Call 866-288-1495

When you call it, you will get a brief message about how to urge your member to support quality affordable health care, and then it asks you for your zip code.

When you enter in your zip, it will then connect you with the member in your area who is strategically the most important to move.

Quality, affordable health care is critical to young Americans, and we need your voices.

In an interview published in Sunday’s New York Times, Governor Schwarzenegger made the following comments: “Someone else might walk out of here every day depressed, but I don’t walk out of here depressed”. Whatever happens, “I will sit down in my Jacuzzi tonight,” he said. “I’m going to lay back with a stogie.”

With California’s bond rating being downgraded, the budget deficit having risen by another 2 billion dollars to its current level of $26.3 billion, and a group of the biggest U.S. banks saying they will not accept California’s IOU’s after Friday, this is not the time for levity.

“We as young democrats are very disappointed in Governor Schwarzenegger’s actions and statements,” said Julie Lind, Political Director of the California Young Democrats. Lind continued, “If he’s not willing to come to the table when Democrats passed a balanced budget the least he could do is invite us to the Jacuzzi so we can have a moment of relaxation. Then he’d at least be doing something for the people.”

“Schwarzenegger’s demands include cuts that would obliterate social programs that help our neediest citizens survive,” said Alissa Ko, President of the California Young Democrats. “His comments in the New York Times make Californians feel that he neither acknowledges nor cares about the real human impact of his actions. With young people getting hit by raising costs and every state service being cut, Governor Schwarzenegger’s attitude is unbecoming of the office he was elected to.”

CYD is encouraging all of its members and anyone else who is worried about the state of California’s economy to take a few minutes to call the governor and express their disapproval of his obstinacy, in addition to requesting a moment of relief in the Governor’s hot tub.

CYD implores both political parties to work together to find a responsible solution sooner rather than later, one that assists those who need help the most, and one that does not continue to saddle our generation with further debt in the years to come.

Our country’s claim to liberty, equality and justice are a part of our heritage and our security for the future. As we celebrate this holiday, let us be mindful of the visionaries who have come before us and the activists working alongside us today. May the dream of a perfect union be achieved by all nations and that symbols of hope and peace be modeled by the leaders of our nation.

We now have a small window of opportunity to help pass ACES. The House of Representatives will vote today, and many members are still on the fence. Call now!

The critical equity improvements to the bill simply would not have happened without your support. In the past 48 hours alone, Green For All supporters have made close to 1000 phone calls to their Representatives.

Thank you for speaking up for opportunity and investment in our communities!

Now, the bill provides opportunity for low-income communities and communities of color. Now, there are protections in the bill that ensure that working families don’t bear the cost for big polluters. Now, there is significant funding for green job training programs that build pathways out of poverty. And now, these good jobs will be accessible to low-income and local workers.

Now, we can support the American Clean Energy and Security Act as truly green for all.

Tell your Representative to pass ACES. Call now!
“Vote yes on the American Clean Energy and Security Act.”

NOTE: Congress is being flooded with calls. Please keep trying if you don’t get through the first time.

You all have fought hard to get us this far, help us get across the finish line today.

Yesterday, President Obama called on the House of Representatives to pass ACES, saying “I can’t stress enough the importance of this vote. I know this is going to be a close vote. But my call to those members of Congress who are still on the fence, as well as to the American people, is this… now is the time to finally act.”

Let’s act today. And let’s make history.

Keep It Blue, and Green!

Remember that Charter Applications must be received, not postmarked by, July 7th, 2009.

1. Not having enough members with complete information in membership list - A chartered unit’s membership list needs to have twice as many members as votes. For example, Arizona with 100 votes needs to submit a list of at least 200 members with full information. For a member to count they must have their full name, address, city, state, zip code, date of birth (including month, day and year), phone number and email address. If a member is missing any of those fields they will not count. Always double check your member list to make sure you have all their information and submit extra members to be careful. Members must be younger than 36 at the time of convention.
2. Chartering fee not paid by certified check or money order - The chartering fee of $5 per vote must be paid by certified check or money order. Do not send cash, personal checks, or checks from your unit’s bank account.
3. President and National Committee forms not notarized - The certification forms signed by your unit’s President and National Committeeman and Committeewoman must be signed and stamped by a notary public in your state/territory.
4. Not including full information for unit officers - You are required to submit a list of your unit’s officers, including names, addresses, phone numbers, date of election, date of term expiration, and date of birth. Make sure that you have all that information included for each of your officers.
5. Not submitting a delegate selection plan - You are required to include your rules governing the process for the selection of Delegates and Alternates that shall encourage the full participation of all members of the unit, especially historically under-represented groups in the Young Democrats of America.

My best advice is to thoroughly read the chartering packet and ask for help from people that know the process. It always helps to have someone with chartering experience take a look at your packet before you send it in to double-check that everything is complete.

Please complete the quick survey at the link below to share your thoughts and let us know how you get value from the internet.

http://tinyurl.com/YDAcommsurvey

Subject: The Young Democrats of America’s Statement on the Murder of Dr. George Tiller

(Washington DC) The Young Democrats of America today issued the following statement on the murder of reproductive health care provider Dr. George Tiller in Wichita, KS.

For over 20 years, despite persistence threats and acts of violence, Dr. George Tiller dedicated his life to women’s health and protecting their right to determine their reproductive destiny.   Sadly, those threats were realized today when Dr. Tiller was assassinated in his place of worship, the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas.

While Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land since 1973, assaults like these are reminders of what providers and health care professionals endure in women’s health centers across the country.

Regardless of ideology we all can agree that the issue of abortion must be addressed civilly and peacefully.  It must be our shared goals to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, ensure that our schools provide comprehensive and quality sex education, and that families have the resources necessary to support their children.  When we do disagree we must never let vigilantism replace the role of our courts and the rule of law.

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Washington DC - 5/26/09

The Young Democrats of America fully support President Barack Obama’s historic nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court of the United States. Nominated by President Bill Clinton, Sotomayor currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. If approved by the Senate, Sotomayor, 54, would take the place of retiring Justice David Souter.

According to the Associated Press, “Sotomayor is a self-described ‘Newyorkrican’ who grew up in a Bronx housing project after her parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico. She has dealt with diabetes since age 8 and lost her father at age 9, growing up under the care of her mother in humble surroundings. As a girl, inspired by the Perry Mason television show, she knew she wanted to be a judge.”

The Young Democrats of America’s own Democratic National Committeeman, Francisco Domenech of Puerto Rico, was among the first to express his gratitude and praise at the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor. “As a fellow Latino and Puerto Rican, much like President Obama’s election, Judge Sotomayor’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court is proof that the American Dream is within our reach. It is up to us to grab it”

Once confirmed she will serve as our nation’s first ever Latina Supreme Court Justice. “This is truly an honor and historic day in our nation’s history and has been long overdue”, Minority Caucus Chair Erica Contreras stated when learning the news early Tuesday morning.

Friends and Supporters:

The day of May 15th counted the mark of the end of Liberty University College Democrats, due to the university’s administration.

Before coming to Liberty, I knew that the school was founded by the religious right leader, Jerry Falwell Sr., and that my beliefs and opinions on politics would get attacked and disrespected in a daily basis.  I took this on as a challenge, and an opportunity to share conversations, and to further advance, not only my knowledge on issues, but to help others understand a different point of view.

In September of 2008, I began volunteering for Barack Obama, after coming from Florida, where I interned for Florida for Change, and the Florida Democratic Party. After about a week, I began meeting a couple of people from Liberty University, and in particular, students and staff that happened to be Democrats. I gathered their contact information, met shortly after, and turned in an application to be an official club, recognized by Liberty University.

A month after, in October of 2008, we have received word that Liberty University’s Administration has officially accepted our application and that we were fully and officially recognized as a school-affiliated organization. We were shocked. How at Liberty University also known as the nesting ground for political conservatives, did we establish a Young Democrats chapter?

Soon after, we began to work…
We continued to campaign for Barack and visited his inauguration event, we campaigned for Tom Perrielo, we began working on a coalition of local university democrats to work within the communities in issues such as poverty, we went to the Virginia Young Democrats convention and were awarded the “Up and Coming Club of the Year” award, We started a statewide Faith Caucus under the Virginia Young Democrats, we started campaigning for several gubernatorial candidates in Virginia, we started campaigning for Shannon Valentine,  we even partnered with the College Republicans group on a town hall on the genocide in Darfur.

We’ve gotten compliments for reaching across the aisle, compliments for showing the love of Christ in the political atmosphere; we’ve even had compliments from administration themselves for starting the Faith Caucus, and doing “The same work that Jerry Falwell Sr. did with the Republican party.”

May 15, 2009 came… I checked my email and was shocked at what I read. The Liberty University College Democrats club was not going to be recognized by the university. We would not be able to meet on campus; we would not be able to advertise on campus, we weren’t able to have events on campus.

Although, it has saddened all of the members on our Executive Board, I want you all to know that your support has lifted our spirits and encouraged us to continue fighting for what is right.

It makes us saddened that there are rumors of our ‘Promise to only support Pro Life candidates.’ This has been just that only a rumor, and not true. We have put in a special clause in our constitution stating our groups’ pro-life stance, although it further explains our right to endorse or support any candidate in any political race.

But in all of this sadness, it seems as if we have been making progress! In our first email from Mark Hine, Liberty University VP of Student Affairs, he informed us that we would not be able to meet on campus, and now it has changed otherwise. At first, they did not want to work for a compromise and now they want to do just that.

Although we have been making progress with the Liberty University administration in our request to reinstate us as a club, their offers are not enough. We wish to be fully reinstated as if we were in the first place. We wish to advertise, hold events, hold meetings, and have free speech, without the administration having a hold on our organization, or its actions.

We want freedom.

We would like to thank everyone for their support, Virginia Young Democrats, Democratic Party of Virginia, Young Democrats of America, College Democrats of America, Democratic National Committee, Faithful Democrats, Congressman Tom Perrielo, Terry McAuliffe, Brian Moran, Creigh Deeds, Mike Signer, Jody Wagner, and friends along the way such as Katie Ford, Jason Perkey, John Lawrence, and many other people that we have met in this journey.

Thank you for all of the support, and do all that you are doing to continue to pressure the Liberty Administration to reinstate us as an official club on campus!

Sincerely,

Brian Diaz
President
Liberty University Young Democrats