[stop-imf] Countdown to Freedom from Debt - 59 Days Left!

[Robert Weissman]

Jubilee USA UPDATE

Countdown to Freedom From Debt Campaign
August 4, 2004

Greetings, Jubilee supporters! As of today, there are 59 days until October=
 1, Debt Decision Day. We are off to a great start in our Countdown campaig=
n. So far, you have generated more than  640 faxes to the US Treasury and i=
n just the past two weeks the number of co-sponsors of the JUBILEE Act has =
jumped from 6 to 18!

But we have much more to do to mount enough pressure on the administration =
and Congress to support our call for 100% multilateral debt cancellation fo=
r impoverished nations by the G-7 Finance Ministers meeting on October 1. R=
ead on to find out how you can take action this month, and to get the lates=
t news and updates from Jubilee USA.

Below:
1) TAKE ACTION:  Set Up District Visits with Your Representative: Support t=
he JUBILEE Act!
2) TAKE ACTION: Send An E-Card to the IMF/World Bank with the Irish Debt Ca=
mpaign
3) New Drop the Debt Newsletter is Out
4) Register to Vote via the Jubilee USA website
5) New Web Resources for Jubilee Members: Candidate Profiles and Jewish Jub=
ilee Congregations
6) Donate to support the movement for Jubilee Justice!
7) Upcoming Events

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1. TAKE ACTION: Set Up District Visits with Your Representative: Support th=
e JUBILEE Act!

Congress is on recess until September 7, which means your Representative is=
 in your District. Please set up a meeting at your Member of Congress=92 lo=
cal office and ask him/her to co-sponsor the JUBILEE Act (HR 4793), which c=
alls on the IMF, World Bank, and regional development banks to fully cancel=
 the debt of 50 impoverished countries. Debt cancellation will free up crit=
ical resources for the fight against HIV/AIDS, for education, and clean wat=
er. To find out where your Member=92s district offices are, click here to f=
ind your member's Web site (http://www.house.gov/). If you are unable to se=
t up a meeting, you can still call them at their district offices; or call =
their staff in the DC office via the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.

For the full action alert, talking points and more, see the Jubilee USA web=
site at www.jubileeusa.org

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

2. TAKE ACTION: Send An E-Card to the IMF/World Bank with the Irish Debt Ca=
mpaign!

The Debt and Development Coalition in Dublin, Ireland is running a =93Debt =
Kills=94 e-card campaign to mark the 60th anniversary of the IMF and World =
Bank. The message of the campaign is clear: the IMF and World Bank must use=
 their own resources to cancel the debts owed to them by the poorest countr=
ies in our world NOW.

You can send an e-card from www.debtireland.org

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

3. New Drop the Debt! Newsletter is Out

The summer edition of Jubilee USA=92s quarterly newsletter is out. In this =
month=92s edition, get a full report on policy developments on debt coming =
out of the G-8 summit, including reports on local action and photos, as wel=
l as updates on legislation, the April spring IMF/World Bank meetings, and =
much, much more!

See it online at: http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?page=3Dnewsletters.=
html


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4. Register to Vote via the Jubilee USA Website!

The election is less than 100 days away. Are you sure your name appears on =
the voter rolls? If you are not registered to vote or need to update your v=
oter registration information, click here now:
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=3D/take_action&page=3Dregisterto=
vote.html

If you are already registered to vote, do your friends a favor and forward =
them this e-mail. With the 2004 presidential race less than 100 days away a=
nd shaping up to be just as close as it was in 2000, each and every vote wi=
ll be vital in determining the course our nation takes in the future. We=92=
ve partnered with Working Assets to register voters for the upcoming electi=
on. It=92s easy, it=92s quick and it=92s a great way to support the values =
we all believe in -- because when you register to vote or update your regis=
tration via the Jubilee USA website, Working Assets will make a donation to=
 Jubilee USA.

Click here to register today:
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=3D/take_action&page=3Dregisterto=
vote.html

+++++++++++++++++

5. New Web Resources for Jubilee Members

Jubilee USA members, there are two new helpful resources on the Jubilee USA=
 Network that you don=92t want to miss! First, we have a new section in the=
 Jubilee Congregations section of the site with Jewish resources on debt an=
d Jubilee. The page includes an overview of the Jubilee Congregations progr=
am,  articles on Jubilee and economic justice by prominent Jewish authors, =
and how economic justice relates to Jewish values.
See a link at the bottom of the page: http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi=
?path=3D/jubilee_congregations

Also new on the site --profiles of the candidates for President on issues o=
f international debt. The profiles of Senator John Kerry and President Geor=
ge W. Bush are our effort to educate voters about how the two candidates ha=
ve historically voted or acted on issues related to international debt canc=
ellation.

See: TBD
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

6) Donate to support the movement for Jubilee Justice!

2004 is a critical year for Jubilee! Organizing around the 60th Birthday of=
 the IMF and World Bank, the G8 meetings in Georgia in June, and now on the=
 Countdown to Freedom from Debt, all in the context of an election year, ha=
s Jubilee buzzing! Unfortunately, all of this great work and the resources =
we are providing cost money and we are stretching every penny to the limit!=
 Please consider contributing an investment of any amount in Jubilee. You c=
an make a secure, tax-deductible gift to Jubilee USA Network online =96 sim=
ply visit our website and follow the instructions. Thank you for your commi=
tment to this important work!

Donate online at: http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=3D/donate.

You may also mail a check to Jubilee USA Network, 222 E. Capitol St., NE, W=
ashington, DC, 20003.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

7) Calendar of Upcoming Events

August =96 All month/Nationwide =96 Set up local meetings with your Member =
of Congress =96 Ask them to Co-sponsor the JUBILEE Act! See www.jubileeusa.=
org for the full alert.

September 1 =96 Nationwide -- 30 Days to Debt Decision Day! Countdown to Fr=
eedom from Debt Call-in Day to the White House and Treasury Department. Che=
ck www.jubileeusa.org in late August for details.

September 18-19 =96 Washington, DC =96 Green Festival. It's a party!  ...  =
 with a purpose. Green Festival celebrates what is working in our community=
: Local businesses, green technology, youth empowerment, fair trade, social=
 investing, renewable energy, environmental justice.... The event will incl=
ude Live music, arts and crafts, organic food and drinks! With over 250 Gre=
en Business, 50 visionary speakers, 20  movies from the DC Environmental Fi=
lm Festival, and 40 Community Groups. All this for only $10  a day. Jubilee=
 USA will have a booth =96 so stop by! For more info.: www.greenfestivals.o=
rg.

September 21 =96 10 days to Debt Decision Day. Join Jubilee USA in Washingt=
on, DC outside US Treasury.

October 1 =96 Debt Decision Day! G-7 Finance ministers meet. Ring in debt f=
reedom at picket outside G-7 Finance Ministers meeting in Washington. Ring =
in Debt Freedom solidarity actions across the country.


Neil Watkins
Outreach and Communications Coordinator
Jubilee USA Network
(202) 783-0129
www.jubileeusa.org

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