March 6th, 2008 at 10:21 am | posted by Virginia Simmons
A major piece, with a major ONE shout-out, from Nicholas D. Kristof in the Times today.
But President Bush’s record underscores that other policies are difficult to get right as well: Iraq is a mess, and social security reform and immigration reform both failed. Mr. Bush’s greatest single accomplishment is that his AIDS program in Africa is saving millions of lives.
That makes it all the more stunning that Mr. Bush’s proposed budget for 2009 cuts U.S. funding for child and maternal health programs around the world by nearly 18 percent.
Fortunately, all the candidates are saying the right things about malaria, AIDS and support for education in Africa (although John McCain is fuzzier about commitments). You can compare the candidates’ positions on global humanitarian issues at www.onevote08.org.
Voters should remember this: A president may or may not be able to improve schools or protect manufacturing jobs in Ohio, but a president probably could help wipe out malaria. Compared with other challenges a president faces, saving a million children’s lives a year is the low-hanging fruit.
Read the full piece here, and remember to look through ONE Action’s “On The Record” site to learn the candidates’ plans to fight global poverty.
New Hampshire was still digging out from a weekend snow blast, but that did not stop Rudy Giuliani from campaigning this week…nor did it stop Michael Castaldo, ONE’s Marine, from making it out on the campaign trail for the poorest people on Earth.
Mayor Giuliani had only one scheduled campaign event on Monday - and it was at a NH business and closed to the public. But Michael figured that the mayor may make some “unannounced” stops while he was in the Dover area.
He send me this:
I called a friend that was “in the know” about Rudy and he told me the Mayor was going to do an editorial board meeting at Foster’s Daily Democrat in Dover, but that right now, he was on his way to the “Christmas Dove” in Barrington… 5 miles from my house! So a quick shower and shave, and I was on the move! The owners of the shop are ONE members and were sad they did not have their ONE shirts on! But they were glad to get another band as was their two year old daughter.
When the Mayor arrived, he shook my hand, and I was able to ask him if he would agree to make a video to go “On the Record”. He told me he would be glad to, and that he would get in touch with HQ on the subject. Later after choosing a Santa clause character for his house, he posed for a photo with me.
The snow is here in NH but that doesn’t stop ONE Vote ‘08 and the voices of 2.4 million ONE members that are making sure the next president of the United States is a leader in the fight against global disease, and extreme - stupid - poverty. Way to Michael!
December 20th, 2007 at 11:41 am | posted by Virginia Simmons
ONE member Brianna Shepard from Santa Monica, CA, wrote this letter to a likely Iowa caucus-goer. We liked the letter so much that we’re amplifying her voice by mailing it to 8,000 more Iowans.
I am writing you from Santa Monica California, a long way from Iowa. You may have guessed in this political season that this is a political note — it is, but with a different message which I am hopeful you will read.
In this letter I am not asking you to vote for a particular candidate, or even a party. I am asking you, a fellow citizen, to take a few minutes to consider extreme poverty and global disease and how our presidential candidates plan to put the leadership of our great country to work, to help millions of people around the world lift themselves out of poverty.
As a concerned ONE member, an organization with 2.4 million members including thousands in Iowa, I am asking you to find out where the candidates stand on issues of extreme poverty and global disease by visiting ONE Action’s On The Record campaign at www.onevote08.org/otr which has video from the presidential candidates and a tool that lets you compare their plans to achieve the following goals:
• Reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis;
• Eradicating malaria;
• Improving child and maternal health;
• Achieving universal primary education;
• Cutting in half the number of people without clean water or enough food.
Helping people help themselves, by ending extreme poverty and global disease, is the right thing to do, no matter which candidate you vote for. So, when you go into your caucus, I ask you to please think about which candidate has the best plan to tackle these important issues and to help change our entire world for the better.
Thank you for your concern.
Sincerely,
Brianna Shepard, ONE member
Santa Monica, CA
December 20th, 2007 at 11:35 am | posted by Virginia Simmons
ONE member Ray O’Boyle of Rheems, PA, wrote this note to a likely Iowa voter.
My name is Ray O’Boyle and I’m from Pennsylvania. I know it’s pretty far from Iowa, but I have been watching both political parties’ debates recently especially the one in your state the other day. I am writing because you folks will contribute to the direction the campaigns focus on from your caucuses. I am concerned about the direction the next administration takes in regards to the poorest of us throughout the world. The issues of extreme poverty, global disease, and intervening in regional genocide are very important to me and many Americans who are members of ONE. I am requesting you to find out where the candidates stand on these issues before you decide who you’re backing. Please visit www.onevote08.org/otr to see what position the candidates support.
The United States probably contributes more resources to help other people throughout the world than any other country. I think we truly need to continue to aid people in extreme poverty. It is a great humanitarian legacy to be proud of.
We are all part of global humanity. I believe we can make a difference. It is a privilege to continue to take the lead throughout the world in these efforts as a country.
Thank you for your consideration. I appreciate your efforts in continuing the traditions of government by the people and for the people. I intend to vote my conscience when my opportunity comes here in Pennsylvania too.
We had a couple of great opportunities to meet with the Obama campaign last week.
On Monday, Senator Obama was in Las Vegas to rally students and young voters. During the event he spoke about the need to help the world’s poor by fighting HIV AIDS and educating children who don’t have access to free education.
After Obama spoke I was able to shake his hand and thank him for going “on the record” for ONE. He said, “Absolutely, I was happy to do it. It’s important.”
On Saturday the Obama campaign and the ONE UNLV Club held a foreign policy forum with Samantha Power. Samantha is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, a professor at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a senior advisor for Senator Obama.
She spoke extensively about US foreign policy, Darfur, and about the ONE Campaign’s goals to eradicate extreme poverty and disease. Many of our volunteers were able attend and engage in a great discussion about why the issues of global disease, hunger, child & maternal health, and education should be a priority for the next president.
Samantha had just returned from speaking to our fellow ONE members in South Carolina and we were happy that she took some time to visit us in Nevada as well!
On Saturday morning I attended a rally for Governor Mike Huckabee at Lizard’s Thicket (yes, this is a restaurant!) in Columbia, SC. It was our first encounter with the Governor since he went “On The Record” for ONE.
I thanked him for participating. He told me that he enjoyed the opportunity and said that making the presidential candidates go on the record about our issues is a great idea. Although we were not able to take a photo with him, we did present him another ONE band, which he gladly accepted it.
December 6th, 2007 at 11:59 am | posted by Virginia Simmons
Throughout November 2007, ONE members sent tens of thousands of petitions to the presidential candidates asking them to go on the record with their plans to combat extreme poverty and global disease.
Now we have their replies - and we’ve put them into ONE Action’s brand new “On The Record”website.
Use the site to watch each of the candidates’ personal video responses to ONE members and their 50-word plans on:
* Reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis;
* Eradicating malaria;
* Improving child and maternal health;
* Achieving universal primary education; and
* Cutting in half the number of people without clean water or enough food.
Then, use ONE Action’s “On The Record” tool to compare up to three candidates’ plans and send that comparison to your friends.
You may have noticed that a few candidates haven’t sent in all of their materials yet. If you haven’t already, sign the petition and urge them to send in their plans.
By getting every candidate to go on the record, we’ll be able to be smart voters as we head to the polls, and no matter whose elected in 2008, we’ll be able to hold the next president of the United States accountable to his or her plan.
(I’ll go ahead and post a bunch of their plans and videos next.)
November 29th, 2007 at 2:17 pm | posted by Aaron.Banks
Libby is back at it, delivering On the Record petitions to the Ron Paul and Rudy Giuliani campaigns in Iowa. Great work, Libby! Check back here often to find out the latest on the campaign and how you can get the presidential candidates to go on the record and commit to fighting extreme poverty and global disease.
November 28th, 2007 at 2:43 pm | posted by Weldon Kennedy
For the last few weeks we have been turning on the heat for the presidential candidates to tell us exactly what, if elected, they would do fight extreme poverty and global disease.
So far this “On the Record” campaign has been stunningly successful as we’ve delivered more that 55,000 petition signatures to each of the campaigns. But if we’re going to get all of the presidential candidates to take this challenge and make the On the Record campaign a success, we need to go all out. It’s phone call time.
To make a call:
1. Go to ONE.org/OnTheRecordCalls/
2. Use the drop down menu to look up candidate’s numbers.
3. Use the talking points to help you with your call.
4. Fill out the form and check off each candidate you called.
This is a huge chance to make a real difference in the fight against poverty. If we can get all the candidates to make commitments to fighting poverty now, before the primaries and caucuses, we stand a good chance of our next president being dedicated to our cause.
The ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, volunteers, members and coalition partners.
The content of each post and each comment represent the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the ONE Campaign or ONE Action. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any posts expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
