Funding Our Priorities

February 23, 2011

Early Saturday February 19 the House of Representatives passed legislation (H.R. 1)

MCC/Melissa Engle

that would cut federal spending by $61 billion.  The cuts come mainly in programs dedicated to assistance for vulnerable populations in the U.S. and internationally.

 

You can let your Senators know that this approach to the budget is neither responsible nor just.

Together, these two areas of the budget represent just 15 percent of U.S. spending.  Although the same legislation requests  a defense budget 3 percent lower than the President’s 2011 request, it is still $8 billion higher than 2010 levels.  Defense spending represents over 50 percent of U.S. discretionary (not mandatory) spending.

The math is questionable: how can we address the deficit without addressing the most expensive portion of the budget?  Even beyond military spending, H.R. 1 fails to adequately address a number of root causes of the nation’s deficit.

Read the rest of this entry »


Pray for Peaceful Elections in Uganda

February 14, 2011

On February 18, 2011, Ugandans will vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections. Fear over vote rigging has created distrust in the electoral process, raising concerns of possible election violence. The MCC Washington Office asks you to pray for calm during and after elections in Uganda. 

For additional information, click here and here.


A journey toward peace

January 19, 2011

Patricia Kisare reflects on the referendum in southern Sudan for PeaceSigns:

In the post-referendum phase, critical work needs to be done to resolve remaining issues and to ensure final implementation of the CPA. Remaining to be worked out are issues related to: disputed border areas, management of the oil sector and oil-wealth sharing, questions of citizenship, banking and currency arrangements, security arrangements, international legal obligations, and sovereign debt

Click here to read more.

 


Sudanese president says no Darfur peace talks in Doha beyond Dec 31st

December 30, 2010

From Sudan Tribune:

The growing violence in Darfur and political instability in Khartoum will complicate the implementation of a number of steps in the post referendum period and jeopardize the whole process engaged after 2005 peace process.


South Sudanese face tough homecoming ahead of independence vote

December 22, 2010

From Alertnet.org:

An estimated 77,996 people returned to south Sudan in the six weeks up to Dec. 15, according to the U.N. humanitarian coordinating agency, OCHA.

“We have increased numbers of stranded returnees. You get people whose resources are exhausted at a certain stage in the journey. This is not a sign of a planned or particularly thought through return,” said Gerry Waite, head of IOM in south Sudan


A Season for Peace in Sudan

December 3, 2010

Patricia Kisare reflects  on the situation in Sudan for Third Way:

Photo by Reuters

While there are many issues on which the two sides need to settle, Abyei has been a subject of much contention mainly because of its oil wealth and fertile land…The questions of border demarcation, voter eligibility and oil-wealth distribution continue to stalemate the political process

Click here to read the entire article.


Africa: Food Versus Biofuels Debate Continues

December 2, 2010

From AllAfrica.com:

To gain the maximum carbon emissions reductions over fossil fuels while conserving forest cover and biodiversity, biofuel feedstock should come from municipal and industrial waste, residues from crops and sustainably harvested wood, and from perennial plants grown on degraded land – already abandoned from agricultural use

Click here to read more.


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