Christians for JubileeChristians for JubileeObtaining Debt Relief for Poor CountriesObtaining Debt Relief for Poor Countries

2HLRM, LLP

BackgroundBackground

• Poor countries – insurmountable debt

• Jubilee 2000– Religious movement with nearly unanimous global

support

• U.S. is the only major holdout– $1 in U.S. appropriations = $90 in global debt relief– Entire success of movement relies on U.S. participation

Background (continued)Background (continued)

• 1998 G8 meeting - creditor gov’ts embrace debt relief

• Clinton requests total of $920 million over four years

• Support for bill rests along party lines

• Republicans control both House and Senate

Background (continued)Background (continued)

• Pelosi calls for emergency funding amendment, but subcommittee votes it down (8-7)

• Full Committee also votes it down (32-21)

• Senate reduces funding to $75 million

• Clinton threatens veto of Appropriations Bill

The PlayersThe Players

• Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations (8 to 7 against)– Supporters: Democrats: Pelosi, Jackson, Kilpatrick, Lowey, Sabo,

Obey and Republican: Wolf– Opponents: All Republicans: Callahan, (chair of subcommittee),

Kingston, Knollenberg, Lewis, Packard, Porter, Wicker, Young

• Full House Appropriations Committee (21-32 against)– Wolf – only Republican to vote in favor– Democrats – 3 voted against

The Players (continued)The Players (continued)

• Republican Leaders– Dick Armey (House Majority leader) and Tom DeLay – cut

appropriations by $300 million.– Calling for provisions to safeguard funding from foreign

corruption

• Celebrities - Pope, Dalai Lama, Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, Muhammad Ali, Bono, Jeffrey Sachs.

• Interest Groups – Supporters and Opponents that fall along party lines

• What Now?

StrategyStrategy

• Two-pronged Attack– Goal is to gain legislative approval of

significant appropriations for debt relief

– Inside political strategy

– Outside political strategy• Complements and coordinates with Inside

strategy

Inside StrategyInside Strategy

• Overcome Callahan and House Republican leaders, Armey and DeLay– They have strong influence on other House Republicans

• Meet with Pelosi (D) and Wolf (R)– Convince Wolf to take lead on debt relief– Wolf may gain Republican support

Inside Strategy (continued)Inside Strategy (continued)

• Add provisions to prevent corruption

• Play the religious angle– Use religious networks to pressure representatives from

Southern Baptist states

• Leverage Clinton’s veto power

Outside StrategyOutside Strategy

• Join with other interest groups– Pool resources, expand network– Diverse coalition – make detractors seem like out of

touch “Scrooges”

• Expand religious support– 40,000+ Southern Baptist Churches– Build support using existing network of Christian

fellowship

Outside Strategy (continued)Outside Strategy (continued)

• Use celebrity “star power”– Pope, Bono, Muhammed Ali, Billy Graham, Jeffrey Sachs– Sponsor a Jubilee Concert Tour – U2, Christian/Country

acts

• Media Campaign– New Media (Use web to spread info, accept donations)– Traditional Media (TV, Radio, Print)

CommercialCommercial

CommercialCommercial

Questions?Questions?

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