GOP

Rich Galen: Take great care before eliminating programs in Africa

Jan 12th, 2011 5:19 PM UTC
By Malaka Gharib

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In case you haven’t heard, a prominent group of US political consultants are on a trip to Kenya and Tanzania with ONE. Why? So they can see just how much has been accomplished in health and development in Africa for themselves. We were particularly proud to see that Republican strategist Rich Galen — one of the members of the group — wrote a column about his first experiences in Nairobi on his website, Mullings.

After visiting several Kenyan projects that have benefited from US funding, Mr. Galen wrote:

“At a time when State budgets and the Federal budget are being squeezed through fine fiscal strainers looking for any available dollars, we should take great care before we reduce or eliminate programs which are doing what they were designed to do, within the budgets they were granted, and for which America and Americans are getting due credit.”

Read the rest of his column here and be sure to read his recent blog post on the ONE Blog.

Improving lives, one child at a time

ONE is taking a group of bipartisan politicos on a trip to Kenya and Tanzania to show them just how much has been accomplished in health and development in Africa –- and the challenges that still lie ahead. Republican strategist Rich Galen recounts his first day at a SIDAREC center in Nairobi.

After a working lunch — which included a briefing on what we would be doing and seeing over the next couple of days — and some housekeeping items (don’t forget, we’re leaving the hotel at 0700 Monday morning!), we loaded up the bus and headed off to Kibera, which has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the largest slums on the African Continent. Some estimates have as many as a million people living in the tin huts and worn canvas tents of Kibera.

The visit was to an NGO called the Slums Information and Resource Centers (SIDAREC). While the acronym might be somewhat awkward, the work they are doing is most certainly not. SIDAREC, which operates in three Nairobi slums, was the recipient of the 2009 ONE Award, which has allowed them to expand their operations.

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Get ready — the new young guns are in town!

Deidree with Rep. Cantor

Two nights ago, American University’s Kennedy Political Union hosted a town hall of sorts for the new “young guns” in town — Rep. Paul Ryan, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Eric Cantor — to discuss the upcoming Congress, answer questions from students, and sign copies of their new book, Young Guns. These three Republican public officials will have important roles in the next Congress.

Lauren Conn of ONE and I were able to chat with each of them about ONE and responsible, accountable and proven efforts of our country to fight extreme poverty and global disease.

Deidree with Rep. Ryan and Rep. McCarthy

Last week, Rep. Eric Cantor met with a dozen ONE members from Virginia who were thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with him about ONE’s international life-saving issues. And last night, we were able to give him a copy of the group photo from that day. He told us, “It was a good exchange. Look forward to working with you all!”

Rep. Ryan immediately recognized our ONE shirts, too. As I started to ask that he and Rep. McCarthy, remember the world’s poorest people in the next Congress, he told me “Function 150, I know!” with a laugh and a smile.

As a ONE member, I am grateful for President Bush’s leadership, and his work with both Republicans and Democrats, in efforts to save millions of lives in Africa through PEPFAR and other life-saving programs. I hope the leaders I met last night will continue the legacy of making a better and safer world by fighting extreme poverty and global disease in the poorest places in Africa. No matter who you are, no matter where you come from, everyone should live in a world where children are born free of HIV.

-Deidree Bennett

Sen. Isakson at Georgia Tech’s Back-to-School BBQ

Last week, Sen. Johnny Isakson, (R-Ga.), was on Georgia Tech’s campus for the Back-to-School Barbecue, an event hosted by the Georgia Tech Campus Republicans.

Me talking to the senator before his speech.

As a member of the campus ONE chapter, I took the opportunity to talk to the senator about our commitment to the fight against extreme poverty and disease.

I started out by thanking him for signing onto last year’s letter to President Obama, which asked for a strong foreign affairs budget.

He mentioned that he was on the Africa subcommittee and the Foreign Relations committee and understood the need for a robust foreign affairs budget.

I also took the opportunity to discuss the Global Food Security Act, and told him about the Lugar/Casey letter, which urges senators to bring the Act to the floor before the Senate year.

I requested that he sign on to that letter, because the bill would go a long way in combating poverty in African nations. Overall, the senator was very receptive, especially when we started talking about the Global Fund and its benefits.

Before leaving, I thanked him again and let him know that our Atlanta Congressional District Leaders would follow up with more information with his staff this week.

– Sharad Gopal, ONE member, Georgia

GOP: Debated and ONE-ed

Last night all of the major republican candidates were in New Hampshire for the FOX News and NH GOP “First in the Fall” Debate. ONE Vote’08 was there and we were joined with many ONE members and dedicated volunteers as we rallied outside the Whittemore Center before the debate.

ONE Vote ’08 had the privilege of being a co-sponsor of the debate which included a pre- debate reception that many of our NH ONE Ambassadors and special ONE guests attended. We mingled with some of New Hampshire’s biggest names in politics with a conveniently located ONE banner in the background. We were excited to see Republican Leader Senator Ted Gatsas, State Senator Robert Clegg, and NH ONE Vote 08 ambassadors Jeff Rose, as well as our NH ONE VOTE ’08 co-chair Rich Ashooh.

Thousands of people filed into the Whittemore Center and were handed sponsorship bags that included pamphlets on ONE Vote ’08. 75 of our ONE members and volunteers were able to go inside the debate, all sporting ONE bands, pins, and stickers.

After the debate, one of our staffers joined some of the nation’s most notable reporters and press in the spin room. He had the opportunity to speak with a top adviser to Governor Romney, and speak directly with Senator Brownback and Governor Huckabee. He even saw McCain advisor and special advisor to ONE, Mark McKinnon, who was proudly sporting his ONE band and very interested in ONE VOTE ’08’s on the ground activity.
Michael Castaldo, one of our super volunteers chatted with Soren Dayton a blogger from Eyeon08.org.

-Andrea Synborski