I've been involved in the Ohio Empowerment Coalition, a statewide welfare rights coalition (which is supposed to be low-income people's organization, though its agenda is often set by a non-recipient organizer). The OEC is now organizing the "Stop the Clock" campaign, demanding, among other things, that (1) Ohio implement a moratorium on time limits if Ohio enters a recession; (2) Ohio extend its three-year time limit to what is allowable by the Federal government; (3) Ohio change its sanction policy, ending a sanction when the recipient complies; etc. Alas, the agenda just doesn't go far enough, though (which has been the source of frustration for some OEC members); the OEC is settling for this because this is what HB 578 says (introduced by Rep. Dale Miller of Cleveland). The OEC held a speak-out on time limits on March 23 at the Statehouse, but only about fifty people showed up. (Sad, given that _on paper_ the "Stop the Clock" campaign has been endorsed by Ohio Council of Churches, AFSC, SEIU Locals, NARAL Ohio, NAACP, etc., literally dozens of organizations; why couldn't more people show up???) We got stuck in the map room on the lower level, while, at the same time, the American Bar Association was having a cocktail party, which in contrast attracted perhaps about 300 guests, on the 2nd floor.
The OEC will have a Lobby Day on Thursday, April 13 at the statehouse. If anyone in Ohio is interested, call 513-381-4242 or e-mail the Contact Center at <contactcenter at overtherhine.org>. It is also sponsoring the Statewide Welfare Conference on April 13 & 14 at Lenox Inn, Reynoldsburg, Ohio. I wonder if Tom Lehman could help the OEC, hooking them up with the steelworkers.
BTW, Ohio has $733.9 million in unspent TANF funds! They don't even fucking spend the money they got!!!
I'm all for alternative institutions, but I don't think they can meet the needs of poor women and children in Ohio (especially if recession comes). Why not make the state pay? They got money!
Yoshie