United Church of Canada Joins Call for a New Economic Model

The United Church of Canada has joined with the World Council of Churches and partners who called, during the World Social Forum in Belem, Brazil, on February 1: "For a new economic and social model. Let’s put finance in its place!"

According to this statement, "The financial crisis is a systemic crisis that emerges in the context of global crises (climate, food, energy, social…) and of a new balance of power. It results from 30 years of transfer of income from labour towards capital. This tendency should be reversed."

The statement continues, "This crisis is the consequence of a capitalist system of production based on laissez-faire and fed by short term accumulation of profits by a minority, unequal redistribution of wealth, an unfair trade system, the perpetration and accumulation of irresponsible, ecological and illegitimate debt, natural resource plunder and the privatization of public services. This crisis affects the whole humanity, first of all the most vulnerable (workers, jobless, farmers, migrants, women…) and Southern countries, which are the victims of a crisis for which they are not at all responsible."

The full statement has gone out to faith communities, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, and social movements. They are being challenged to mobilize all over the world in order to create a citizen struggle in favour of a new model, particularly on March 28, shortly before the G20 meeting of the world's largest economies in London.

To read the statement, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

For a list of the groups and individuals signing the statement, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

President Obama Releases Budget; Interfaith Advocacy Community Supportive of Many Items

President Obama today released a budget that, among other things: provides a tax cut for 95% of America’s working families, rolls back the Bush tax cuts (with no tax increases for anyone making less than $25,000 a year), expands the Child Tax Credit, makes permanent the $2500 American Opportunity Tax Credit for college education, implements a “cap-and-trade” system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provides funds for weatherizing low-income homes, doubles funding for Early Head Start, expands Pell Grants, increases funding for Veterans Affairs by $25 billion over five years, and sets aside a "reserve fund" of $634 billion as a "down payment" on the costs of universal health care coverage over 10 years.

According to one religious leader, "There is much to admire in President Obama’s proposal. It is ambitious, forward-looking, and makes much-needed investments in human needs. At the same, some parts of the budget--such as the effect of changes in the tax code on nonprofits and the amount of money invested in programs to aid vulnerable populations--invite further conversation and clarification."

To read the President's budget, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To watch the President's Weekly Address, in which he explains and defends his budget,PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Harper and Obama Meet; Promise to Confront Climate Change

On his first trip abroad as President of the United States, President Obama visited our northern neighbor, Canada. Today he traveled to Ottawa for meetings with Governor General Michaelle Jean, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Official Opposition, as well as U.S. Embassy employees and their families.

In a joint press conference, Prime Minister Harper and President Obama both stressed the importance of strong and positive relations between Canada and the United States. In particular, Harper stressed the need for close cooperation on addressing the economic crisis, the desire for a new dialogue on clean energy, and the need for the two nations to continue working together on shared international priorities.

President Obama emphasized the shared commitment of the two nations to work together for peace, prosperity, and human rights.

Of particular concern to justice advocates preparing to attend the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference in Washington, DC (March 13 - 16), the two leaders discussed climate change and the need to reduce greenhouse gases. Noting the long and productive history of bilateral co-operation on continental environmental protection and energy trade and technology, the President and the Prime Minister agreed that environmental protection and the development of clean energy are inextricably linked and announced plans to work together to build a new energy economy as a key element of broader economic recovery and reinvestment efforts.

In response to a question on climate change, President Obama said, "This is not just a U.S. issue or a Canadian issue, it's a worldwide issue that we're going to have to confront. . . . Right now there are no silver bullets to solve this problem, which is why sharing research, sharing ideas, is so important."

United States and Canadian officials will meet in the coming weeks to launch The Clean Energy Dialogue.

The President Announces Plan to Ease Housing Crisis

President Obama today unveiled a housing plan that his Administration hopes will stem the spread of foreclosures and falling home values for all Americans, and "help responsible homeowners stay in their homes."

According to a statement released by the White House, this plan could directly help up to 9 million people by providing 4 to 5 million homeowners with refinancing help, giving new incentives for lenders to modify the terms of loans at risk of default or foreclosure, taking steps to keep mortgage rates low for millions of middle-class families looking to secure new mortgages, and promoting additional reforms designed to help families stay in their homes.

"In the end, all of us are paying a price for this home mortgage crisis," President Obama said today in Phoenix, AZ. "And all of us will pay an even steeper price if we allow this crisis to continue to deepen." He added, "But if we act boldly and swiftly to arrest this downward spiral, every American will benefit."

In a conference call just after the speech, the White House and officials from the Treasury Department went over details of the plan with a group of diverse organizatons, including the Disciples Center for Public Witness. There were many questions about the plan from both business interests and community organizers, but overall there was support both for the President's plan and for action sooner rather than later.

For an executive summary of the Obama plan, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

For a fact sheet explaining elements of the plan, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Blessings on this Presidents' Day

The DISCIPLES CENTER for PUBLIC WITNESS wishes you many blessings on this day of remembering and celebrating our Presidents. As we remember great leaders of the past, let us keep our current President and his family in our prayers.

Happy St. Valentine's Day

The Disciples Center for Public Witness, DJAN and DAWN hope that you and all your loved ones have a wonderful St. Valentine's Day.

We pray that this day allows you some time to express your love to others, and to think about all the loved ones in your life.

We also hope that, through the grace of God, this day strengthens your passion for justice, increases your desire for peace in our war-torn world, and fills your heart with greater love for all God's children.

May God continue to bless you with a more perfect love!


The icon, St. Valentine, is the work of Brother Mickey O'Neill McGrath. To view a collection of his other icons and images, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Obama Announces White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

President Barack Obama today signed an executive order establishing the new White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. According to a press release issued by the White House, "The Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will be a resource for nonprofits and community organizations, both secular and faith-based, looking for ways to make a bigger impact in their communities, learn their obligations under the law, cut through red tape, and make the most of what the federal government has to offer."

The Rev. Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners and a member of the President’s Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, was very upbeat about the President's announcement. According to Wallis, the Office and its Council offer "the chance to move beyond necessary programs to fund exemplary faith-based organizations, which I support, to a broader and deeper vision of real 'partnership' between the faith community and sound social policies."

However, not everyone in the religious community was pleased. “I am very disappointed,"said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "President Obama’s faith-based program is being rolled out without barring evangelism and religious discrimination in taxpayer-funded programs. It should be obvious that taxpayer-funded religious bias offends our civil rights laws, our Constitution and our shared sense of values.”

President Obama also announced that the director of the Office will be Joshua DuBois, a former associate pastor, an advisor to President Obama when he was in the Senate, and Director of Religious Affairs for the Obama campaign. According to the President, "Joshua understands the issues at stake, knows the people involved, and will be able to bring everyone together--from both the secular and faith-based communities, from academia and politics--around our common goals."

Both DJAN and the Disciples Center for Public Witness congratulate Joshua DuBois on this presidential appointment and look forward to his leadership and vision in this important position.

Canadian Council of Churches Disappointed with Supreme Court's Decision on Political Refugess

The decision of the Supreme Court of Canada not to grant leave in the case challenging the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement was met with regret today by the Canadian Council for Refugees, Amnesty International and the Canadian Council of Churches.

"This decision means that refugees will not have their day in court," said Elizabeth McWeeny, CCR President. " The US is not in fact safe for all refugees, so we deeply regret that the Supreme Court has not taken this opportunity to ensure that Canada provides refugees the protection they need from forced return to persecution."

The Supreme Court of Canada was being asked by the three organizations to determine whether the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement is unconstitutional and violates refugees’ rights.

To read more about this, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Obama Signs Children's Health Care Bill

President Obama signed the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIP) tonight, which renews and expands the plan from 7 million children affected to 11 million.

"This is only the first step," he said. "As I see it, providing coverage for 11 million children is a down payment on my commitment to cover every single American."

GMP Sharon Watkins has on many occasions made clear her commitment to children's health care. Based on this, a small group of Disciples advocates has been working together on this issue.

The group includes Laird Thomason, Senior Fellow for Health Care and Health Issues at the Disciples Center for Public Witness; Linda Walling, Executive Director of Faithful Reform in Health Care (and the Center's Senior Advisor on Comprehensive Health Care); Matt Rosen, Deputy Director of Religious Action for the Children's Defense Fund (and the Center's Senior Advisor on Children's Issues); and Kaye Edwards, Director of Family and Children's Ministries at Disciples Home Missions.

We all celebrate this extremely important victory even as we continue the ongoing struggle for comprehensive health care for all.