like to work on a team for these two new important initiatives or on any or all issues please let us know.
Join the NWSOFA Team as we continue to move our social issues toward and across the goal line, … Sara & Bill
NWSOFA is Action.. In 2013 We Found our Voices..
In 2014 We Amplified our Voices….
In 2015 We are Adding More Voices to our Community for Social Change
We sometimes FORGET how Powerful a Force We are
and that Creating Social Change is a PROCESS not a Destination
February Events & Issue Information
Fiscal Discussion Groups January BLS Deep Dive
Fiscal & Economic Discussion Group Meeting Announced
@ the Schaumburg Library Second Floor Conference Room
Tuesday
February 17th
7:00-9:00 pm
Want the Facts about the Economic Recovery?
Attend the Monthly Fiscal and Economic Issues Discussion Group Meeting and be amazed at what you discover.
We will have our standard update of the economy, both jobs and GDP. We will also continue our discussions of the economic recovery and policy issues that affect the recovery. The discussion will be based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics January 2015 report which will be released the first week in February.
Some similar type reviews of economic highlights we discussed last month
based on the December report:
Jobs Recovery – 2.79 million jobs added in last 12 months of 2014; more Americans working than before the recession.
321,000 jobs added in December.
2.8 million in last 12 months
November and October employment revised up by 540,000 jobs
Unemployment rate: nationally at 5.68% in December, down 1.3% in the past year and continues to trend down from its high of 10.1%.
GDP growth: 3.8% Revised to 5.0 % in the 3rd quarter and 4.6% in 2nd quarter, up from minus 2.1% in 1st quarter. It appears that the negative 1st quarter result was just an anomaly, primarily due to the harsh winter in much of the country.Preliminary 4th quarter 2014 data will be released on January 30th.
Budget Deficits – Historical and Projected: 2.8% of GDP in FY 2014, down from a high of 9.8%
New 10 year CBO projections released in January: deficit will stay below 3% of GDP for the next few years, but we still have a problem in the out years as baby boomers retire.
Funding for Department of Homeland Security expires February 27, 2015. Congress needs to act to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Attend the February Discussion and be the most informed on your block or your discussion group!
As always this is a discussion group .. bring your articles and your wits to talk about all sides of the issues.
We will be talking about updates to passing new legislation on universal background checks and writing out cards from Moms Demand Action to gun violence survivors.
Please respond to this event and then we will send you the specific address.
Gov’t: 9.5 million already signed up for 2015 coverage under Obama’s health law
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration says 9.5 million people are already signed up for 2015 coverage under the president’s health care law. That’s on track to surpass the goal set last year.
The Health and Human Services department Tuesday reported enrollment numbers through the middle of January.
More than 7.1 million people signed up in the 37 states where the federal government is running the insurance markets, and 2.4 million signed up in states running their own exchanges.
February 15, 2015: 2015 Open Enrollment ends.
Enroll by this date and coverage can begin as soon as March 1. After this date, you can enroll in or change plans for 2015 only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
ACA Phone Bank @ Panera Bread, 5 W Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 6:00- 9:00 pm
This Tuesday Night February 3rd, 2015
Join NWSOFA and Get Covered America while they partner together to reach out to their community to help Americans get connected to affordable healthcare options in their area.
Joe Salvato, NWSOFA Climate Change (CC) Issue Lead
Climate Change
.. A Call to Action
Climate Change Overview
January 29, 2015
Article by Joe Salvato, NWSOFA CC Lead
Climate Change is real & It is worse than we think
.
It is caused by the activities of man.
There are political hurdles. There is hope and there are solutions.
Climate Change is real: 97% of climate scientists are in agreement that climate change is real and it is caused by the activities of man. Are you aware only 10% of our population is aware of that fact? Please pass it along.
It is worse than you think:
2014 is the hottest year on record, going back to record keeping started in 1880.
14 of our hottest years have occurred in the last 17 years.
2014 was the 38th consecutive year with a global temperature above the 20th century average global temperature.
This global warming is due to the excessive buildup of CO2 and other greenhouse gasesin our atmosphere, and this warming is causing climate change.
Hurricanes, typhoons and downpours are more powerful and more frequent, as well as floods associated with this extreme weather. Droughts are longer and more intense. Fires are more intense and the fire season has become longer.
Also as a consequence of this warming our ice caps and glaciers are melting increasing ocean levels. These ocean levels are also increasing due to the expansion of the warming oceans.
Though not scientifically proven at this time due to a shorter period of records, it is theorized that climate change is causing more tornadoes and these are occurring at atypical times.
Click on the above NWSOFA e-magazine for all the on Comprehensive Immigration Reform from News Sources across the Country
Immigration Reform
(CIR)
in the News
Would you like to get involved with other like minded Progressives and join our Comprehensive Immigration Reform Team then:
Please Call Sara or Bill @ 224-241-2012
Click on the Above Image to see NWSOFA e-magazine Stand With Women.. Timely Articles from the Press
Stand With Women
Gains Momentum
The House GOP Leaders Pull Abortion Bill After Revolt by GOP Women Moderates!
January 21, 2015: Bowing to the wishes of several moderates and women members, House Republican leaders pulled a controversial antiabortion bill from consideration late Wednesday night, a move sure to enrage antiabortion activists, who will descend on Capitol Hill Thursday for their annual March for Life.
The bill will be replaced by the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, a bipartisan bill that passed the House last year and will get another vote on Thursday, the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. The change came after House Republican women and moderates battled against their leaders on the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, exhibiting the deepening rift between centrists and conservatives who are at cross-purposes on which issues the party should be highlighting.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Republican leaders were insistent they would move ahead with legislation banning abortions after 20 weeks, but the Rules Committee announced an emergency meeting Wednesday night and sources said the bill would be pulled in favor of the less controversial alternative.
Joint NWSOFA Chapter Meeting & Move To Amend Movie Night
Present “Movie Night”
“Pay 2 Play”
Location and Date TBD (late February / Early March)
Like the recent documentary “Citizen Koch,” “Pay 2 Play” aims to stir up outrage over influence peddling. Although billionaire industrialists David and Charles Koch aren’t mentioned until midway through this film, they and their ilk – wealthy conservatives who push their agendas by pouring cash into the coffers of like- minded politicians – are clearly the villains here.
But director John Ennis is interested in doing more than getting people riled up. “How do we get past the pay-to-play system?”
The answer to Ennis’s question, which he provides himself, is not just to get mad, but to get active. He advocates doing whatever one can to protest the status quo, whether it’s as an individual street artist or blogger or as part of a larger collective such as the Occupy movement. Ennis is an optimist at heart, and his belief that one person can make a difference is infectious, if naive.
Date and Time to be Announced at a later time
Minority Outreach Sets Organizing Meeting
Fulfilling The
Promise
New Initiative for 2015 Announced by OFA
You Can Make a Difference in Undeserved Communities
Organizing for Action has a strong commitment to providing easy points of entry for
everyday Americans who want to have their voices heard and make a difference in their communities.
Historically, we have found that the tools and tactics employed to help in these efforts skew toward
volunteers who have access to reliable transportation, can afford financially to give hours, and have
ready access to the internet. That, in turn, means that volunteers who gravitate toward OFA tend to be
people who are retired, have financial means, and/or live in the suburbs. In order to ensure that OFA
remains true to our mission of providing easy access, we have developed the Fulfilling the Promise
Program aimed to address these concerns and ensure we are organizing in all communities.
PURPOSE: To ensure that Organizing for Action is providing training, leadership development, team
building, and issue advocacy opportunities to communities and people who do not have ready access
to the internet, reliable transportation, etc. We will focus specifically in communities of color and
historically underserved areas, which tend to have less financial means. The Fulfilling the Promise
program will ensure that our organization and the progressive community at large is comprised of a
diverse group of talented organizers who are representative of all of the communities that make up
our country.
If This Outreach resonates with you, Please Call Sara or Bill @ 224-241-2012
University & College Outreach Sets Organizing Call
New Initiative for 2015 Announced by OFA
Feeling the call to work with the young adults at college and University levels to engage them in Progressive Issue Engagement.. Then Contact us:
If This Outreach resonates with you, Please Call Sara or Bill @ 224-241-2012
Recent Past Events
Great State of the Union Watch Party
2015 SOTUSOTU Watch Party @ Durty Nellies
Magic Happened, Lightening Struck & The Message was Electrifying
Northwest Suburbs Organizing For Action (NWSOFA) State of the Union Watch Party (Press Release)
Palatine, IL – On Tuesday, January 20th, Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) gathered at Durty Nellie’s to watch President Obama deliver the State of the Union Address.The big crowd was inspired by all the good news on the State of the Union.
“Our economy has come a long way since the Great Recession. We’ve added more than 10 million private-sector jobs over the longest run of uninterrupted job growth in history. Unemployment has fallen from 10% to under 6% in the last six years, and the deficit has been cut in half. That’s undeniable progress.” And as the President said, “That’s good news.”
The success of Obamacare has been tremendous for millions of Americans who now have affordable health care for their families.This is so crucial for the health, both physically and economically, for all our citizens. Chris Ross, from Enroll America, reminded everyone that enrollment to be covered in 2015 ends on Feb. 15th.
NWSOFA Climate Change Lead, Joe Salvato, distributed a “Spot the Denier” Bingo game to play during the speech. Unfortunately, many members of Congress still deny the impact we are having on the health of our world. The Climate Change Team will be continuing to educate and take action on this in 2015.
Overall the response was very positive that we, as a country, need to continue to work on Middle Class economics that promote pay equality and\quality education for preschool through free community college education. Our children are absolutely the best investment we can make. We’ll see who was listening to what the people want.
Other News in the Burbs
Move to Amend
Three (3) Local Chapters Serve the Chicago Area
Move to Amend has three affiliates in the Chicagoland area–Sharon’s Sanders out of Northbrook, Terry Grace out of Oak Park , and Kaye Gamble out of Elgin. Terry Grace has detailed information about the next meeting for the “Oak Park Near West Suburban Move to Amend” affiliate. The “Move to Amend Kane” meeting is Wednesday, February 25th. Please call me at
If anyone in your area is interested in starting a Move to Amend affiliate, Illinois MTA members would help and MTA national will help. I don’t want to interfere with Sharon’s MTA group. It’s just that people want to be close geographically to their meetings; so, the more affiliate groups that we have the better we can organize people.
Thank you for your interest. Kaye Gamble, Illinois Move to Amend, Move to Amend Kane
Senator Bill Cunningham, Rep. Frances Hurley and Rep. Kelly Burke invite you to join them for a Clean Energy Town Hall. A panel of clean energy experts will discuss a range of topics including job training in the clean energy sector, ways for homeowners to save money through clean energy technology and the Environment Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan and the opportunities it presents for clean energy growth in IL. Speakers will include Jack Darin (IL Sierra Club), Harry Ohde (IBEW Local 134), Bryan McDaniel (Citizens Utility Board) and Stephenie Presseller (Moraine Valley Community College Sustainability Director)
Free pizza served from 6:30 to 7:00! Program, with plenty of time for Q&A, begins at 7:00.
Location: Moraine Valley Community College, Building M, Room M202-204,
NWSOFA is a whole, diverse wonderful family of people who want to do more than talk about the social issues. We explore and dig deep on the facts and decide what actions we can take that can have an impact locally and nationally. NWSOFA members not only “talk the talk”, but we “walk the walk”.
All our teams have numerous events that will enlighten and inspire you and yes, challenge you to make the effort to make a difference.
We invite you to join us!
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Volunteer for the Get Covered America and NWSOFA
Affordable Care Act Phone Bank
ACA Phone Bank
Tuesday Night
February 3rd, 2015
@ Panera Bread, 5 W Rand Rd
Arlington Heights, IL 6:00- 9:00 pm
Join NWSOFA and Get Covered America while they partner together to reach out to their community to help Americans get connected to affordable healthcare options in their area.
To leave a message or Sign up for an Issue Team .. just click the Info button below and fill out the NWSOFA Comment log. We will be in touch with you shortly.
About NWSOFA
NWSOFA is a whole, diverse wonderful family of people who want to do more than talk about the social issues. We explore and dig deep on the facts and decide what actions we can take that can have an impact locally and nationally. NWSOFA members not only “talk the talk”, but we “walk the walk”.
All our teams have numerous events that will enlighten and inspire you and yes, challenge you to make the effort to make a difference.
We invite you to join us!
Notice:
This is a public meeting / events.
NWSOFA is a 501(c)4,
non-partisan
organization.
All opinions are solely those of NWSOFA
It’s time to Act .. It Is Time To Get Involved
Over the years the American Citizens have lost their voices, believing that we can not make a difference. We have been beat down by the constant droning noise of the conservative right. This onslaught has made us like sheep .. afraid to express our views. Not anymore! OFA gives us back our voices and by working together we are making change one issue at a time. Together we can and will make a difference.
Thank You to our NWSOFA Issue Leads in 2013 !!
Just Click on the Photo to link the NWSOFA e-magazines daily & archived articles
