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“Today We Also Have to Say 'Thou Shalt Not' to an Economy of Exclusion And PEOPLE LOBBYING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE • FIRST QUARTER 2014 “Today we also have to say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality.” —Pope Francis dear members As a member of the It is so exciting to see a “tide NETWORK community, turn” or, to use another meta- you’re helping to bring NETW RK phor, to see the “dawn of con- our message of justice A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby sciousness.” For more than and peace to Capitol NETWORK—a Catholic leader three years we here at NET- Hill. But we can’t rely in the global movement on membership dues for justice and peace—edu- WORK have been working to cates, organizes and lobbies raise the awareness of income alone to meet our for economic and wealth disparities in our ambitious goals for 2014. and social transformation. nation. We started with our NETWORK Board of Directors Mind the Gap! campaign and Please renew your membership or make an additional Regina Ann Brummel, CSJ promoted an online petition donation now with the envelope in this magazine Kevin M. Callahan Tom Cordaro to get the White House to or by going to www.networklobby.org/donate. Ouisa Davis hold a summit to address the Patricia Mullahy Fugere Thank you for your support! Delia Gomez issue of income inequality and Lorena G. Gonzalez find remedies for the problem. Mary Beth Hamm, SSJ Thomas Kelly We delivered that petition to Donna Marie Korba, IHM the West Wing with more than Contents Patricia Mejia Ann Scholz, SSND 7,000 signatures. envisioning Sandra Thibodeaux, MMB We followed that up this The Call to Fix Structural Causes NETWORK Education Program past fall with our Mend the 3 of Economic Injustice Now Board of Directors Gap! campaign, in which we Dierdre Griffin Sister Simone Campbell echoes the call of Diane Guerin, RSM highlighted four policy areas Pope Francis to change structures in economic Barbara Lange where we can change the di- systems that perpetuate poverty and Dean Manternach inequality. Anna Sandidge rection of the divide. And now Judy Sharpe we are poised to promote a cover story Jerry Zurek more in-depth analysis of the The Affordable Care Act: NETWORK/NEP Staff first of those fixes—taxes! We 4 Managing Editor, Communications/Media Lifesaving for Me and Millions Coordinator—Stephanie Niedringhaus are launching We the Taxpayers, of Others Development Coordinator—Maggie Brevig which promotes an interfaith Education Associate—Katie Miller Mary Ann Wasil describes her battle with Education Program Manager—Shannon conversation about the faithful cancer and the critical importance of the duty to pay taxes and build tax Hughes Affordable Care Act. Executive Assistant—LaTreviette Matthews policies rooted in justice. Executive Director—Simone Campbell, SSS So this year, as we mark voting record Fellows—Carolyn Burstein (Communications); the 50th anniversary of Presi- Voting Record of the 113th Barbara Hazelett (Development); Nancy 7 Groth (Management); Nancy McKenzie dent Johnson’s War on Pov- Congress, 1st Session (Development); Joan Neal (Lobby) erty, we at NETWORK will be See how your legislators voted on issues that Field & Lobby Assistant—Ashley Wilson focused on effective policies mattered. Field Associate—Claire Markham Field Organizing Manager—Shantha Ready that can change the structural making a differencee Alonso imbalance in our nation and Lobby Associate—James Luisi our world. It won’t be easy. Fighting for the Affordable Care Lobbyist—Marge Clark, BVM 15 Act and Medicaid Expansion Managing Director—Paul Marchione We must be creative and de- Membership Assistant—Megan Dominy The lifesaving ACA may be the law of the termined. But who thought Technology Coordinator—Joy Wigwe land, but the struggle to overcome three years ago, when we opposition goes on. Articles in NETWORK Connection may be re- started this, that we could printed. Please include the following on the re- back page prints: “Reprinted by permission of NETWORK, help begin a national conver- a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, 25 E sation on the issue? Board Election Ballot for Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20001, 16 www.networklobby.org.” Please send us a This is where we come to NETWORK Members copy of the reprinted article. you, our members. It is your If you are a NETWORK member, please vote for First Quarter 2014—Vol. 42, No. 1 willingness to speak about new members of our Board of Directors using NETWORK Connection the instructions on the back page. ISSN 0199-5723 these issues, to engage and Published quarterly by struggle with the challenges, NETWORK that have made it possible. PHONE: 202-347-9797 FAX: 202-347-9864 Remember to sign up for Ecumenical Advocacy E-MAIL: [email protected] THANK YOU for helping to WEBSITE: www.networklobby.org Days (March 21-14). http://advocacydays.org/ turn the tide and raise a new POSTMASTER: light of awareness! Together we 2014-resisting-violence-building-peace/ SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: NETWORK • 25 E Street NW, Suite 200 can make change happen, and Washington, DC 20001 for that I am deeply grateful. Stay connected with us! Annual dues: $50/$60 international. www.facebook.com/NetworkLobby Copyright © 2014 NETWORK. http://twitter.com/#!/networklobby Cover photo: Denis Tangney Jr. 2 Connection First Quarter 2014 www.networklobby.org envisioning The Call to Fix Structural Causes of Economic Injustice Now BY SISTER SIMONE CAMPBELL, SSS The need to resolve the structural causes of poverty cannot be delayed, not only for the pragmatic reason of its urgency for the good order of society, but because society needs to be cured of a sickness which is weakening and frustrating it, and which can only lead to new crises. Welfare projects, which meet certain urgent needs, should “be considered merely temporary responses. As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems. Inequality is the root of social ills. —Pope Francis, Joy in the Gospel In November 2013, Pope Francis stirred for the 1% and stagnation of wages for up the world again with his call to have workers who create the wealth. This” is Joy in the Gospel by living justly in our not just and we need to re-imagine how Imodern world. He boldly stated that we compensate for hard work. Trickle- trickle-down economics has not worked down economics has failed, and it is and will not work. The market needs to time to change. be regulated to ensure that the 100% But it requires all of us to re-imagine benefit from our economy. But he also what a just society is. It requires us who challenges all of us to think beyond advocate so vigorously for the safety net Band-aids to actual structural change. to realize that we need to be just as vig- We here at NETWORK have been work- orous about changing the system so that ing on this issue of income and wealth work pays a just wage. It requires those disparities for years. Our Mind the Gap! who want to dismantle the safety net to and Mend the Gap! campaigns have at realize that what is required are wages their heart changing the structures that that allow a family to live in dignity. The create inequality. But we have a lot of pope is correct that, until we change the work yet to do. system so that the 100% can benefit from Pope Francis notes that the “welfare their hard work, we will not have peace projects” we have been working so hard and a cessation of violence in our world. to protect (like unemployment benefits, All need to come together on this cru- SNAP/food stamps, WIC and others) sade. “We the People” can form a more should only be considered temporary re- GETTY IMAGES perfect union. sponses. We have to spend so much en- been especially mindful of tax policy as If this makes you nervous, I join with ergy protecting the day-to-day safety net a key component of undoing structural Pope Francis when he says: for struggling families that it sometimes causes of poverty. It is interesting to note If anyone feels offended by my words, appears we are content with having fami- that between 1949 and 1979 most of the I would respond that I speak them lies predictably in the net. time the top tax rate was 80%. Having a with affection and with the best of Pope Francis challenges us to imagine tax rate of 80% discouraged high sala- intentions, quite apart from any per- a world where the structures work to ben- ries because the individual did not real- sonal interest or political ideology. efit the 100%, not just the 1%. He urges ize that much of a return. It was during My words are not those of a foe or us to dismantle the system that shifts this period that all sectors of the econ- an opponent. I am interested only in money to the top and exploits workers omy saw approximately a 100% increase helping those who are in thrall to an who create the wealth. He says that we in salaries. However, beginning in the individualistic, indifferent and self- should be working to not need the big Reagan Administration’s trickle-down centered mentality to be freed from programs that have provided the lifeline economics, the top tax bracket was de- those unworthy chains and to attain for so many in our nation. But imagin- creased until it reached 33%.
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