Nuns on the Bus in New Mexico: Call to Action and a Listening Session

Whenever Sister Simone Campbell and the sisters and laity that travel with her come to your community, you expect a motivational speech urging us to stand for the poorest among us and to speak truth to power.

To be sure, Sister Simone, founder of the Nuns on the Bus campaign, rallied folks at the Roundhouse at the 10th Annual Witness for the People gathering in Santa Fe on Wednesday and to a couple of hundred people gathered at St. Therese Little Flower Parish later that evening. 

A few of the people gathered at St. Therese

'Minding the Gap'
At St. Therese, Sister Simone spoke about our nation's disparities and the unfair nature of our economy. The disparities are exacerbated by a system of taxation that is overwhelmingly favorable to the wealthiest individuals and detrimental to working families and those at the bottom of the economy.

Our call as people of faith and conscience, she said, was to become aware of the gap and act accordingly. (She alluded to a term used in the subway system in London urging us to "mind the gap)

To illustrate the scope of the problem, Sister Simone asked for seven volunteers to represent people from different income groups, from the poorest of the poor to the One percent. The exercise served to illustrate the gap between the haves and have-nots, as well as the challenges facing each group, including the middle class.

According to Sister Simone, our efforts are important to ensure that the needs of the 100 percent (all members of society) are taken into account. "We have chosen inadvertently or intentionally to support the top One Percent," Sister Simone said in describing our economic policies over the past several decades.

Three Virtues
In discerning our response to the challenge around us, Sister Simone recommended three virtues we must follow: holy curiousity (listen to the stories of people around you), sacred gossip (where you tell about the stories that you've heard and let folks know that there are situations that are unacceptable) and joy (we have to find joy in this in engagement)

Here is a 10-minute video of a small portion of Sister Simone's presentation at St. Therese.

Roundtable discussion at Second Presbyterian Church

Exercising Holy Curiousity
While a visit from Nuns on the bus is often associated with efforts to rally the community and hold politicians accountable, Sister Simone and others involved with NETWORK also come to listen and learn more about the issues affecting the people who live in a given state.

This year, NETWORK has launched a campaign to connect with people in states with high rural populations, and New Mexico was chosen as the first stop.

At a roundtable discussion at Second Presbyterian Church with representatives of several groups with connections to the community. Sister Simone listened and questions. This discussion was held on the Tuesday evening before the rally in Santa Fe.

Many topics were discussed in Albuquerque, including our very inequitable system of taxation and the resulting disparity in income, the legacy of colonialism and exploitation, the existence of food deserts, the challengers for working families in rural and urban areas, environmental racism against Native peoples and poor communities, the legacy of nuclear testing in our state, and much more.

Sister Simone and NETWORK plan to repeat the process in Minnesota, Ohio and Missouri through March, and possibly in Pennsylvania and Indiana in subsequent months.

"Here in New Mexico we have such a diverse heritage that it's really a rich opportunity to witness to the rest of the nation the capacity to have a conversation and engagement among indigenous communities, (people of) Spanish heritage as well as white Anglo folks...that have come from the East mostly as well as the Mexican and Central American family...You all have the opportunity  That is probably one of the biggest needs of our society to know that we are all one..that  we are interdependent."

The Food Tax (Still Again!)

One of the top issues that will come up at the coming session of the New Mexico State Legislature is tax reform--and specifically changes to the gross receipts tax. One proposal would be to reduce the GRT and to remove exemptions that allow some private (larger) business to pay little or no taxes.

In the context of tax reform, anti-hunger advocates will be monitoring one proposal to reinstate a GRT on groceries (also known as the food tax). According to an article in The Albuquerque Journal on Thursday, this tax is likely to come up in the context of the tax overhaul discussion.

One sticking point in the tax overhaul debate will be whether to reinstate the gross receipts tax on food.

There has been fierce opposition to previous proposals to reinstate the food tax – after such a tax was repealed in 2004 – but a tax overhaul bill expected to be filed by Sen. Carlos Cisneros, a Questa Democrat, would do just that, likely starting in 2021.

The bill would be similar in other ways to the legislation that’s expected to be introduced by Trujillo, which would not include a food tax provision.

According to The Journal, Cisneros suggests that the implementation of a food tax would allow for a greater reduction in the general GRT.  That would not be beneficial to low-income families, who while paying a lower GRT on general goods, would now have to pay a tax on groceries.

The Journal article, entitled Tax overhaul high on legislative list, noted that the New Mexico Municipal League, which represents cities and towns statewide, supports at least a partial reinstatement of the food tax.

The Santa Fe-based newspaper The New Mexican quoted Bill Fulginiti, executive director of the NMML. "We advocate for an overall tax-rate reduction combined with a small local tax on food so that taxes generated by food purchases are returned to the community from which they were collected,"

To be fair, we shouldn't dismiss the genuine concerns from financially strapped small communities in New Mexico, which are seeking ways to enhance their sources of revenue. However, implementing a tax that would hurt the poorest families in their communities is not the way to go, especially with the high rates of poverty in rural New Mexico.

Anticipating that the tax would come up again in the 2019 legislative session, Columnist Milan Simonich of The New Mexican newspaper reiterated in December, 2018 that the food tax is a bad idea.

"It’s back in the form of a trial balloon, one that should be burst with gusto," Simonich wrote...Everybody has to buy groceries. The municipal league’s idea would harm people with the smallest incomes, those worrying about how they’re going to put food on the table."   See full article entitled, "Food tax should remain dead and buried"

A regressive tax
The move to reimpose the food tax seems to come up in some form or another almost every legislative session. And each time,  anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates (including the faith comunity) have spoken against this effort. We covered the opposition to the tax in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. Here is a quote from Archbishop John Wester from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in 2016 

"We have recently seen in the media the discussion in legislative interim hearings of reinstating the food tax. This 'Tortilla Tax', as many have labeled it, only shifts the burden onto the poor and working families.  What makes this idea even more obscene is that New Mexico ranks second highest in the nation for children living in hunger and the first highest for children living in poverty.  Last year, 82% of births in New Mexico were Medicaid-eligible."   

The effort to reinstate the food tax failed in the 2018 legislative session, in part because of broad opposition from a variety of organizations  "The first committee to hear the bill tabled it after hearing opposition from a wide array of stakeholders, including the AARP, the New Mexico Chile Association, the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, the Center for Civic Policy, New Mexico Voices for Children, the National Association of Social Workers, and the New Mexico Coalition of Food Banks," said Santa Fe-based Think New Mexico, which has long opposed efforts to reintroduce the food tax.

Anti-hunger and anti-poverty organizations are ready to push back against the efforts to reimpose the food tax in the current legislative session. "This is really a backward step," said  James Jimenez, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, who cited a public opinion poll showing significant opposition to tax on groceries. Read more

“We’re really disappointed it’s even being entertained as a matter of discussion [in 2019] because it simply doesn’t make sense given New Mexico’s historic poverty levels.” added Jimenez.

Sister Simone Campbell to Speak at the Roundhouse Next Week

Simone Campbell, executive director of the Catholic Social Justice Lobby NETWORK and founder of the Nuns on the Bus movement, is the featured speaker at the 10th Annual Witness for the People Rally at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe on Wednesday, January 16.

The rally is sponsored each year by a coalition of social justice organizations, led by New Mexico Interfaith Worker Justice and New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light.

Sister Simone, a member of the Sisters of Social Service and author of A Nun on the Bus, is a lawyer, lobbyist, poet, and Zen contemplative working on issues such as “mending the wealth gap,” “enacting a living wage,” and “crafting a faithful budget that benefits the 100%.”

She is a powerful voice for longings so many of us share, across differences, about how to engage with the well-being of our neighbors in this complicated age.

Here is the schedule for her visit on Wednesday, January 16.

10-11:30 Legislative Briefing
Sr. Simone Campbell
Advocacy using an Ethical/Moral Framework
First Christian Church, 645 Webber St., Santa Fe, NM 87505
RSVP to joan@nm-ipl.org to get count for materials and snacks

12 Noon-1:00
Rotunda of Capitol in Santa Fe
Sr. Simone Campbell
New Mexico Peace Choir
Faith Leader Prayers
visits to legislative offices

6:30 pm
Sr. Simone Campbell
St. Therese Church
3424 4th Street NW, Albuquerque
"Nuns on the Bus: Living a Faith that does Justice and Community"
With information tables and opportunities to get involved

Poor People's Campaign to Hold ABQ, Las Cruces, Santa Fe Events

Wednesday, May 9,  Las Cruces
The majority of the Poor People's Campaign events have taken place in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. For residents of Las Cruces and neaby communities in southern New Mexico, here is a chance to learn more abut the campaign. 

The informational and organizing session will take place at Peace Lutheran Church, 1701 Missouri  (between So. Solano and S. Locust (map),  5:30 - 7:30 PM

Thursday, May 10, Albuquerque
Faith Leaders in Albuquerque are invited to join a one-hour comprehensive view of  the campaign at  Second Presbyterian Church (corner of Edith and Lomas) (map), 1:30-2:30 p.m.,. Plentiful parking is available behind the church,

If you can't make it, you can still participate by joining the conference call  712-432-0220 code 4712962#

Monday, May 14, Santa Fe
Join with campaign organizers ar the Roundhouse in Santa Fe (map) for the first of six Moral Fusion Non-violent Direct Actions  Theme for this Action: Child Poverty and Early Education and Seed Sovereignty  (May 14 also marks the date for the launch of the national Poor People's Campaign).

Bring offerings of healthy food items for the Santa Fe Public Schools-affiliated program Adelante (not to be confused with the Albuquerque agency with the same name). The Santa Fe program provides advocacy, tutoring, evening programs and material aid for children, teens and their families...and also plays a crucial role in educating the community about child homelessness.

New Poor People Campaign to Launch on May 14

The Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival is uniting tens of thousands of people across the country to challenge the evils of systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation and the nation's distorted morality.

National organizers are planning to launch The New People's Campaign on Monday, May 14. Some of the communities where rallies were held are planning special launch events on that date and on the days leading to launch date. And rallies will almost certainly occur after the launch date.

In New Mexico, organizers are planning events for six consecutive Mondays, beggining on April 14. An earlier launch event was already held in Albuquerque on Jan. 14, following a successful rally on mass revival in August 2017.

Raising Funds for New Mexico Efforts
Local organizers are raising funds to ensure that efforts in New Mexico remain sustainable.

"It takes money to support a Poor People's Campaign,  We need your support now! Our Goal is to raise $6,000 (for six direct actions, one each  Monday from May 14 to June 18)," said Rev. Holly Beaumont, one of the local leaders."

Rally and Mass Revival at Central United Methodist Church in Albuquerque, August 2017

The funds are needed to cover the cost of travel and housing for representatives from communities across New Mexico to participate in the Non-Violent Moral Fusion Direct Actions.

Stipends will be provided for persons who have completed the Non-Violent Moral Fusion Direct Action Training and signed the Non-Violent Covenant.

Donate via this GoFundMe Page or make your check payable to: NM Poor People's Campaign c/o IWJ-NM PO Box 23468 Santa Fe NM 87502

In the meantime, here is a video that national organizers put together in conjunction with the national launch, as well as a set of principles in a document entitled: A Moral Agenda Based on Fundamental Rights. 

Bread for the World Institute's 2018 Hunger Report Available Online

The incomes of all but a small percentage of families in the United States have been stagnant for a generation. Since 1980, an overwhelming share of gains from economic growth in the United States has gone to the richest households, starting at the top 1 percent of all income earners. At the other end of the income distribution, the lowest-earning households have been losing ground. Incomes are worth less today than in 1980 when adjusted for inflation.

Bread for the World Institute's 2018 Hunger Report, "The Jobs Challenge: Working to End Hunger by 2030," is available online.

This year's report explores why millions of American workers and their families are hungry and poor — and how government policies can change this.

Decent jobs that pay a livable wage enable many of us to support ourselves and our families. Far too many people in the United States, though, have jobs that do not guarantee freedom from hunger. A full-time minimum wage worker earns about $15,000 a year — but the poverty line for a family of four is about $24,000 a year. Moreover, economists calculate that meeting a family's basic needs requires an income of approximately twice the poverty level.

"The Jobs Challenge" explains clearly why the United States needs better jobs and better work-related policies to end hunger. Read and explore the report to understand more about the root causes of hunger and poverty.

Award-Winning Journalist-Activist Chris Hedges to Speak in #ABQ

Sunday, April 15 1:30 to 4:30 pm Central United Methodist Church University and Central Ave. in Albuquerque This is a strategy event for Faith Leaders, Advocates, Activists and Community Organizers. Space is limited. Reservations required ($10 Donation) For more information contact   Rev. Holly Beaumont (hbeaumont@iwj.org)  Interfaith Worker Justice-New Mexico Register Here

Reclaiming and Restoring

New Mexico

from Sacrifice Zone

to the Land of Enchantment

with

Chris Hedges

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and activist,

graduate Harvard Divinity School,

ordained Presbyterian minister,

former professor at Princeton University,

author of 11 books, including New York Times best-seller “Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt” (2012). 

There are corners of this country (like New Mexico) where Americans are trapped in endless cycles of poverty, powerlessness, and despair

as a direct result of capitalistic greed.

 Journalist Chris Hedges calls these places “Sacrifice Zones.”

“These are areas that have been destroyed for quarterly profit. We’re talking

about environmentally destroyed, communities destroyed,

human beings destroyed, families destroyed.”

Unity Declaration Speaks Out Against Racism and Poverty

"As leaders from diverse families of U.S. Christianity, we are called by the Spirit to work together with new urgency against the resurgence of racism and persistence of poverty in America. We see around us an increase of harmful attitudes and policies toward people of color and people in need. That painful reality and the current push for trillions of dollars in cuts to anti-poverty programs are bringing us together in a new way." 

The statement  above was was part of a  Unity Declaration on Poverty and Racism signed by 80 Christian leaders including several members of the Bread for the World community. They include  President Rev. David Beckmann, President-Emeritus Rev. Art Simon, and Rev. José García, Senior Advisor for Prayer and Strategic Initiatives.

Current and former Bread board members also added their signature to the document: John Carr, Dr. Iva Carruthers, Rev. Walter Contreras, Rev. Carlos Malavé, Bishop Richard E. Pates, Senior Bishop Lawrence Reddick, Rev. Jim Winkler and Rev. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon.

"The declaration goes on to call Congress and our churches to action. We are hand-delivering this message to every member of Congress, and we ask that you share it with your leaders and members of your communities," said Rev. Jim Wallis, president and founder of Sojourners, who helped organize the effort. 

Bread for the World Devotional Guide Honors Dr. Martin Luther King

Father of all, open the hearts of those who are positioned to bring daily bread to those in need of bread. Help all of your creation to understand your heart for all to be fed. May our actions reflect this as we seek to serve all children. Amen. -Prayer from the devotion for Week 1

2018 is an important year. It marks the 50th anniversary of the martyrdom of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Poor People's Campaign. To mark both these historic occasions, Bread for the World is launching "In Times Like These ... A Pan-African Christian Devotional for Public Policy Engagement."

 This weekly devotional guide, which has the support of 23 national and global church leaders, includes reflections from 46 writers. Bread for the World invites people of faith to use this resource for

1. Bible study and worship when engaging the biblical texts, messages, and prayers to empower your advocacy to end hunger and poverty.

2. Personal and group reflection on the contributions of Pan-African people in American history.

3. Taking advocacy actions in your church or community on policies that seek to end hunger and poverty.

Download the guide

Poor People's Campaign to Launch 2018 Efforts in New Mexico

The rally and mass revival for the Poor People's Campaign made a big impact in Albuquerque last August. Central United Methodist was packed to capacity, and the energy and sense of commitment was very palpable that evening. In 2017 over 1200 New Mexican's marched and gathered to support this campaign. The reasonable question is "what comes next?"

Here is the answer.  Organizers of the Poor People's Campaign in New Mexico are planning a big event to launch activities for 2018 in Albuquerque and elsewhere in New Mexico on Sunday, January 14, at Congregation Nahalat Shalom, 3606 Rio Grande Blvd. NW (map), 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The date coincides with the celebration of  Dr. Martin Luther King's 91st birthday as well as the 50th year of his death. 

The Albuquerque event, which is part of a series of similar rallies around the country, will feature speakers, local music and more. A Facebook event has been created for the occasion. "Bring your friends and your family. Everyone is invited to attend as the issues being addressed affect us all," say the organizers of the campaign. Let's do this together!"

"Rev. Dr. King lived and died championing the cause of justice for all and striving to bring good news of a brighter day for the poor and vulnerable people of the world," said the organizers, "We are holding this national revival gathering to call on the nation to enlist in the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. We call on all people of moral conscience to join us in 40 days of direct action in over half the states to challenge extremism in state and national politics."

Witness for the People Gathering Scheduled in Santa Fe on February 1

Interfaith Worker Justice-New Mexico cordially invites people of faith and people of conscience to the

9th Annual
"Witness for the People"

Thursday, February 1

Rev. Dr. James Forbes attended in 2015

Schedule 
8:30 am - Breakfast Strategy Meeting
at First Christian Church
644 Webber Street (map)
(2 blocks from the Roundhouse with parking)
 9:30 am - Meet with Legislators at Roundhouse
12:00 Noon - Gather in the Rotunda

Hear Our State of the State Address with the Reverend Dr. William Lyons, Southwest Conference Minister United Church of Christ

Music led by Eileen and the In-Betweens

IWJ-NM has been organizing this annual event since 2010 before or during the annual session New Mexico State Legislature. This year, the session runs from January 16 to February 15. Rev. Bert Scott said a prayer on behalf of the Interfaith Hunger Coalition in 2015. See our blog posts from 2015, 2016, and 2017

Urgent: Take Action to Stop the Harmful Tax Bill

We must stop this harmful bill! Tax reform should help, not hurt, people who work hard but still struggle to put food on the table. - Eric Mitchell, Director of Government Relations, Bread for the World

Early next week, Congress will vote on a tax bill that will irreparably harm the lives of millions of hardworking Americans. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would raise taxes on 10 million low- to moderate-income households over the next decade. The bill would also increase the national debt by $1 trillion, leading to cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.  (Learn more about how tax policy is a hunger issue).

Call (800-826-3688) or email your U.S. House member and Senators to tell them to vote NO on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

For New Mexicans, here are the e-mail links Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Rep. Steve Pearce, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, Sen. Tom Udall, Sen. Martin Heinrich

Talking Points for Your Letter (Personalize Your Message to Congress for the most impact)
Subject Text: Oppose the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ) 

• I urge you to oppose the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. 
• This bill disproportionately benefits high-income households and corporations while increasing taxes on low-income families. If passed, this fiscally irresponsible tax plan will increase our nation's debt and lead to deep cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and international assistance.  
• With 1 in 8 U.S. families struggling to put food on the table, we need a tax reform bill that benefits low-income families by strengthening tax credits for low-income workers. In addition, no tax reform bill should fund tax cuts to high-income earners by cutting funding to programs that help low-income families.  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act fails to achieve  these goals. 
• The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increases taxes on individuals making less than $75,000, and also cuts funding for other programs that help low-income people.
   Tax reform should help, not hurt, low-income families. That's why I urge you to reject the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act , and instead work on a bipartisan tax reform bill that helps those who need help the most.

(New Time) How will Proposed Tax Changes Affect Anti-Hunger Organizations?

The time for this event has changed to  2:00-4:00 P.M.  (It was previously 10:00-a.m. to 12:00 P.M.)  Everything else is still the same

New Mexico Voices for Children invites operators of food banks and food pantries and community leaders and organizations in the Santa Fe area to a workshop on how proposed state and federal tax polices could have an adverse effect on the work of non-profit organizations.  The workshop on January 11, 2018, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., will be held at The Food Depot food bank, 1222 A Siler Rd., in Santa Fe (map). The Food Depot and McCune Charitable Foundation are co-sponsors of the event.  See flyer below for more information. Please RSVP to Amelia Cassau by e-mail acassau@nmvoices.org or via a phone call (505) 361-1279

#2000verses: A Capitol Hill Witness Against Tax Bill

But I want to tell you this evening that it is not enough for us to talk about love, love is one of the pivotal points of the Christian face, faith. There is another side called justice. And justice is really love in calculation. Justice is love correcting that which revolts against love. - Martin Luther King Jr   From Sojourners Verse & Voice for Dec. 5, 2017

On Thursday morning (November 30), Capitol police arrested 12 Christian faith leaders Thursday morning in the Hart Senate office during a protest against the GOP tax plan. The faith leaders, eight ordained ministers and four staff members of Sojourners, gathered in the Hart Senate office building to participate in the #2000verses protest campaign. The campaign underscores the message that the Old Testament and New Testament contain more than 2,000 verses  reminding people of faith of their responsibility to the poor.  Sojourners posted s a video of the protest and the response by Capitol Hill police.

The eight ministers arrested were Jim Wallis, founder and editor of Sojourners magazine; Barbara Williams-Skinner of the Skinner Leadership Institute and National African American Clergy Network; Bishop W. Darin Moore of African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Chair of the National Council of Churches; Rev. Aundreia Alexander, Esq.  of the National Council of Churches; Patrick Carolan, executive director of the Franciscan Action Network and co-founder of the Global Catholic Climate Movement; Carole Dortch-Wright of the Cathedral International Episcopal Office; Rev. Catherine Griggs of Cathedral International Episcopal Office, Senior Executive Assistant to Bishop Donald Hilliard; and Rev. Rose Marie Berger of Sojourners.

The four Sojourners staff members arrested are Jeff Hoagland, David F. Potter, Bob Sabath, and Feriel Ricks.

“People will die from a tax bill that reflects a reckless disregard for human life because millions will be thrown off health care; and struggling Americans of all races and backgrounds will be treated as collateral in a race to give the rich a tax cut they do not need,” said Williams-Skinner of the Skinner Leadership Institute and National African American Clergy Network. See full coverage in The Daily Caller newspaper

Urge Congress to Pass a Tax Reform that Helps Low-Income Families

Later this week, the House will vote on a tax reform bill that significantly helps high-income earners, but does little for low-income families. Tax reform should help, not hurt, people who work hard but still struggle to put food on the table. Call (800-826-3688) or email your Member of Congress. Tell him/her to vote NO on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1).

These Working People Rely on SNAP

The nation’s largest anti-hunger program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) provides millions of workers with income to help feed their families. Some of the most common occupations in the country have low wages, unpredictable scheduling, and few benefits. Workers turn to SNAP to supplement low and fluctuating pay and to help them get by during spells of unemployment. Most workers who participate in SNAP are in service occupations (e.g., home health aides or cooks), administrative support occupations (e.g., customer service representatives), and sales occupations (e.g., cashiers).  -Center on Budget Policy Priorities

The Center on Budget Policy Priorities (CBBP), in a recent article, demonstrated how the draconian cuts  proposed for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would hurt working families and individuals from many walks of life in every state. The article was published as Congress is considering deep cuts in safety net programs. Anti-hunger organizations like Bread for the World, the Food Research Action Center and others are urging members and supporters to contact Congress to oppose the reductions in SNAP and other vital programs.

"The budget resolution will cut yearly spending by $5.1 trillion over the next 10 years — risking deep cuts to programs like Women, Children, and Infants (WIC), summer meals, global nutrition, and international development. Those who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid could also risk the loss of their safety net if the resolution passes," said Bread for the World.

Here is a series of tweets on the issue, including one from Rep. Jim McGovern, co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus. 

You may not realize it, but #SNAP helps many people you meet each day. #Hunger hurts all communities. https://t.co/p4E4mK2ezu #TheseCutsHurt pic.twitter.com/cXhMCqqDUO

— Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) October 31, 2017

Hunger anywhere in the U.S., for any group of people, is unacceptable. #HouseBudget #SenateBudget pic.twitter.com/HWBkjCoyVm

— FRAC (@fractweets) October 23, 2017

Will the safety net be there for you if you need it? https://t.co/jCu2uTNucE #TheseCutsHurt pic.twitter.com/MJEVUItiHj

— Bread for the World (@bread4theworld) October 30, 2017

Federal safety net programs drove a steep decline in child poverty over the last several decades https://t.co/TXk9bwDQod

— Bread for the World (@bread4theworld) October 27, 2017

The House celebrated #Halloween early with a scary version of the FY2018 #Budget Resolution: https://t.co/tcfIqIr18J #TheseCutsHurt pic.twitter.com/UJIokInRBX

— FRAC (@fractweets) October 31, 2017

Bread for the World: The Fight is Not Over

From Bread for the world:

Last Friday, the Senate passed its budget resolution along party lines. This week, the House will vote to approve the Senate's budget resolution, which will pave the way for tax cuts. To pay for the cuts, critical anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), low-income tax credits, and Medicaid would be cut over the next 10 years.

Find out how your representative and senators voted on their chamber's budget resolution. Call (800-826-3688) and thank them if they voted "no." If they voted "yes," tell them you are disappointed.

Find out how your representative and senators voted on their chamber's budget resolution. https://t.co/lRu7yOqfWr #budget

— Bread for the World (@bread4theworld) October 26, 2017

Labor Day, May Day and the Eight-Hour Workday

In the United States, we celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday of September, marking the unofficial end of summer. Everyone else around the world celebrates Labor Day on May 1, an event that marks the unofficial beginning of spring

On both days, most business comes to a halt to celebrate the work of ordinary people. (There are a few more parades on May 1 than on the first week of September).

The irony is that even though we don't celebrate May Day here as an official holiday, the global commemoration is based on a workers' strike that  occurred right here in the U.S. in May 1886, when some 200,000 U.S. workmen engineered a nationwide strike for an eight-hour day.

Here is more information from an article in Time magazine
"The May 1, 1886, labor action wasn't just any strike—it was part of what became known as the Haymarket affair. On May 1 of that year, Chicago (along with other cities) was the site of a major union demonstration in support of the eight-hour workday. The Chicago protests were meant to be part of several days of action,  Read full piece

So, on this Labor Day, I raise a toast to May Day and the creation of the Eight-Hour Workday.

Isaiah 61, Amos 5 and Tweets from a Mass Revival

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners. Isaiah 61:1

Albuquerque was just the second stop in the Poor People's Campaign:  A National Moral Mass Revival Meeting.  Central United Methodist Church was packed to capacity. "There are people listening in the parking lot," said Rev. Dr. .William Barber, a renown Civil Rights leader and founder of Repairers of the Breach. This evening was not all about Rev. Barber's inspirational words. We learned about different ways that people in New Mexico are oppressed by the economic system, by the military-industrial complex, by the corporate sector.  And yet, the overflow crowd was hungry for Rev. Barber's words. They heard about Isaiah 10 and Amos 5. 

Here are some Twitter messages from a few of the folks in the pews.

Welcome to NM, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis! #poorpeoplescampaign #moralresistance @UniteThePoor @BRepairers pic.twitter.com/2Cj7KRiISI

— Kyra Ellis-Moore (@KyraElizabeth15) August 16, 2017

Eileen and the In-Betweens performed the song "I Ain't Giving Up" at #PoorPeoplesCampaign rally in #ABQ on Tuesday, featuring Rev. Barber pic.twitter.com/W1xBkHpVMi

— Carlos Navarro (@CNinABQ) August 16, 2017

4 horsemen extends #MLK's triple evils- racism, poverty, militarism, environmental devastation. We need #poorpeoplescampaign to address them

— PoorPeoplesCampaign (@UniteThePoor) August 16, 2017

#PoorPeoplesCampaign "There is a fire raging now 4 the poor in this society. People are bleeding to death from this system of economics"

— Heather Ferguson (@heatherf66) August 16, 2017

@RevDrBarber bringing it: "We must get beyond condemning acts of white supremacy&start condemning the POLICIES." #PoorPeoplesCampaign #nmpol pic.twitter.com/eU6lWipQSu

— Javier Benavidez (@nm_uprising) August 16, 2017

"Do we have permission to mess with your future?"-@RevDrBarber #PoorPeoplesCampaign#MoralResistance pic.twitter.com/CVuwRdY9Dx

— Colton Lott (@Lott_o_Colton) August 16, 2017

There's a nonviolent army of love rising! Thank you, New Mexico & everyone who came out tonight in #ABQ #PoorPeoplesCampaign #MoralMovement

— Rev. Dr. Barber (@RevDrBarber) August 16, 2017

Join the Moral and Ethical Call to Justice in Albuquerque on Aug. 15

Santa Fe Rally, September 2016 (hoto: Health Action NM)

You are invited to a Moral Revival Mass Meeting in the style of the civil rights movement on Tuesday, August 15, 7:00 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church., 201 University Blvd. NE (across from UNM). The event is part of a 50th anniversary Poor People's Campaign in 2017-2018 culminating with solidarity actions in May 2018 and beyond.

The revival will feature national religious leader Rev. William Barber, Repairers of the Breach team and New Mexico faith and justice leaders. Rev. Barber has visited Albuquerque in June 2016 to lay the groundwork for the creation of a local fusion coalition. Rev. Barber offered his vision at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July 2016. The New Mexico Conference of Churches (NMCC) helped sponsor a National Moral Day of Action in Santa Fe on September 12, 2016, an event that was held in all the state capitals that day.

The NMCC, New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light, Monte Vista Christian Church and others invite you to join the moral and ethical call to justice focusing us on concerns of economic disparity, out-of- sight military spending, racism and environmental degradation.