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Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee

Economic and Political Justice Program

Greg Coleridge – Program DirectorLeah Davis – Administrative Assistant

Address: 2101 Front St., #111, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 [between Akron and Cleveland]

Web: http://afsc.net/

Blog: http://createrealdemocracy.blogspot.com/

On Facebook

Economic and Political Justice Committee Member Roster:

John Fuller – Clerk Vicki Armstrong Carla Rautenberg Willie Smith Joe Mosyjowki Patti Longville Lois Romanoff Chaeli Moyer Effie Stewart Zach Friedhof Eugene Watkins Peter Schanz

Interns:

Brittany Senger – The University of Akron, School of Social Work

Bethany Marcum – The University of Akron, School of Social Work

Victoria (Rosie) Holcomb – The University of Akron, School of Social Work

Randi Cutlip – The University of Akron, School of Social Work

Elizabeth Rose – 2012/2013 John Looney Intern

To change…

…culture

… laws (legislation)

… ground rules (U.S. Constitution)

…through education, advocacy and organizing for economic and political justice

Goals:

Four Areas of Focus:

1. Akron Time Bank2. Budget Priorities3. Monetary Reform4. Corporations & Democracy

1. Akron Time Bank

A pattern of reciprocal exchange that uses units of time as currency.

One example of an alternative monetary system

You receive one time credit for every hour you spend doing a service for someone.

A way to build community and address social problems

What is Time Banking?

1. Everyone is an asset2. Some work is beyond monetary price3. Reciprocity in helping4. Social networks are necessary5. A respect for all human beings

Time banking is based on 5 core values

Students Rosie Holcomb and Bethany Marcum help a fellow time banker and learn about sustainable

gardening.

- Educational events

- Street Actions

- Lobbying

2. Budget Priorities

No Cuts March and Rally, December, Cleveland

Save Our Communities Conference, April,

Cleveland

Tax Day Actions – April, Cleveland and Akron,

Tax Day March, April, Cleveland

Budget Priority Bar Graph Action, May, Akron

Public Hearing on Poverty and the Federal Budget,

June, Akron

- General Monetary Literacy

- Advocacy for National Emergency Employment Defense {NEED] Act - HR 2990

3. Monetary Reform

Production of weekly Monetary History Calendar

[sample]

JANUARY 24, 1939 – STATEMENT MADE BY ROBERT H. HEMPHILL, CREDIT MANAGER OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF ATLANTA "We are completely dependent on the commercial banks.  Someone has to borrow every dollar we have in circulation, cash or credit.  If the banks create ample synthetic money, we are prosperous; if not, we starve..It is the most important subject intelligent persons can investigate and reflect upon. It is so important that our present civilization may collapse unless it becomes widely understood and the defects remedied...”

To subscribe, send email to monetarycalendar@yahoo.com

General Monetary Literacy

Helped start Monetary Literacy Group

- Sponsor events- Book reviews- Public discussions

- Attend and report back from conferences- Advocacy of monetary reforms- Composed of “radicals,” “progressives,”

“libertarians,” “conservatives” – people who support everyone from Jill Stein to Mitt Romney, who listen to everyone from Glenn Beck to Amy Goodman

General Monetary Literacy

National Emergency Employment Defense [NEED] Act, HR 2990) Pays off national debt as it comes due with national $ Create 7 million jobs debt-free repairing the nation’s

physical and human infrastructure Eliminates power of banks to use debt as money –

ending fractional reverse banking Democratize money system & society by placing the

Fed under public control/creation of monetary authority

PUBLIC BELIEVES, THANKS TO MISINFORMATION, 3 MAJOR PROVISIONS OF ACT WHICH ALREADY EXIST1.Federal Reserve is public 2. Money is issued and circulated by the government /We the People3. Banks only lend money they possess

Promotion of NEED Act

4. Corporations & Democracy

Promotion Nationally, in Ohio, and in Northeast Ohio

Proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment- Only human beings, not corporations, possess

constitutional rights- Money is not equivalent to speech and,

therefore, political campaign spending and contributions can be regulated.

Nationally - Initial national Steering Committee member- Participate in monthly national conference- calls. [Major goal in 2012 is passing resolutions / ballot initiatives by municipalities and organizational endorsements]

Ohio - Coordinate Move to Amend Ohio campaign (10

affiliates/partners)- Corporations/Democracy email listserve / Create Real

Democracy blog- Helped organize new affiliates in Summit County, Cleveland,

and Fremont. Working with people in Cleveland Hts, Lakewood, Shaker Hts, Chesterland, S.Euclid and Dayton.

Move to Amend

Northeast Ohio- Coordinated Occupy the Courtsactions in Akron and Cleveland- Helped pass municipal resolutions in Cleveland

Hts. and Barberton - Helped organize successful ballot access

campaigns in Newburgh Hts and Brecksville and unsuccessful campaign in Defiance

- Helping Cleveland Hts launch a citizen initiative campaign

- Coordinating the STAMPed Tour in Cleveland

Move to Amend

FOCUS ON CHANGING CULTURE, AND ECONOMIC AND POLITICSL LAWS AND RULES

1. RECRUITMENT - Producer Coops / Time Bank2. EDUCATION - Sub-treasury plan and definition of corporations / Monetary reform and definition of corporations and money as speech3. COMMUNICATION - Lecturers and newspapers / talks, workshops, internet4. POLITICALIZATION - People's Party / AMI and MTA

Model of Social Movement According to the 20th

Century Populists / NEO AFSC