[Dialogue] Fwd: Media Advisory: House Members Introduce Res. 1078 in support of the Glob...

Wed Apr 9 19:24:28 EDT 2008

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 From: Tikkun at mail.democracyinaction.org
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Sent:  4/9/2008 6:05:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time
Subj: Media Advisory: House  Members Introduce Res. 1078 in support of the 
Global Marshall Plan

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Media Advisory: Global  Marshall Plan resolution introduced in 
Congress-H.Res. 1078 by  Congressmen Keith Ellison, Emanuel Cleaver and Jim  Moran  March 
10, 2008

H.Res. 1078 calls for a return of the  Marshall Plan. That plan was used by 
the U.S. in the post World  War II years to rebuild Europe. It was celebrated 
as America's  most successful foreign policy program because it convinced  
Europeans that the U.S. was a reliable ally and  friend.

This time, however, the target is both  domestic and global. H. Res. 1078 
calls for the U.S. to provide  enough funding to eliminate global poverty,  
homelessness,  hunger, inadequate education, inadequate health care, and repair  of 
the environment. 

Congressman Keith Ellison of  Minnesota, the resolution's sponsor, explained 
his introduction of  the measure as a natural outgrowth of his concern for 
peace,  prosperity for working families, environmental sustainability, and  human 
rights.

"I believe a Global  Marshall Plan offers a compelling framework for the 
Congress to  consider reform and revitalization of our international public  
diplomacy and foreign aid," Ellison said.  "America is at its  best when it 
demonstrates its generosity.

"When we  see reminders everywhere of the costs of spending $12 billion per  
month on war in Iraq, I look forward to the conversations about  changes in 
principles and priorities that this resolution will  bring," Ellison concluded.

"At a moment when General  Petraeus is asking for another $110 billion for a 
deeply unpopular  war, the Global Marshall Plan provides an alternative 
strategy for  homeland security," said Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun  and 
chair of the Network of Spiritual Progressives, an  organization that developed 
the Global Marshall Plan and which  will now be launching a nationwide 
campaign to get the  presidential candidates to support the idea.

"In the 21st  century," Rabbi Lerner pointed out,  "our security and  
well-being depend on the well-being of everyone else on this  planet, and on the 
well-being of the planet itself."

"Our  caring for all people can be manifested through a Global Marshall  Plan 
that would dedicate 1-2% of our annual Gross Domestic Product  each year for 
the next twenty years to eliminate once and for all  domestic and global 
poverty, homelessness, hunger, inadequate  education, and inadequate health care 
and to repair damage done to  the environment."

Such a program needs the participation of  the other advanced industrial 
countries and the recipient  countries' most talented leaders, as well as local 
communities  representing the poor and outstanding figures in the ethical,  
cultural, religious and non-profit sectors of the relevant  societies who can 
ensure the best use of the resources, as well as  to ensure that the monies are 
used in environmentally sustainable  and culturally sensitive ways, and to 
guarantee that the monies  are not siphoned off by governments or local elites but 
actually  reach the people in need. This program, initiated by the Network  of 
Spiritual Progressives also calls for amending all existing and  future trade 
agreements to ensure that they serve the economic  well-being of the poor and 
not just the interests of the wealthy  nations or local elites in countries 
with high levels of poverty.  We want the United States to take the leadership 
in starting this  effort.

"We approach this initiative with a spirit of  humility," said Rabbi Lerner, 
"not only because of the legacy of  colonialism, but because we can learn much 
from societies whose  economic poverty does not signify a poverty of wisdom. 
Generosity  of spirit as well as financial generosity are an integral part of  
our Global Marshall Plan, which we affirm not only because it is a  central 
component in any plan to achieve "homeland security," but  also because it 
reflects our commitment to recognize every human  being on this planet as equally 
valuable and deserving of  care."  HR 1078 expresses the need for a similar 
humility in  delivering support for the world's  poor.

Rabbi Lerner has called upon religious  liberals and progressives (what the 
media calls "the Religious  Left") to call their Congressional representatives 
to explain why  they should support the ideas behind the Global Marshall Plan. 

The full text of H.Res. 1078 is available through the  website of Congressman 
Keith Ellison, http://ellison.house.gov,  and further comment can be obtained 
by calling  202-225-4755.   Congressmen Ellison, Cleaver and Moran  are all 
available for interviews on this topic. Rabbi Michael  Lerner, who is directing 
the Network of Spiritual Progressives'  nation-wide campaign for the Global 
Marshall Plan, is also  available for interviews. Call 1 510 644 1200 during 
business  hours Pacific Daylight Time. Or by email: His scheduler Will  Pasley: 
Will at Tikkun.org. You can also email RabbiLerner at Tikkun.org  for media 
interviews, and David Hart for information about how  churches, synagogues, mosques, 
ashrams, colleges, NGOs, civic  organizations, social change movements, 
professional organizations  and elected officials can be involved in this campaign:  
David at SpiritualProgressives.org. And you can endorse the GMP on  line at 
www.tikkun.org (left-hand column) or read the full version  at that same website, 
by clicking the GMP button in the Current  Thinking section of the Home Page. 

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