U.S. Poverty Weekly Update October 30, 2018
U.S. Poverty Campaigns
Weekly Update | October 30, 2018
“Whether you object to the proposed changes [to the public charge rule] for humanitarian or for public health reasons, you should object.”
– RESULTS Cheyenne volunteer Ann Erdmann in an October 25 letter to the editor in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Got Two Minutes? Find Out Where to Vote
Guess what? There’s an election next week. Regardless of which candidates you support, it is imperative that you vote. In the Gettysburg address, President Lincoln urged Americans to dedicate themselves to the idea “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” You can ensure that by exercising your right to vote.
TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to visit www.vote.org to find out where you can vote on November 6. If you are not registered and still can, register now so you can vote on election day. Also, if your state permits it, consider voting early and then spending election day helping others get to the polls.
Got Ten Minutes? Talk Up RESULTS in Your Election Activities This Week (October Action)
Many of you will spend this last week of election season volunteering for candidates, promoting political news on social media, and talking to people about the election. In your conversations, why not talk to them about the importance of staying engaged after election day? Share about your work with RESULTS and invite them to learn more. Here are a few scenarios you might encounter that could get a conversation going about volunteering with RESULTS:
- If you’re out canvassing with someone or working with others to make candidate calls, ask them what they plan to do after the election.
- If you see someone on social media lamenting on the nastiness of the campaign or the ineffectiveness of government, post a link to the next RESULTS New Advocate orientation (November 8 at 8:30 pm ET).
- If a canvasser comes to your door and asks, “Who do you plan to vote for this election?”, ask them in return “What do you plan to do after the election?”
There are of course dozens of other scenarios you might find yourself in, so be ready. Engaging new people is critical to the success of our mission. You likely learned of RESULTS from someone else in the past. Keep the cycle going by sharing what RESULTS has done for you with others during election season.
TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to talk about RESULTS in your election interactions this week. The October Action has language and tips to help you in these conversations. Also, keep looking for any opportunities to talk to candidates about our issues. See our new “Elections are Big Job Interview” post on the RESULTS Blog for helpful candidate engagement tips from Carly Pildis, RESULTS Senior Associate for Advocacy & Organizing. The October Action has sample policy questions you can ask candidates. And if you do speak to a candidate or their staff, let us know what they said. If you have questions about community or candidate engagement, please contact Jos Linn for assistance.
Got Twenty Minutes? Submit Your PERSONALIZED Comment Opposing the New Public Charge Rule
Being an immigrant in the U.S. these days is frightening. President Trump just announced today that he wants to end birthright citizenship for some children born in the U.S. to immigrant parents. Another looming threat is the proposed change to the public charge rule. The rule would pressure immigrants seeking permanent residency in the U.S. into declining assistance for food, health care, and housing or risk being deported. An impossible choice: live in poverty or be forced from home.
Right now, the proposed rule is in the official “public comment” period, which gives you the chance to share your opinion. The goal is to get at least 100,000 comments opposing the new rule by the end of the comment period (December 10). Essential to the success of this campaign is personalizing your comment. The reason is two-fold. First, if your comment is not unique, it may not count. Identical form comments, no matter how many, are treated as one comment. Second, your personal story or motivation for opposing this rule has weight. Administration officials must read all the comments. Having them read tens of thousands of personal motivations and stories opposing this rule could create the political will to stop it.
TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes to submit your personal comment opposing the new public charge rule. Go to www.protectingimmigrantfamilies.org and submit your unique comment in the form provided. There is a pre-written script there to help you. Use is as guidance but change it! Do not just hit “submit” – make it your own. Also, copy and paste this section into an e-mail or post it on social media telling everyone you know to also submit their personal comments opposing the rule.
Join Public Charge Webinars This Week. If you want to learn more about this issue, you have two outstanding opportunities this week. First, the Food Research and Action Center will host a webinar “How to Protect Families from the Proposed Public Charge Rule” today, October 30 at 2:00 pm ET. You can sign up here. Then, the UndocuBlack Network, the Sector Lead for the Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign focusing on how the public charge rule would impact Black individuals and families, is hosting a call tomorrow, October 31 at 2:00 pm ET. To participate, fill out this form to receive dial-in information.
Quick News
Remember! November Webinar is NOT Next Week. Because of election day, the RESULTS November 2018 U.S. Poverty Webinar will be Tuesday, November 13 at 8:00 pm ET. We’ll have details about the webinar in next week’s Update.
Use Broadcast Media to Promote Your Local Advocacy Work. To invite more people into action with us, how about pitching your local broadcast stations a story about the power of deep advocacy? Check out this webinar walking step-by-step through the process to get your group featured in the local news. Download this template email pitch you can edit and send to producers and reporters. If you get an interview arranged, let us know and we can set up a prep call.
Sign Up for the 2018 VTF! Registration is now open for the 2018 Virtual Thanksgiving Feast, our fundraising campaign coming in November. Learn more and sign up to fundraise with us! For questions, contact Mea Geizhals.
Sign Your Group Up onto New SAVE for All Principles. Help build support for the new SAVE for All principles for the next Congress by signing your local RESULTS group (e.g. “RESULTS Santa Fe”) onto them.
Give Us Suggestions for the 2019 RESULTS International Conference! The 2019 RESULTS International Conference is set (July 13-16, 2019). Help us make it the best conference yet by completing our suggestion form with your ideas for speakers and sessions.
Upcoming Events
Go to the RESULTS Events Calendar to see a full list of RESULTS events. Also, find a list of the RESULTS U.S. Poverty staff with contact information on the RESULTS website.
U.S. Poverty Team members planned time off: Meredith Dodson, Tuesday, November 6. Jos Linn: Friday, November 2; Wednesday, November 21.
Upcoming Congressional Recesses: House: October 1-November 9; Senate: October 12-November 9.
RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast Fundraising Campaign, November 2018. Contact Mea Geizhals, Grassroots Fundraising Manager, with any questions and look for more information soon.
Election Day, Tuesday, November 6. Be sure to vote!
RESULTS Action Network Community of Practice webinar, Wednesday, November 7 at 8:00pm ET. To join, log in: https://results.zoom.us/j/427674133 or dial in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 427 674 133.
RESULTS New Advocate Orientation, Thursday, November 8 and Wednesday, November 14 at 8:30 pm ET. Get started here.
Observance of Veterans’ Day Holiday, Monday, November 12. All RESULTS offices closed.
RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, Tuesday, November 13 at 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801.
U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, Tuesday, November 20 at 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/324294681 or dial by phone at (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 324 294 681.
Thanksgiving Holiday Break, Thursday, November 22-Friday, November 23. All RESULTS offices closed.
RESULTS International Conference, July 13-16, 2019. Learn more at www.resultsconference.org.
Other Resources
Learn more about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty at: https://results.org/issues/experts_on_poverty.
If you need materials (banners, pens, stickers, or business cards) for your local RESULTS work, fill out our Materials Order Form and we’ll send them to you.
If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Steven McGee at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports on our website.
Please fill out the RESULTS Lobby Report Form after any lobby meeting to let us know what happened. In meetings that cover both U.S. and global poverty issues, please fill it out twice.