Dozens Join Clergy for "Pray-in" Outside Rep. Boehner’s DC Office As Sequester Looms

Today, dozens of people led by clergy surrounded Speaker John Boehner’s DC office in a passionate family pray-in. Pastors led the protesters in praying for Speaker Boehner to stop bullying American families with excessive cuts to lifesaving programs and for him to instead make corporations and America’s wealthiest citizens pay their fair share. The event was organized by National People’s Action and OurDC

See video of the event here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEt-k0vI_MU

“At this critical hour, let those who claim a desire to create opportunity begin by creating an opportunity for corporations and the 1% to pay their fair share,” prayed Rev. Dwight Gardner of Trinity Baptist Church in Gary, IN to a chorus of “Amens” at the event.

“My three grandkids get milk, eggs, bread, and formula from WIC so they can be healthy,” said Darlene Jackson, a grandmother from Washington, DC who attended the pray-in. “Boehner and his Wall Street buddies want to take food off my grandkids’ table so millionaires can swim in loophole cash. That’s just plain wrong.”

The protesters prayed specifically for Speaker Boehner to stop bullying American families with spending cuts and to make corporations and wealthy Americans pay their fair share. The attendees hailed from 10 states including NY, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI, KS, MO, ME, and DC.

“My 7 year old is in a classroom with 26 other kids.,” said Bobby Tolbert, Board Member of Vocal NY, who helped host the pray-in. “Any budget cuts to education will make her class size too large for her to get the attention she needs to be successful.”

In the last two years of federal budget agreements, there have been $1.5 trillion in program cuts and just $600 billion in new tax revenues.[i] That means for every $2.50 in cuts there has been just $1 in new revenue. The organizations and clergy at the event laid out three specific asks for Speaker Boehner and Congress:
• End tax breaks for moving American jobs offshore;
• End taxpayer handouts for corporate polluters like the oil and gas industry; and
• Implement a Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street trading and speculation.

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[i] Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), “To Stabilize the Debt, Policymakers Should Seek Another $1.4 Trillion in Deficit Savings,” Table 2 (Jan. 9, 2013), http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3885  http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3885  .