http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm The Association of Young Americans Policy Issue of the day. en-us Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:19:54 -0400 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:42:00 -0400 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss young_americans@hotmail.com young_americans@hotmail.com http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/8/7/Future-Preparedness-Index Young People First, an organization that aims to establish a powerful constituency of young people to advocate for long-term priorities in the United States, is developing the Future Preparedness Index. The FPI "will empower younger generations to prevent the next cycle of hidden crises here in the US, and encourage a proactive, practical approach to successfully meeting our most critical long-term challenges." The FPI is being developed and you can play a role - Young People first has set up a questionnaire which will assist in developing the FPI. Follow the link to the Questionnaire. Activism Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:42:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/8/7/Future-Preparedness-Index http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/5/7/80-Million-Lauch-Event-in-DC-TODAY A coalition of young people have come together to lobby, support and encourage good jobs for today's young generation. On the 80 Million Strong website, they assert: "With tens of thousands of dollars in debt from student loans and credit cards, young people need jobs, yet in times like these the newly graduated are forced to compete with more experienced workers for even the most entry-level positions. We need jobs now." Their Launch event is happening today, May 7, 2009 in Washington DC. Check out their website for more details: 80 Million Strong. Activism Economy Thu, 07 May 2009 05:43:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/5/7/80-Million-Lauch-Event-in-DC-TODAY http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/4/7/40709-The-Power-to-build-new-bridges-instead-of-new-walls In his closing remarks on his first extended trip abroad, President Obama reminded an audience of university students in Turkey that "The world will be what you make of it." Whether you agree with our President's politics and policies or not, he has correctly identified the growing power of the world's youth to change politics and policies around the world. As you read and debate the issues included on this webpage or any other, remember that to change the world, you have to first participate in it. Activism Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:51:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/4/7/40709-The-Power-to-build-new-bridges-instead-of-new-walls http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/3/30/80-Million-Strong A coalition of young people have come together to lobby, support and encourage good jobs for today's young generation. On the 80 Million Strong website, they assert: "With tens of thousands of dollars in debt from student loans and credit cards, young people need jobs, yet in times like these the newly graduated are forced to compete with more experienced workers for even the most entry-level positions. We need jobs now. That's why we are:Convening a summit of young people in Washington, DC to discuss this problem and propose solutions Developing federal legislation based on the summit's recommendations Building a grassroots coalition that truly reflects and empowers the Millennial generation" You can learn more about their efforts and get involved through the 80 Million strong website. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts in our Forums on what the federal government can do to encourage growth in our economy and good jobs for young Americans. Activism Economy Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:15:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/3/30/80-Million-Strong http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/12/31/New-Years-Resolution--Change-Begins-With-Me At a time of year when many are pondering how they will improve their life in the new year, the Case Foundation is launching a new campaign to inspire people to think about how they can impact their communities. "[T]his campaign calls for Americans everywhere to think about the change they can make in their community in the coming year, then visit the Case Foundation's web site and share this commitment with us and the world. The campaign is simple and easy. There is no idea too big or too small. "Just by pledging to make a difference, one lucky individual will win an all expenses paid Inauguration trip for two. This includes airfare, a three night hotel stay, and tickets to the Inaugural ceremony and the Hawaii Inaugural Ball. And, in the spirit of giving, this person will be set up with a once in a lifetime opportunity to serve in Washington, DC as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service."The Change Begins with Me campaign is just the beginning of our year-long effort to help transform inauguration excitement into community action." You can learn more on the Case Foundation website. Are you planning to be involved in your comunity this year? How? Share your thoughts and experiences in our Forums. Activism Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:59:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/12/31/New-Years-Resolution--Change-Begins-With-Me http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/12/17/Constitutional-Convention Mobilize.org and the National Constitution Center are hosting Constititional Convention: Building Democracy 2.0 this January 9-11 at teh National Constitution Center. "This event gives Millenials around the country the opportunity to network with other Millenials, engage in discussions about the election and American democracy [...], as well as renowned experts in the fields of history, politics, constitutional law, and political management."If you are interested in participating, register here, but hurry as space is limited. Activism Gov't Reform Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:29:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/12/17/Constitutional-Convention http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/11/11/Students-Concerned-about-Federal-Budget Initial reports from last week's election are that over 2 million more young people voted in 2008 than in 2004, according to CIRCLE. While there are a multitude of issues of concern to young Americans, A group of young people at the University of Pennsylvania have formed a non-partisan coalition - Pound It - to address federal budget issues, including increasing annual deficits and the growing national debt. Pound It's website describes their goal as follows: Hey, do you know how the national debt is going to affect your future? Do you really care? Probably not. However, it's going to have a bigger impact on your life than you may realize. Pound-It is a nonpartisan coalition of students at the University of Pennsylvania, formed to increase awareness about our current budget crisis. Our goal is to start a discussion about balancing the needs of the elderly and the futures of the young. Check out our site for more info. Help us turn that $10 trillion debt into a thing of the past!Learn more about Pound It at their website and learn more about the federal budget in the Assocation of Young Americans Deficits and Debt Issue Paper. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts and concerns about these important national issues in our Forums. Activism Budget Deficits and Debt Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:37:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/11/11/Students-Concerned-about-Federal-Budget http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/10/8/Young-Americans-Top-Concerns 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) Education2) Healthcare3) Jobs and the Economy4) Environment / Climate Change5) IraqOver 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 McCainBarack ObamaRalph NaderBob BarrAnd as always we encourage you to share your thoughts and views in our Forums. 2008 election Activism Education Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:37:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/10/8/Young-Americans-Top-Concerns http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/10/7/Second-Presidential-Debate-Tonight 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. 2008 election Activism Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:05:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/10/7/Second-Presidential-Debate-Tonight http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/10/6/Pennsylvania-Voter-Registration-deadline--TODAY 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. 2008 election Activism Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:25:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/10/6/Pennsylvania-Voter-Registration-deadline--TODAY http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/7/24/72408--Does-a-Generation-Gap--a-Voting-Gap 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. 2008 election Activism Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:02:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/7/24/72408--Does-a-Generation-Gap--a-Voting-Gap http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/4/25/42508--Will-Candidates-Continue-to-Pursue-Your-Vote 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. 2008 election Activism Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:33:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/4/25/42508--Will-Candidates-Continue-to-Pursue-Your-Vote http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/4/18/Engaging-NonCollege-Young-People 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. 2008 election Activism Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:41:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/4/18/Engaging-NonCollege-Young-People http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/4/4/40th-Anniversary-of-the-Assassination-of-Martin-Luther-King Forty Years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed in Memphis, TN. The Day before his murder, Dr. King gave a speech, in Memphis. Here is an excerpt:"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind."Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! "And so I'm happy, tonight.I'm not worried about anything.I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!"Clips of the speech and the full text are available at AmericanRhetoric.com. Share your thoughts about his legacy, and race relations in America in our Open Forum. Activism Civil Rights Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:31:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/4/4/40th-Anniversary-of-the-Assassination-of-Martin-Luther-King http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/2/18/Getting-Your-News 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 2004Fox 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. Activism 2008 election Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:12:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/2/18/Getting-Your-News