FALL REVIVAL: REV. DR. JEREMIAH WRIGHT, JR.

BERACHAH BAPTIST CHURCH, MAKING A DIFFERENCE! FALL REVIVAL, NOVEMBER 14 & 15 2011, GUEST REVIVALIST, REV. DR. JEREMIAH WRIGHT, JR. PASTOR EMERITUS, TRINITY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, CHICAGO, IL, 7:00PM NIGHTLY, AT 6327 LIMEKILN PIKE, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19138.

What can Pastors and Ministry leaders (you) do? Public Policy

→Pulpit→Pews→People→Polls=Power in 2012! © As the messengers, the Herald’s, the forerunners you know the message cannot be changed. V.E.S.S.E.L.S. incorporates the “us” who are light, who are willing to “give up something to gain something else”, and who in addition to prayer will do the following:

· 1 of 5 = PUBLIC POLICY – This is a “Teachable Moment”! SPEAK UP and do voter education Pastor, Preacher, Minister, Bishop, Elder, Teacher, Evangelist, Doc no matter what, we must, as Disciples of Christ, communicate on the issues that impact all whether single or married, middle class or “potential” class, weak or strong by allowing 5 minutes weekly on topics during Bible study, leadership meetings, Sunday announcement readings to educate, raise awareness and empower.

· 2 of 5 = PULPIT– This is a “Prophetic Moment”! SPEAK UP about voter suppression Pastor, Preacher, Minister, Bishop, Elder, Teacher, Evangelist, Doc whether you know it in your state or not it impacts our ability to fully exercise our right to participate in the political process as a people. Educating all persons of voting age NOW about potential obstacles to voting will motivate proactive action today to avoid challenges, frustration, or disenfranchisement on Election Day. We know “what man meant for evil, God means for good.”

· 3 of 5 = PEW – This is a “Discerning Moment”! SPEAK UP for voter registration Pastor, Preacher, Minister, Bishop, Elder, Teacher, Evangelist, Doc to take place every week between now and the week before the last day to register to make sure every person who can register is registered in your congregation/worship center. The Brennan Center for Justice (www.brennancenter.org) reports new voting laws (photo ID, proof of citizenship, reducing early and absentee days, restoring voting rights) “could make it significantly harder for five million eligible voters to cast ballots in 2012.” Share as never before “no weapon formed against us will prosper!”

· 4 of 5 = PEOPLE – This is a “No Excuse Moment”! SPEAK UP on voter verification and protection Pastor, Preacher, Minister, Bishop, Elder, Teacher, Evangelist, Doc and ask the question “Are You Ready?” Access the congregation and charge them to consistently question others through the use of worship website, Facebook page, twitter, blog, text, monthly newsletters, Saturday-Sunday program/bulletin/remarks/preached word so that the power of love and light and the Good News prevail.

· 5 of 5 = POWER – This is a “Courageous Moment”! SPEAK UP and demand voter participation Pastor, Preacher, Minister, Bishop, Elder, Teacher, Evangelist, Doc from all who are eligible to vote. V.E.S.S.E.L.S. know about sacrifice and the need to sacrifice “other-oriented” time in this election season is imperative. Let us engage and promote for every election “all options” participation - early voting, absentee voting, and Election Day voting. Let us truly “Trust in the Lord, and do good.”

What is the motivation for action?

· Every 1 in 3 African Americans was not registered to vote in 2008[1]

· In 2010, as in 2008, young African Americans led the way in youth voter turnout. Young African Americans voted at a rate of 27.5% compared to 24.9% of young whites, 17.6% of young Latinos and 17.7% of young Asian Americans[2].

· An estimated 2 million African American are ineligible to vote because of state laws regarding formerly incarcerated persons (felons)[3]

… we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed and therefore I spoke,’ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus …” 2 Corinthians 4:7-9; 13a (NKJV)

Why should African American faith leaders care?

“I Am A Vessel and I Vote” is about creating, strengthening V.E.S.S.E.L.S., those you see, and minister, speak, preach to. Those who recognize the Black Church as “my, mine, ours”, members of the 79% who note religion as “very important” and the 76% who pray daily as well as the 53% who attend service at least once a week. (Source: The Pew Research Center in 2007 and the American Religious Identification Survey of 2008). It is about you as clergy, pastors, ministry and laity leaders who are firmly committed to increasing civic participation in communities that traditionally have been disenfranchised or discriminated against. It is for the least, the lost, the down trodden.

… persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed…

Why should African Americans care?

· Federal Debt Reduction Cuts

o 18% of African American children receive Social Security survivor benefits;

o 7.4 million (22.5% of the total) African American families are served by the US governmental Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP], formerly known as food stamps.

· Health Care Reform

o Of the total number of new HIV infections in US women in 2009, 57% occurred in blacks, 21% were in whites, and 16% were in Hispanics/Latinas.;

o 3.9 million African Americans when last reported in 2006 are on Medicare and 24% are Medicaid recipients.

· American Jobs Act

o 20% of the federal employee workforce is African American;

o 16.2% of the unemployment population is African American.

· Pro-Corporate Court

o As a result of corporate spending (Citizens United) in the 2010 elections, states saw an increase in voter suppression (voter identification, purging of voter rolls, disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated persons) laws and activities;

o Labor, employment, and anti-discrimination cases continue to reach roadblocks to justice.

… we are perplexed, but not in despair …

VOTING LAW CHANGES IN 2012

INTRODUCTION

Legislators introduced and passed a record number of bills restricting access to voting this year. New

laws ranged from those requiring government-issued photo identification or documentary proof of

citizenship to vote, to those reducing access to early and absentee voting, to those making it more

difficult to register to vote. In total, at least nineteen laws and two executive actions making it more

difficult to vote passed across the country, at least forty-two bills are still pending, and at least sixtyeight more were introduced but failed.

As detailed in this report, the extent to which states have made voting more difficult is unprecedented

in the last several decades, and comes after a dramatic shift in political power following the 2010

election. The battles over these laws were—and, in states where they are not yet over, continue to

be—extremely partisan and among the most contentious in this year’s legislative session. Proponents of

the laws have offered several reasons for their passage: to prevent fraud, to ease administrative burden,

to save money. Opponents have focused on the fact that the new laws will make it much more difficult

for eligible citizens to vote and to ensure that their votes are counted. In particular, they have pointed

out that many of these laws will disproportionately impact low-income and minority citizens, renters,

and students—eligible voters who already face the biggest hurdles to voting.

This report provides the first comprehensive overview of the state legislative action on voting rights

so far in 2011. It summarizes the legislation introduced and passed this legislative session, provides

political and legal context, and details the contentious political battles surrounding these bills.

Overall, legislators introduced and passed the following measures:

• Photo ID laws. At least thirty-four states introduced legislation that would require voters

to show photo identification in order to vote. Photo ID bills were signed into law in seven

states: Alabama, Kansas, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. By

contrast, before the 2011 legislative session, only two states had ever imposed strict photo ID

requirements. The number of states with laws requiring voters to show government-issued

photo identification has quadrupled in 2011. To put this into context, 11% of American

citizens do not possess a government-issued photo ID; that is over 21 million citizens.

• Proof of citizenship laws. At least twelve states introduced legislation that would require

proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, to register or vote. Proof of citizenship laws

passed in Alabama, Kansas, and Tennessee. Previously, only two states had passed proof of

citizenship laws, and only one had put such a requirement in effect. The number of states with

such a requirement has more than doubled.

• Making voter registration harder. At least thirteen states introduced bills to end highly

popular Election Day and same-day voter registration, limit voter registration mobilization

efforts, and reduce other registration opportunities. Maine passed a law eliminating Election

Day registration, and Ohio ended its weeklong period of same-day voter registration. Florida VOTING LAW CHANGES | 3

and Texas passed laws restricting voter registration drives, and Florida and Wisconsin passed

laws making it more difficult for people who move to stay registered and vote.

• Reducing early and absentee days. At least nine states introduced bills to reduce their early

voting periods, and four tried to reduce absentee voting opportunities. Florida, Georgia, Ohio,

Tennessee, and West Virginia succeeded in enacting bills reducing early voting.

• Making it harder to restore voting rights. Two states—Florida and Iowa—reversed prior

executive actions that made it easier for citizens with past felony convictions to restore their

voting rights, affecting hundreds of thousands of voters. In effect, both states now permanently

disenfranchise most citizens with past felony convictions

THIS IS WHY, WE NEED YOU TO VOTE! RALLY TODAY IN HARRISBURG.

Pennsylvania Update

State house passed photo ID bill in June, sent to Senate for consideration. Senate in session this week then off until October. House version of bill likely to be amended – would include broadening forms ID, not clear if non photo ID would be included. But everyone will have to show ID and poll workers will have to sign and confirm that person showed ID. Fair # of Senators on fence about the bill – pressure has been on them all summer.

Reps want to have ID bill on Governor’s desk by November – so they are having a rally on Oct. 19 in Harrisburg. Are trying to identify people who don’t have required ID and it would be difficult to get. Need those stories told. Problem has been identifying people who are willing to speak!!!

Two major recent changes : 1. Senate Majority leader – wants to introduce proposal that would change how electoral votes are allocated – right now winner takes all he wants them distributed via winner of each Congressional district 2. Some state Republicans want to completely dismantle both the Electoral College and the voter ID bill

Redistricting Commission has not submitted its proposed maps

Will lose Congressional seat – go down from 19 to 18 and 12 of those seats are Republican

RETURNING CITIZENS (EX-OFFENDERS) SUPPORT SUMMIT

1st Annual

RETURNING CITIZENS

(EX-OFFENDERS)

SUPPORT SUMMIT

Keynote Speaker: State Representative Kenyatta Johnson

Saturday-November 5, 2011

9:00am – 4:00pm

Refreshments will be provided

Berean Institute

1901 W. Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19130

Sheet Metal Union Pre-Apprenticeship Program

GED & College Enrollment

Employment & Resume Preparation

Barber/Cosmetology Training

Entrepreneurship

Voter Registration

Criminal Record Expungement

VOTE! REMEMBER WHAT THEY DID TO DR. ACKERMAN AND OUR CHILDREN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM!

“All of us wish to acknowledge the substantial debt we owe Dr. Ackerman for her hard work and dedicated service to the District. In 2008, when she was recruited to leave her tenured professorship and come to Philadelphia, less than 50 percent of the District’s students were at or above statewide standards for reading and math proficiency. Dr. Ackerman immediately set out a comprehensive plan to target reforms that would close the achievement gap while raising the District’s performance across the board. The aggressiveness of Dr. Ackerman’s five-year strategic plan, Imagine 2014, was outweighed solely by her personal commitment to demonstrating that given the right systemic reforms, all of our children can achieve.

“We see tangible evidence of the progress the District has made toward that goal in just three short years under Dr. Ackerman’s leadership. Dr. Ackerman and her team earned praise from President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan for an intervention approach aimed at turning around the District’s struggling schools under the Empowerment, Renaissance and Promise Academy initiatives. Dr. Ackerman did not shy away from taking on the tough issues that had been neglected for decades such as rightsizing the District through a five-year master facilities plan aimed at better utilizing our resources and implementing new accountability measures for staff. And Dr. Ackerman demonstrated real results: three years of gains in test scores; a 29% decline in violent incidents; 7% gains in the six-year graduation rates; and lastly, Parent University where more than 40,000 parents took courses throughout the past three years.

Philadelphians! VOTE! EX-OFFENDERS CAN VOTE IN THE STATE OF PA! V.E.S.S.E.L.S

November 08, 2011 is V-Day: ARE YOU READY TO BE A VESSEL? ARE YOU READY TO VOTE?

V.E.S.S.E.L.S ARE PEOPLE OF FAITH - CLERGY, PASTORS, MINISTERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, MEN, WOMEN, AND YOUNG ADULTS - FIRMLY COMMITTED TO INCREASING CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED OR DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.

REMEMBER WHAT THEY DID TO DR. ACKERMAN AND OUR CHILDREN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. CITY HALL IS MORE CONCERN ABOUT PHILADELPHIA POLITICS THAN OUR CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOL.

YOUR VOTE COUNT AND YOUR CAN CHANGE THIS CITY!

BE A V.E.S.S.E.L.

Warren Buffett Would Most Likely Pay No Income Tax Under Herman Cain's '999' Tax Plan: Analysis

Warren Buffett might want to pay more taxes, but if Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain gets elected, Buffett might not pay any taxes at all.

If implemented, Cain's "999" tax plan would eliminate taxes on capital gains, significantly reducing Buffett's tax rate because his ordinary income, outside of capital gains, comes to about $4.9 million. Cain's plan would cap corporate, income and sales tax at 9 percent. According to an analysis prepared for Yahoo's Lookout by the American Institute of Certified Public accountants, the 999 plan would leave Buffett paying around $440,000 in income tax, or 1.1 percent of his approximate $40 million in currently taxable income.

As ThinkProgress notes, after deducting charitable deductions, which Cain plans to preserve in his tax plan, Buffett would likely pay no income taxes at all under 999. While the Berkshire Hathaway CEO hasn't disclosed all of charitable donations, it seems likely they would surpass his taxes.

The prospect of Buffet paying no taxes might shock, especially in the face of his recent commentary. Inhis August New York Times op-ed, he stated that the $6,938,744 (or 17.4 percent of his taxable income) he paid in taxes last year wasn't enough.

Melissa Labant, the accountant who prepared the analysis for Yahoo, did note some potential flaws in the calculations. However, the rough estimate is pretty accurate, based upon the information Buffett has released, and the scarce details of the plan Cain has touted:

For instance, Buffett may or may not be subject to the alternative minimum tax, and he may or may not have foreign tax credits created by taxes he paid in other countries. We also don't know the exact amount of his charitable giving. Nor do we know whether Cain's plan would exempt all such giving, or make distinctions between different types of contributions, as some tax systems do.

This latest revelation is just one of the ways critics have derided the 999 plan as Cain has risen in the polls. Critics have been quick to point out that under this plan, some, especially less affluent Americans, would see a rise in taxes.

Currently, tax cuts for the rich cost Americans about $11.6 million every hour. Under "999" it's possible that that expense could get even larger wealthy, though federal corporate and sales tax percentages set at 9 percent may offset the number to some degree.

The possibility that millionaires and billionaires such as Buffett may pay no income taxes is coming at a time when many Americans are calling for higher taxes on the wealthy. A recent study showed that a quarter of millionaires actually pay less in taxes than some of the middle class.

On Ellis Island, African American Ministers Leadership Council Are First to Sign Immigration Reform Covenant

By Miranda | May 7, 2010 - 2:07pm

Members of the African American Ministers Leadership Council and African American Ministers in Action gathered on Ellis Island to sign an immigration reform covenant.

On Wednesday, members of People For the American Way Foundation’s African American Ministers Leadership Council (AAMLC) and African American Ministers In Action (AAMIA) gathered on Ellis Island to pledge their unified support for a dignified, just, and tolerant approach to reforming the country’s immigration laws. The ministers, from five states and diverse denominations, were the first to sign a multi-faith covenant calling for “immigration dialogue and reform that will inspire hope, unite families, secure borders, ensure dignity and provide a legal avenue for all of God’s children working and desiring to reside in this country to drink from the well of justice and equal protection under the law.”

The covenant, which lays out seven principles for a respectful immigration reform debate, will be circulated among faith leaders of diverse traditions and ethnicities across the United States.

“We believe immigration reform is important for this nation. As faith leaders from various faith traditions, we stand united with one message and that is a message of love,” said Leslie Watson Malachi, director of African American Religious Affairs.

Watson Malachi put together the covenant in response to what she called the “increasingly nasty and divisive political and social tone of the immigration debate.”

Rev. Robert Shine

“For years, we have witnessed rhetoric around immigration reform that is deceptive, harmful, and pits communities against each other,” she said. “What took place in Arizona last month, when the state essentially legalized racial profiling in the name of immigration reform, demonstrated the mean-spirited, inhospitable atmosphere that is moving across state lines. This covenant is a statement that faith leaders will reclaim civility, lead a genuine, compassionate conversation, and not stand for racially divisive tactics that undermine the dignity of human beings.”

Members of the AAMLC were quick to sign on.

“We are concerned about all people, from all walks of life, all backgrounds, all races, all nationalities, ethnic origins, etc.,” said Reverend Melvin Wilson of St. Luke AME Church in New York, one of the original signers, “But the tone of the current discussion of immigration has been so negative, so divisive, we are just not going to sit idly by and let the talking heads speak without providing a counter-voice.”

Rev. Patrick Young signs the covenant as Rev. Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness looks on.

“To sign this covenant is important for multiple reasons,” said Reverend Byron Williams, of Resurrection Church in Oakland, California, who was among the first leaders to add his name to the document. “First of all, it’s important on the issues of equality, and justice, and fairness and dignity. But it also makes an important statement that we have African American pastors coming together. Our ancestry does not take us by Ellis Island, but the concept of liberty is one that’s as deep in our community as it is for anyone that’s come to these shores looking for a better life. It’s those deeply held values of liberty, justice and fairness that are the bedrock of American principles.”

Watson Malachi plans to continue promoting the messages of unity and dignity through education and awareness efforts that include informative dialogue sessions, roundtable conversations with faith leaders from African, Caribbean, Latino, African American and other communities.

The full text of the covenant can be found here.

People For’s report on divisive and dishonest rhetoric in the debate on immigration reform is here.

Seven Things African American Clergy and Faith Leaders Can Do to Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform

“…let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds

and praise your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 6:15 (NIV)

• Commit to learning more about this very complex issue. Immigration reform is about human rights,

human dignity, exploitation of low-wage labor, and a broken system that has not been fixed.

• Create opportunities for dialogue with members of your church, community and denomination to learn

about immigrant communities, culture, faith and contributions to this nation from all over the world.

• Challenge publicly and from the pulpit misinformation. Take a stand against forces of intolerance, hate

and those who insult the intelligence of African American people. Our ministries and messages are to help

and not harm.

• Connect with men and women of faith from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America for example

for a Missions/Unity Day, unity service to share the Good News in a transforming way.

• Communicate values of equality and fairness. We need a system that upholds our nation’s values and

moves us closer together. That means a system where undocumented immigrants can register, unite with

families and apply for citizenship without fear or intimidation.

• Call or email the office of your Member of Congress and invite them to come out to share what’s

happening and why Immigration Reform is important to all people in order to truly be “one nation under

God”.

• Consciously pray. One of the central messages from President Obama has been “our policies must

recognize that we’re all in it together.” Lift up prayers often for wisdom, guidance and reform to unify

neighborhoods, communities, cities, states and this nation.

Where does your candidate stand on these "talking points"? Ask them before you vote for them.

1.Support of the ban on "the sale or possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, defined in the bill as 'a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of, or that can be ready restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition.' Military personnel and police would be exempt from the ban." (HR 308)

• Firearm homicide is the leading cause of death for African Americans ages 1-44.
• African Americans make up 13% of the U.S. population, but in 2007 suffered over 26% of all firearm death-and over 55% of all firearm homicides. Guns, no matter what type, in the hands of the wrong person cause pain, suffering and death.

2.Support for the Paycheck Fairness Act, part of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964 to provide equivalent safeguards for women as for other victims of workplace pay discrimination.

• For every dollar a man makes, a women makes just $.75. Its time to close the wage gap and help families.
• Eliminating pay discrimination is good for employees and employers.

3.Support for the Affordable Health Care Act signed in 2010 that has given Americans, especially African Americans and the poor, more freedom, more benefits and more control over their health care choices.

• Public health programs should help with quality prevention and care.
• Public health programs should profit the people and not insurance companies.

4.Support for public education and the reauthorization of the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) so that every child received what he or she deserves a great public school.

• Put dignity back into the public school system by listening to educators- test score do not full needs of children.
• Listen to parents-they support putting in, not taking out funding for public schools.
  5.Support for amending the National Labor Relations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts, and for other purposes.
  
  • The Employee Free Choice Act is critical to putting the economy back on track by supporting American workers.
  • A good faith relationship between employees and employers is good for business, families and the country.
  
  6.Support for compassion and recognition for the American Citizenship clause as it currently is provided for in the 14th Amendment that explicitly state that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."
  
  • Every child born in the United States should have civil and human rights protection.
  • Ending discrimination towards "the stranger" is a moral imperative.
  
  7.Support for genuine investment of resources in assuring the passage of a responsible federal budget that helps millions of families still hurt by unemployment, by sustaining/increasing and not slashing job training and education, infrastructure and technological investments, emergency food and shelter, and home heating assistance.
  
  • Shutting down the federal government should not be an option to a balanced budget.
  • Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is not limited to the least vulnerable.
    8.Support for a Constitutional Amendment to reverse of the 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United that lifted restrictions on corporate influence in elections and warrant a call for a constitutional amendment to reverse it.
    
• Corporations are not people.
• Protect democracy!

9.Support for financial literacy and reduce consumer debt reduction that provides for protection from corporate exploitation.

• Invest in a vision that help American Families to become financially successful.
• Ensure business work with consumers and not against consumers.

Gridlock Derails Jobs Debate!

Dear Friends,

Gridlock in the Congress has again halted efforts to put Pennsylvanians back to work. Tonight’s vote wasn’t even on passage of the jobs bill. It was on whether to begin debate.

The opposition to even debating the jobs bill is disappointing, but not unexpected. Partisan gridlock has become the norm in Washington. That is why a month ago I called for the jobs bill to be broken up.

The Senate should immediately begin a series of votes on measures to create jobs, starting with the tax cut to help businesses hire workers. This tax cut is similar to my Small Business Job Creation Tax Credit Act and is a concept that has broad support. CBO has looked at this kind of proposal in the past and said it is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to increase employment and boost economic growth. And economist Alan Blinder, a former Vice Chairman of the Fed, has said that – if he could do just one thing to jumpstart the economy – he would enact a large-scale tax credit to incentivize new hiring.

With over half a million Pennsylvanians and 14 million Americans out of work there is no time to waste. Congress needs to get moving now on some common-sense job creation measures that can gain support and put people back to work.

Sincerely,

To provide new incentives for small firms to hire, Senator Casey introduced the Small Business Job Creation Tax Credit Act. This bill would create a one-year quarterly tax credit equal to 20 percent of the total increase in employee wages. Firms can benefit from the credit by increasing their hiring, increasing the hours of employees, or increasing employee wages. Last week, Senator Casey chaired a roundtable on “Tax Incentives to Bolster Job Creation and Strengthen the Economy” where experts discussed the job creation tax credit and other measures to spur hiring and economic growth.

To encourage small and medium-sized businesses to invest in life sciences R&D, Senator Casey introduced the bipartisan Life Sciences Jobs and Investment Act that doubles the R&D tax credit on the first $150 million of R&D in life sciences.

Clergy and Religious Leaders Sign-On Letter YES, I want the President to keep his promises!

http://www.au.org/take-action/activist/clergy-sign-on-letter.html

Clergy and Religious Leaders Sign-On Letter

YES, I want the President to keep his promises!

With my fellow religious leaders, I urge reforms to government funding of faith-based organizations.

MICAH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Dear Beloved,

I would like to invite you to our Micah Leadership Council this Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 2:00 pm, at 6327 Limekiln Pike, Berachah Baptist Church, Phila., PA 19138, Pastor Robert P. Shine. The Micah Leadership Council provide wonderful opportunities to meet fellow clergy and get to know them better and to have a close-knit group for social justice, civic engagement, self-identified as progressive, engaging in the community, and other events the group may get involved in. Perhaps most importantly, for many of us it has become a place of equipping, fellowshiping, encouragement, and prayer support. We seek to know and do God's will and to be led by His Holy Spirit in all we do for our community.

Being a part of a Micah Leadership Council is an excellent way to increase your involvement with the community and to learn more about all the environmental justice and activities Micah Leadership Council is involved in. We believe you would be blessed by the group and be a blessing to all of us! We are a varied group and each of us brings something different to the group dynamic. We would love to have you join us for any of our meetings.

If we can give you more information or answer any questions you may have, please give me a call at 267.252.5348. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Yours in Christ,

THANK YOU MIKE COUCH FOR HELPING ME AND MY FAMILY!

Here’s your chance to discover why experts are saying that this company will do more business in the next 36 months, than they’ve done in the first 36 years! It’s the opportunity of a lifetime for anyone even considering starting a home based business! http://www.mikecouch.buildlastingsuccess.com/

THE IMPACT FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES AND THE ECONOMY

THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT:

THE IMPACT FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES AND THE ECONOMY

The American Jobs Act reflects a commitment to strengthen the recovery and help increase

access to jobs for all Americans. With unemployment among African-Americans at an

unacceptably high rate of 16.7 percent – and 1.4 million African-Americans out of work for

more than six months – the President believes that inaction is not an option. That’s why the

President is putting out a plan to increase the pace of job creation, and why he is committed to

fighting for Congress to act on this plan. These measures – which will expand opportunities for

the long-term unemployed to reenter the workforce, provide incentives for businesses to hire,

and make investments in revitalizing schools, infrastructure and neighborhoods – will help create

new job opportunities in African-American communities and across the country. For example:

 The extension of unemployment insurance will benefit 1.4 million African-

Americans and their families. At the same time, the President is proposing bipartisan

reforms that will enable that – as these families continue to receive UI benefits – the

program is better tailored to support reemployment for the long-term unemployed.

 Targeted support for the long-term unemployed could help the 1.4 million African-

Americans who have been looking for work for more than six months: To help them

in their search for work, the President is calling for a new tax credit for hiring the longterm

unemployed.

 A commitment to rebuilding and revitalizing communities across the country will

target investments to the communities hardest-hit by the recession. The President’s

investments in infrastructure include a school construction initiative with a significant

commitment to the largest urban school districts, an investment in revitalizing

communities that have been devastated by foreclosures, and a new initiative to expand

infrastructure employment opportunities for minorities, women, and socially and

economically disadvantaged individuals.

 Support for subsidized jobs and summer/year-round jobs for African-American

youth – for whom unemployment is above 30%. In an environment with an

unemployment rate of 32.4% for African-American youths, the President is proposing to

build on successful programs like the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund to create jobs

and provide training for those hardest-hit by the recession.

 An extension and expansion of the payroll tax cut for nearly 20 million African-

American workers. By extending the payroll tax cut for employees next year and

expanding it to cut payroll taxes in half, the President’s plan will help increase the

paychecks of nearly 20 million African-American workers – providing them with more

money to spend in their communities.

2

WHAT THE PLAN WILL DO

Tax Cuts to Help African-American Owned Small Businesses Hire and Grow

 Providing Tax Cuts That Will Help Over 100,000 African-American Owned Small

Businesses: The President is proposing tax cuts that will go to every small business

nationwide – including over 100,000 African-American-owned small businesses. These

tax cuts will cut employer payroll taxes in half for these businesses, provide them with an

added bonus for increasing their payroll, and extend 100% expensing provisions that

provide an incentive for investment.

Example: A small business has 40 employees, with an average salary of $40,000 a

year – meaning a total payroll of $1.6 million. The business adds another 20

employees with the same average salary. Under the President’s plan, the business

would receive a $49,600 tax cut on the payroll taxes of its existing employees,

and another $49,600 tax cut due to the new employees.

 Helping African-American-Owned Small Businesses Access Capital and Grow: The

President’s plan includes administrative, regulatory and legislative measures – including

those developed and recommended by the President’s Jobs Council – to help small firms

start and expand. This includes changing the way the government does business with

small firms and working with the SEC to conduct a comprehensive review of securities

regulations from the perspective of these small companies to reduce the regulatory

burdens on small business capital formation in ways that are consistent with investor

protection. In addition, the President is calling for comprehensive patent reform,

increased guarantees for bonds to help small businesses compete for infrastructure

projects and the removal of burdensome withholding requirements that keep capital out

of the hands of job creators.

Putting African-American Workers Back on the Job While Rebuilding and Modernizing

America

 Project Rebuild: Putting People Back to Work Rehabilitating Homes, Businesses and

Communities. The President is proposing to invest $15 billion in a national effort to put

construction workers on the job rehabilitating and refurbishing hundreds of thousands of

vacant and foreclosed homes and businesses. Building on proven approaches to

stabilizing neighborhoods with high concentrations of foreclosures, Project Rebuild will

bring in expertise and capital from the private sector, focus on commercial and residential

property improvements, and expand innovative property solutions like land banks. This

approach will not only create construction jobs but will help reduce blight and crime and

stabilize housing prices in areas hardest hit by the housing crisis.

 Targeted Investments to Modernize Schools Serving Low-Income Students – From

Science Labs and Internet-Ready Classrooms to Renovated Facilities: The President is

proposing a $25 billion investment in school infrastructure that will modernize at least

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35,000 public schools – investments that will create jobs, while improving classrooms

and upgrading our schools to meet 21st century needs. Funds could be used for a range of

emergency repair and renovation projects, greening and energy efficiency upgrades,

asbestos abatement and removal, and modernization efforts to build new science and

computer labs and to upgrade technology in our schools. And they would be targeted at

the lowest-income districts – with 40 percent, or $10 billion, directed towards the 100

largest high-need public school districts. The President is also proposing a $5 billion

investment in modernizing community colleges, bolstering their infrastructure in this

time of need while ensuring their ability to serve future generations of students and

communities.

 Putting Construction Workers Back on the Job By Modernizing Infrastructure – With a

Focus on Expanding Access to These Jobs: In order to jump start critical infrastructure

projects and create hundreds of thousands of jobs, the President’s plan includes $50

billion in immediate investments for highway, highway safety, transit, passenger rail, and

aviation activities – with one fifth of the funding advancing a transformation of how we

finance transportation infrastructure and what we finance. To ensure that the employment

benefits of these projects can be broadly shared, the President’s plan would invest an

additional $50 million in 2012 to enhance employment and job training opportunities for

minorities, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in

transportation related activities, including construction, contract administration,

inspection, and security. His plan will also invest an additional $10 million in 2012 to

help minority-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises gain better access to

transportation contracts. And it will ensure that infrastructure investments allow for the

hiring of local workers, to maximize economic benefits for communities where projects

are located.

 Preventing Layoffs of Teachers, Cops and Firefighters: The President is proposing to

invest $35 billion to prevent layoffs of up to 280,000 teachers, while supporting the

hiring of tens of thousands more and keeping cops and firefighters on the job. These

funds would help states and localities avoid and reverse layoffs now, requiring that funds

be drawn down quickly. Under the President’s proposal, $30 billion be directed towards

educators and $5 billion would go to the cops and firefighters who keep our communities

safe.

 Tax Credits and Career Readiness Efforts to Support Veterans’ Hiring: The President is

proposing a Returning Heroes Tax Credit of up to $5,600 for hiring unemployed veterans

who have been looking for a job for more than six months, and a Wounded Warriors Tax

Credit of up to $9,600 for hiring unemployed workers with service-connected disabilities

who have been looking for a job for more than six months, while creating a new task

force to maximize career readiness of servicemembers.

Pathways Back to Work for African-Americans Looking for Jobs

 Extending Unemployment Insurance So That 1.4 Million African-Americans Looking For

Work Do Not Lose Their Benefits: In December, the President successfully fought for

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unemployment insurance to be extended. The President has called for a further extension

into 2012 to prevent 1.4 million African-Americans from losing their benefits next year.

 Targeted Support to Help The Long-Term Unemployed Get Back to Work: The recession

pushed long-term unemployment rates to its highest levels since the Great Depression –

with an estimated 1.4 million African-Americans out of work for more than six months.

The President’s plan is targeted directly at helping these Americans get back to work by,

for example:

o Tax Credits for Hiring the Long-Term Unemployed: The President is proposing a

tax credit to provide up to $4,000 for hiring workers who have been looking for a

job for over six months.

o “Bridge to Work” Programs: States will be able to put in place reforms that build

off what works in programs like Georgia Works or Opportunity North Carolina,

while instituting important fixes and reforms that ensure minimum wage and fair

labor protections are being enforced. These approaches permits long-term

unemployed workers to continue receiving UI while they take temporary,

voluntary work or pursue work-based training. The President’s plan requires

compliance with applicable minimum wage and other worker rights laws.

o Wage Insurance: States will be able to use UI to encourage older, long-term

unemployed Americans to return to work in new industries or occupations.

o Startup Assistance: States will have flexibility to help long-term unemployed

workers create their own jobs by starting their own small businesses.

o Other Reemployment Reforms: States will be able to seek waivers from the

Secretary of Labor to implement other innovative reforms to connect the longterm

unemployed to work opportunities.

 Prohibiting Employers from Discriminating Against Unemployed Workers: The

President’s plan calls for legislation that would make it unlawful to refuse to hire

applicants solely because they are unemployed or to include in a job posting a provision

that unemployed persons will not be considered. Members of the Congressional Black

Caucus have also proposed making discrimination against the unemployed illegal, in

response to “widespread reports of job listings that explicitly exclude unemployed

applicants.”

 Investing in Low-Income Youth and Adults: The President is proposing a new Pathways

Back to Work Fund to provide hundreds of thousands of low-income youth and adults

with opportunities to work and to achieve needed training in growth industries. The

Initiative will do three things:

o Support for Summer and Year-Round Jobs for Youth: The Recovery Act provided

over 367,000 summer job opportunities through the public workforce investment

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system to young people in the summers of 2009 and 2010. Such programs not only

provided young people with their first paycheck, but taught them life-long

employment skills. Building on this success, the new Pathways Back to Work Fund

will provide states with support for summer job programs for low-income youth in

2012, and year-round employment for economically disadvantaged young adults.

o Subsidized Employment Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals Who Are

Unemployed: This effort builds off the successful TANF Emergency Contingency

Fund wage subsidy program that supported 260,000 jobs through the recovery.

According to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), this

flexible program allowed States to reduce the cost and risk associated with new

hiring, encouraging private-sector businesses to hire new workers.

o Support for Local Efforts to Implement Promising Work-Based Strategies and to

Provide Training Opportunities: This initiative would support efforts that have good

records of placing low-income adults and youths in jobs quickly. Local officials, in

partnership with local workforce boards, business, community colleges, and other

partners, will be able to apply for funding to support promising strategies designed to

lead to employment in the short-term.

More Money in the Pockets of Every African-American Worker, Supporting Local

Communities

 Cutting the Payroll Tax Next Year — Benefitting Nearly 20 Million African-American

Workers: The President is proposing to extend and expand the payroll tax cut passed last

December, increasing it to 3.1% for 2012. In total, this will help nearly 20 million

African-American workers who pay payroll taxes.

Example: A household with $33,000 in income – near the median for African-

American households nationwide – would typically pay about $2,050 in Social

Security taxes. In 2011, that household would receive a payroll tax cut of $660.

By expanding the payroll tax cut, that household will receive over $1,000.

Fully Paid for As Part of the President’s Long-Term Deficit Reduction Plan

 To ensure that the American Jobs Act is fully paid for, the President will call on the Joint

Committee to come up with additional deficit reduction necessary to pay for the Act and

still meet its deficit target. The President will, in the coming days, release a detailed plan

that will show how we can do that while achieving the additional deficit reduction

necessary to meet the President’s broader goal of stabilizing our debt as a share of the

economy.

A State by State Look at the American Jobs Act

The purpose of the American Jobs Act, which President Obama presented to Congress last night, is simple: Put more people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans. The President's plan will rebuild the economy the American way -- based on balance, fairness and the same set of rules for everyone from Wall Street to Main Street.

The American Jobs Act offers benefits for workers and for business owners -- to see what impact the Jobs Act will have in your community, click on the link below for your state.

Alabama	Alaska	Arizona	Arkansas
California	Colorado	Connecticut	Delaware
District of Columbia	Florida	Georgia	Hawaii
Idaho	Illinois	Indiana	Iowa
Kansas	Kentucky	Louisiana	Maine
Maryland	Massachusetts	Michigan	Minnesota
Mississippi	Missouri	Montana	Nebraska
Nevada	New Hampshire	New Jersey	New Mexico
New York	North Carolina	North Dakota	Ohio
Oklahoma	Oregon	Pennsylvania	Rhode Island
South Carolina	South Dakota	Tennessee	Texas
Utah	Vermont	Virginia	Washington
West Virginia	Wisconsin	Wyoming

Find out more about the American Jobs Act