Poverty in the 2012 Election

October 18, 2012 1:00 pm EST

Rev. Michael Livingston, Moderator Director or Public Policy, Interfaith Worker Justice Past President, National Council of Churches

At the 2012 Debates

Agenda and Overview

1. Background on poverty 2. #TalkPoverty: You Can Change the Debate 3. How to take part in the campaign 4. Q&A and brainstorm session

Poverty in the U.S. Today

Nearly 1 in 6 Americans and over 1 in 5 children live in poverty, unchanged from last year after several years of rising poverty Child poverty is the highest in 63 years Income inequality grew 15% (ratio of income between those in the bottom 10th percentile of income and the top 10thpercentile) a significant increase in the gap between our most and least prosperous households

Media Coverage of Poverty This Season

Only 17 of the 10,489 campaign stories studied (0.2 %) addressed poverty in a substantive way None of the news outlets included a substantive discussion of poverty in as much as 1 percent of its campaign stories.
Source: New study by Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting looked at 6 mos of campaign coverage between 1/1/126/23/122 by 8 prominent outlets

You Can Change the Debate

With poverty numbers this high, and media coverage this low: its time to change the debate. Its time to #TalkPoverty!, Go to www.halfinten.org/talk poverty to check out our video
Half in Ten Fall Interns: Emilie and Basel

Lets #TalkPoverty at the Debates!

Our Goals: Use Twitter & Other Social Media to: 1. Generate more questions about poverty from the media during the presidential debates 2. Elevate poverty as an issue in the media and raise awareness nationally about how to reduce it

How to Join the #TalkPoverty Campaign

Visit halfinten.org/talkpoverty to:
Sign-up for updates and list your organization as a sponsor Use our regularly updated one-click tweets View & share the video See our sponsoring organizations

What is Twitter?
Its a powerful social networking service that allows users to send and read text-based messages (tweets) of 140 characters or less. Followed heavily by news and media producers

Why the Hashtag Matters

Hashtags (#) are used to aggregate conversations and create groups on Twitter So when you search #TalkPoverty on Twitter youll get to see every other tweet in real time using that hashtag When media and producers start seeing a lot of people using a hashtag, they start following the conversation Together weve grown #talkpovertys reach from

How to Tweet
Sign-up for a Twitter account at Twitter.com When you sign-up, youll choose a username called a handle (@ErikStegman) Start tweeting!

Making a #TalkPoverty Tweet

To join the #TalkPoverty movement youll need the following in your tweet:
1. How will candidates reduce poverty 2. The handle @BobSchieffer) for the moderator 3. #TalkPoverty (our critical hashtag) 4. Your own statistic, picture, link to web page, etc.

Example #TalkPoverty Tweets

US child poverty 2nd worst/wealthy nations. @BobSchieffer how will candidates reduce poverty 2 compete http://bit.ly/T4fBhp #TalkPoverty
Almost 1/5 US children live in #poverty @BobSchieffer Ask candidates how they'll start reducing #childpoverty? #talkpoverty 46.2 million US ppl live in #poverty @BobSchieffer Ask candidates how they'll reduce #childpoverty in 1st #100days? #talkpoverty

How Do I Shorten Links?

Its easy! There are simple websites that will make a long web address into a short one. Two popular sites are:
Bitly.com Tinyurl.com

Using our auto-Tweet

OR, if you want an easy way to take part in the campaign, well be updating our one-click tweet regularly on halfinten.org/talkpoverty

Customize & Make it Your Own

In just a few minutes well share ideas Share
Pictures from events and actions in your community to raise poverty awareness Statistics you care about relating to child poverty like hunger, healthcare, education, foster care, etc. Links to videos, websites and other media to tell your story

Follow the National Conversation

Be sure to search #TalkPoverty on twitter or any twitter application so you can follow what were all sharing on this digital campaign Follow @Halfinten on twitter for campaign updates

So Lets #TalkPoverty!

Every Child Matters CO

Nun on the Bus, Richelle, from CHN

Success so far
Average daily audience of 350,000, as high as 700,00 on debate days News coverage in the Denver Post, The Nation, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington Post, and National Public Radio

Q&A and Brainstorm

What questions do you have about the campaign? How do you plan to take part? Please share your ideas so we can share them with the group:
Stats Stories Photo ideas In-person events

Debate Schedule
October 22: @BobSchieffer (Moderator Bob Schieffer, CBS News). 9-10:30 p.m. EST. Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL. Foreign Policy

Additional Resources
Campaign updates: halfinten.org/talkpoverty Twitter 101: http://bit.ly/Qoz6ev State-by-state data (just updated!): Halfinten.org

Current Supporting Organizations

Access of West Michigan AIDS United Brunswick County Streetreach Boca Raton Childrens Museum Bread for the World Child Care Resources of Rockland Center for American Progress Center for Law and Social Policy Child Welfare League of America Childrens Defense Fund California The Childrens Partnership Coalition on Human Needs Community Action Agency of Siouxland Community Action Partnership Community Food Bank Council for Opportunity in Education Crisis Center & Womens Shelter Douglas County Salvation Army Outreach Educare Central Maine Every Child Matters Education Fund

Current Supporting Organizations (contd)

Every Child Matters in NH First Focus Grantmakers for Children, Youth and Families Hunger Task Force JERICHO - a Voice for Justice Jewish Council for Public Affairs Kansas Association of Community Action Programs Kentucky Youth Advocates Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights Lyn Roc Tenant Association Mindstreams Education National Association for State Community Services Programs National Association of Social Workers 9to5, National Association of Working Women National Childrens Alliance National Legal Aid & Defender Association NETWORK Pax Christi Michigan Pennsylvania NAACP Education Committee

Current Supporting Organizations (contd)

POWER: Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights RESULTS Safe Harbors of the Hudson, Inc. Servicios de La Raza Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Sisters of St. Joseph, TOSF SparkAction St. Pauls Episcopal Church, The Dalles, OR Westchester Childrens Association Western Center on Law and Poverty World Knowledge Bank

What happens when the candidates #TalkPoverty?

Shantha Ready Alonso National Council of Churches Poverty Initiative, founding member of the Circle of Protection

Circle of Protection
The Circle of Protection is comprised of more than 65 heads of Christian denominations, relief and development agencies, and other Christian organizations representing a wide array of churches in the U.S.A.
(The Circle of Protection does not support, oppose or in any way endorse either of these presidential candidates.)

Who said it?

Our government rightfully provides a safety net for the hungry and the homeless, the sick and the elderly, and we have a responsibility to keep it intact for future generations. Ive laid out a sensible plan to save and strengthen our nations entitlement programs, which now account for more than half of federal spending. Here again, Im committed to protecting those in or near poverty.
a) Governor Romney b) President Obama c) The Circle of Protection

Who said it?

Look at every budget proposal from the bottom uphow it treats those Jesus called "the least of these" (Matthew 25:45). They do not have powerful lobbies, but they have the most compelling claim on our consciences and common resources.
a) Governor Romney b) President Obama c) The Circle of Protection

Who said it?

Government cant solve every problem and it shouldnt try... Not every tax dollar is spent wisely. Not everyone can be helped who refuses to help themselves. But thats not an excuse to tell our fellow Americans that theyre on their own.
a) Governor Romney b) President Obama c) The Circle of Protection

Did anything surprise you?

Why?

Who said it?

Nearly one in every six people in America is in poverty. When our economy is weak, lives are shattered, hearts ache, parents wonder how theyll make ends meet, and how theyll provide better lives for their children.
a) Governor Romney b) President Obama c) The Circle of Protection

How would you use these videos?

Screen them with my congregation for voter education Share them electronically to raise awareness of my friends and family Quote them at a town hall meeting. Show them to my legislator so he or she can see that both the top Republican and Democratic leaders can #TalkPoverty.

The Road Ahead: Looking at the Legislative Landscape

Amelia Kegan, Bread for the World

Lame Duck Focus: the Fiscal Cliff

2001 and 2003 tax cuts expire $1.2 trillion in acrossthe-board cuts (sequestration) Farm bill?

Timeline
Immediate: Now November 13
Gang of 8 crafting deficit reduction framework

November 13 - December
Gang of 8 unveils plan President unveils plan Fiscal cliff anxiety Farm bill? Leadership races Enact deficit reduction plan FY 2013 budget Debt ceiling Farm bill? Committees work on phase 2 assignments

January - March

The Gang of 8: Working Quickly

Sen. Conrad (D-ND)

Sen. Coburn (R-OK)

Sen. Durbin(D-IL)

Sen. Warner (VA)

Sen. Chambliss (R-GA)

Sen. Bennet (D-CO)

Sen. Johanns (R-NE)

Sen. Crapo (R-ID)

Deficit Reduction Plan

Phase 1: Framework Phase 2: Committees Decide Specifics

Armed Services

Agriculture: - Savings target - Protect SNAP

Finance/Energy & Commerce - Savings target - Maintain health services for poor

Finance/Ways & Means: - Revenue target - Protect EITC/CTC - Dont burden low-income - No tax cuts up front

Deficit Reduction Framework:

1. Down payment 2. Overall amount ($4 trillion) 3. Spending cuts: Tax increases 4. Discretionary Spending Caps 5. Committee Instructions 6. Enforcement
Commerce

Now is your moment

1. Follow Bowles-Simpson:
Include the principle to protect poor and vulnerable populations

2. Follow the Gang of Six Plan:

1.

Explicitly protect programs for poor and vulnerable populations.

EITC and child tax credit)

Committee instructions exempt lowincome entitlement programs (SNAP,

3. Follow the August Debt Deal:

Oppose further cuts to yearly appropriated spending programs (WIC, low-income housing assistance, etc.)

Shape this bill!

Who said it?

We can pay down our debt in a balanced and responsible way, but we cannot balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable. And certainly cant ask the poor, the sick, or those with disabilities to sacrifice even more, or ask the middle-class to pay more, just so we can offer massive new tax cuts to those whove been blessed with the most. Its not just bad economics, its morally wrong. Its not in line with our values, and its not who we are as a people.
a) Governor Romney b) President Obama c) The Circle of Protection

Who said it?

Give moral priority to programs that protect the life and dignity of poor and vulnerable people in these difficult times, our broken economy, and our wounded world.
a) Governor Romney b) President Obama c) The Circle of Protection

What You Can Do

Leslie Woods, Representative for Domestic Poverty & Environmental Issues Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leslie.woods@pcusa.org

What You Can DO

What You Can Do

Its that time of year: Post-election, members of Congress will come back to Washington to finish essential business A Senate Gang of 8 is working on the details of a fiscal-cliffaverting-deal as we speak.

Who is in the Gang of 8?

Michael Bennet (D-CO) Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) Tom Coburn (R-OK) Kent Conrad (D-ND) Mike Crapo (R-ID) Dick Durbin (D-IL) Mike Johanns (R-NE) Mark Warner (D-VA)

What You Can Do They are sealing the deal now!

Contact your Senators!
Especially if he is in the Gang of 8 Even if your members are not in the inner circle of negotiators, they can still talk to their colleagues

Contact your Representative

What You Can Do They are sealing the deal now!

Write letters to the Editor and Op-eds to your local newspapers
Make sure to mention your elected leader by name!

Attend candidate forums and other campaign events where you can raise these questions Blog, tweet, Facebook use all the tools in your toolbox Talk to your friends, family, and community

What Should You Say?

Deficit reduction and tax reform should NOT increase or exacerbate poverty. Any deal to replace the fiscal cliff must include EXPLICIT protections for the programs that serve the most vulnerable people. Our deficit problem cannot be solved by spending cuts alone new revenues must be part of a balanced solution.