44th President of the United States January 20, 2009 8:35 PM
Today, Barrack Obama took the oath of office as the 44th President of the United States. Some exerpts from his speech:
The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Share your thoughts on today and your hopes and expections for the next four years in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
Barack Obama is Elected President November 5, 2008 12:39 PM
Yesterday, Ilinois Senator Barack Obama was elected the next president of the United States. Here are excerpts from his speech and Senator John McCain's concession speech.
"Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, 'We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.' And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too."
- President-elect Obama.
"I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited. Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that. It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again."
-Senator McCain.
Share your thoughts on this historic election and you hopes and cocerns for the future of our country in our Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
ELECTION DAY!! November 3, 2008 3:57 PM
After an incredibly long campaign season, Election Day is upon us. Make sure that you get out and vote on Tuesday for whomever is your candidate of choice. You can get some last minute information about the Presidential candidates positions on a variety of issues here on our website, or at other news outlets.
If you are in Philadelphia, the Association of Young Americans and the Young Women's Network are hosting a Election Results Party on the second floor of the Black Sheep Pub, which is on 17th street between Locust and Spruce Sts. Hope to see you there!!
-- Association of Young Americans
Candidates Take Position on Student Loans October 30, 2008 10:34 AM
The NY Times today covered Senator Obama and McCain's positions on student loans. One of the interesting notes was that Senator Obama only finished paying off his law school loans in 2004! The article presents both candidates views on the issues and how they might make loans less burdensome for the high percentage of young Americans who rely on loans to afford college. Read the article and then comment on their positions in the public forum. And don't forget, if you don't vote, you can't complain. Election day is 5 days away!
-- Association of Young Americans
2008 election, Education | Comments (0)
Top Concern #5: Iraq October 28, 2008 11:21 AM
Although domestic concerns have taken the War from the forefront of many American's minds, Iraq remains one of the top concerns facing our country. The war in Iraq will be almost 6 years old when the next president is sworn into office. According to procon.org, 89% of fatalities in Iraq are under 36 years of age.
Following the Surge' of US forces in the last year, violence across the country decreased. Troop levels have since returned to approximately 150,000 and violence has remained lower. General David Petraeus has spoken about the progress made as a result of the surge, while also cautioning that more hard work remains. There are still concern about the possibility of violence increasing in Iraq. New National Intelligence Estimate is apparently being completed, reports mcclatchydc.com. "A nearly completed high-level U.S. intelligence analysis warns that unresolved ethnic and sectarian tensions in Iraq could unleash a new wave of violence, potentially reversing the major security and political gains achieved over the last year."
Sectarian violence and hostility remains a problem. Yahoo News reports that "In Baghdad , where most of the sectarian cleansing has taken place, about 8 percent of the people who moved within the country have gone back to their neighborhoods, according to the International Organization for Migration. Many Iraqi families have returned to their old homes in peace, but a disturbing trend already is emerging: They're being targeted and attacked, and in some cases killed, for returning to their homes. Some returnees have been threatened. Others have found explosives tied to their front doors. Some have had their homes blown up. The trend, along with an uptick in sectarian and ethnic violence in northern Iraq and growing tensions among rival Shiite factions in the south, is a worrisome development for American political and military leaders who're increasingly eager to declare victory and begin withdrawing more U.S. troops from Iraq in order to send more forces to Afghanistan."
Here are links to the Candidates issue pages on Iraq
John McCain (R)
Barack Obama (D)
Bob Barr (L)
Ralph Nader (I)
-- Association of Young Americans
2008 election, Iraq | Comments (0)
Top Concern #4: Climate Change October 20, 2008 11:05 AM
The 4th ranked issue among the young Americans who took the National Issues Survey was Climate Change and the Environment. The Environmental Protection Agency website has the following explanation of global warming caused by climate change on their website:
- Why are greenhouse gas concentrations increasing? Scientists generally believe that the combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities are the primary reason for the increased concentration of carbon dioxide. Plant respiration and the decomposition of organic matter release more than 10 times the CO2 released by human activities; but these releases have generally been in balance during the centuries leading up to the industrial revolution with carbon dioxide absorbed by terrestrial vegetation and the oceans.
"The United States accounts for a quarter of the worlds greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere, with emissions growing at the rate of 2 percent a year []." (23). Burning of fossil fuels such as gas, coal and oil, causes the emission of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Both presidential candidates have discussed the need to use more alternatives to these fossil fuels. Such alternatives include solar, wind, nuclear, and geothermal.
The last few years have seen increased concern and attention paid to climate change. Former Vice President Al Gore won the nobel prize for his work calling attention to the issue and since has started an organization, WeCanSolveIt.org, to work towards a solution. Texas oilman, T. Boone Pickens has started his own efforts, which include creating wind farms across the Midwest of the United States. Such efforts tout not only the environmental impact of alternative energy but also the positive economic impact and job creation.
You can learn about the Presidential candidates positions through the below links to their websites:
Barack Obama (D)
John McCain (R)
Ralph Nader (I)
Bob Barr (L) - Cong. Barr does not have an issue page on his website about Climate Change or the Environment. This is a link to his issue page on Energy policy.
-- Association of Young Americans
Environment, Climate Change, 2008 election | Comments (0)
Top Concern #3: Jobs and the Economy October 13, 2008 9:57 AM
Economic concerns have dominated the news for the last few weeks. With financial institutions collapsing, the stock market plunging, and unemployment rising, it's not surprising Jobs and the Economy was among the top 5 concerns of young Americans in our National Issues Survey. In September "[t]he unemployment rate held steady, at 6.1 percent [...], but that was in part a reflection of the fact that more unemployed people stopped looking for work. To be counted as unemployed in the statistics, a person must be out of work and actively looking for a new job," a New York Times Article noted. "There was also a big spike in the number of people working part time because they couldn't find full-time work. More than 1.5 million people fell into this category in September, up from 400,000 a year earlier."
It is important to keep in mind that economic conditions and unemployment rates vary by state. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are the unemployment rates of some states across the country:
Colorado: 5.4%
North Carolina: 6.9%
Ohio: 7.4%
Pennsylvania: 5.8%
Texas: 5.0%
Virginia 4.6%
Stock market's around the world have fallen dramatically over the last few weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average went from just over 14,000 on October 10, 2007, to 8,451 on October 10, 2008 - a drop of over 40% in a year. The price of oil, however, which has been rising for years, has dropped significantly over the last few months. The price of a Barrel of Oil peaked at $147 back in July, to under $80 this past week.
According to the Secretary of Education, "The average private school graduate leaves college $20,000 in debt. One in 10 carries $40,000." And for those not fortunate enough to go to college, or who decide not to, the outlook is worse. As noted in the Association of Young Americans Higher Education Issue Paper:
- "For every dollar earned by a college graduate, someone leaving before obtaining a four-year degree earns only 67 cents." (6)
- The Census Bureau website shows that high school graduates aged 21-64 have a median income of $27,351. College graduates in the same age range have a median income of $42,877.
- "High school dropouts earned an average of $19,169 and those with advanced college degrees made an average of $78,093" (7)
The candidates positions on economic issues are available on their websites, the links to which are below.
-- Association of Young Americans
2008 election, Economy | Comments (0)
Top Concern #2: Healthcare October 11, 2008 11:02 AM
The second of the top five issues of concern raised by young Americans in our National Issues Survey was Healthcare. Most directly related to young Americans, the U.S. Census Bureau report, Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006, found that of the 47 million Americans without health insurance 55 percent are between the ages of 18 and 34.
As noted on the AYA Healthcare fact sheet, "Health care spending in America has increased from 5 percent of GDP in 1960 to 16 percent in 2004, and is expected to increase to 18.7 percent in 2014." The Congressional Budget Office projects that in the absence of changes in federal law:
- Total spending on health care would rise from 16 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007 to 25 percent in 2025, 37 percent in 2050, and 49 percent in 2082.
- Federal spending on Medicare (net of beneficiaries' premiums) and Medicaid would rise from 4 percent of GDP in 2007 to 7 percent in 2025, 12 percent in 2050, and 19 percent in 2082.
According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the present value of future expenses/budget obligations of the federal government for Medicare amount to $32.4 Trillion.
The candidates address their positions on healthcare on their websites, the links to which are below.
-- Association of Young Americans
2008 election, Healthcare | Comments (0)
Young Americans' Top Concerns October 8, 2008 8:37 AM
18 to 35 year olds from over 30 states took the Association of Young American's National Issues Survey, stating what national policy issues concerned them most. The top 5 issues of concern are:
1) Education
2) Healthcare
3) Jobs and the Economy
4) Environment / Climate Change
5) Iraq
Over the next few days we will be featuring each of these 5 issues here on our blog. Today, the most identified issue of concern: Education.
Nationally, our K-12 and higher education systems have been found to need significant overhauls. "The most recent Program for International Student Assessment showed that U.S. 15-year-olds trailed their peers from many industrialized countries. The average science score of U.S. students lagged behind those in 16 of 30 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a Paris-based group that represents the world's richest countries. The U.S. students were further behind in math, trailing counterparts in 23 countries," according to a Washington Post report.
As detailed on the AYA Higher Education Issue Paper: The Department of Education formed the Commission on Higher Education and charged it with developing a comprehensive national strategy for postsecondary education that will meet the needs of America's diverse population and also address the economic and workforce needs of the country's future." The Commission approved a final report that "urges a broad shake-up of American higher education" including: every student having the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education, restructuring the entire financial aid system and increasing federal investment in areas "critical to our nation's global competitiveness."
You can learn more about the Presidential candidates positions on education through the links to their websites below:
John McCain
Barack Obama
Ralph Nader
Bob Barr
And as always we encourage you to share your thoughts and views in our Forums.
-- Association of Young Americans
2008 election, Activism, Education | Comments (0)
Second Presidential Debate Tonight October 7, 2008 3:05 PM
Tonight is the second debate between Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama. The debate will have a town hall format with question from the audience members and via the internet.
Association of Young Americans' members in Philadelphia will be out at the Black Sheep Pub starting at 8pm tonight for a debate watching party - feel free to join us! The Black Sheep is located on 17th street between Spruce and Locust. Even if you can't make it, please share your thoughts on the debate and the election in our Voting '08 forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
2008 election, Activism | Comments (0)
Pennsylvania Voter Registration deadline - TODAY!! October 6, 2008 8:25 AM
Today is the deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania, the home state of the Association of Young Americans. You can learn how to register today on the Pennsylvania Department of State's website. You could also contact any of the presidential campaigns for the locations of their voter registration efforts. From Iraq to Afghanistan, College Affordability to the Economy, voting is one of the ways to make the issues you care about heard.
If you are in the Philadelphia area, please join us at the Black Sheep tomorrow night, 8pm-10:30pm, to watch the 2nd Presidential debate. The Black Sheep is located on 17th Street between Locust and Spruce Streets.
-- Association of Young Americans
2008 election, Activism | Comments (0)
7/24/08 - Does a "Generation Gap" = a "Voting Gap" July 24, 2008 10:02 AM
The most recent Wall Street Journal poll found that 55% of voters aged 18 to 34 prefer the 46-year-old Sen. Obama, while 31% favored Sen. McCain. That 24-point edge is up from a 13-point advantage for Sen. Obama in last month's survey. The question is whether this apparent voting gap will be replicated on Election Day. More importantly, how will the candidates react to the gap; will they assume this segment of the voting population is locked up and can be ignored or will they attempt to increase their current numbers by speaking to the issues that concern young americans (see AYA's National Issues Survey for wht you have said are your top issues). Talk about how you're making your voice heard in this election cycle in our open forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
4/25/08 - Will Candidates Continue to Pursue Your Vote? April 25, 2008 10:33 AM
The SF Chronicle published an interesting piece looking at the realities of the youth turnout in the 2008 primaries as compared to the continued power of the "older" voting brackets. Analyzizing the numbers, the paper suggests that older voters remain the larger (and more reliable) voting bloc. Further, that negative campaigns are more likely to turn off young voters than older. If true, this just reinforces the need of young voters to SPEAK UP and DEMAND a debate on the issues, not on irrelevant ideas. Fill out AYA's National Issues Survey,speak out in a forum and make sure your voice is heard.
-- Association of Young Americans
Pennsylvania Primary Tomorrow April 21, 2008 11:42 AM
After more than a month lull in the primary schedule, tomorrow both parties will have primaries in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Both Democratic candidates, Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, have a full day schedule of events today across Pennsylvania (See Philadelphia Inquirer for details). Senator Clinton will end her day at a rally, with former President Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea, at the University of Pennsylvania. Senatory Barrack Obama will appear on the Daily Show tonight.
With the Republican party's nomination all but formally decided, Senator McCain today begins what his campaign is calling "It's Time for Action Tour" in Alabama.
For those of you registered in Pennsylvania, don't forget to VOTE tomorrow. For information about your polling place, and other information, see the PA Secretary of State's website - votespa.com.
As always, we encourage you to share your thoughts about policy issues and the campaign in our Forums.
-- Association of Young Americans
Engaging Non-College Young People April 18, 2008 1:41 PM
A good deal of attention has been paid this election season to the "youth vote", the majority of which has focused on college students. What about young people who do not go to college after high school? "So far this election season, young voters without college backgrounds have lagged behind their college-educated counterparts at the polls. On Feb. 5, the day of the Super Tuesday sweepstakes when 20-plus states held primaries or caucuses, 79 percent of young voters had some kind of higher education under their belts and 21 percent had a high school diploma or less, according to data compiled by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)," reports the Christian Science Monitor. "The college-noncollege gap surfaced nationally in 1972, as unions and other organizations that had mobilized young people who didn't attend college declined. Reaching out to this group became expensive and time-consuming for campaigns, especially during the primaries."
Share your perspective as a young person, who either did or did not attend college, as to why you will or won't vote this year? What suggestions do you have for candidates and organizations to better reach out to young people who do not attend college? Share your thoughts and ideas in the Voting'08 Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
Race in America February 25, 2008 1:38 PM
At a well-regarded New England prep school, African American students received threatening letters last week. The Boston Globe reported that "The identical letters, which were sent to most, if not all, of the approximately 40 black students at St. Paul's, included each student's photo from the campus facebook and the words 'bang bang get out of here,' students said." An article in today's New York Times discusses concerns about the security of Senator Barack Obama. The Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee is quoted as saying, "As an African-American who was witness to some of this nation's most shameful days during the civil rights movement, I know personally that the hatred of some of our fellow citizens can lead to heinous acts of violence. We need only to look to the assassinations of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and 1968 presidential candidate Robert Kennedy as examples."
What are your thoughts on the propriety of Hate Crimes laws? Do you think Senator Obama's security is of more concern because of his race? Share your ideas and questions in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
Getting Your News February 18, 2008 11:12 AM
The NY Times is reporting the Presidential election is not only seeing an increase in young americans coming out to the polls, but an increase in that same group watching cable news networks. During the week of Feb. 5 voting:
- CNN's ratings among viewers aged 18 to 34 were up 232 over the same week in 2004
- Fox was up 78%
- MSNBC was up 400%
How are you getting information about the election? Do you read the white papers on AYA or rely on other websites? Let the community know how you stay up-to-date on the issues and what influences your vote in our forums.
-- Association of Young Americans
Are You Registered to Vote? February 4, 2008 6:36 PM
The key to having your voice heard in American politics is (for those of you who aren't cynics) voting at the polls. When people share a common interest and vote for candidates who reflect that view, their views will be carried to Congress and the White House. The Nation has an interesting article looking at whether registration requierments will hinder the impact of young Americans during tomorrow's Super Tuesday primary voting. Do you feel you can contribute to politics without being registered? Did you register in the state you were born, where you live currently, or even where you attend school? Debate the importance of registration and ways to improve how Americans register in our Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
2/1/08 - Another Voice Heard February 1, 2008 4:12 PM
This article in the Houston Chronicle highlights the efforts one Young American is taking in order to make his vote count. One of AYA's goals is to get all young Americans to stand up and demdn to be heard by politicans of every party. The easiest way is to use the one tool every politican MUST listen to, your vote. Please continue to visit this site, learn about the issues, voice your opinion and remember, whether it's a cacus, a primary, your local election or the Presidential election, make sure your voice is heard and VOTE!
-- Association of Young Americans
State of the Union last night and Florida Primary Today January 29, 2008 9:23 AM
Monday night, President Bush gave his final State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress. The Wall Street Journal noted that "[t]he president highlighted the progress he is seeing in many of the trouble spots of his sometimes-rocky tenure, from Iraq to the U.S. housing market to hurricane-stricken New Orleans. He also touted a range of modest bipartisan agreements that his lame-duck administration is offering to strike with the Democratic-controlled Congress, in such areas as education and trade." The president told Congress that he would veto bills with earmarks, and also pointed out that they had failed to take any steps to secure entitlement programs such as social security and medicare. He noted that if they failed to act on reforming these programs the nation would be forced to raise taxes, cut benefits or run higher deficits.
Meanwhile, the Florida Primary is today for both the republicans and the democrats, although the democratic party has prohibited candidates from campaigning in Florida because the state moved up its primary.
Learn about Social Security, and Budget deficits and the Debt here on our website. Share your views on the President's SOTU address and the ongoing presidential primaries in our forums.
-- Association of Young Americans
2008 election, Deficits and Debt, social security
The Growing Influence of Young Americans January 14, 2008 11:35 AM
Traditionally viewed as more liberal than conservative, more laid back than politically active, the efforts of Brett and Alex Harris challenge the status quo of youth and politics. As detailed in a NY Times article today, these 2 evangelical authors and speakers are putting their political beliefs into political action as they reach out to all young conservatives to drum up support for Gov. Huckabee. While AYA remains non-partisan and neutral in the Presidential election, we do support any young americans becoming politically active and working hard to make sure their view points are heard in the political arena. Exchange ideas on political candidates and ways to be politically active in out Voting '08 Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
Using the Tool of Young America January 8, 2008 10:20 AM
The NY Times reports that " Every candidate turns to the tools of the youth culture, a Facebook, YouTube and blogging whirl. But some go much further. Mr. Obama has spoken on college campuses for months, acquiring a vast database of potential volunteers...Former President Bill Clinton has done the same as his wife's surrogate. Mr. McCain rarely has a rally or forum in which he fails to hand a microphone to a young person." Are candidates using these tools to reach out to young Americans because it helps demonstrate their hipness and youth or because they actually are trying to increase the youth vote? Does a candidates use of Facebook, MySpace or YouTube influence your opinion of them? Speak out in our Vote08 Forum and if you live in NH, don't forget to vote in today's primary!
-- Association of Young Americans
1/4/08 - Did Obama Win Iowa Because of Young Iowans? January 4, 2008 11:33 AM
The Wall Street Journal is reporting surveys of voters entering the Iowa caucus sites indicated that 22were under age 29, five percentage points higher than in 2004. More than half were first-timers. These young voters just may be the group that pushed Barack Obama to his surprisingly strong first place finish. As the self-proclaimed candidate of change, is Mr. Obama going to push young Americans who had previosuly been reluctant to participate in the political process, to become more active? If Iowa is any sign, the answer may be a resouding YES! Share your thoughts on the 2008 elections in our Voting '08 forum. Let us know how you plan to participate and which candidate you feel strongly about. And don't forget, if you live in New Hampshire, your primary is this Tuesday!
-- Association of Young Americans
Iowa Caucuses Tomorrow! January 2, 2008 1:10 PM
The Iowa Caucus takes place tomorrow with the first in the nation New Hampshire Primary set for January 8. The latest Polls out of the Des Moines Register have Senator Obama and Governor Huckabee in the lead. "The Register's poll showed Obama, an Illinois senator, leading among likely Democratic caucusgoers with support from 32 percent, followed by New York Sen. Hillary Clinton with 25 percent and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards with 24 percent. [...] In a battle of former governors from Arkansas and Massachusetts, Huckabee leads Romney, 32 percent to 26 percent."
On our Voting08.org pages you can see the responses of Senator Edwards, Senator Gravel, Senator Obama and Governor Richardson to the Association of Young Americans questions on Higher Education and Climate Change. (All Candidates from both parties were posed the questions and given time to respond). As the campaign continues, and the field narrows, we will be reaching out to the candidates on other issues. If you would like to be involved, e-mail us.
Share your thoughts on the primaries and the issues you care about most in the Voting08 forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
You Tube Debates November 27, 2007 8:29 AM
Tomorrow on CNN, the Republican Candidates for President will participate in a debate in which the questions are supposed to be entirely from ordinary citizens who submitted videos of questions via YouTube. We encourage you to share your thoughts on this new format in our Voting '08 forum. If you saw the Democratic YouTube Debate, what did you think of it?
Two Association of Young Americans members had the opportunity to attend the Democratic Candidates Debate in Las Vegas two weeks ago. They had access to the debate floor and the non-televised pre and post debate happenings. "I had the chance to see some of the debate replayed on TV afterwards and it was fascinating to see the choice of camera angles and what you could hear on TV compared to in person," one attendee noted.
What have you thought of the debates so far in this pre-primary period? Have they helped you distinguish among the candidates? Do you think they have been too 'personality' focused? Too issue focused? Or have you not watched them at all. Share your thoughts in the Voting '08 forum.
-- Association of Young Americans