INDEX

President's Paragraphs

At the State Board planning retreat in September, the Board evaluated resources, reviewed our mission and goals and discussed the best strategy to increase our impact.  In all our discussions, we kept coming back to the need to grow membership.  All the Alabama Local Leagues have great ideas and dedicated people. All are doing good things to promote and preserve good government and democracy.  All need more members in general, and more members willing and trained to take leadership roles in particular, to be able to significantly increase their activities and impact.  It was decided that additional resources should be committed to membership recruitment, both by increasing league visibility statewide and by specific activities to assist in Local League growth and to increase MAL (member at large) memberships.

The "ask" and increased public visibility were identified as primary ways to increase membership.  LWVUS has reported that its Membership Initiative, tested as a pilot project by several Leagues around the country, found that people will join the League if  someone they know actually asks them to join.  Too often we assume that everyone knows what the League is and does.  We believe that if our friends had the time, money and interest, they would already have joined.  Since becoming President of the State League, I have learned that a great many educated, civic minded people (including those who are active in other organizations with which the League works on issues of common concern and those who "admire and respect" the League) do not really know very much about the League.

Let's all make a New Year's resolution to tell our friends, family and acquaintances about the League and invite them to join.  You may find that they had wondered why we hadn't asked before.

The Board also concluded that in view of limited resources the State Board should focus this year on priority issues affecting State government.  These include the Initiative and Referendum consensus, the study of offsite voting, a review of our healthcare positions, monitoring HAVA implementation, working to improve the legislative process in Alabama, and working with others to affect important legislation proposed in the 2008 Session that is consistent with our priorities.  The Board will formally adopt priorities for the upcoming legislative session at its December Board meeting.  In the 2007 session our legislative priorities included constitutional reform, a ban on Pac to Pac transfers, lobbying and ethics reform, voting and other election issues, legislative process improvements, natural resources and judicial selection reform.

It was also decided that the State League should support national and local issues when needed through appropriate calls to action, facilitating communication among Leagues, and authorizing and assisting in Local League lobbying efforts at the State level as requested when consistent with existing State positions.  It was decided that in 2007-2008 State League resources did not permit participation by the State League in the international efforts of LWVUS or extensive participation in national efforts such as the attempt to secure DC voting rights.

At the September State Board Meeting, we updated, revised and clarified the League Advocacy Policy and readopted Nonpartisanship and Board attendance policies.   Among other things, the Advocacy Policy addresses notice and approval requirements prior to official Local League action involving contact with members of the State Legislature or State Executive Branch.  The policy is designed to be sure that the League speaks with one voice and that our efforts are coordinated for maximum effect.  This and all State League policies can be found on the website at www.lwval.org.

Off-Board positions have been accepted by:  Jean Johnson, who has agreed to continue to be our technical director; Nancy Ekberg who, along with Jeanne Lacey, will represent us and keep us informed and motivated on Constitutional Reform, and will do the same on transportation issues; and Jeanine Normand who has expressed an interest in helping us with fund raising and publicity. 

Council 2008 will be on May 3 in Birmingham.  Mark your calendars.  Speaker and workshop announcements coming soon!

It can be frustrating fighting the same battles over and over again. The alternative, however, is simply not acceptable.   We have only to listen to the international news to know how fragile democracy can be, or the national news to know how easily individual rights can be lost in the interest of "security", or our local news to know how rare civil discourse and reasoned decision making are in a polarized society where too many leaders practice a divide and conquer strategy.  Protecting democracy and our civil society is important work and worth the effort.  It is important that the League keep on keeping on.  Thank you all again for your devotion.

-- Mary Lynn Bates
President, 
League of Women Voters of Alabama

Constitutional Coalition Meeting

The Constitution Convention Coalition, with the League as one of its more than 30 members, held a very successful Summit on Saturday, November 17th at Birmingham Southern College. Attendees from throughout the state, representing many organizations, heard about plans for bills calling for a people's convention that will be introduced in the 2008 Legislative Session which begins on February 5th, as well as College Council plans to organize a rally again in 2008.  Attendees heard a strong Power Analysis presentation which identified the persons and organizations that support reform and those that do not, as well as those in the middle who need convincing.  Attendees participated in a "Knowledge Cafe" exercise in which tables of five persons answered one of three questions concerning a convention and then rotated to other tables to answer the other two questions.  All questions focused on support and opposition to reform, underlying questions that reformers are now facing and steps required to take the movement forward.  Attendees also discussed messages that could supplement "Let the People Vote" in order to convince non-supporters that the cause is valid.  Finally, attendees heard of communities that were harmed by lack of home rule and were urged to add their own messages to the mix.  A wrap-up of the Summit will be available on the ACCR Web site, www.constitutionalreform.org.

CR Factoid   

DID YOU KNOW that people who fear that delegates to a constitutional convention would not know how to write a new one, don't stop to realize that citizens have written the last six Alabama Constitutions?  What's more, there are excellent models or guides.  Two of them can be found on the ACCR Website under the category RESOURCES.  One of them is the Proposed 1973 Constitution written by a Commission organized by then Governor Albert Brewer and the second one is the 1983 Constitution written totally by the Alabama legislators.  The one written in 1973 under Gov. Brewer was dropped by his successor, Governor George Wallace.  The one written in 1983 was legally challenged and the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional because our 1901 Constitution states that only citizen delegates may write a whole new constitution and that legislators can change only article by article.  Both documents are at  www.constitutionalreform.org. 

                     

MALs Play Important Role in Advocacy

Members at Large have a key role to play in LWVAL legislative advocacy efforts. An example of how this can work occurred a few years ago when a key committee vote was scheduled on a major ethics reform bill that the League supported. The bill had passed one house and would achieve passage in the other house if reported from committee. A member of the LWVAL Advocacy Team learned the swing vote in committee was wavering. The legislator, a supporter of reform, was worried that no voters from his district had contacted him in support of the legislation but opponents had. So, the League sent a message to the MALs asking them to e-mail, fax, or call the legislator urging him to vote for the reform bill. Calls from just four MALS from his district were all the legislator needed in order to vote the way he wanted and knew was correct. Contacts from League members outside his district would not have been as effective.

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League Blog, LWVAL Dialogue, Debuts

There's a new meeting place for all LWVAL Members! The great news is that you don't have to leave the comfort of your own home. The meeting place is online at LWVAL's new blog, LWVAL Dialogue, at:

You should have received your username and password in an email from wordpress@lwval.org. If not, follow the “Lost your password?” link or contact Jean (jjohnson@lwval.org or 205 871-8194). 

LWVAL Dialogue is a private blog for conversation among LWVAL members. You can read what other Alabama League members think on various topics and weigh in with your own comments. The Immigration Study and Initiative and Referendum (I&R) are the hot topics right now, and we want more. What local, state and national issues would you like to discuss? Is your League undertaking a fantastic citizen/voter education project? Do you have questions or concerns about League operation? Want to discuss the election process? It’s your blog - voice your opinion! Add your suggestions for topics in a comment on the blog or pass your ideas on to Jean (jjohnson@lwval.org or 205 871-8194).

Visit www.lwval.org/wordpress soon. Read other member comments and post your own. So, what do YOU have to say?

Painless Support for LWVAL Ed Fund - Just Shop!

It’s time to do your holiday shopping. Why not get a little money for the LWVAL Education Fund while you shop? It costs you nothing! Shop online for your holiday gifts at your favorite stores through either of the two shopping portals described below. The stores contribute a small percentage of the cost of your items to the LWVAL Education Fund. How easy is that! Your items cost the same price regardless.

Here’s how to do it. Go online to
Start your online shopping on either of these two sites, and the LWVAL Ed Fund will be designated as your preferred charity to receive a portion of the sales revenue. (By the way, you may see “Birmingham” noted as the location of the LWVAL Ed Fund. This is just the physical location of the state League’s current address. All proceeds go to the state LWVAL Ed Fund.)

There are hundreds of well-known stores in which to shop. Here are just a few examples:

• MyCause.com/LWVALEF - 36 stores donating 2%-12% of purchase. No registration necessary. Barnes & Noble, Dell, Lands’ End, Office Depot, PetSmart, KBToys, Sears, Tavelocity, Wine.com, etc.

• iGive.com/LWVALEF - 685 stores donating up to 26% of purchase (most in approx. 1%-4% range). Registration necessary, but LWVALEF gets $5 just for your registration! All stores above + Apple, Brookstone, Crabtree & Evelyn, Gap, Nordstrom, Overstock.com, Patagonia, Wolf Camera, etc., etc., etc. If you have a favorite store or service, chances are it’s an iGive participant. (But sorry, not Amazon.)

And hey, there's no finding a parking place, no trudging the mall with all your bags, and no waiting in line! Most importantly, it's secure.

So, please go to iGive.com/LWVALEF or MyCause.com/LWVALEF to do your holiday shopping this year, and thanks so much for supporting the LWVAL Education Fund!                     
 -- Jean Johnson
LWVAL Technical Director

In Memoriam Barbara Nichols of the Mobile League and State Board Member, died on August 30, 2007 after a long battle. The League of Women Voters of Alabama expresses our deep appreciation for her years of service and our sympathy to her family and friends.