Adding in Advocacy

Maggie Potthoff is a dual degree master's student in Divinity and Public Policy at the University of Chicago and a PCG summer intern. 

Many of us who are part of faith communities have spent time after worship with our fellow congregants putting our faith into action --- heading to a soup kitchen to serve people living in the streets, packing lunches for struggling families in the neighborhood, or organizing a job-training fair for those out of work.

We are called to this work – this service – through Scripture. “Go and do likewise,” Jesus tells the inquiring lawyer after recounting the story of the Good Samaritan – show mercy and “love your neighbor” (Luke 10:25 – 37). For Jesus and his followers, loving means taking action, particularly on behalf of the “least of these.”

Yet "taking action" includes more than just service. Our faith must be put into words. Indeed, we are called to call ---- to advocate (ad+ vocate). Advocacy is the work of calling for assistance – of speaking out or promoting a particular issue: in the faith context, the advancement of justice.  Jesus said, “God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

So advocacy in the Christian tradition assumes that God through Jesus Christ has something to say about the way society should be structured and, thus, the way government should relate to individuals and communities. In seeking to join God’s work in this world, then, we can live our faith too by not only doing charity, but by calling for justice. In our country, we can do this by advocating for public policy which embraces the healing of society and God’s creation. In our country, we must do this now. Too many lives are at stake in budgetary decisions and other legislative concerns every day, and the common good hangs in the balance.

We are hosting an Advocacy Workshop in a little less than two weeks which will explore this work more deeply. We’ll rely on Scripture some, but also on your fellowship --- learning from each other about our faith and its relationship to justice.

If this is the first time you’ve thought about it terms of “advocacy,” or engaging in discussions about Springfield and the legislative process sounds daunting – not to fear! We’ll hear from long-time advocates about best practices and discover how critical one person’s voice is toward building the common good. Also on the agenda is a discussion of PCG’s current policy priorities which will include Illinois-specific legislation on environmental, criminal, and economic justice.

So sign up now! At our last session, participants enjoyed sharing their “passion for advocacy with similar-minded folks,” learning about pending legislation, and participating in a group activity that makes clear how advocates can engage the process of a bill becoming a law (we'll get more specific than this video, but it's a start!). We'd love you to join us for another opportunity to learn and share about advocacy together!

Ooops - Missed the Anniversary!

July 1st came and went virtually unnoticed. If it seemed like just another hot (very hot) summer day, you are mistaken. The first of July was an important--and sad--day for low-wage workers across the state because it marked the second anniversary of the last time that they received a wage increase. That's right: Illinois workers making minimum wage got a $.25 an hour increase on July 1, 2010, bringing the minimum wage to $8.25, but there's been no increase since then.

For those who think $8.25 an hour is "not bad," think again. A minimum wage worker who works 40 hours a week for 50 weeks a year earns $16,500. If that employee works 52 weeks a year, taking no time off for vacation, sick leave, or family emergency, she earns $17,160. Unfortunately, many minimum wage workers do not have the opportunity to work a full 40 hours a week, and, despite the slow economy, the buying power of the $8.25 an hour wage is declining a bit each year.

You might think that most minimum wage workers are teenagers who work seasonally or during their after-school hours, but data analyzed by the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, DC tell us that 83% of minimum wage workers in Illinois are supporting families. That brings us to a hard fact: most families of minimum wage workers are living in poverty. The federal poverty level for a family of three is $17, 568; for a family of four, the poverty level is $22,113.

So, what can we do about the plight of minimum wage workers in Illinois? We have a bill--SB 1565--which passed out of the Senate Executive Committee in May 2012, and we're working to build public support to prepare for the fall Veto Session of the General Assembly. You can help! Join PCG, Raise Illinois (the minimum wage coalition) and Stand Up Chicago at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24th at the Thompson Center (Clark and Randolph in the Chicago Loop) for a rally and march to advocate for a minimum wage increase.

Why July 24th? That's the third anniversary of the last time the federal minimum wage ($7.25 an hour) was increased. So maybe we didn't do very much for minimum wage workers on July 1st, but now we have another chance. See you on the 24th.

Laura Dean F. Friedrich

Supreme (Court) Barbeque Banter: Tackling Health Care Reform

Heading into the weekend (and July!), a lot of us probably have some festive gatherings planned in the coming days--- beach outings or barbecues (if the weather in Chicago holds)! That means there will be many chances for talk of current events with 20 of your closest friends. Most likely topic? The Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act. Problem? Tons of un-information.

Yet because of what this act means for progress toward the common good -- by 2019, 32 million of U.S. citizens currently without healthcare will be insured -- I think it's important that we ready ourselves for this potentially uninformed BBQ banter with some hard facts. We need a clearer idea of how exactly the ACA will affect us and the lives of our neighbors.

The Kaiser Family Foundation does an excellent job of dissecting the reform by providing a wealth of accessible facts and analyses. But as it is just after 5:00 pm on Friday, the best ten minutes you can spend prepping for your weekend is with their fun animation here: Health Reform Hits Main Street.

When health reform hits Main Street, things might seem different. A different-looking Main Street, where so many of our uninsured neighbors finally have access to staying healthy and cared for? What a vision! Definitely a vision worth considering as you amble down your Main Street for parades this holiday weekend and think about the common good going into the future.

As PCG's summer intern, I am looking forward to continuing the conversation with you this summer, here on the blog.

Peace to you,

Maggie Potthoff

Weekend Violence Continues

Bisera Rozic is a DePaul University student majoring in Economics and a PCG contributing writer.

The first week of Chicago Police Officers working overtime over weekends in order to decrease crime ends with 6 dead and 34 wounded.

Last week it was announced that the CPD would pay overtime to officers who come in on their days off to help curb the weekend violence that has plagued Chicago.

But with its first week in practice, and temperatures in the 80s and 90s, crime has been occurring as if nothing was enacted. From Friday night to Monday morning, 6 people were killed and 34 wounded. Though we should not eliminate the plan right off the bat, I really hope that Emanuel, McCarthy, and the CPD have some backup plans because the weather is going to stay in the 80s and 90s for quite a while.

Trying to Keep The American Dream Alive

Bisera Rozic is a DePaul University student majoring in Economics and a PCG intern.

It is known that the Obama Administration has had a record amount of deportations during its term. But with the fight to pass the DREAM Act,  Friday's announcement does make one wonder if it was a political move or something more. It is important to point out that most of those deported have broken the law, either through committing a crime or breaking immigration rules. On Friday, it was announced that the Obama Administration will not deport young undocumented immigrants if they met a certain criteria.

• They were under 16 years old when they entered the United States
• They are currently under 30 years old.
• Are enrolled in school, have completed high school in the States, or have served in the military.
• They have lived in the States for at least 5 continuous years. 
• They have been law-abiding residents with a clean record. 

Political pundits see the announcement as a political move because Mitt Romney has vowed to veto the DREAM Act if he became the president.There has been a lot of heat coming from the GOP. Arizona governor, Jan Brewer, called the President's move as "blatant political pandering". The LA Times also reports that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano defended the Administration's move to relax deportation by saying, “It is an exercise of discretion to … ensure that we are not clogging the immigration system with low-priority cases involving productive young people.”

Since the Obama Administration will not seek deportation of those who meet the criteria, this means that some 800,000 people will be spared deportation and will have the ability to pursue the American Dream. No one can argue with valid proof that undocumented immigrants do not contribute to the economy. Alabama felt the impact of their anti-immigration law in a negative way through their economy. Aside from working jobs that most citizens would not do, most undocumented immigrants pay taxes.

Whether it is a political move or not, I hope the shift stays and lawful, productive youth have the ability to strive for their dreams.