Attend the Monthly Fiscal and Economic Issues Discussion Group Meeting and be amazed at what you discover.
We will have our standard update of the economy, both jobs and GDP. We will also continue our discussions of the economic recovery and policy issues that affect the recovery. The discussion will be based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics January 2015 report which will be released the first week in February.
Some similar type reviews of economic highlights we discussed last month
based on the December report:
Jobs Recovery – 2.79 million jobs added in last 12 months of 2014; more Americans working than before the recession.
321,000 jobs added in December.
2.8 million in last 12 months
November and October employment revised up by 540,000 jobs
Unemployment rate: nationally at 5.68% in December, down 1.3% in the past year and continues to trend down from its high of 10.1%.
GDP growth: 3.8% Revised to 5.0 % in the 3rd quarter and 4.6% in 2nd quarter, up from minus 2.1% in 1st quarter. It appears that the negative 1st quarter result was just an anomaly, primarily due to the harsh winter in much of the country.Preliminary 4th quarter 2014 data will be released on January 30th.
Budget Deficits – Historical and Projected: 2.8% of GDP in FY 2014, down from a high of 9.8%
New 10 year CBO projections released in January: deficit will stay below 3% of GDP for the next few years, but we still have a problem in the out years as baby boomers retire.
Funding for Department of Homeland Security expires February 27, 2015. Congress needs to act to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Attend the February Discussion and be the most informed on your block or your discussion group!
As always this is a discussion group .. bring your articles and your wits to talk about all sides of the issues.
Gov’t: 9.9 million already signed up for 2015 coverage under Obama’s health law
Sunday marks the start of the final week of Obamacare open enrollment, Year 2.
Nationwide, about 9.9 million people have signed up for health insurance through federal or state exchanges since open enrollment began Nov. 15, handily beating the federal goal of 9.1 million. Illinois claimed 296,293 of those enrollees through Jan. 30.
Going without coverage carries a penalty. Uninsured consumers will have to pay a fee of $325 or 2 percent of their income come tax season, whichever is greater.
If you sign up by Feb. 15, the last day of open enrollment, you’ll be covered starting March 1. Even though those consumers didn’t have health insurance for two months, they won’t have to pay the fee, according to Enroll America, a Washington-based nonprofit pushing to enroll people in health insurance across the country.
“In such a situation, if a person maintains their coverage for the rest of the year, they won’t be hit with a fine at all,” the group said. “They would be able to claim an exemption on their tax return (called the short coverage gap exemption) for those two months (January and February) that they did not have health coverage.”
February 15, 2015: 2015 Open Enrollment ends.
Enroll by this date and coverage can begin as soon as March 1. After this date, you can enroll in or change plans for 2015 only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
ACA Phone Bank @ Panera Bread, 5 W Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 6:00- 9:00 pm
This Tuesday Night February 10th, 2015
Join NWSOFA and Get Covered America while they partner together to reach out to their community to help Americans get connected to affordable healthcare options in their area.
Click on the above NWSOFA e-magazine for all the on Comprehensive Immigration Reform from News Sources across the Country
Immigration Reform
(CIR)
in the News
Would you like to get involved with other like minded Progressives and join our Comprehensive Immigration Reform Team then:
Please Call Sara or Bill @ 224-241-2012
Click on the Above Image to see NWSOFA e-magazine Stand With Women.. Timely Articles from the Press
Stand With Women
Gains Momentum
The House GOP Leaders Pull Abortion Bill After Revolt by GOP Women Moderates!
January 21, 2015: Bowing to the wishes of several moderates and women members, House Republican leaders pulled a controversial antiabortion bill from consideration late Wednesday night, a move sure to enrage antiabortion activists, who will descend on Capitol Hill Thursday for their annual March for Life.
The bill will be replaced by the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, a bipartisan bill that passed the House last year and will get another vote on Thursday, the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. The change came after House Republican women and moderates battled against their leaders on the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, exhibiting the deepening rift between centrists and conservatives who are at cross-purposes on which issues the party should be highlighting.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Republican leaders were insistent they would move ahead with legislation banning abortions after 20 weeks, but the Rules Committee announced an emergency meeting Wednesday night and sources said the bill would be pulled in favor of the less controversial alternative.
Joint NWSOFA Chapter Meeting & Move To Amend Movie Night
Present “Movie Night”
“Pay 2 Play”
Schaumburg Library
Date TBD Early/ Mid March)
Like the recent documentary “Citizen Koch,” “Pay 2 Play” aims to stir up outrage over influence peddling. Although billionaire industrialists David and Charles Koch aren’t mentioned until midway through this film, they and their ilk – wealthy conservatives who push their agendas by pouring cash into the coffers of like- minded politicians – are clearly the villains here.
But director John Ennis is interested in doing more than getting people riled up. “How do we get past the pay-to-play system?”
The answer to Ennis’s question, which he provides himself, is not just to get mad, but to get active. He advocates doing whatever one can to protest the status quo, whether it’s as an individual street artist or blogger or as part of a larger collective such as the Occupy movement. Ennis is an optimist at heart, and his belief that one person can make a difference is infectious, if naive.
Date and Time to be Announced at a later time
Minority Outreach Sets Organizing Meeting
Fulfilling The
Promise
New Initiative for 2015 Announced by OFA
You Can Make a Difference in Undeserved Communities
Organizing for Action has a strong commitment to providing easy points of entry for
everyday Americans who want to have their voices heard and make a difference in their communities.
Historically, we have found that the tools and tactics employed to help in these efforts skew toward
volunteers who have access to reliable transportation, can afford financially to give hours, and have
ready access to the internet. That, in turn, means that volunteers who gravitate toward OFA tend to be
people who are retired, have financial means, and/or live in the suburbs. In order to ensure that OFA
remains true to our mission of providing easy access, we have developed the Fulfilling the Promise
Program aimed to address these concerns and ensure we are organizing in all communities.
PURPOSE: To ensure that Organizing for Action is providing training, leadership development, team
building, and issue advocacy opportunities to communities and people who do not have ready access
to the internet, reliable transportation, etc. We will focus specifically in communities of color and
historically underserved areas, which tend to have less financial means. The Fulfilling the Promise
program will ensure that our organization and the progressive community at large is comprised of a
diverse group of talented organizers who are representative of all of the communities that make up
our country.
If This Outreach resonates with you, Please Call Sara or Bill @ 224-241-2012
University & College Outreach Sets Organizing Call
New Initiative for 2015 Announced by OFA
Feeling the call to work with the young adults at college and University levels to engage them in Progressive Issue Engagement.. Then Contact us:
If This Outreach resonates with you, Please Call Sara or Bill @ 224-241-2012
Other News in the Burbs
Move to Amend
Three (3) Local Chapters Serve the Chicago Area
Move to Amend has three affiliates in the Chicagoland area–Sharon’s Sanders out of Northbrook, Terry Grace out of Oak Park , and Kaye Gamble out of Elgin. Terry Grace has detailed information about the next meeting for the “Oak Park Near West Suburban Move to Amend” affiliate. The “Move to Amend Kane” meeting is Wednesday, February 25th. Please call me at
If anyone in your area is interested in starting a Move to Amend affiliate, Illinois MTA members would help and MTA national will help. I don’t want to interfere with Sharon’s MTA group. It’s just that people want to be close geographically to their meetings; so, the more affiliate groups that we have the better we can organize people.
Thank you for your interest. Kaye Gamble, Illinois Move to Amend, Move to Amend Kane
(630) 975-8326
Renewable Energy and
Energy Efficiency Forum
Hosted by State Representative Ann Williams and State Representative Sara Feigenholtz
Audubon Elementary, 3500 N. Hoyne 60618
Saturday, February 21 from 10AM to noon.
Program begins at 10:30AM
State legislators will be making important decisions about the energy future of Illinois this year. The USEPA just released just proposed important rules for reducing carbon pollution throughout the nation.
Come learn about how Illinois can meet the goals of this plan and create jobs using renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Speakers will give information on proposed policies for Illinois and give tips for becoming more energy efficient or using renewables in your home! There will be tables with information before and after the program.
NWSOFA is a whole, diverse wonderful family of people who want to do more than talk about the social issues. We explore and dig deep on the facts and decide what actions we can take that can have an impact locally and nationally. NWSOFA members not only “talk the talk”, but we “walk the walk”.
All our teams have numerous events that will enlighten and inspire you and yes, challenge you to make the effort to make a difference.
NWSOFA is a whole, diverse wonderful family of people who want to do more than talk about the social issues. We explore and dig deep on the facts and decide what actions we can take that can have an impact locally and nationally. NWSOFA members not only “talk the talk”, but we “walk the walk”.
All our teams have numerous events that will enlighten and inspire you and yes, challenge you to make the effort to make a difference.
We invite you to join us!
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Volunteer for the Get Covered America and NWSOFA
Affordable Care Act Phone Bank
ACA Phone Bank
Tuesday Night
February 10th, 2015
@ Panera Bread, 5 W Rand Rd
Arlington Heights, IL 6:00- 9:00 pm
Join NWSOFA and Get Covered America while they partner together to reach out to their community to help Americans get connected to affordable healthcare options in their area.
To leave a message or Sign up for an Issue Team .. just click the Info button below and fill out the NWSOFA Comment log. We will be in touch with you shortly.
Notice:
This is a public meeting / events.
NWSOFA is a 501(c)4,
non-partisan
organization.
All opinions are solely those of NWSOFA
It’s time to Act .. It Is Time To Get Involved
Over the years the American Citizens have lost their voices, believing that we can not make a difference. We have been beat down by the constant droning noise of the conservative right. This onslaught has made us like sheep .. afraid to express our views. Not anymore! OFA gives us back our voices and by working together we are making change one issue at a time. Together we can and will make a difference.
Thank You to our NWSOFA Issue Leads in 2013 !!
Just Click on the Photo to link the NWSOFA e-magazines daily & archived articles
