PeaceVoter asked several candidates for president about their positions on the Iraq occupation, nuclear arms, Diplomacy with Iran, and military spending. See their answers in this document.

Peace Action Wisconsin is pleased to announce the hiring of our new staff.

Bob Burkart-Lemke will serve as Program Manager and have responsibility for our issue work. He will be organizing our educational events, legislative lobbying and demonstrations. Bob has been an active volunteer with us for the past few years, is a member of Veterans for Peace and has a lifetime commitment to the work of peace and justice.

Jessie Read has been hired as our new Office Manager. She has been a member of Peace Action for some time and has great experience in running an office with her background as a church secretary and a masters in business with a major in accounting.

Jim Draeger comes on board as our part time Operations Director. Jim recently helped found People's Books Co-op. He will help be a bridge between program work and office and will be involved with coordinating volunteers.

They look forward to working with you, our members.

Despite many deaths and much injury US officials openly expressed relief that we avoided being hit by the "storm of the century," as hurricanes Gustav & Ike hit the U.S. with much less force than once feared. But Cuba was not so lucky. Within one week, it was hit by both of these category 4 hurricanes with winds of 200+ mph, accompanied by torrential rains and flooding. Both were much weakened by the time they left Cuba (Ike crisscrossed the Island over 4 days, affecting all 14 provinces), after they destroyed half of Cuba's sugar crop, some 100,000 homes, and much of the infrastructure, including one historic town that had survived since the days of Columbus - until now. Cuba reported only 7 deaths, not due to a miracle, but to extensive preparations and evacuation of millions of people.

This has left Cuba devastated, including our sister province of Camaguey (Madison's sister is Camaguey City, Milwaukee's is the port of Nuevitas). Due to the US economic blockade, it is illegal for most U.S. citizens to send direct aid to anyone in Cuba, except through specially licensed charities. One of them, the "Wisconsin Medical Project," is collecting tax deductible donations (which you can mail to or bring to Heitzer Law offices, 633 W. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1410, Milwaukee, WI 53203, 414 273-1040), to buy and send aid directly to our brothers and sisters in Camaguey.

The U.S. Conference of Bishops, Barack Obama, and even right wing Cuban American organizations in Florida have called for Bush to suspend parts of the U.S. embargo, so that relatives can send unrestricted remittances and can't travel to Cuba. (Sign on at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Cubafloodaid/) Meanwhile Cuba has asked the Bush administration to allow it to buy US generators and construction materials (which is now illegal), and food from US suppliers subject to mutually agreeable private credit (which is also illegal for Cuba only). For more info, see: www.lawg.org, www.wicuba.org and www.madisoncamaguey.org.

The Peace Education Project of Peace Action Wisconsin is a member of Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee. Between now and Dec. 15 you can give a workplace donation to us through your annual fall workplace giving campaign. If your employee only offers United Way ask for your donation to go to Community Shares and choose the Peace Education Project.

Community Shares supports organizations that work for social justice and a healthy environment by connecting donors with issues they are passionate about.