As many of you know, our Roundtable has focused on the Federal Budget for well over a year. We have studied the process and the ins and outs of writing a federal budget. We have reflected on what we and many others believe is a MORAL DOCUMENT that reflects our nations values. We have offered this in prayer in not only light of the GOSPEL CALL of Jesus Christ to serve the least of these, but in light our human need to BE community for all. In the past year we have supported the message of NUNS ON THE BUS, we have committed to praying daily at noon for this cause, and many of us vigil each Friday at 4 PM on the streets of Youngstown to raise awareness of this issue. And now, we are seeking 100 letters to our our Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman and our local Congressional Representatives Bill Johnson and Tim Ryan, pleading for a budget revision that sustains or increases the ‘safety net’ for the most vulnerable and decreases Pentagon spending (currently more than 62% of budget). To achieve this goal we will open the House for letter writing with our guests and volunteers February 18, 19, 20 & 21 from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM. Members of the Roundtable will be there each day to assist folks with their letters. (ClickLocal Office Addresses for Ohio Reps for our Representative and Senator local mailing addresses.)
So often we feel ‘powerless’ in the face of Government; like voting, this is our opportunity to speak truth to power!
Dorothy Day House will provide: stationary, envelopes with address labels, pens and stamps. Roundtable members will collect letters and mail each day. Our work in learning and advocating for a “Faithful Budget” whether at the roundtable, at the Federal Plaza , or with “Nuns on the Bus” has been long and filled with new opportunities! This aspect is fast coming to a ’close.’ Know that we are taking this action in conjunction with the Quakers and their Friends Committee on National Legislation who are blitzing Congress with letters that week; they are our model in peaceful resistance to injustice. In fact they have a very creative campaign, “What Are Your Priorities?” that we also will be using. Check it out here and find the downloadable sign here! If you create a poster with your picture, please share it on our Facebook page also or email it to us and we will post it on the website!
In addition, we have used resources from the New Priorities Website that we think are excellent! Below are links to this website as well as some of the information that we found particularly relevant.
The above information is from the National Priorities Network