Wednesday, September 18
7:30 p.m. ET • 6:30 p.m. CT • 5:30 p.m. MT • 4:30 p.m. PT
RSVP: Online; 90-minute program

Featured presenter Jennifer Richardson, Voting Campaign Organizer with UUSJ and Reeb, will discuss the "organizer math” behind setting goals for your congregation’s voter mobilization effort. Whether you are strengthening a program already in operation or just figuring out what is feasible now, Jennifer’s comments will help structure your approach. Don’t forget, it’s not too late to make a congregational plan and have a positive impact.

Me2We2All - Self-organizing into Greater-Than:
Secrets from Nature for organizing and movement building 
Hosted by UUSJ

Thursday, September 26
8:00pm ET -  7:00pm CT -  6:00pm MT - 5:00pm PT
RSVP: Online via Zoom

Join us for a thoughtful talk with Michael Lennon, Senior Fellow at George Washington University’s Center for Excellence in Public Leadership (CEPL), about what we can learn from Nature that can inform our organizing and movement building for social justice. 

Michael has been weaving knowledge threads from living systems sciences, technology and economics, in a portfolio he calls Me2We2All. Learn about “sensing in common,” shared salience maps, and learning edges. Hear how activists can use “signaling” to prototype new dialects of shared significance. Explore how to establish cadence between local experimentation and collective harmonization for broader movement-level impact.

In this season of movement building around the UU Climate Revival and the 2024 election, join us to sharpen the theoretical frame from which you operate.

It is Time to Fulfill our Promises to Afghan Allies

A bipartisan group of Senators is trying to attach an important amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment, in the form of new legislation, includes many provisions of the previously proposed Afghanistan Adjustment Act (AAA). The new legislation is the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act (FFPAA). It is vital to act now! 

The NDAA is regarded as “must-pass" legislation and is expected to be considered in the Senate in September 2024. Therefore, we must voice our support early and firmly, marshaling UU voices across the U.S. and every state.

UUSJ has prepared a new Action Alert in support of Afghans urging Congress to provide a pathway to permanent residency for Afghan Refugees. Please send this message now.

Congress Must Speak Out For Democracy 

Our precious democracy is facing the most significant challenge we have seen in our lifetimes. Radical actors from multiple parts of our society are threatening to turn our country into an authoritarian state, similar to what Victor Orbán has done in Hungary and Vladimir Putin has done in Russia.

We can’t let this happen, and we need our senators and representatives to actively fight to save our democracy. They need to speak out for democracy and our cherished American values: freedom, opportunity, compassion, equity, fairness, and the right to vote and have our votes counted.

UUSJ has prepared a new Action Alert on Democracy urging Congress to support efforts to save our democracy and to speak out publicly. Please send this message now.

It’s Crunch Time – Do Something!

You’re engaged and ready to volunteer and perhaps donate to a candidate ahead of the Nov. 5 national election. But what should you do? How can your congregation engage? It could be postcarding, letter writing, texting, phone banking, door knocking, or something else. 

A: For those mobilizing through UU the Vote National, please review their:

• Fall event sign-up and
• UU the Vote Fall Mobilization 2024 Toolkit or
• The recording of Building a New Way

B: For those building a robust, inclusive, collaborative democracy movement:

• See our Democracy in 2024 resource portal and
• An activity list maintained by our Democracy Action Team volunteers

C: For those participating in the DC-MD-VA regional Voter Mobilization Project by UUSJ, Reeb, and UU the Vote, in association with the UU Legislative Ministry of Maryland and the Virginia UU State Action Network, see:

• A running list of activities and
• A calendar of events
• Email Jennifer Richardson at uuvotermobilization@gmail.com for more details.

Congress Should Pass Major Voting Rights Legislation 

Marking the 59th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, earlier this summer, UUSJ joined the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Faithful Democracy, and many others to reiterate our continued moral plea and push our elected leaders to support major voting rights legislation. Take the coalition action!

The Election Story Nobody Wants to Talk About

For The American Prospect, Rick Perlstein does a “Q&A with David Neiwert, America’s foremost writer and thinker on far-right extremism, on what might happen if Trump wins—or loses.”

Let’s Listen to Michelle!

“DO SOMETHING!” That is the takeaway from Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. She said: “I don’t care how you identify politically… whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, independent, or none of the above… this is our time to stand up for what we know is right.” Our Democracy Action Team agrees with this call to go beyond partisanship.

She urged people to support our basic freedoms and to stand up for “decency and humanity, respect, dignity, and empathy, for the values at the very foundation of this democracy.” 

The former first lady noted, "in some states, just a handful of votes in every precinct could decide the winner." She said we must ensure everyone we know is registered and has a voting plan. “We must put our heads down. We must get to work. In America, we do something.” See the full transcript as publised by TIME.

Check Your Voter Registration Status
Vote.org

As people of faith, we understand that voting is not just a civic duty but a nearly sacred act, a way to express our values, advocate for justice, and uphold the dignity of all. Unfortunately, recent developments in some states have raised concerns that our voices may be silenced through the purging of voter rolls.

Across the nation, some states are purging voter rolls. This means many eligible voters may be unable to cast their ballots because their registration has been removed, often due to inactivity or minor discrepancies in their records. This disproportionately affects marginalized communities. Make sure you can vote.

The major political transformation flying under the radar at the DNC 

Christian Paz reports for Vox, “The third night of the DNC confirmed just how dramatically the party has swung on immigration — to the right.” Our UUSJ Immigration Action Team adds that this phenomenon is a topic of conversation and consternation among faith-based advocates and activists.

• Have you been wondering how the two campaigns compare on Immigration Policy? In light of the above, we have. The National Immigration Forum has the most detailed comparison we have found to date. Notice that the two candidates are aligned on "Border security and 'shutting down' the U.S. border." See the presentation.

Support for Afghan Allies Now

UUSJ has prepared a new Action Alert in support of Afghans urging Congress to provide a pathway to permanent residency for Afghan Refugees with the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act (FPAAA). Related News Coverage:

• When the US left Kabul, these Americans tried to help Afghans left behind. It still haunts them, The Frederick News-Post
• Afghanistan 3 years later: Many remain in limbo, feeling let down, The Hill
• Haunted by Afghans left behind, The Alpena News
• 3 years after the fall of Kabul, Afghan refugees in Vermont are still in limbo, Valley News
• They fled Afghanistan. In the US, they have freedom – but fear a return, The Guardian
• Three years after Kabul’s fall, veterans still helping allies left behind, WaPo
• How The ‘Afghanistan Generation’ Of US Veterans Responded To The 2021 Withdrawal, The Hoover Institution

Registry as an Essential Pathway to Citizenship 

The Immigration Team joined immigrants and others on the issue of Registry. UUSJ is part of the “All in for Registry” campaign and coalition, advocating for the modernization of a vital immigration tool. Registry creates pathways for citizenship regardless of current status or method of entry. It goes back to 1929. Under this program, one can apply for a green card and citizenship in another four years. Some conditions apply: “good moral character,” nothing that would otherwise make one ineligible, etc. 

The date of eligibility for the registry has been updated four times, but not since 1986, when the big immigration act advanced it to anyone who was here before 1972. For more information, see the CHIRLA webpage.

Two almost identical bills have been introduced (H.R. 1511 and S. 2606), which would create a “rolling” registry cut-off date for being in the country seven years before application. That way, Congress would not have to update it to a specific year periodically. The House bill has over 70 cosponsors, and the Senate has 10. The campaign is sponsoring a series of teach-ins, mobilizing communities, and contacting Hill offices, which UUSJ joined.

Advocating for Work Permits for Asylum Seekers and Others

During August, UUSJ, through the leadership of the Immigration Team, joined faith, immigrant-led, and advocate allies in sending a series of multi-organizational letters to Congressional and Administration officials. These letters focused on the growing need for easier access to life-saving work authorizations for asylum seekers and immigrants. At the same time, their applications are being processed, which often takes years. These include:

• A letter strongly urging the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) to take immediate action to issue work authorization to as many qualified applicants as possible before the end of this administration. Issuing work permits now will ensure immigrants can power our economy for years.
• Eleven other UU national and state organizations also joined us in a call to urgently address backlogs in work permit processing and continue efforts to enhance, expand, and extend access to work authorization for immigrants and asylum seekers alike. We asked that they codify the automatic extension for renewal applications and extend the automatic extension period to 730 days to protect individuals' ability to work for years to come. Eleven other UU national and state organizations also signed!

Oil and gas allies welcome Harris’ fracking stance — with an asterisk

Timothy Cama reports for Politico’s Energy & Environment News, “There are so many other critical energy policies where the vice president’s perspective remains an open question, said one industry advocate." We follow this policy thread with deep interest, UUSJ remains firm in support of a fossil free future.

Brookings Institute
The future of US climate policy: Issues at stake in the 2024 election
In partnership with the University of Michigan

Thursday, September 19
Program: 5:00 — 7:00 p.m. ET
RSVP: Online

Climate policy has been a significant focal area at the federal level over the past three years, notably with the passage of legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The IRA and IIJA will be essential for the transition of the United States to a carbon-free society by 2050

Collaboration for a Fossil-Free Future 

Join our allies in the People vs. Fossil Fuels coalition to ban Factory Farms, stop using Roundup®!, respect communities and the environment as we pursue a clean energy transition, and pressure Coke to bring back refillable containers.

• With Food and Water Watch, work to ban Factory Farms. Such farms risk public health and the food supply, pollute the environment and drinking water, wreck rural communities, and fuel climate change. Let’s use HR4421/S2332 to place an immediate moratorium on the construction of new or expanding factory farms.
• With the Friends of the Earth, tell Lowe’s and Home Depot to stop selling glyphosate -- a.k.a. the active ingredient in Bayer-Monsanto’s Roundup® -- putting millions at risk from this toxic pesticide. Demand Lowe's and Home Depot put the planet before Big Ag profits. Why are we still selling this stuff retail?
• With Earth Works, Reject the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act. Let’s tell congress our Clean Energy Transition can’t Rely on Dirty Mining. We shouldn’t repeate the injustices of fossil fuel extraction.
• With the Center for Biological Diversity, Tell Coke: Bring Back Refillable Bottles. A century ago, Coke took back 96% of its bottles for reuse. Recently, they committed to selling 25% of their beverages globally in refillable containers. But in its flagship market — the U.S. — Coke has run a singular small pilot project in Texas. They can do better!

Line 5 Pipeline Opposition

More than 100 organizations, including UUSJ, signed a letter to President Biden and the Army Corps submitting comments on the Army Corps of Engineers Draft Combined Decision Document, which includes its draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline in northern Wisconsin. This letter accompanies the over 150,000 comments submitted opposing the proposed Line 5 pipeline reroute in northern Wisconsin.

The draft EA is inadequate, and with the significant risks associated with this deteriorating pipeline, we urged the Army Corps to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the reroute. Ultimately, the Army Corps should reject this permit, and Line 5 must be shut down.

Here is a toolkit for amplification of the end of the Army Corps comment period.

Police are killing more Americans than ever. Where’s the outrage? The scarcity of protests is striking

The Economist reports, "This year is on track to be the most deadly for police shootings in America in at least a decade, data suggest. And yet, according to polling by Gallup, trust in police has risen this year—sharply so among racial minorities. Why?"

The Project 2025 Tax Strategy

See the new analysis of Project 2025’s tax plan by the Center on American Progress (CAP).  In summary, CAP explains that the plan would:

• Enact a two-income tax bracket system that would raise taxes by $3,000 for the median family of four—which makes about $110,000 a year—and raise taxes by $950 for the typical single-person household, which makes about $40,000 yearly.

• Provide an average $1.5–2.4 million tax cut for the 45,000 U.S. households making more than $10 million annually from the combination of the “two-bracket” system and cuts to taxes on the wealthy’s investment income.

• The corporate tax rate was cut to 18 percent, which amounts to a $24 billion tax cut for the Fortune 100.

• In the long term, replace all individual and corporate income taxes with a consumption tax. This could take the form of a value-added tax well above 45 percent, producing an enormous one-time burst of inflation and raising prices. 

You can also see “How Project 2025’s Economic Policies Hurt Families” by the Joint Economic Committee, Democrats.

Continued Need for Expanded Child Tax Credit 

A recent Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report asserts, “States Should Continue Enacting and Expanding Child Tax Credits and Earned Income Tax Credits.” Kiplinger reported, “What's Happening With the New Child Tax Credit?”

These after the August 2024 vote, when the American Families and Worker’s Act of 2024 (TRAFWA) failed to pass the Senate, 12 heart-wrenching votes shy of the 60 votes needed. See what Chairman Wyden said before and after the vote.

The House passed the bill in January 2024 with bipartisan support on a vote of 357 to 70. It was expected to move quickly after that. Unfortunately, it is doubtful that significant tax legislation will pass until the lame-duck session after the November 2024 election. 

You can use UUSJ’s action on the Child Tax Credit to nudge Senators to show compassion for kids and famlies living in poverty.

The Low-Wage Fortune 100 Companies

Review the new report by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), Executive Excess 2024. The report shows key findings by IPS about runaway CEO pay from 2019 through 2023:

• Low-Wage 100 spent $522 billion — over half a trillion dollars — on stock buybacks.

• Nearly half the 100 companies on the list — 47 in all — plowed more corporate cash into buying back their own shares than investing in capital improvements.

• The 20 largest U.S. employers on the list have spent — over the last five years — nine times as much on stock buybacks as on employee retirement plan contributions.

• The average CEO-worker pay ratio at Low-Wage 100 firms narrowed from 603 to 1 in 2022 to 538 to 1 in 2023, but median pay levels remain extremely low.  

The full report, includes tables with detailed data on the Low-Wage 100 corporations. About the author: Sarah Anderson directs the Global Economy Project at the Institute for Policy Studies and co-edits the IPS web site Inequality.org.

Campaign-related Tax Policy Content

• On C-SPAN’s "Washington Journal." Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF) executive director David Kass recently fielded questions about the various campaign tax policies from across the U.S. and political spectrum. (UUSJ is an ATF coalition participant.)
• Harris Backs $5 Trillion In Tax Increases On Wealthy, Corporations, Tax Policy Center
• Billionaire Timothy Mellon has poured $165 million into 2024 elections, Open Secrets
• Kamala Harris’s Tax Policy Evolution, TaxNotes 
• Kamala Harris’s Plan to Exempt Tips from Taxes and Raise the Minimum Wage, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget 
• Voters trust Harris more than Trump on economy, Axios