FPI Reform Update:

In my last post, I blogged about FPI Reform. I mentioned how the federal prisoners were in the process of snagging away a contract to make Air Force jackets. This is also the jacket that the President wears while flying on Air Force One. If obtaining this contract, these inmates would put 100 people at this factory in Olive Hill Kentucky out of a job. Not something that's helping out President Obamas role to create more jobs.

Michael Mansh, the owner of Ashland Sales and Service (the factory in Olive Hill, Kentucky) appeared on Fox & Friends on Thursday February 16th to discuss the need to reform the Federal Prison Indistries (FPI). His main point for this was to bring the viewers attention to the fact that these inmates are a threat to small businesses, just like his. 

As I'm sure those of you who view my blog have noticed, I haven't been blogging much lately. Understanding that this is not a wanted quality of a "good blogger", I figured I'd better get my butt on here and write something! So why not write a lovely update to what I've been doing at work (a reason as to why I've been so busy)?

If you read in my last blog, you'll already know that I had a pretty exciting week two weeks ago. I had the pleasure of working with American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) preparing Michael Mansh for his Fox & Friends interview, as well as talk (or rather sit in on conversations (I AM the intern)) with Fox news producers. I learned all about FPI Reform and realized how big of a deal it is. Especially when the issue went on live on Fox & Friends (my dream job!). As I promised, as soon as I got a video of Michael's interview I would post it on my blog. So here it is!: (you'll have to copy & paste the URL)

http://video.foxnews.com/v/1456503074001/

Also in this post I thought I would throw in an exciting little number :)
One of the guys at AAFA got a call from Michael on Friday (the next day after the F&F interview) saying "we won". Yes, that is right folks! FPI backed out and will no longer be pursuing the contract. There was and still is a very happy 100 workers in the small town in Olive Hill, Kentucky after this news! This past week, Michael Mansh went live again with Fox & Friends for a follow up after the great news. Go to this link to see this interview:

 http://video.foxnews.com/v/1467679971001/

Though we have this very exciting news, you must realize that FPI hasn't stopped. They only really backed off of one factory. There are still other company's just like Olive Hill's that are facing the same threats that they did. Hopefully people will wake up and realize that this issue isn't something that can be pursued any longer. To do this we must reform FPI.

I do want to urge the bringing of your attention to the fact that I, AAFA, and the folks at Olive Hill are not wishing for FPI to go completely without jobs. So being against inmates working is not an issue what so ever. It's just the reducing of unfair advantages that these inmates receive that is wanted.

There are many options to keep these inmates busy. Go to wewear.org, click into the blog and check out the blog post called "Bored in Prison". This will give you some thought out options.

Also, head on over to www.wewearreform.org and sign the petition on the White House web site to urge reform. Then of course, visit wewear.org to not just visit the blog, but check out the whole website! By doing this you all can learn a little bit more about where I am interning! :)

Once February 7th hit and I started my internship and track work course I became one busy person! Hence the reason I haven't written many blog posts. I can't say that I don't enjoy it though, because this experience is so unreal. Plus, I love being busy! I can't stand sitting around doing nothing, I get real antsy :P  So the up beat pace of DC has grown on me pretty quick! Although, I didn't expect it not to :) One of these days I'll blog about CPAC, and put up some of my pictures and videos! Hmm or maybe I'll blog about a weekend I had where I ate dinner sitting next to a certain former President... Hopefully this week sometime! I hope you all have a great work week!

TBA: My Wedding Blog :)

FPI Reform & the coolest Internship ever!

The past few days at work have been sheer madness! It has been SUCH a cool experience. It just so happens that I joined the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA)  team at the right time :)

I posted in an earlier blog about a petition that you all could sign. Well that issue on that very petition is starting to become huge! At least at AAFA it's on the verge of setting off a lot of conspiracy.

So before I go any further, here's the issue:

Did you know that currently in the United States jobs are being created for Inmates? And not only are jobs being created for inmates, but these jobs that they are receiving are being taken away from tax paying Americans!

The "Federal Prison Industry" (FPI) is a government corporation created in 1934.
        "Under federal law, FPI can only sell its products to the federal government and therefore does not compete in the commercial market. The law however provides FPI a "preference" in the federal market, which means federal departments and agencies must buy any product being made by FPI before the private sector, giving an unfair advantage when competing for government contacts" -AAFA website  

So basically whats happening is that the Department of Defense (DOD) gives these inmates an unfair advantage over American manufacturers by allowing them first 'dibs' on contracts for certain jobs. If you tuned into President Obamas State of the Union speech, then you probably remember him stressing the importance of manufacturing jobs in the United States. However, it is very likely that Mr. President doesn't realize that Americans are loosing the jobs that they have to inmates in prison!

You may or may not be familiar with what is called the "Berry Amendment". This is an amendment that passed in 1941 that states that all military apparel (apparel, shoes, helmets, etc.) MUST be made in the united states by American manufacturers. Of course this makes sense because you wouldn't want an enemy making your uniform. So where as we do not have to compete with out sources, we DO have to compete with federally-incarnated inmates.

If this hasn't already stirred up some sort of response, listen to this (or rather read).

There is a factory in Olive Hill, Kentucky that creates the jackets that are worn by our men and woman currently serving in the United States Air Force. This famous jacket is also worn by President Obama when he flies on Air Force One and it sports on it the presidential seal. The factory employs 100 people out of the small amount of 1600 people that lives in Olive Hill. This factory has been around for 50 years with some of it's workers having been there for decades. Currently, this factory is in danger of being closed because the government is wanting to give the contract for making the Air Force jackets to inmates.

The thing is, is that Mr. President Obama probably doesn't even have the SLIGHTEST clue that the famous Air Force One jacket is about to put 100 workers out of work. That's a GREAT way to boost Americas manufacturing problem!

Now, I am not saying that giving jobs to inmates is a bad thing. What I am saying is that by these inmates having these ridiculously unfair advantages, it is putting American TAX PAYERS out of work and that is NOT fair! I mean these are FEDERALLY-INCARNATED INMATES people! They aren't people that just went to your local dollar tree and stole a pack of gum (which is obviously bad too, BUT). They have committed serious crimes! They've murdered people, robbed banks, etc. If the FPI wants to live up to their mission statement, then they should not be putting manufacturers like those in Olive Hill out of work. The people at this factory in Olive Hill aren't the only ones either, there are people all around the U.S. facing this problem every day.

It's surprising that elected officials, or even Presidential candidates haven't gotten a hold of this issue, because it's a big one. I mean, creating new jobs is a big deal in our day and age. Possibly just solving this problem wont fix everything, but it's a darn good start!

So like I said, the past couple days at AAFA have been crazy. It is the very company that I am interning for that is bringing this big issue to the attention of other people (exciting thing to be a part of!). So it's got to be done right, and told by the right people. The CEO of the Air Force One Jacket manufacturing company in Olive Hill, Kentucky is going to be on Fox & Friends tomorrow morning at 6:30am. For those who can't tune in that early to watch, then I urge you to turn in later when they replay it. Of course, I will paste a clip of it into my blog so you can even come here to watch. This man will be talking about the issue that I just explained from his point of view as the CEO of this company.

What has been fun is that I have been sitting in on phone conversations with this man, as well as Fox News producers getting this interview going for tomorrow morning. Now, some of you already know this, but Fox & Friends is my DREAM job. To sit in the middle of Steve and Brian would complete all of my career dreams! So sitting in with my boss (Comm. and marketing director), and the director of government relations and the executive vice president of AAFA on phone conversations with producers of Fox news has been THE coolest thing ever! :P And it only get's better... On Monday, my boss and I WROTE the talking points for Michael (the man who will be on Fox & Friends tomorrow morning talking about Olive Hill) for his F & F segment! So if any of you watch it, just note that I helped write his talking points for the show that is my dream job! My boss actually took a train to Philly tonight to go help prep Michael for his interview tomorrow.

It's been pretty comical from my side of things because while everyone is professionally talking with producers and such at Fox, I am actually screaming inside with excitement!

This entire thing has been such an experience and I'm learning so much from it. I've been writing blogs about this issue for AAFAs website, and I wrote a press release last week. Then, just the mere fact that I am sitting in on these phone conversations and meetings is teaching me a whole lot. This is a really exciting time for AAFA and I walked right into it with perfect timing!

Tomorrow I actually will be attending a press conference that will pertain to this issue. My first press conference! :) It'll be a long tiring day I'm sure, so I'm going to go pick out a lovely outfit and hit the sack.

But before I go...

Visit wewear.org and sign the petition on the White House Web site urging immediate reform!

Nervous, Anxious, Frazzled, Frustrated, Inadequate, Excited, Determined, Envious, Panicked, Unsettled, Tense, Weepy, Worried, Uneasy, Inspired, & Love

To spare you all some time, I decided to write every single emotion I am feeling right now in my title. Each feeling is just a simple word, that way I didn't have to explain it all and write a crazy long boring blog. You can thank me later :)

Well yesterday we started our Public Policy track work. (FYI-the first two weeks we are here, we go through leadership & vocation classes. Then we go into our track work). We got our syllabus yesterday, and oh my lanta it is going to be exciting, yet I can already foresee that it's going to be very stressful. I am actually going to write a blog tomorrow about it. It'll be interesting :)

So today we all started our internships! As I know I've mentioned before, I am the communications and marketing intern at The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA). Long story short, I got off to a bad start. It started with the night before getting lost trying to find my internship spot (so I would know where to go in the morning), to being nervous that I then wouldn't find it, and then to me waking up 2 1/2 hours late. Some how I was not late... don't as how I managed that one. All of the coworkers that I met are so nice, and they all really seem like a lot of fun. I started the morning with sending out the media clips, and ended the day with writing a blog for their website. It was all really nice, besides the fact that I feel totally inadequate. Basically I got an issue, learned about it and wrote a blog about it for their actual website. In normal circumstances I would think that was awesome, however in this one, I feel rather inadequate. I can easily sit here and write my own blog because I am writing as me. I write based on my personality type. But when it comes to writing a blog for a company's website that I am not as familiar with, I have a hard time writing it with it emphasized on it's "personality" type. Does that make sense? Maybe it's just me.  Either way, I am excited to continue on with this internship, and hopefully by the end I wont be feeling so inadequate anymore :P

This link here will show you what I blogged about today for AAFA. I would talk about it on here but clicking on this link will give you enough of what it's about. Although, I encourage you all to look into this issue further. If you support it, then please create an account on whitehouse.gov (you will see where under the article) and sign the petition. In order for the petition to be effective, 25,000 electronic signatures are needed by March 1.

 https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/reform-dod-procurement-policies-benefit-federal-inmates/svnbm4bl?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl

(p.s. ... this website takes a little longer to load, so just be patient :)

Just A Bit of Rambling Goodness :)

Well, I had my first experience today actually looking "the part" of DC! I threw on my good ol' suit and headed to a conference that was held at The Capitol Hilton Hotel. The program that I am in here in DC is a program through my university called the American Studies Program. This is a program within the Council for Christian College Universities (CCCU) Best Semester programs. So the conference I attended was for the presidents of these christian universities that are affiliated with CCCU that get together once a year to basically just encourage each other and listen to speakers. Since we are students at these colleges and in the same place as this conference, our lucky butts got to attend the conference today to listen to the speaker whom of which was James Davison Hunter. Hunter is a Labrosse-Levinson Distinguished Professor of Religion, Culture, and Social Theory at the University of Virginia and he's Executive Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. According to his bio on his web page, he has written over seven books, edited three and has also published a wide range of articles, essays and such. His most recent book that he wrote is called "To Change the World: The irony, tragedy, and possibility of Christianity in the late modern world". This is the book that I have read several times for different classes in political science. He didn't speak much on his book other than a few quotes he took from it, and spoke to the presidents of the Christian universities about what exactly is Christian higher education. He broke his speech down by talking about "impact (the narrative of a Christian identity) and change". He concluded the speech by saying that "God is fully and faithfully present to us, so we need to be fully and faithfully present to Him, our neighbor and our world". Which is true is many ways. Then Jack (one of the guys here at ASP) and I had him sign our books :P

After Hunter's speech I had the pleasure of meeting Malone Universities 13th President, Dr. King and his wife Winnie. What a great couple! His wife is full of great enthusiasm, and was talking all about my outfit and hair. I loved her of course :P It was cool getting to see him while here in DC and I'm excited to see what he does for our university! 

Earlier today a friend of mine here at ASP and I got up around 6:30 and went and stood on the street corner at the bus stop for almost an hour. Sounds fun right? The reason for this was because we were planning on going to give blood at the national headquarters for the Red Cross. However, our bus never came. I am not exactly sure what happened but I learned two things from this: First, I will never depend on another person to figure out the bus schedule again. I will now look everything up myself. & second, that there is a McDonalds RIGHT down the street from me only 5 blocks! So I WILL be going to get myself a shamrock milkshake as soon as I'm done with these papers. Such a wonderful reward after all my hard work :) 

Yesterday we visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum. The museum is set up so you go from the top floor (floor 4) and go to bottom. Each floor is a different stage of the Holocaust starting before the years of World War II and ends at the "last chapter" of the Holocaust. It was a great museum, very interesting though hard to see. Highly recommended though! At the beginning of the tour you get an identification card and in it will be a person that lived during the Holocaust. You read the beginning short bio of the person and flip the page to read the next bit of information about the person as you get to each floor. It basically tells you what they experienced during the years that you go through in the museum. Then when you are done touring, you flip to the very last page and it'll tell you if your person survived or not. My person was a girl by the name of Liane Reiff who did survive the Holocaust because she had relatives that helped her and her family get to the United States. She actually ended up getting her doctorates degree in chemistry which I thought was pretty cool.

You can't read this of course, but it says "After the war, a memorial wall was constructed out of the fragments of several hundred tombstones that were unearthed in the Remu synagogues's cemetery in Cracow Poland. Built in 1562, the synagogue served the Jewish community of Cracow for almost 400 years. During the German occupation of Poland it's cemetery was used as a site for  mass executions. This is a casting of the wall. The original mosaic wall stands in the Remu synagogue's cemetery as a memorial to those who died in the Holocaust."

After I get these papers and bibliographies done I am going to plan my weekend! For sure a trip to Target is a must, and possibly the spy museum. And it looks like some people here are getting a group together to go to a Wizards game too which sounds like a lot of fun. So who knows what this weekend will hold! Happy Thursday everyone and have a great Friday! :)

Beautiful flowers we saw walking to the metro. A lady told us that they bloom in the winter time. We think they look like tie-dye :)

Also, fun fact # 2... There are over 500 escalators, and over 200 escalator repair man that are employed here in DC. (Not able to cite this statistic because Peter Baker (ASP Director) told me he read it in the paper).

Social Media is consuming my life!

Now considering that "media" is my concentration in my communications major, I thought it'd be a great idea to become a little more "social media savvy". Facebook just isn't cutting it anymore, email is great for professional means, but that's all I really do. Sad for someone studying media I know. But that is why I decided to do this blog, as well as twitter. Of course writing this blog is also because I thought it would be a great idea while I'm here in DC, however twitter was just strictly because I figured it would be helpful to learn how to tweet. For my internship, one of the many great things I'll be doing is working on their social media outreach. This includes tweeting about congressional hearings I sit in on, or anything to the affect of the company. For the sake of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (where I'm interning as a media relations intern), I thought I'd get really good at all of this before I start next Tuesday. However, it is with my deepest regret to admit that...I AM A HORRIBLE TWEETER! I don't understand it. You basically just update a "status" all the time. What's the point? "Going to the zoo today was really fun!". Now that MAY or MAY NOT be a good tweet, but HOW am I supposed to know? What I am starting to realize though is that people tweet from the places they are at. "I am currently standing outside of the Capitol". I try to learn from the people that I'm following, and will notice that they update their twitter constantly. So the pattern that I am noticing here is... tweet from the places you are at, and update constantly. Now this is all starting to make sense... Twitter is just an evil scam secretly created by apple so we buy iphones! Everything has to lead to something right? And because of the fact that I don't own my very own iphone, I wont be able to "tweet from the places I'm at, and update constantly", therefore I will never succeed in the great tweeting realm. I've come to this sad realization with great hopes however... maybe my internship will provide me with a really cool "work" iphone! Considering the fact that that'll not happen, I at least must put that on my list of suggestions! :P  

Tonight I have wasted what could have been good quality studying time on improving my blog and twitter account. Ohh social media, its the times like these when I can't help but think how you are just what our thriving economy needs!

I have to cite and do annotations for all of our readings thus far as well as lectures, write two papers and finish reading the book "Fabric of Faithfulness" by tomorrow morning because the author "Steven Garber" will be speaking in class tomorrow. It's 1:35am and not only does Michigan suck, but I have to quite blogging so I can get work done! 

By the way (Or should I say "btw")... Follow me on twitter! :)   @abbeyjaymes38