Bradley's Brushback

Weatherization

2012-01-27T06:30:00.000-05:00

These days, I am getting ready for the Legislative Conference and preparing for the release of the Administration’s budget. I spend all my time thinking about weatherization though. There are a lot of people participating in the advocacy arena in support of weatherization. When things are going well, these advocates work on getting our money or taking credit for our work. When the stimulus bill was passed, they wanted in on that funding. They wanted some of the regular appropriations. They went to Congress and took credit for the work. But when things get though, as they are now with the 2012 appropriations or with the Administration, suddenly no one is around. Yet, everyone is pointing at me and telling me to do a better job, telling me I have not done enough of this or that. This happens in Washington all the time.

Between Hill visits while walking between the Cannon House Building and my office or wherever I find myself, weatherization inevitably creeps into my mind. It is a strange thing and it seems as though it never ceases. During short breaks in my day, I want to be thinking of other things like baseball, the coming of spring, the political season. But Weatherization comes creeping to the forefront of my mind.

I have been thinking about how to take a few steps back, take more responsibility for weatherization, reframe the arguments and approach our lobbying efforts differently. I think the arguments for the weatherization program that we currently use are tired and not effective. A CAP agency can say that they are laying off four or six people in one congressional district as the result of funding cuts, but those numbers are not enough to turn a Member around. We need to be thinking about all the value we bring to a community. We need to find a way to describe that to Members. It is going to take a new approach, new arguments, and a new legislative strategy.

Part of Community Action's History

2012-01-26T05:30:00.000-05:00

Anyone who has attended my history seminar or has been in Community Action for a number of years knows that in 1994, House Republicans unveiled a campaign document known as the Contract with

America

. That document laid out the Republican goals for reducing government and eliminating a number of domestic programs. CSBG was number one on their hit parade. Yet, in 1996, Speaker Newt Gingrich and other key House Republicans reversed their position and actually invested substantially in CSBG and the Community Action network. It would be the largest domestic increase of any program in 1996.

For some time, I have watched the ebbs and flows of Newt Gingrich’s fortunes. His recent participation in the Republican nominating process for president is the latest. In the back of my mind this entire time, I had a thought that at some point someone from the press would ask me about the events in 1996. I don’t know why I had this thought. It seems like a long time ago and such a minor point in Congressional budgeting. But yesterday, the day arrived when I was asked about the threatened budget cuts and subsequent investments in our program in 1996. I received calls from not one but many members of the press wanting to know about Newt’s involvement with our network, and in particular the funding of CSBG in 1996. This is tricky. It was a long time ago. Now we are being interjected into a hyper sensitive and volatile Republican nominating process. The risk of being misunderstood by the press and by others worries me. The risk of being construed as supporting Gingrich or not supporting the Obama Administration worries me. This is a tough situation.

Situations like this come up when one gets involved in new things, when one seeks out new experiences. Weatherization was part of the 2008 Democratic nominating debate during the primaries. Clinton introduced the program into the dialogue and soon others, including Obama, were talking about it. Now I think about the program and wonder what are the up sides to being included in these dialogues? What are the down sides? What if there are similar opportunities for CSBG, Community Action, and poverty? It is interesting in life, even when you feel you have been around the track a couple of times, how new experiences continue to arise. What I discover for myself about some of these recent experiences is that there are few people who I can turn to for advice. At times, I do not know who to contact. I wonder what you think about this current situation of the press inquiring about the relationship that Newt had with CSBG funding in 1996. How would you handle this?

My Impressions of the State of the Union

2012-01-25T18:23:00.001-05:00

I thought President Obama’s State of the Union address was a terrific speech. The rhetoric matched his 2008 presidential campaign. It was a strong reminder of why I like this President. I thought he touched on a number of good themes. It was clearly delivered in campaign mode but it was a very strong speech.

That said, I would have been stunned had the President mentioned any of our programs. I know some of you were wondering and I received a lot of questions from within our network speculating as to whether the President would go after CSBG or any of our other programs. It would have surprised me if our programs were in his speech for a second year in a row. I think his point was well made – and well taken – in 2011.

Now we are waiting for the February 13^th release of Obama’s budget (it has been delayed a week). The budget will be very interesting for all our programs: CSBG, LIHEAP, Weatherization and Head Start. There will be important things in this budget. We recognize that the budget is a campaign document, but it will provide insight and act as a guide to what the Obama administration prioritizes for his second term.

Then, we are off to the races.

My reading for the month….

2012-01-24T16:00:00.000-05:00

Right now, I need to finish the Steve Jobs biography. So far it is a phenomenal book. I am really enjoying it. Next I have two books I am looking forward to reading. First, I want to read Chris Matthews latest book, Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero. I am also looking forward to starting Daniel Yergin’s book on the future of energy, The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World.

As I think about tonight's State of the Union though, I keep coming back to the idea of poverty in America today. I am interested in reading a good book about this issue. Do you have any recommendations? Please share

Off to the Races

2012-01-24T06:30:00.000-05:00

All eyes are on the State of the Union. After tonight, the next mile marker is the Administration’s budget which will be released on February 6^th. Then we are off to the races. By February, Congress will be in full political mode and back to work with whatever they are going to get done this year. We will see sprouts of political strategy from both parties. These will impact spending quite a bit.

I know it is going to be a hell of a year. I am ready for it. I think it is going to take everyone in the network giving 110 percent. Without that effort, it could be the most consequential year with a serious downside. Congress is going to be cutting billions and tens of billions from domestic spending. I hear Democrats saying they will go along with the cuts. There will be a rush to make deep cuts. Just look at defense cuts. Domestic discretionary is under attack. Congressional Research told me a week ago they consider CSBG the most vulnerable program in the entire federal budget.

State of the Union

2012-01-22T19:36:00.000-05:00

I expect to be invited to the State of the Union again this year. I keep thinking to myself that, if I am invited, I don’t think I want to go. The last time I attended the State of the Union – the only time I attended the State of the Union – the President singled out our programs in a surprising way. When I think about attending the State of the Union, I am reminded of the corny statement, “Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?” I am thinking I will not attend. I am sure that ten years from now I will revisit my thinking around why I did not attend. But today, I am not sure I am interested.

Poverty in America

2012-01-21T06:30:00.000-05:00

The current understanding of poverty in America has been on my mind lately. Over the holiday break, I spent time with a couple of Congressional Members. One Republican, one Democrat. Both are senior Members of the House. They were around during the break, so we took advantage of the extra time we had. We had relaxed meetings while we talked poverty, politics, and a little baseball. I laid out what I thought was a persuasive case as to why Congress should be investing more in our programs right now. I argued that we should not be thinking about elimination of our programs at a time when the poverty business is booming. I realize there is a disconnect between what people are facing in their daily lives and how elected officials understand those struggles. Families are falling out of the middle class and are turning to our agencies in record numbers for a lifeline. Yet there continues to exist a general impression of poverty that is very different from what people experience – and many elected officials seem to not care. Many elected officials seem to not really care about poverty. Why is poverty not part of the Administrations agenda? Why are we not concerned about what is happening to one out of every two Americans?

I am convinced now that we need to be integral in advancing the conversation about poverty in America. We need to be seen as relevant to whatever attacks, solutions, responses are discussed. We need to part of the discussions. These are huge issues facing our country and our communities. We need to advance America’s awareness of poverty and fuel their desire to civic response. How does Community Action play a role in that?

Poverty in America

2012-01-20T06:30:00.000-05:00

I listened to the Tavis Smiley special on poverty in America last week. It was a two and a half hour program with half a dozen guests discussing poverty. I have not slept well since listening to that program. What a statement we make as a society that in this country today, almost one out of every two of our citizens live in or near poverty. What absolutely energizes and frustrates me is not seeing Community Action part of these conversations. Where and how do we interject Community Action into this debate?

Recent census data reports that fifty percent of Americans live in or near poverty. The gap has probably never been as wide between the "have" and "have-nots" as it is today. During the Great Depression 50 to 60% of the population was living in absolute poverty, but the gap between them and the top 1-2% was not as wide as it is today. There were more people in the same boat during the Great Depression. If you go back to the days when the republic was founded, there was obviously a gap between the “have” and “have-nots,” mostly broken down by racial lines. Today’s situation has a similar quality.

In 2011 members of the press provided me opportunities to bring awareness about our network and to raise our presence. At the time, I felt as though I was inserted into a whack-a-mole game. I chose to keep my head down and work carefully – and quietly – through Congress. I have shifted in my opinion though. Now I want to bring attention to the inter-connectedness between poverty and Community Action. Our success and our existence will be determined in part by how well we participate in this debate. We can stoke the fire in a responsible way. Yet, it is certain to be an angry debate.

I find our current situation unconscionable. Everyone in Community Action ought to lose a bit of sleep thinking about the people we serve, the state of our communities, and what we stand for as a country. We need to think about the opportunities that are simply not there for people.

How do I Respond to the Administration?

2012-01-19T06:30:00.000-05:00

I am struggling with the question of how do we deal with the Obama Administration in regard to our programs. What do we say to the Administration if their budget numbers are bad for Community Action? This is really is a quandary for me. It is something I am wrestling with at the moment. There are some very good people at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who are involved with our program. These are people I really like and respect. How do I sit down with them and have a conversation about their proposed initiatives which I believe are not good for our network? What do I say when the Administration has basically said ours is a network they can do without?

I am not predicting with 100% accuracy that the Administration’s budget request for 2013 will eliminate CSBG funding but looking at their position and stance last year, there is not a lot of room for optimism in my forecasting. Ahead of us is a much more competitive and difficult funding environment.

I am really wrestling with what to say to the Administration. After the State of the Union last year and after the Administration came out with their budget last year, I was invited to go to meetings and to sit down with HHS. I was conflicted about it last year and I am still really conflicted about it. On the one hand, I view the Administration as having a total lack of confidence in our programs. I view the budget cuts as the end of the discussion. If that is the case, I need to prepare to battle in Congress. On the other hand, I really like many of the people working within HHS. I know they have been dealt a very difficult hand and I am really torn about not working with them. I continue to debate my response to their invitations but I am leaning heavily toward focusing on Congress. I am not comfortable intellectually with my position within this situation.

I know one of the issues that will be discussed in these meetings is accreditation. I know another discussion topic will be performance. These are controversial issues. HHS wants our network to make accommodations and yet I see no contribution to the network on our behalf. To the contrary, I understand their message to us is that Community Action is not an integral program to the priorities of the Administration. That is a tough statement.

I have been thinking about the benefits and the purpose of my participation in these meetings. I feel one purpose may be to gain my agreement to introducing competition as a means towards distributing an anticipated scarcity of CSBG dollars. I sense these meetings may result in potentially opening a pathway towards dramatically reducing the network. I am not comfortable with the back door method of introducing policies that I believe may harm our network. I worry about not participating in these meetings, though, but I am not sure of a benefit.

Congress Returns

2012-01-18T19:26:00.002-05:00

Congress is starting to come back. The House is in today. Today is my first meeting with Members. Tomorrow I meet with a couple of House Republicans and a couple of Democratic candidates for the Senate. The silver lining I see is that there are a lot of people both in Congress and those seeking Congressional seats who are aware of our programs locally and who like them. This year is all about building support for Community Action. My efforts will be spent on stitching together a much bigger fabric of support for us.

Republican Organizations are Welcoming

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Republican organizations, particularly those of the Senate and House, have impressed me. I have been pleasantly surprised at how a number of House and Senate Republican member organizations have reached out to work with me and made me feel welcome in their organizations. I am active with both parties and find that the Republican organizations have worked hard to make me feel welcome. I think this is primarily due to some very good Members with whom we have good relationships and who make sure we are treated very well. I find some of the party organizations that Republicans have are very user friendly. They seem confused, though, with how I fit in as an advocate for low income programs. They do not have many other people working on these issues. Despite all the harsh rhetoric of cutting spending and shrinking government, they make me feel welcome. It does not mean that there will not be attempts to scale back our programs.

Head Start Re-competition

2012-01-14T06:30:00.000-05:00

I have been getting a fairly regular steady number of calls and comments regarding Head Start re-competition. It certainly has created a nervousness amongst some of the grantees. I am anxious to see how it plays out. There are lessons to be learned from this situation. It appears there is zero tolerance with no margin for errors, mistakes or deficiencies. I think this is a big issue that is likely to get bigger within our network and other childrens’ networks.

Are you Thinking of Retiring in 2012

2012-01-13T06:30:00.000-05:00

I spoke at the Partnership conference in Miami last week Friday. A number of people grabbed me to tell me they are thinking about retiring in 2012. I am starting to run across this more often lately. I don’t know if the uncertainty surrounding our programs and the competitive environment is accelerating peoples’ decisions to retire. I don’t know if they have been planning this for some time and are just not interested in another year or two of fights and stress. Others have approached me over the last couple of months as I traveled around the country and told me the same. With the economy as uncertain as it is, I would think the opposite would be true. That is, I would have guessed that people would stay and continue to fight for another year or two until the economy emerges out of the woods. After hearing from so many in Miami, I am wondering how prevalent this is around the country. How many of you are thinking or planning on retiring in 2012?

The Story of Community Action in 2011

2012-01-12T06:30:00.000-05:00

A number of reporters have been calling our offices interested in Community Action in general and CSBG in particular. They tell me they want to do a story on the network and the programs. Some have suggested stories specifically about our legislative fight last year. Reporters called last year and I resisted because at the time I felt minimum visibility was the best policy. But people continue to be curious about what went on with our program and how a program – the only one singled out for cuts by the President in the State of the Union – managed to work its way through Congress and come out virtually whole. I had real mixed emotions last year when I was contacted and I still do. I have to admit I am disappointed with myself that I am not able to reach a satisfactory conclusion. Not being sure how to respond to this situation irritates me. But I am still weighing the possible negative consequences against the potential benefits.

CSBG Reauthorization

2012-01-11T06:30:00.000-05:00

Although Congress is not in session for a couple more weeks, this is a big week for us at NCAF. We are nearing completion of the CSBG reauthorization package. This is the end of this stage of repositioning CSBG. The good news about 2011 is that despite the bitterness and partisanship in Congress, the anger and distrust felt toward elected officials, and President Obama singling out the CA network in the State of the Union - despite all that - the awareness of the Community Action network and CSBG is very high now. Last year, I met with a lot of people, including a number of newly elected Republican Members. I liked the many meetings and the many conversations about our network. The interest and awareness of Community Action is as high as it has been in the past few years. I cannot foresee Congress taking definitive action on renewing CSBG, but the support is there.

There remain a couple of outstanding issues with the final CSBG reauthorization package. This is the week we attempt to solve those issues. Whenever you get into the discussion about the future of the program and what roles Members have in building that future, that is a good week. Republicans on the House side and Democrats and Republicans on the Senate side want to introduce the CSBG reauthorization bill. We have taken longer than I expected with this reauthorization but I think we are going to have a good package.

2013 Budget Rumors….

2012-01-10T06:30:00.000-05:00

Usually about three weeks before the President’s budget is released, we start to hear rumors. Hopefully, this week we will begin to get a picture of the President’s 2012 budget. The 2012 budget was basically what I expected. I have to admit, I am anxious about the 2013 budget. One only needs to look at proposed budget cuts to defense to realize we are potentially going to see deep cuts on domestic discretionary budgets. This budget may not be good for LIHEAP, CSBG or Weatherization. I hope some of the leaks start being exposed soon.

LIHEAP in the Republican Debates

2012-01-09T19:00:00.000-05:00

I have been watching the Presidential debates, including yesterday’s that Meet the Press hosted in New Hampshire. It found it interesting that a reporter from the Union Leader, a conservative newspaper in New Hampshire, asked about LIHEAP. That tells you how much the LIHEAP program resonates with people, particularly in New England. I was disappointed though that, with the exception of Newt Gingrich, none of the candidates appear to know about the program. Gingrich referred to the program by name, obviously already familiar with it. The other candidates answered with comments about energy self sufficiency and broad energy policies. It was clear they were unfamiliar with the program. Having this question raised in the debates was helpful nonetheless.

I believe we need to think about how to interject Weatherization in the Presidential debate arena as well as LIHEAP. During the Presidential election season in 2008, Weatherization became a hot topic. Hillary Clinton was the first to discuss it during primary debates. Her office called NCAF for background information on the program. Then Obama, Richardson and Edwards mentioned Weatherization as a funding priority. But the old arguments for Weatherization are no longer working. This is NCAF’s number one challenge going into the 2012 elections. We have started talking with people around town about crafting newer more persuasive arguments about Weatherization. I think it is going to take discussing the program in the presidential debate arena to get it back onto the radar screens of Members in a positive way.

Work Ahead of Us

2012-01-09T18:32:00.000-05:00

In 2012 we will continue to build on the efforts of 2011, invest in the relationships we made in 2011, and expand on the momentum of 2011. Every hour we put into working on behalf of the Community Action network and CSBG in 2012 will be worth five hours of work in 2013. I truly believe that. We are going to need the work and relationships in 2013.

Having said that, all the battles we faced and time committed to activities in 2011, will be repeated in 2012. Our biggest goal in 2012 is to rethink weatherization. This program is really at a perilous crossroad. How we define the program, how we explain the program and how we talk about our vision for the program will be a major concern going forward.

After the Obama Administration deals with the unemployment insurance extension, Congress will be essentially irrelevant. The rest of the year will be spent on the election. I do not know what opportunities this will allow for us to advance our programs. This is something that unsettles me. Usually, we try to focus on one or two programmatic areas each year. Even if we are not able to achieve a funding increase or introduce legislative opportunities, we will spend significant time expanding support and awareness about Community Action. The results may not be immediate, but in one or two years down the road something good will emerge in a substantial way. This year is the first I can remember when I am not sure if any opportunities to build this kind of support will exist.

On the funding side, if we are able to maintain CSBG funding, restore Weatherization funding to pre-Stimulus levels, add funds back to LIHEAP, and continue to grow Head Start we will have achieved good success. I know, though, how desperate agencies are for funding right now because the poverty business is booming. I know more people are coming to our agencies for help. Deep in my heart I think that if we can justify an attempt to add a few dollars to our programs based on the number of people who visit our agencies and rely on our programs, that would be terrific.

A Break from Partisan Rhetoric

2012-01-07T07:30:00.000-05:00

One thing I am not looking forward to in the new year is the partisan rhetoric that will resume in a couple of weeks. It was nice to get away from that for a little while. I know the rhetoric will begin again as soon as the House and Senate return to session and I am tired of it. I wish that Members worked together in greater cooperation. There are a lot of good Republicans and a lot of good Democrats in Congress who want to work. I am frustrated because I think a lot of them would work together if given the opportunity, but the political winds prevent it. I do not look forward to a year filled with partisan rhetoric.

All That Hard Work of 2011

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here we are suddenly in 2012 without much time to reflect on 2011. Congress was in session until about a week and a half before the holidays. This poses a significant mental challenge. Last year was bittersweet. It was probably the hardest year I have had professionally and yet overall it was not satisfying. CSBG came out well. LIHEAP did not fare well. Weatherization, which had so much promise at the start of last year particularly within the Administration, is now on the endangered species list.

Congress did very little in 2011. It is amazing how much work goes into getting very little accomplished. I know everyone in DC worked hard last year. I do not know anybody that was not working hard last year and yet there is very little to show for it.

Military Budget Cuts

2012-01-05T17:19:00.000-05:00

Today, Obama and Leon Panetta announced huge defense cuts for the next five years. These are budget cuts that will result in a smaller military, weapon systems cancelled, ships not built. This is another indication of the shrinking spending environment. Tough choices are being made as a result of fewer dollars. In today’s world, deficits and debts matter. Even though poverty programs need more funding than ever – and we can justify our programs as a good investment – thinking about an increase to our budget flies in the face of difficult budget decisions being made. Increased investment in our program is good policy and good politics, but I do not know if it is realistic. This is something I will continue to think about during the next couple of months.

New Year’s Resolutions

2011-12-31T17:17:00.000-05:00

As I sit today and think about the accomplishments of this past year and what is in front of me in 2012, here are my resolutions:

Number One, I will figure out better arguments for weatherization funding. The program is taking a cut of $106 million. It could have easily been funded at last year’s level. We do not have the White House fighting for this program. We do not have the Department of Energy fighting for it. Supposedly, there are a number of interest groups working on weatherization funding but I have yet to see them. My number one resolution is to figure out better arguments to be made on behalf of weatherization and to better understand the politics around this program.

Two, small states and the CSBG network get hurt by the funding formula for reasons a little bit beyond my comprehension. I want to fix that. We have concrete ideas how to do so and I want to make sure we work on this in the upcoming year.

Three, I think it may be an appropriate time to ask Congress for an increase in funding. I did not think we would be thinking about that for at least three years, but the current status of poverty in America is creating a demand for services that is crushing agencies around the country. I hear about this all the time. We need to think about pushing for an increase in funding in order to respond to this increase in demand.

Four, I want to maintain our bipartisanship standing with Congress and strengthen these bipartisan relationships. It is hard to do. Even as recently as last week a Member tried pulling me into a partisan fight. I would not engage in it, but it is a constant challenge for me to avoid going down that road. I will work to maintain our bipartisan standing.

Five, I need to be very active on LIHEAP. This program will need supplemental funding.

Six, I want to do more bike rides while raising money for CAP PAC. I hope we are able to organize multiple bike rides. I want to organize rides as fundraisers for CAP PAC but additionally I really want to organize rides that allow friendships to develop. I look back at this year, especially as Congress is wrapping up, and I think this was may be the most difficult year I have had. It was the most tiring year. One of the highlights for me was the camaraderie and the friendship that developed during the Minnesota bike ride. I hope to participate more fully in future bike rides. I hope that a number of states and regions take up organizing something like a bike ride. It reminds us that we are young, that we are not going to sit in ruins, that we are up for challenges and that we can succeed. It reminds us that we have friends, be they long time friends or new friends. It highlights our connectedness and our shared commitment to Community Action. My personal goal is to have a dozen of these events organized in the next year.

Seven, I want to be able to travel to agencies and I want to spend more time listening to what others are saying. Often when I travel, my time is limited. I fly in, give a speech, answer questions, and then run off to the airport. I want to take more time to listen to what people are saying. I want to hear what is on their minds, their questions, their successes. I want to hear what is working well, what people are worried about and what they perceive as the value they contribute to their communities. I personally hope spending time in agencies with people is something I am able to do more of next year.

Last, I want to take a vacation. It has been three or four years since my last vacation. I hope sometime in August or September of 2012 I will be able to take a vacation.

I am excited for 2012 and the opportunities it will provide Community Action.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

2011-12-24T17:09:00.000-05:00

May you have a peaceful holiday season with your family and friends.

I look forward to a new year with Community Action.

Time to Reflect

2011-12-23T17:08:00.000-05:00

I look forward to the week off between Christmas and New Year. I anticipate catching up on books, reading and exercising. I look forward to reading about current issues, Congress, the economy, jobs. I look forward to returning in the new year ready with recommendations for books.

Like many others, this is also the time I work on my New Year’s resolutions and goals for the next year. I like thinking about New Year's resolutions. It is the time when I reflect on the past year and think about what is going to be different in the upcoming year. A personal goal for me in the next year is to be able to find clarity and a vision for the future where Community Action is secure. We all did much work this year to make that an achievable goal. I know there is still a long way to go and so that will be on my list of goals.

House and Senate Races

2011-12-22T18:43:00.000-05:00

I attended two events last week that were, politically, interesting. Both events were on the topic of 2012 elections. The first event was a briefing on Senate races from the Republican perspective. It was clear to me that the Republican establishment in Washington fears a Newt Gingrich nomination. The establishment fears a Gingrich nomination will result in the Republicans loosing the House and will not help win the Senate. I also heard fears that Gingrich will not win the White House.

The second event was a briefing on House races from the Democrat's perspective. What became clear to me at this event was that the Democrats do not have candidates to take the 25 seats they need in order to win the House. They are substantially below where they need to be, by a surprisingly large number. It was an interesting week to get both the Democrats perspective on the House and the Republicans perspective on the Senate races. It made me think a lot about what we will be looking at in 2012.