[stop-imf] Debt Cancellation: 30 Days Left - Call White House/Treasury Today!

[robert weissman]

Jubilee USA UPDATE
Countdown to Freedom From Debt Campaign
September 1, 2004

=93Our foreign debt, or more appropriately our eternal debt, cannot and
should not be paid. It is an immoral debt and a profound human rights
issue. The debt is used to dominate people, and the impact is cruel and
abusive.=94
  -- Argentine Nobel Peace Prize winner Aldolfo Perez Esquivel, in an
editorial yesterday

Greetings, Jubilee supporters! Today marks 30 days until October 1, Debt
Decision Day! We are off to a great start in our Countdown campaign. We
have confirmed that significant additional steps on debt are being
discussed at the highest levels in the US government and the G-7: Let=92s
pull out all the stops and let them know what is really needed: 100%
cancellation, for all impoverished nations, without devastating
conditions attached.

We are now in the home stretch of the campaign. We need you to take
action and spread the word to family, friends, fellow parishioners, and
colleagues throughout September. Start with a phone call to the White
House and US Treasury Department today !

Below:
1) TAKE ACTION TODAY (9/1):  Call the US Treasury and White House
2) TAKE ACTION ALL MONTH: Ten Ways To Take Action with Jubilee USA for
100% Debt Cancellation
3) Donate to support the movement for Jubilee Justice!
4) Upcoming Events

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

1) TAKE ACTION TODAY: Call the US Treasury and White House Today (9/1) :
Time to Drop the Debt

It is a critical moment in the movement for impoverished country debt
cancellation. We need you to CALL the White House and the U.S. Treasury
Department today! When you call, ask that the administration announce
its support for 100% multilateral debt cancellation for all impoverished
nations without harmful conditions attached when the G-7 Finance
Ministers meet in Washington on October 1.

* To call the White House, dial: 202-456-1414 or 202-456-1111 (comment line=
)
* To call the US Treasury Department, dial: 202-622-0656 (This is the
office of Undersecretary for International Affairs John Taylor -- please
ask to leave a message with the receptionist for Mr. Taylor, not to
transfer to voicemail)

For additional talking points, see www.jubileeusa.org

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

2) TAKE ACTION IN SEPTEMBER: Ten Ways To Take Action with Jubilee USA
for 100% Debt Cancellation

There are many things you can do over the next month to get our message
across to the decision makers in the US government on debt! Depending on
how much time you have, you can do 1 simple task =96 or take action 4 or 5
ways. Now is the time!

1.=09Mail or Fax a Letter to the White House and Treasury Department
Calling for 100% Debt Cancellation. Better yet =96 ask your congregation,
family, friends, group to write letters too! See sample letters you can
adapt and mail or fax at www.jubileeusa.org

2.=09Write a Letter-to-the Editor About Debt! Watch the newspapers in your
town and respond to articles about Africa, Iraq, and many more issues
with a letter about the need for full debt cancellation! For sample
points and tips, see
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=3D/take_action&page=3Dapril04_me=
dia.html

3.=09Write an Op-ed About Debt. Write it yourself or ask a local leader =96
your pastor, a city council member you know, a university professor in
your town =96 to write an editorial about debt for your local paper.
Contact the Jubilee office at neil(a)jubileeusa.org for sample text, and
for tips on writing, see http://www.jubileeusa.org/edpacket/media.pdf.

4.=09Turn Up the Street Heat with Jubilee USA in Washington, DC on
September 21st and October 1st. Join us for a picket outside Treasury on
9/21 at Noon and outside the
G-7 Finance Ministers=92 meeting on 10/1!

5.=09Send An E-Card to the IMF/World Bank with the Irish Debt Campaign.
The Debt and Development Coalition in Dublin, Ireland is running a =93Debt
Kills=94 campaign calling on the IMF and World Bank to use their own
resources to cancel the debts owed to them by the poorest countries in
our world NOW. Send an e-card from www.debtireland.org

6.=09Call Congress: Ask Your Member to Co-Sponsor the JUBILEE Act (HR
4793). The Jubilee Act is a bipartisan bill in the House that calls on
the IMF, World Bank and other multilaterals to fully cancel the debt of
50 impoverished nations. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 or
go to www.house.gov to find your  Members=92 site and phone number. See
www.jubileeusa.org for talking points and much more.

7.=09Call Your Senator: Ask Your Senator to sign-on to a letter to
President Bush calling on his administration to support 100% debt
cancellation for poor nations. The administration has indicated that
they need to hear that they have support from the Senate on this! See
www.jubileeusa.org/take_action/senate_letter.html for an explanation.

8.=09Get the Word Out in Your Community! Set up a Jubilee booth at a
conference or set up a table with information on Jubilee and debt at a
community festival or event in your neighborhood, or organize a film
screening. To order materials, contact jakeya (a) jubileeusa.org or call
202-543-0692.

9.=09Ask Presidential and Congressional Candidates to Support Debt
Cancellation. When candidates are speaking =96 on the radio or in person =
=96
ask for their position on debt cancellation for impoverished nations.
Contact the Jubilee office for sample questions for candidates and
details on these events at neil(a)jubileeusa.org.

10.=09Join A National Conference call with Jubilee Activists across the
country September 14 at 8 pm Eastern! Get updated and hear the latest on
the Countdown campaign while strategizing with dozens of Jubilee
activists from all across the country at our monthly national grassroots
call. To join, write neil(a)jubileeusa.org for the call-in number.


Stay tuned for other action opportunities as they arise throughout
September! And thanks for taking action for life over debt!!


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

3) 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, has 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 can make a secure, tax-deductible gift to Jubilee USA
Network online =96 simply visit our website and follow the instructions.
Thank you for your commitment 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, Washington, DC, 20003.

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

4) Calendar of Upcoming Events

September 1 =96 Nationwide -- 30 Days to Debt Decision Day! Countdown to
Freedom from Debt Call-in Day to the White House at (202) 456-1414 and
Treasury Department at 202-622-0656.

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 include Live music, arts and crafts, organic food and drinks!
With over 250 Green Business, 50 visionary speakers, 20  movies from the
DC Environmental Film 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.org.

September 21, 12 noon =96 10 days to Debt Decision Day. Join Jubilee USA
in Washington, DC for a picket outside US Treasury, 15th and New York
Aves., NW.

October 1, 12 noon =96 Debt Decision Day! G-7 Finance ministers meet. Ring
in debt freedom at picket outside G-7 Finance Ministers meeting in
Washington. Or organize a Ring in Debt Freedom solidarity action in your to


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