College Democrats Across The Lone Star State Gear Up For Election Season

AUSTIN, TX – Students are beginning classes and already attending their first College Democrats meetings of the year. If you’re one of the many chapter Presidents across the state or are interested in starting a chapter at your school here is an extremely helpful link from the College Democrats of America: http://bit.ly/dx8qWX

Here are some best practices from TCD President Emeritus Andy Jones:
1. Solidifying membership is key. A high profile speaker at the first meeting is awesome, but the second and third have to be about keeping members, not talking at them.
2. Motivate the base. Get student organizations that have helped your chapter in the past motivated to work with you again.
3. Fun, fun, fun. We’re not the West Wing campaigning for Santos. Food at events, contests, rewards, etc. Fun, fun, fun ’til her Daddy takes the ballot away…

Here is the first three weeks of state strategy from TCD President Ryan Lofton Payne:
Week one
• Contact local election office and schedule a time to deputize your group.
• Start registering people in high traffic areas of campus.
Week two
• Make sure you have contacted local candidates and inform them of where you will be registering on campus.
• Contact professors that teach the largest classes and ask if you can come in and register the class at the beginning of class.
Week three
• Start getting ready for the fall conference in Dallas and really start focusing on what you have implemented in the first two weeks.

Also, this just in! Sneak peek at the Texas College Democrats’ fall conference trainings:
1. College registration and GOTV (get-out-the-vote)
2. Old & New: Effective media for college campuses
3. Issue advocacy: making a statement at your school
4. Tools for success: fundraising & chapter development

Mark your calendars! The conference is set for September 18th and will be held at the Progressive Center of Texas in Dallas. Expect more details in the next week.

Let’s get to work,

Texas College Democrats

Southern Methodist University Democrats, who won the bid, is the home of the George W. Bush Presidential library and is on first glance in a conservative area. In 2008, SMU was named #3 among all U.S. colleges for “Most Conservative Students” by the Princeton Review. However, SMU Democrats was one of only two college chapters to qualify for the full five delegates at the TYD 2010 Convention, was the second largest Texas delegation to the CDA 2010 Convention, and SMU Students for Bill White is the third largest SFBW chapter in North Texas, only behind Austin College and UNT.
Former YDA President David Hardt and current YDA Vice President Renee Hartley are from Dallas. The Dallas County Young Democrats is one of the largest Democratic activist organizations in Dallas County, and one of the largest Young Democrats groups in the nation. With almost 600 members, the DCYDs are able to provide strong volunteer support to local Democratic and community events including parades, campaigns and rallies.

Dallas County has been the most productive county in taking back the state house with 4 gains. Also, a Democrat running county-wide in Dallas County hasn’t lost since 2004. More importantly, there are more recognized vulnerable Republican state house members in Dallas County than any other county in 2010.

The Metroplex represents a very real prospect for Texas to turn blue. Texans are folks who love common sense and aren’t afraid to swim upstream. In a time when Texas Republicans are in the news shouting about “terror babies”, stealing taxpayer money for personal expenses, and being recorded to work part-time for a full-time salary—people from across the Lone Star state will look at their ballot and do the only thing a reasonable, rational, logical person would: vote Democratic.

Let’s get to work,

Texas College Democrats

Related show

• Artist: Texas College Democrats
• Date: Saturday, September 18th 2010
• Time: 9:30am
• City: Texas College Democrats in Dallas, TX
• Venue: The Progressive Center of Texas
• Address: 1409 S. Lamar Street
• Country: United States
• Admission: $TBA
• Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal

Austin, TX – Living in Texas, we are often told that Republican victories are inevitable. We buy into the lie that because we are young and because we are Democrats our votes don’t really matter. We don’t get excited for our elections, we don’t get involved, and sometimes we don’t even vote. Republicans would have us believe that they will always be in power and that there is nothing we can do about it.

“If you want to make something happen, tell a Texan it can’t be done”

However, statistics show that our generation trends in the opposite direction. In 2008, if 18-29 year olds had decided the election the Lone Star state would have been blue on the electoral map. Within the Democratic Party, Texas continues to lead in national youth roles:

David Hardt, YDA President (2007-2009)
Katie Naranjo, CDA President (2008-2010)
Renee Hartley, YDA Vice President (2009-Present)
Alejandra Salinas, CDA President (2010-Present)

Democrats have an incredible opportunity to win big this November starting at the top of the ticket of great candidates by electing Bill White to be the next governor of Texas. White represents our best opportunity to win back the Governor’s mansion since Ann Richards while Perry represents the greatest vulnerability. People often forget that he won re-election in 2006 with only 39% of the vote.

Rick Perry has proven his corruption and incompetence to voters across the state through murky land deals, a dropout crisis in our public schools, a $18 billion budget deficit, a rental mansion that is costing taxpayers $10,000 a month, claiming that the BP oil spill was “an act of God”, or seriously talking about how Texas should secede from the Union.

“Shouldn’t we be the state the leads the nation, not that leaves the nation?”

The eyes of Texas are upon you. Organize your campus, register people to vote, and volunteer for our candidates. America is watching us—waiting to see if we will allow for Rick Perry to have an unprecedented 3rd term and the Texas GOP to remain a source of national shame. We must do everything in our power to take back our state.

Let’s get to work,

Texas College Democrats

John Adams has arguably one of the toughest places out of all of the United States Presidents having served after George Washington and before Thomas Jefferson. While Adams presidency ended after only one term in one of the most controversial elections in U.S. history, his legacy spans pre-revolution until his death on the 50^th anniversary of the founding of America on July 4^th, 1826. Adams is best remembered for his contributions to the revolution cause by being one of the most influential leaders in his calls for independence from Britain, his Thoughts on Government, and his efforts to ensure that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by a sometimes hesitant Continental Congress. However, were it not for Adams many years spent as an ambassador in Europe during the early years of the United States building crucial alliances and securing needed loans, the U.S. may not have been able to survive as a newly independent nation.

Upon returning to the United States, Adams was elected to serve as Vice President to George Washington, though he would find his role to be rather underwhelming. After being elected as the 2^nd President of the United States in 1796, Adams focused his efforts on avoiding war with France but much of his Presidency would become marred by his signing of the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts. As political parties began to take shape, Adams found himself siding with the Federalists despite his political independence often putting him at odds with his party. His lack of popularity among the Federalists led to his defeat to his good friend and Democratic-Republican opponent Thomas Jefferson in the election of 1800. Adams would spend the rest of his life living a simple life of farming, free of the political turmoil Adams came to despise. Adams legacy lives on as an integral piece of the formation and survival of the United States, and as a man who lived out his creed that “Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives.”

James Madison, the Fourth President of the United States, was known at first for his puny size and small demeanor. However, when it came to the founding of our nation, James Madison did not stay quiet. As one of the authors of the Federalist Papers, he made some of the most solid and convincing arguments for the adoption of the new constitution. At the Constitutional Convention Madison frequently took part in heated debates as his deepest beliefs compelled him to fight for the new nation. I can only imagine the excitement and drive Madison must have felt! Eventually, with the passage of the new Constitution, James Madison was often referred to as the Father of the Constitution. However, he protested the title as being “a credit to which I have no claim… The Constitution was not, like the fabled Goddess of Wisdom, the offspring of a single brain. It ought to be regarded as the work of many heads and many hands.”

As the Fourth of July rolls around each year, the origin of our beautiful country comes to the forefront of Americans’ minds. Needless to say, fireworks, family, and the beginnings of our country are all absolutely amazing. But what amazes me most is the fact that each and every day as we go about our busy lives, the foundation set by our Founding Fathers stands strong regardless of how much we think about it or not. Because the Founders set the precedent for us and worked so tirelessly, we carry on the habits of democracy. The Fathers were diverse, often disagreed and hotly debated ideas and topics, much like many of us. Therefore, the real beauty of our country is not how it was formed originally. The beauty lies in the subtle ways we carry forth the tenacity of the Founding Fathers and remember, like Madison did, that our country endures because of the work of many heads and many hands. Madison once said, “The advice nearest to my heart and deepest in my convictions is that the Union of the States be cherished and perpetuated.” We are all lucky and blessed that James Madison got his wish.

Thomas Jefferson, by Communication Director Alexander Matthew Clark

Earlier this week, Americans celebrated Independence Day with friends and family at parades, barbeques, fireworks displays, fairs, picnics, concerts, out on the lake, beach, or down by the bay;  As a patriot, I try to do all of the above. While devouring our USDA hot dogs and lighting some Black Cats or sparklers fill our hearts with patriotism, it’s important to remember our history and why we commemorate July 4th.  We celebrated Independence Day because 234 years ago, the Founding Fathers, spearheaded by an eloquent young Virginian named Thomas Jefferson, wrote and adopted The Declaration of Independence—formally announcing separation from Britain.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

With bold, direct, yet elevated language Jefferson made the case for a free American nation in what is now a timeless symbolization of human rights and self-government. For the first time ever the rights of man, not of rulers, would be the cornerstone for a new country. Embodying the aspirations of the Continental Congress for an enlightened democracy, Thomas Jefferson drew from many great philosophers and even became something of a philosophe himself with the mission to no longer simply reflect the world but to change it.

Thomas Jefferson held many political offices in his life—Governor of Virginia, First United States Secretary of State, Second Vice President, and Third President just to name a few. He distrusted banks, was a proponent of the separation of church and state, and led the start of the Democratic-Republican Party (which would later be adapted by Andrew Jackson into the Democratic Party of today).  Jefferson idealized the rural man, the yeoman farmer, and was a fighter for the representation of those he feared would be left out of the political process.

“We in America do not have government by the majority, we have government by the majority who participate”

Education, particularly institutions of higher learning, were of great importance to Jefferson because he believed educating people was a good way to establish an organized society, and felt schools should be paid for by the general public, so less wealthy people could obtain student membership as well. As Americans, especially as College Democrats, we owe a great deal to the work of this statesman.  The United States of America is and always will be the land of opportunity so long as we preserve the foundations it was built on, work tirelessly for its progress, and continue to strive for the development of all our people to become better engaged within our democracy.

The first in the series is on Alexander Hamilton, written by TCD President: Ryan Lofton Payne.

Texas College Democrats have been involved with the fight for health care reform throughout this year.  Chapters across Texas held Phone Booth Events where students called their Representatives and Senators urging them to pass meaningful health care reform.  Many students were involved in door-to-door canvassing and phone-banking to urge other students to make their voices heard.  Texas College Democrats Communications Director, Brittany Dawn McAllister, had this to say:

“Having been uninsured after the loss of my parents, I know the toll that our broken health care system can take on a person.  I left high school with tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt after being forced to go to the emergency room for injuries and illness for which most people could see their family doctor.  I know that everyone in my life can now rest easy in the knowledge that no one else will face the burden that I did.”

In addition to what this momentous legislation does for health care reform, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act will have an enormous impact on all current and future college and university students.  Texas College Democrats look forward to the Senate passing this Act which expands Pell Grants, lowers interest rates, and makes the lending process simpler.  Every student across Texas and the nation will now be able to afford a college education.

“Now all students will be able to go to college regardless of their financial need.  Fewer students will have to make the choice between investing in their future and forgoing their education because they cannot afford rising tuition costs.  SAFRA is the first real step towards ensuring that all students in Texas have equal access to a university education,” said Andy Jones, President of Texas College Democrats.