Liberty Hill

In Aftermath of Attacks on ACORN, A CounterForce is Building

2009-11-12T10:29:30-08:00

A week or so ago, Brave New Films sent me a video designed to put the ACORN "scandal" in perspective. (ACORN's L.A. chapter receives funding from Liberty Hill.) You can find information on their DeFoxAmerica page. (Miracles happen! Who knew Lou Dobbs would put down his microphone so fast? Maybe it can happen at Fox too.)

Then, last night I heard that the Center for Constitutional Rights was filing a lawsuit. CCR will be representing 3 ACORN entities in a case challenging Congress’s stripping all federal funds to the organization. CCR understands the importance of stopping this kind of politically motivated “orgacide”-- that in addition to stopping all the good work ACORN does, this is just the first organization in what is definitely a long list of places the right will target and tar and feather unless they are stopped--or at least slowed--by the litigation.

The case should shift some of the spotlight onto the real issues of fairness and due process- as all of the government agencies through which ACORN received contracts have established policies and procedures to investigate allegations of misuse of funds and wrongdoing.

The primary legal claim is that the law was a Bill of Attainder—a law that punishes a specific individual or group without a trial or judicial hearing. Not coincidentally, the last time we saw this used was during the Red Scare. Get more details.

Still MORE On The New Homeless Numbers

2009-11-12T09:11:04-08:00

The L.A. Times came out with its analysis of the homeless drop today. They quote Joel Roberts whose remarks we posted when the report was first released. The upshot appears to be whether we have 72,000 or 48,000 people living on the streets each night, it's far far too much.

Polls Show Sharp Drop in Concern over Climate Change

2009-11-05T12:53:01-08:00

Throughout California and the nation, there’s been a steady decline in the concern over climate change, stated Dr. Richard Bernard, Sr. Vice President of Fairbanks, Maslin, Maullin and Associates, during a workshop entitled “California’s Changing Views on the Environment,” presented by Liberty Hill and its partner donees Green LA Coalition and Green LA Institute and hosted by the Emmett Center for Climate Change and the Environment, UCLA School of Law.

An audience of professionals from the environmental and environmental justice worlds as well as students had gathered at UCLA to glean information that could have an impact upon their work and the future of California, if not the planet.

Bernard and his firm conduct opinion research and provide public policy analysis for their clients, among them progressive organizations hoping to fund their environmental causes through ballot measures in statewide or local elections. Bernard shared data gathered through polling and focus groups that supported a number of conclusions. Among his findings and insights:

--There is a sense that the economy is changing people’s ideas about the environment, that there has to be a tradeoff between the economy and the environment.

--In a national survey, when respondents were asked which issues were important to them, 79% stated that the economy and employment were important, 49% identified pollution of lakes and streams and 43% said global warming was important.

--Particularly because of the decline in concern over climate change, it’s critical to link the environment positively with the economy.

--Despite the poor economy in 2008, voters throughout the nation approved 62 of 87 land conservation measures--a success rate of 71%.

--Water issues rate higher with the public than all other environmental issues. Case in point: during the California elections of 2006, Prop. 84, a water bond measure, passed, while Prop. 87, a clean energy measure, lost.

--Support for clean water remains strong as concern for global warming declines.

--In comparing survey results from 2007 and 2009, increasing percentages of Californians mention water supply as the most important issue facing California today, while fewer mention air pollution and global warming as the most serious.

--Not only has concern for global warming begun to decline, but global warming has also become a partisan issue. From 2006 to 2009, on a survey that asks whether the earth is warming, the “no” response to the question declined among Democrats from 91% to 75% and among Republicans from 59% to 35%. This trend is true across demographic groups and geography, and regardless of age.

--Democrats and independents are more supportive of greenhouse gas regulation than are Republicans.

--A majority of Californians still rate global warming as a serious issue, but not as serious as they used to.

--People are increasingly satisfied with air quality in California, and they link the improvement to global warming.

--Voters trust local more than state jurisdiction. Similarly, voters tend to trust local government to make improvements.

--Historically, Californians have supported environmental protection, even in tough times.

--Voters believe environmental protections can help the economy.

--It makes a difference to voters which terms are used to describe environmental phenomena. They far prefer “climate change” to “global warming,” for example. Better to avoid “environment” and substitute “land, air and water.” Avoid “regulations” and instead use “safeguards” or “protections.”

--There are plenty of terms that most people simply don’t understand--”watershed,” for example, and “cap and trade.”

Bernard has shown clients that reframing issues can make the difference between winning a measure and losing. They may view it as a land preservation issue, but if there’s a stream or a lake on that land, the issue can be reframed as a water preservation issue as well. And make sure to get the word “water” into the measure’s title!

One more piece of advice from Bernard to his clients: “Choose the right election.”

Thanks to Rebecca Rona Tuttle, a new contributor to our blog, for this post.

An Update from the HUD Meeting on Public Housing Earlier This Week

2009-10-30T11:46:46-07:00

POWER send an update on its meeting with HUD deputy Bessy Kong:

Good News & Bad News: Kong committed to "strongly recommend" that Secretary Donovan meet with POWER and other members of National People's Action on November 16 when POWER members are in Washington, DC for our leadership conference. Disappointing, however, that she said doesn't have any power to commit to POWER's request for a moratorium on demolition of public housing units. POWER is a Liberty Hill grantee partner.

Missed the earlier post about POWER's meeting with HUD?

What The New Homeless Number Will Mean On The Streets

2009-10-30T10:45:41-07:00

Last week, one of our grantee partners indicated to us that the new homeless numbers would result in a significant reduction in federal dollars. Not so, says LAHSA. According to Mike Arnold at L.A. Housing Services Authority, L.A. does not stand to lose federal dollars or any government money as a result of the new homeless numbers.