Newsletter – Week of August 17th – August 23rd, 2014

On Monday, June 2, 2014, a special conversation was held on income inequality with Senator Elizabeth Warren and acclaimed economist Thomas Piketty. That video will be the subject of the NWSOFA Fiscal Screening * Discussion on Inequality and Hope as seen by the Karl Faulstich, NWSOFA Fiscal Lead as he adds to the conversation the Good news of Jobs and Economic recovery. 

With talk of progressive populism and the richest 1% now a deeper part of the national debate in America, the pairing of these two leaders was a moment whose time had come

Dr. Piketty, who authored Capital in the Twenty-First Century, and Sen. Warren, who authored A Fighting Chance, are two of the leading figures on economic inequality today. Their joint interview was moderated by Ryan Grim of the event host The Huffington Post and sponsored by the Patriotic Millionaires.

Throughout the discussion, Sen. Warren and Dr. Piketty answered questions submitted electronically and by the audience to compelling effect. 3,300 question were submitted touching on income inequality’s connection to every issue from Medicaid and the fossil billionaires David and Charles Koch to big money in politics and the wealthiest few embracing higher taxes as a reflection of their patriotism. Here are a few quotes:

On Dr. Piketty’s findings: “Wealth does not trickle down. It trickles up. It trickles from everyone else to those who are rich.” -Sen. Warren

“The problem is rising inequality, the fact that top wealth holders have been rising three times faster than the size of the economy.” -Dr. Piketty

“The game right now in America is rigged. It is rigged so that those at the top keep doing better and better, and everyone else is under increasing pressure, is under increasing economic strain. The rules don’t get better for America’s middle class. The rules are getting better for those who are a thin slice at the top. And that is the profound danger that we see from great inequality.” -Sen. Warren

One thing was clear from their questions and their enthusiastic reception of Sen. Warren and Dr. Piketty’s ideas: there is a tremendous hunger and energy to tackle the challenges posed by and the corrosive causes of income inequality in America.

After the viewing of the 55 min Video, Bill Davis, NWSOFA Chapter Co-Lead will lead the attendee’s in a lively Q&A / Observations on the Video.  The last 25 minutes will be devoted to “Good Things are Happening in Jobs and the Economy” presented by Karl Faulstich, NWSOFA Fiscal Co-Lead.

If you are interested in great coffee and lively conversation and want to learn how you can take action now – to honor all victims of gun violence and make our communities safer – then come to our monthly Gun Violence Prevention Planning Meeting at the Coffee Planet, 1450 Golf Rd., Rolling Meadows, 60008.

We hold a short (30 – 45 minutes) Planning Meeting on the 3rd Thursday of every month and afterwards many of us stay to help out with the NWSOFA Phone Banking. Our August meeting will be held on Thursday, August 21st at 6:30 pm. 

Come and join us in building safe communities here in the northwest suburbs and all across America!

Coffee Planet

Join us every first and third Thursday from 7-9pm at the Coffee Planet. Meet the team, have some coffee and makes some calls. 

We discuss the political news of the day and how it impacts our Issues and events coming up and make calls to invite others to come. Don’t like making calls, come and write letters to the editor-LTE, or help make posters if there’s a rally coming up. There’s always something in the works and all are welcome.

Please call Sara 847-372-5594 to confirm so we know how many lists to bring.