Seize The Day Weekly Update 04.08.09
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FrancescoRastrelliSeize The Day Weekly Update 04.08.09
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FrancescoRastrelliSeize the Day Initiative Weekly Update
April 8, 2009
The following are recent updates from OSPC and OSI on operational activities related to
the Seize the Day initiative.
OPEN SOCIETY POLICY CENTER Updates
Federal Budget
On Thursday, April 2, the House and Senate passed – in slightly varied forms – President
Obama’s budget for the fiscal year beginning on October 1. The House voted for a $3.6
trillion budget by a 233- 196 margin, with all 176 Republicans and 20 Democrats
opposing. Obama and the House leadership were able to hold many, but not all of the
more conservative Democrats. The Senate voted for a $3.5 trillion version by a 55- 43
margin with all 41 Republicans and two Democrats, Evan Bayh (IN) and Ben Nelson
(NE), opposing. Bayh stated that the budget was too large even as he likely will support
rolling back the estate tax that would further grow the budget deficit. Next steps for the
budget process will be to reconcile the two versions before moving forward on upcoming
fights on health care, energy, and education policy priorities. (Bill Vandenberg,
Democracy and Power Fund Director, OSI)
Advancing the Hardest Issues: National Security and Human Rights
OSPC and many of OSI’s grantees are working collaboratively to educate policy makers,
the press, and the public on issues surrounding the Dawn Johnsen and Harold Koh
nominations. The Johnsen nomination has generated stronger opposition due to her
position against torture and her work to defend reproductive freedom. In close
coordination with OSPC staff, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education
Fund (LCCR) has compiled a package of materials supportive of the Johnsen nomination
and will be presenting it to editorial boards this week. The package includes a memo
signed by more than 30 organizations (many of them OSI grantees) that details how
Johnsen’s opposition to torture is in the mainstream while the Bush administration’s
position on torture stands out as radical and in contravention to established US and
international law. Among the many OSI grantees that are working to support Johnsen are
the Constitution Project, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, Government
Accountability Project, National Women’s Law Center, Alliance for Justice and
People for the American Way.
Between Ted Olsen’s recent endorsement of the Koh nomination, the strong showing of
support by other high level conservative validators, and support from both sides of the
Senate, advocates are hopeful that Koh will be confirmed without difficulty. The Senate
is expected to act quickly on both nominations when it returns from recess next week. In
the event of a filibuster, OSPC stands prepared to retain lobbyists to approach Senators
Collins and Snowe from Maine, Senator Specter from Pennsylvania, and Senator McCain
from Arizona. (Nancy Chang, Campaign Manager, NSHR Campaign; Tom Hilbink,
Program Officer, Transparency and Integrity Fund; Wendy Patten, Senior Policy Analyst,
OSPC; Mort Halperin, Senior Consultant, OSPC)
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Advancing the Hardest Issues: Climate Change
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman and Energy and
Environment Subcommittee Chair Ed Markey unveiled draft green economy legislation
last week that would set national standards for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and
global warming pollution. It would create a cap and trade program to cut greenhouse gas
emissions but also leaves open questions about how revenues from the program would be
distributed and whether polluters would be subsidized to meet the standards. The Center
for American Progress Action Fund has given the plan a “B+” grade and OSI partner
Tom Heller, who is launching the Climate Policy Initiative with OSI support, had an
initial favorable impression of the legislation and is planning to do a more careful
analysis in the coming days. The bill is on a fast-track to get to the House floor in less
than two months. (Nancy Youman, U.S. Programs Deputy Director, OSI)
OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE Updates
Expanding Public Participation
After a lengthy wait that has produced concern among those seeking to ensure a complete
count in the 2010 U.S. Census, President Obama has nominated Dr. Robert Groves as
Director of the U.S. Census Bureau. Groves is a former Census Bureau associate director
of statistical design and currently the director of the University of Michigan’s Survey
Research Center. With this appointment, and that of former Washington Governor Gary
Locke as Commerce Secretary, civil rights advocates are encouraged about the direction
of the 2010 Census.
On April 1, a coalition of prominent Latina/ o organizations and national Spanish-
language media outlets announced a new campaign to motivate the Latina/ o community
to participate in the 2010 Census. Partners in the campaign include the National Council
of La Raza, National Association of Latino Elected Officials, League of United Latin
American Citizens, and Univision Communications, Inc., among others. During the
last two censuses, the Census Bureau missed counting millions of people – mostly people
of color, immigrants, and low-income people. Latina/os, now the largest minority group
in the nation, were missed at a higher rate than other racial and ethnic groups. Cristóbal
Josh Alex, a program officer with the Democracy and Power Fund, represents OSI in a
new Funders’ Census Initiative that includes the Ford, Hagedorn, and Joyce Foundations,
among others. (Raquiba LaBrie, Equality and Opportunity Fund Director, and Bill
Vandenberg, Democracy and Power Fund Director, OSI)
Expanding Public Participation
For those monitoring the post-election power of the Obama campaign machine, a
Monday, April 6 Washington Post story cited the less than promising launch and limited
impact that Organizing for America had on the budget fight. OFA – the Obama
campaign’s 13.5 million person email list now housed at the Democratic National
Committee – gathered only 214,000 petition signatures nationwide through a canvass and
email appeal to its supporters and is soon to hire a sizable number of organizers in the
states. Many budget observers do cite that the congressional fight was impacted by
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strong field operations that were led by independent advocacy groups in the states. These
groups, like the Virginia Organizing Project, a Center for Community Change
partner, along with state affiliates of USAction Education Fund and many others, held
public events, built broad and diverse coalitions, garnered earned media, and organized
targeted canvassing operations in key districts across the nation. This state based field
force will be an important factor on issues ranging from transparency in the stimulus
package to upcoming fights on health care, immigration, and energy policy. OSI funding
for the organizations listed above provides support for public education, coalition
building, and issue research and analysis. OSI does not provide funding for lobbying
related efforts. (Bill Vandenberg, Democracy and Power Fund Director, OSI)
