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General Election Activity by Subject

C H I L D R E N

-The Every Child Matters Education Fund aims "to help push children's many needs to a higher place on the country's political and policy agenda.  The Every Child Matters Education Fund conducts polls, publishes reports, works with reporters and state children's groups, runs advertising, and conducts campaigns on behalf children."
 


R E T I R E M E N T   S E C U R I T Y

-On July 21, 2004 AARP launched a "2004 Election Tour: On the Road to Retirement Security" in an event at the State Capital lawn in Concord, NH.  The RV will travel the country, keying as many as 100 events in an "informational road show [that] will focus on what Americans need to build a secure retirement: affordable prescription drugs and health care, long-term care, and the foundation, Social Security."  Plans are to conclude the tour late October in Florida.  AARP has also posted responses of Kerry and Bush to key issues. 
 
 

V E T E R A N S

-The American Legion has launched an "Impact 2004" program "to create a dialogue between voters in the military and veteran's communities on the one hand, and the major party candidates for federal offices on the other."  The Impact 2004 web site was activated in May 2004.  The Legion is doing a survey and plans to submit the 10 most important issue questions to the candidates' campaign offices in late July. 
 
 

C H U R C H   &   S T A T E

-On Oct. 31, 2004 Bishop of Arlington (VA) Paul S. Loverde issued a letter outlining "the critical principles by which we should judge those who run for elected office, particularly the protection of human life.

-Sojourners, "a Christian ministry whose mission is to proclaim and practice the biblical call to integrate spiritual renewal and social justice," in August 2004 launched a petition declaring that "God is not a Republican...or a Democrat."  This appeared as a full page ad in the Aug. 30, 2004 New York Times (paid for by nearly 3,500 supporters of Sojourners magazine) and later in other newspapers.

-On May 1, 2004 Bishop of Colorado Springs Michael J. Sheridan issued a pastoral letter on the "duties of Catholic politicians and voters."  He wrote,

There must be no confusion in these matters. Any Catholic politicians who advocate for abortion, for illicit stem cell research or for any form of euthanasia ipso facto place themselves outside full communion with the Church and so jeopardize their salvation. Any Catholics who vote for candidates who stand for abortion, illicit stem cell research or euthanasia suffer the same fateful consequences.
On May 27, 2004 Americans United for Separation of Church and State took issue with Sheridan's letter, calling on the Internal Revenue Service to investigate electioneering by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs.  See also AU's publication "Religion, Partisan Politics And Tax Exemption: What Federal Law Requires – And Why" >>

-The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a statement "Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility" in September 2003.

-On October 31, 2004, the Sunday before the election, Rev. Dr. George F. Regas, rector emeritus, delivered a sermon at All Saints Church in Pasadena, CA titled "If Jesus debated Senator Kerry and President Bush."  The IRS sent a letter to the church on June 9, 2005 putting into question its tax exempt status on the grounds that the sermon "may constitute intervention in a political campaign."  This investigation was still continuing as of September 2006 and church officials, believing their First Amendment rights were being violated, moved to challenge IRS summons in court.

 
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L A W S U I T   A B U S E

-On August 24, 2004 the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced "initiatives to educate voters about the devastating impact of a runaway legal system on the American way of life."  These include a new 527, The November Fund, which will wage a media campaign in seven battleground states as well as a voter education program in 6-10 key states.
 

M I S C E L L A N E O U S 

-On April 28, 2004 Raul Yzaguirre, president of the National Council of La Raza, penned a letter to Sen. John Kerry "regarding the remarkable and unacceptable absence of Latinos in your campaign." 

-GrannyVoter launched on Sept. 12 2004 in Washington, DC.  "We are a group of eleven grandmothers with thirty-two grandchildren among us...  We are all women over the age of 60 who came of age in the 60's. We are of the generation of women who shattered society's old notions and created new ones. We believe older citizens like us can remain active, politically engaged, effective and above all, concerned with issues beyond themselves. We call ourselves Next Step Women...  We are Mary Catherine Bateson, cultural anthropologist and author; Nancy Berkley, author and golf marketing consultant; Rita Bornstein, consultant to higher education; Geraldine Ferraro, consultant and former Vice Presidential candidate; Ellen Goodman, columnist; Ruth Massinga, foundation president; Rosemary Masters, psychotherapist; Patricia O'Brien, author; Nell Painter, historian; Letty Cottin Pogrebin, writer; and Patricia Schroeder, former Congresswoman."

Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2004 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.