NWSOFA November 2018 Progressive Newsletter

Click to see November Calendar Events

NEWSLETTER

Sara Horan and Bill Davis – NWSOFA Chapter Co-Leads
THANK YOU FOR VOTING,
Your vote DID COUNT!
Thank you
 to all who ran and all who campaigned, canvassed, phone banked and
 addressed post cards……….!
 
Congratulations to all who won!
You may think this is the time to sit back, relax and savor what has been accomplished — and you are right.
Let’s take a moment to gather in the results of the hard fought races of 2018:
The hundreds of hours you canvassed door to door……
The thousands of calls you made to make sure progressives got out to vote…..
The hundreds and hundreds of post cards you addressed to remind voters got to polls.
The millions of handshakes and smiles that confirmed that you were doing the right thing.
And, the confirmation Last Tuesday night when we took back the US House, the Illinois Capitol and many, many county positions from Sheriff to County Board.
Ah, the sweet smell of victory!
OK, that’s enough. As we know all too well from 2016, the arc of our politics is always in motion. So take a deep breath, watch some football, take a nap, pat your fellow activist on the back and relax.  Then let’s go get ready for the municipal elections 2019….the NEXT Year of the Big BLUE WAVE!
Chris Kious
 
Join the NWSOFA Team as we protect the gains we made 
over the last 8 years and move our Progressive social issues forward in 2018 .
Coming in NOVEMBER
AT A GLANCE

OUR UPCOMING EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER: 
Click on image above to link to calendar
 
FISCAL

NWSOFA
 Partner Event: Go Green Illinois
Tues Nov 13 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Pullman Room

Chicago Botanic Gardens

Our next meeting is on Tuesday, November 13 from 1-3 pm in the Pullman Room at Chicago Botanic Gardens. The topic is Taking the Guesswork Out of Solar. The goal is to give attendees the information they need to promote solar in their communities.

Guest speakers will cover a wide variety of issues and programs – residential, business, school, faith communities and municipal installations as well as a brief update on community solar. We will talk about payment and finance options, tax incentives and rebates, leasing arrangements and grant opportunities. We will get a preview of ComEd’s soon-to-be-launched website that will provide customers information about their home’s solar potential, the expected cost and payback, and recommended contractors. We will also touch on the SolSmart program and bulk solar purchasing, and provide some examples of successful solar installations in our area.

To prepare for the meeting, you may want to find out from your municipal government how many solar installations there are in your community and what your local permit process is like. You can find out more on the Illinois Solar Energy Association website and the SolSmart website. Feel free to invite colleagues who are particularly interested in solar to attend.

Please let us know if you plan to attend this meeting, and be sure that your guests also respond if they will attend. Feel free to arrive at 11:45 to grab your lunch at the cafe and join us for informal conversation.

Meeting minutes, events, and other info:
Minutes from all 2018 GGI meetings are now posted here. Remember to check our website for upcoming events and information, and to post your events and topics to the site.

2019 Go Green Illinois Meetings:
Please mark your calendar with our 2019 meeting dates: January 8, March 12, May 14, July 9, September 10, and November 12.  All meetings are held at the Chicago Botanic Gardens from 1 – 3 pm in the Pullman Room. If you have an idea for a meeting topic or speaker, or would like to help organize one of our future meetings, please contact Kim and Beth.

Thank you to Chicago Botanic Gardens for hosting our meetings in 2019!

FISCAL

NWSOFA
 November Fiscal and Economic Issues Meeting.
Tues Nov 13 7:00 – 10:00 PM

Dems Office

1310 West Northwest Highway

Arlington Heights, IL

We didn’t have a meeting in October to give people a chance to work on elections, so we have two months of data to update at this meeting.

Plus I’m sure we will discuss Tuesday’s elections. New governor, plus many local winners including at least a couple on this invite list. Congratulations!!
Let us know of other topics you would like to discuss.
Attached is the update for October. We will get out a November update before the meeting. Some highlights:
  • Job creation in Trump’s first 20 months through September 2018 was 3.80 million (190,000/month), vs. 4.15 million in Obama’s last 20 months (208,000/month). Job creation has been positive each month starting October 2010 (96 months). Private sector job growth has been positive since March 2010;
    • Update for October: September’s job growth was only 118,000, probably due to the effects of Hurricane Florence.   October’s job growth was 250,000, probably representing at least a partial recovery of jobs lost in September. Average job growth for the two months is 184,000 per month.
  • The unemployment rate hit 3.7% in September 2018, the lowest since the late 1960’s and below the April 2000 rate of 3.8%. The unemployment rate has fallen consistently since its peak of 10.0% in October 2010.
  • Real wage growth has averaged 0.3% per month (measured vs. year-ago level) during the Trump Administration, vs. 0.8% per month during the Obama Administration. Higher inflation (due mainly to energy prices) has offset rising nominal wages.
  • CBO reported the budget deficit for FY2018 at $782 billion, up $116 billion (18%) vs. 2017 but up $295 billion (61%) vs. the January 2017 baseline estimate for FY2018. The deficit was 3.9% GDP in 2018 vs. 3.5% GDP in 2017. The debt addition trajectory for 2018-2027 has increased from $9.4 trillion (January 2017 baseline) to $13.7 trillion (April 2018 current policy baseline), an increase of $4.3 trillion or 46%. These increases are driven by tax cuts and spending increases and consider economic feedback.
  • Real GDP growth was 3.5% in Q3 2018, down from 4.2% in the 2nd quarter.  Net imports were a sizable drag, inventory building was a significant boost, and business investment was a small negative contributor.  Most forecasters predict the real GDP growth rate will continue to trend down to below 2% by 2020.
On the state level, Illinois’ job growth continues to lag under Governor Rauner. Job growth by Illinois budget year (July-June):
Quinn budget years (in thousands):
2010 -31.4
2011 60.8
2012 76.0
2013 52.4
2014 81.6
2015 93.1
Rauner Budget years:
2016 29.6
2017 64.5
2018 57.4
2019 ytd (3 months through September) = minus 300 jobs
IMMIGRANT

NWSOFA PARTNER EVENT
 Willow Creek Care Center Refuge Ministry
Immigrant Families at the Border
Thurs Nov 14 7:30 – 8:30 PM
Willow Creek Chapel

67 E Algonquin Rd

Hoffman Estates, IL

Senior Immigration Specialist, Kevin Woehr from World Relief DuPage/Aurora shares his personal experiences concerning the separation of families at the Tijuana border.  Grow in your understanding of what actually happens at the border and the options awaiting those seeking entrance into the United States.
GVP

NWSOFA
 Gun Violence Prevention Team Planning Meeting
Thurs Nov 15 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Greater Palatine Area Democrats

1310 West Northwest Highway

Arlington Heights, IL

Because of Newtown, and now because of Parkland, the NWSOFA GVP Issues group for the past 5 years has committed itself to become an even bolder advocate of change and action. We are determined to change the conversation surrounding gun violence in America, change the hearts of people we encounter through a spirit of volunteerism and kindness – and take action to change the laws to create safer communities for every family in America.
The GVP Issue team educates by having periodic informational meetings, collaborates with coalition non-partisan groups, such as local faith communities and Moms and Youth Demand Action and takes action by supporting the efforts of our youth and March for Our Lives and recruiting  legislators to build support for legislation to license gun dealers in Illinois, strengthen background checks and by raising community awareness through hosting vigils, using social media, writing letters to the editor and handing out fliers.
If you are interested in joining us and honoring all victims of gun violence through your individual actions, then we invite you to come to our monthly Gun Violence Prevention Issues Group Planning Meeting at the Northwest Suburban Democrats office in Arlington Hts., IL., 60004.
We hold a 90 minute meeting on the 3rd Thursday of every month (with some exceptions near holidays or if we are planning a public event that month). Please join us – together we can make a difference in creating safer communities for all Americans, including our law enforcement officers. Registration is preferred since seating is sometimes limited.
CC

NWSOFA
Climate Change Team Meeting
With Special Guest Speaker
Illinois Solar Energy Assoc.
Solar Ambassador
 Peter Gorr
TUESDAY NOV 27, 2018

Room Y 106; Parking Lot 3

Harper College

1200 Algonquin Rd

Palatine, IL

Peter Gorr, IL will summarize the UN’s 2018 The Sustainable Development Goals Report. Here is the link to the report so you can read up and have your questions ready. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/files/report/2018/thesustainabledevelopmentgoalsreport2018.pdf

Jeff Kressman will also give updates from the Palatine Cool Cities Team.

If you have other ideas, events, issues you’d like on the agenda, please let us know. Thanks!
We look forward to seeing you, your family and friends on the 27th!
IN THE BOOKS: RECENT EVENTS

Notice: These are public meeting(s) / event(s) 
NWSOFA is a 501(c)4,  non-partisan organization. 
All opinions are solely those of NWSOFA
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“Hope is not blind optimism. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it.” President Barack Obama
Thank You to our NWSOFA Issue Leads in 2015
Click on the above Image to see each lead and the issues they work on …
MEET THE
NWSOFA
All Volunteer
CHAPTER LEADS
Contact Information
NWSOFA Co-Leaders Sara Horan & Bill Davis
Phone: 224-241-2012
email: nws.ofa@gmail.com
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