Bulletin
League of Women Voters of
Greater Omaha
1941 South 42 Street, Suite
501
Omaha, NE 68105-2945
Phone: 402-344-3701
League of Women
Voters of Greater Omaha November, 2006
A non-partisan political organization open to all citizens 18
years of age or older Volume 49 No 5
“Common Sense and
Immigration Reform:
What People
Really Want”
Speaker:
D. Milo Mumgaard
Executive
Director, Nebraska Appleseed
Thursday,
November 16th, 7 p.m.
UNO
Thompson Alumni Center - 6705 Dodge St.
See
pages 2 & 8
2006 Candidate
Meet and Greet
Sponsored By the Sarpy
County Unit of the
League of Women Voters
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Bellevue University
Auditorium
Bellevue, Nebraska
$10.00 admission payable at
door
(Cash or Check)
This is a kickoff &
fundraiser for SCLWV, please support us with your attendance. Network with the candidates & hear a
brief statement from each one & learn about SCLWV.
Refreshments and Snacks -
Sponsored by Bellevue Chamber
For reservations, email reservations@urpr.biz
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Tuesday, October 24,
Bellevue University: Sarpy County “Meet
the Candidates.” See above.
October 24-November 7: League office phone answered full time by
volunteers. See page 6.
Monday, November 13: Deadline for December Bulletin
Tuesday, November 7: General election. Remember to vote!
Thursday, November 9, 9:30
a.m., League office. LWVGO board
meeting. All members welcome.
Thursday, November 16, 7
p.m., UNO Alumni Center: General
Meeting: Immigration Reform. See above and pages 2 & 8.
Tuesday, November 21 14, (Note
date change) 7:00 p.m., Reading Resource Group, See Page 6
Thursday, November 30, 7:30
p.m., 10320 Woodbridge Lane: Internation Relations Committee. See page 6.
Thursday, December 14, 11:30 a.m., Field Club of
Omaha: Holiday Luncheon. See flyer.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Another election season is
upon us and as this is being written, a committee of diligent Leaguers is
working hard to finalize publication and delivery of the Voters' Guide, as a
benefit to our community. Special thanks
to Voters' Guide editors Kathy, Annette and Sharon (distribution). We appreciate everyone's help in the delivery
of the Guides.
Thank you to Belinda who
did a wonderful job organizing the bus tour of the Papillion Watershed and the
National Resources District. The tour
was very enlightening, and we even had fun!
Thank you, JoAnne, for organizing LWVGO's
participation in the River City Roundup Parade, and to Shirley who drove her
convertible; an energizing group of 14 marched and helped to increase the
League's visibility.
Several years ago, the
League of Women Voters was awarded the Freedom Award from the National
Association of Secretaries of State. The
Freedom Award honors men and women - as well as organizations - who have made significant contributions to the cause of free
elections in the US. The award
recognized the thousands of League members across the country who work to
register voters, educate voters, and get them out to vote. Election officials and League all have the
same goals - a well-run election in which every citizen eligible to vote has
the opportunity to do so, and every eligible vote is counted.
We cannot rest on our
laurels, however. We MUST do everything
we can to increase voter participation, as that is how our democracy works
best! It is important to increase the
number of voters in Nebraska. We can all
mention the importance of voting wherever we are - temple, church, synagogue,
school, even family activities. We are
certainly fortunate to have the opportunity and privilege to vote. With early voting now so easy, there should
be no excuse for a citizen not to vote.
Let's try to promote the important process so that more than only a few
citizens are choosing our lawmakers.
Barbara
“Common
Sense and Immigration Reform:
What
People Really Want”
Speaker: D. Milo Mumgaard
Executive Director, Nebraska Appleseed
Thursday, November 16th, 7 p.m.
UNO Thompson Alumni Center - 6705 Dodge St.
Milo Mumgaard,
executive director of Nebraska Appleseed as well as
the director of the Appleseed Immigrant Policy
Program active in thirteen states across the country, will argue that the
present “debate” raging across the United States on reforming federal
immigration law is shortsighted and out of touch with what voters really want.
The 109th Congress’ cynical election-year passage of legislation to build
a 700 mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border and increased workplace
enforcement is what presently passes for immigration “reform,” and any
politician who does not agree with the “round ‘em up,
deport ‘em, and fence ‘em
out” view is painted as “soft on illegal immigration.” This shrill
minority view dominates, despite the fact the majority of the public is
demanding action from its leaders that combines tough border and workplace
enforcement measures with more worker and family visas and a path to
citizenship for most undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Mumgaard will discuss myths and facts about immigration
reform, and will describe comprehensive and “common sense” reform options that
can happen if mainstream voters insist upon it.
The love of one's country
is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border?
-- Pablo Casals,
cellist, conductor, and composer
BOARD REPORTS
PRESIDENT’S REPORT, Barbara
The latter part of
September the Membership Recruitment Committee and I spent one and one half
days with in training with a National staff member. We came away filled with membership ideas …
membership should be mentioned each and every time there is a League
function. You will be hearing more.
As this is written, the
distribution of Voters' Guide is almost completed. Sharon has organized the delivery, and many
of you have assisted in the distribution.
Many thanks to all who have participated.
Barbara R. and I met with
the owner of The Reader, with the hopes of getting an article on the
League. We were offered the Reader racks
for our Voters' Guides, some expertise in layout/printing for future VGs, and are anticipating support and collaboration with
The Reader. We are expecting good things
to come from this contact.
You can see by Board
members' reports that we have been very very busy
with the upcoming election. Press
conference, canvassing, delivery of voter's guides, speeches, HAVA phone
line. We are doing our best to educate,
increase participation in the election, as Omaha needs everyone to participate
in order to be a strong, safe, fair and vibrant place to live.
Barbara
SPEAKERS BUREAU REPORT, Peggy for Jeannette
RECENT SPEECHES GIVEN:
July 26 Deb spoke to the Omaha Women's
Chamber of Commerce: “One Hump or Two?”
August 23 Linda played Susan B. Anthony at the
National Park Service, as part of Women's Equality Day: “Lady Gets Arrested for Voting!”
September 7 Peggy spoke to two Community Alliance groups “How to
Participate in the Political Process”
September 21 Bev spoke
to a PEO group: “We Built This City…”
October 2 Peggy spoke to OPS social studies
teachers, regarding our speakers bureau, the League's
Voters Guides, and encouraging student civic participation
October 5 Sally spoke to The Westerners.
SCHEDULED SPEECHES FOR
2007:
February 1 Deb will be speaking to a PEO group “I May
Be Crazy But This is Nuts!”
February 13 Jonah will be speaking at Underwood Hills
Presbyterian Church--Speech to be determined.
April 6 Sally will be doing “Mugwumps Deux” for the Bellevue
Woman's Club
May 9 Deb will be at All Saints Episcopal
Church, giving her “I May Be Crazy” speech
May 15 Deb will give her “Crazy” speech for
a PEO group
*The “I May Be Crazy” speech is becoming quite popular. I
think this demonstrates how concerned people are about the state of mental
health care in Nebraska, and their desire to do something about it.
SPEAKERS BUREAU BROCHURES:
500 brochures have been
printed. I mailed 201 brochures to various community groups on October 4, 2006.
We have 200 that Deb will be providing to all of the public libraries in Omaha
(10 libraries x 20 brochures each), and we have 99 on hand for as-needed. The
brochures were printed with a grant from LWVNE Ed Fund, and the invoice has
been sent to LWVNE Ed Fund.
VOTERS’ GUIDE, Kathy
The Voters' Guide is done and available in paper
format and on our LWVGO website. I have also submitted it to the Omaha
World Herald and the LWV National website.
WEBSITE, Kathy
There are some new
additions to the website including past copies of the bulletins and the 2006
General Election Voters' Guide.
GOTV, Carolyn
GOTV Committee members
began canvassing residents in a low-voter turnout area of North Omaha (Ward 2,
Precinct 28) the weekend of October 14-15.
In our face-to-face meetings with residents, we answer questions, encourage
them to vote, and distribute our Voters’ Guide along with pertinent ballot
information for their precinct. In
addition, we offer them voter registration and early-vote ballot request forms
and ex-felon voting information. We will
continue canvassing this precince the weekend of
October 21-22 and are looking for more canvassers.
SOS!
You will be asked to place
a cap on the state budget on Election Day based on the rate of inflation and
population growth. The petition will be tempting because it will not affect
local government, except that all are under a levy cap.
Don’t be tempted. The SOS
Petition is the same Constitutional Amendment which is debilitating Colorado
and is being introduced in five other states.
It's bad news because neither the amount of funding received, nor the
redesign of government, will prevent enormous cutbacks in services and increase
everyone's spending. And a
Constitutional Amendment is almost impossible to recall.
The
Nebraska League and LWVGO oppose SOS..
LETTER FROM SANDRA K. POWELL, SPRINGFIELD
NEBRASKA
PRESIDENT, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF NEBRASKA
Published in the OWH
9/29/06
Beware of Initiative 423,
which would change the Nebraska Constitution and set a lid on state spending
growth based on a flawed formula.
"Inflation plus population
growth" would determine how much the state could spend from one budget
year to the next. Inflation is determined by the Consumer Price Index
(which essentially tracks a "basket of goods" a typical American buys
such as housing, cars and food).
Unfortunately, state
government buys items like education and health care, the costs of which rise
at a much more rapid pace than the normal "basket of goods."
Second, population growth, is based on "overall change" from year to
year. This does not take into consideration population subgroups such as
the elderly, children and the sick. For example, most states are seeing
or will see an increase in senior-citizen population as baby boomers age,
putting new burdens on programs such as Medicaid and state-funded senior
services.
In 1992, Colorado passed its version of
Initiative 423. Proponents promised taxpayer refunds, cuts in government
waste and more accountability. They have learned, however, that refunds
do not make up for increases in local taxes and cuts in services.
It's the tragedy of the
world that no one knows what s/he doesn't know -- and the less a
man (woman) knows, the more sure s/he is that s/he
knows everything. -- Joyce Cary
NEED A SPEAKER?
Our League Speaker's Bureau
is loaded with talented women and enticing topics. Our 2006-2007 speeches are
listed below. Please pass this information along to your church group, book
club, or any organization you know that is looking for a few good speakers. To
schedule a speech, call the League office at 344-3701 or send an e-mail to omahalwvadmin@tconl.com
Brick Bats and Hat Pins: The 72-year struggle to win voting rights for
women in America
Lady Arrested for Voting! A first-hand report on the life and times of
Susan B. Anthony
Cornfields, Catfights, and Cantankerous Old
Coots: The scandalous story of
women's suffrage in Nebraska
One Hump or Two? Nebraska's unique state government
We Built This City on Rock-Slinging and Roll
Calls: The evolution of Omaha's
city government
Men (and a Few Women) in Black: How Nebraska's judicial system works
The Colorful Case of the Lost Vote: A juicy story about Nebraska's legislative
process
Banned Books, Black Armbands, and School Prayer:
The evolution of children's
First Amendment rights in America
Mugwumps, Fire-eating Salamanders,
and Bloody Shirts: Electing
our Presidents
Mugwumps Deux: The fun-and-fact-filled sequel to the ever
popular Mugwumps speech
I'd Like to Help You, Son, But You Forgot to
Vote: How to participate in the
political process and why
I May Be Crazy, But This
is Nuts! The status of Nebraska's
mental health service system
We've Got Lead Right Here in River City! …and it's costing taxpayers how much? The lead superfund process in Omaha
Dirty (Air) Politics: How clean air policy affects families
Trees for Twigs: When “smart growth” in Omaha isn't so smart
HAVA PRESS CONFERENCE
Carolyn
Member, HAVA Grant Task
Force
A Press Conference was held
on Monday, October 2, 2006, at the W. Dale Clark Library to kick off the first
day of early voting in Nebraska and, judging by the amount of press coverage
received, it was a success. All four
local TV stations ran a story on early voting that day. Two radio stations
covered the story: Nebraska Public Radio and KFAB.
The press conference was
part of the HAVA Grant Task Force's continuing efforts to make all Nebraskans
aware of their voting rights and responsibilities. Barbara, lead speaker for the press
conference, read a Proclamation signed by Governor Dave Heineman
and Secretary of State John Gale declaring October 2nd Early Voting Awareness
Day. Other speakers were Linda, State
League President Sandy Powell, Deputy Secretary of
State for Elections Neal Erickson, and Douglas County Election Commissioner
Dave Phipps. Mr. Phipps demonstrated an AutoMARK machine that allows visually impaired voters to
cast their votes privately and independently. Representatives from Omaha,
Sarpy, and Lancaster County election offices also were present. Karren wrote the
press conference script and other LWVGO members were present to greet the
press, display signs, and register voters.
A similar press conference hosted by members of
the Hastings and Grand Island League of Women Voters was held in Hastings,
Nebraska, on the same day.
He
who smiles instead of rages is always the stronger. -- Japanese proverb
THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE
LWV.
will hold its first meeting of the season on:
November 30, 2006 7:30 P.M.
Theme for the meetings this
season: "WORLD HEALTH AWARENESS"
Guest Facilitator: Dr. Kosoko-Laski, of Creighton
University Medical Center. Dr. Laski is a renowed scholar and activist in health problaems
and concerns around the world. Omaha is
fortunate to have her established in our city,
Please attend, on time, and
be prepared to challenge Dr. Laski's remarks.
The United States must be
made aware of how this knowledge will impact our lives and the lives of our
future existence, as Number One or not.!
RSVP to Tessie.
LWV GHANAIAN
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Last September, SEVEN young
women were able to pursue their dreams and potential and continue their
education in Ghana because of generous donations from League members. Without these donations, their families could
not afford their school fees, extra class fees, books, uniforms, shoes and
lunch (which total about $300 per year to attend public school in Ghana). We would like to send these girls back to
school next year. Please consider making
a tax-deductible contribution this holiday season and make a difference in
their young lives. The amount of $300
would pay for for one girl to attend school for an
entire year, but any amount is appreciated!
Please make your check payable to: LWV Ed Fund of Greater Omaha/Ghanaian
Scholarship, and send your check to:
LWV Education Fund, Suite 501
1941 South 42nd Street
Omaha
NE 68105-2945
READING RESOURCE GROUP
When: Tuesday, November 21 14 (Note
date change), 7:00 p.m.
Discussion will be on the
book “Overthrow” by Stephen Kinzer –
Part Two, Covert Action,
Pages 111 through 216.
We welcome new readers.
For more information, send an e-mail to omahalwvadmin@tconl.com
1-877-LWV-VOTE
I want to thank the nine members who attended the 1-800 training to prepare for phone staffing of our 800
number. We'd like to think we have the answer to any question that may
come our way, but there will surely be some surprises, which we will handle
admirably.
We still need some help, so please call or email me with
your offers of assistance. We'd like to have at least two members in the
office per shift; at this time we have at least one trained person per
shift. This means if you want to help but haven't had the training it's
ok - you'll be working with someone who knows what she's doing.
All members are invited to celebrate with us at the
office on November 7, election day, from 5 p.m. to 8
p.m. We'll have some good things to eat and remind each other of what
a great job we did getting out the vote!
Linda
MEMBERSHIP
Pass this membership
application on to a friend:
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF GREATER OMAHA
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name
______________________________________________________________________
Address __________________________________City___________State _____ ZIP _______
Home phone
____________________________Work phone ___________________________
Fax
_______________________________________ E-mail ____________________________
____Single member, $50 ___Family membership, $75 ___Additional contribution $_____
Please make your checks
payable to LWVGO and send to:
League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha
1941 S. 42nd Street, Suite
501
Omaha, NE
68105