Ammunition

Excerpt from the Orlando sentinel's Scott Maxwell's article yesterday:

Mel's bell gets rung

Survey USA recently scoured the entire country to see which U.S. senator had the lowest job-approval ratings -- and found Mel Martinez.

After polling voters in every state about their own senators, the polling company for TV stations reported that Orlando's freshman Republican beat out 99 others to have the lowest job-approval rating among voters in his own state: 41 percent. (Things like his office's involvement in the memo that claimed Terri Schiavo could do good things for Republicans in future elections probably didn't help.)Asked about the poor showing, Martinez spokeswoman Kerry Feehery said: "Senator Martinez is not driven by polls; he is driven by the needs of the state of Florida and its 17 million constituents."Um, those constituents are the ones they supposedly polled. Still, Martinez's senior Democratic counterpart, Bill Nelson, didn't do much better, finishing in an eight-way tie for 80th with a 48 percent approval rating.Topping the list was Maine Republican Olympia Snowe with a 77 percent approval rating. Also scoring particularly well was a trio of past and potential future White House aspirants -- John McCain, R-Ariz.; Joe Lieberman, D-Conn.; and freshman sensation Barack Obama, D-Ill. -- all of whom have hit Central Florida's campaign trail in recent years on behalf of local candidates.

It Would Be Funny If It Wasn't True....

I quote Congressman Jim Davis in the Title of this Blog, but not in regards to his opinion of Hufu. I am not sure he is aware that it exist, I know I wasn't until this past weekend.

I wanted to share with you something non-political today. HUFU, The Healthy Human Flesh Alternative! It is something for all those vegetarians out there in our reading audience. It is human flesh flavored tofu. Please note that this product is not endorsed by the LCYDs. Nor is the act of cannibalism. Nor is my sense of humor which is forcing me to try to let other people know about this product. The Frequently Asked Questions are entertaining too.

A sample FAQ:

Who actually buys Hufu?

Hufu was originally conceived of as a product for students of anthropology hungry for the experience of cannibalism but deterred by the legal and logistical obstacles. However, our preliminary market research revealed the existence of a larger segment of the public that was interested in the availability of a legal and healthy human flesh substitute, as well as vegetarians and vegans. We also found that Hufu is a great product for cannibals who want to quit.

Thoughts?

To Many Bad Puns Ruin the Importance

If Alex Sink can again rise above her husband's shadow she should be a great candidate and will be a great CFO! As you can read in the excerpt below she is believed by many to hold more political clout then her husband, who has a great deal of clout himself. As a former bank president of a major bank she is more than qualified to be the CFO for our great state!

From the St. Pete Times:

Alex Sink, the former Florida chief for Bank of America and wife of 2002 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill McBride, is expected to announce her candidacy for chief financial officer today.

Sink confirmed she will hold a news conference about the Cabinet position but didn't say she will be a candidate. But it has been no secret she has wanted to run.

Sink, 57, of Tampa considered a run for Senate last year and was mentioned as a possible running mate for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Buddy McKay in 1998. She was one of the state's most recognized businesswomen before retiring in 2000.

Deadline quickly approaching!!!

News regarding the upcoming state conference, if you would like to be an elected delegate you must have your paperwork in by August 31, 2005. There are no special qualifications for Young Dems or College Dems, our only privilege is a reduced registration fee.

Here is what the state party website says regarding the election of delegates and the convention:

The 2005 State Conference is being held at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Orlando on December 9, 10 and 11, 2005. We expect this to be the largest State Conference in Florida history. More than 3,000 delegates from across the Sunshine State will be in attendance.

Elected Delegates: Any Democrat interested in becoming an elected delegate, contact your local DEC. Elected delegate qualifying is July 1 August 31, 2005. Qualifying forms can be obtained from County Chairs, Vice Chairs, State Committeemen and State Committeewomen. Contact your local DEC regarding timeliness, registration fees and qualifying forms.

You can also be an appointed delegate. Here is what the party website says regarding appointments:

Appointed Delegates: All Democratic Chairs; Vice Chairs; State Committeemen and State Committeewomen of the local DECs DNSNC Members; Caucus Presidents; President, Democratic Women's Club; President, Florida Young Democrats; President, College Democrats; Florida U.S. Senator and U.S. Representatives; State Senators; State Representatives can appoint delegates to the State Conference. October 15, 2005 is the deadline for appointments.

Each DEC officer can appoint 10 democrats from their county. I don't know the number that the caucus chairs and DNC member and state legislator can appoint, I will try to report that next week, if that number is 10 also we should have no problem getting anyone who wants to be a delegate in to a delegate spot. We have two DNC Members in Tallahassee Commissioner Allan Katz and Jon Ausman, several elected legislators (Sen. Lawson, Rep. Ausley, Rep. Curtis) and others that we can reach out to around the state, please let and LCYD officer know if you are interested in being a delegate to the convention, and please, if you would like to be an elected delegate, please file your paperwork on time.

Check the comments of this post over the next week for more information.

Fun with a Purpose

Flying Spaghetti Monsterism? This exceptional parody of the advocacy of equal teaching time between creationism and evolution is worth a look, if for nothing more than a good laugh. All the Pasatafarians want is a spot at the table.

Six Degrees of separation

So after months of hard work, hundreds of volunteer hours and large amounts of money being spent, it appears that 6 words may block the overhaul of redistricting! The St. Pete Times reported today that the summary of one of the three petitions to re-draw and re-create the process on how we draw Constitutional districts is to long. It has 81 words in its summary and the limit is 75.

The story is linked in the title bar.

The article tells us that there is hope, the original wording was approved by the Division of Elections and they should have caught this problem then. There is always the possibility that an exception might be made. There will be more information and decisions coming out over the next few days.

Let us hope that this problem gets worked out. We need fair districts!

Happy Birthday Nora Herron!

Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 23, 2005, is the Florida Democratic Party's Office Manager Nora Herron's Birthday. Nora has been incredibly helpful, working very hard for the local democrats and democrats statewide, including the Leon County Young Democrats. It is Nora who always makes sure that the meeting space is prepared for our meetings at the state headquarters and it is Nora who on countless occasions given different members of our LCYD Leadership team excellent advice.

In mid-September the Leon County Young Democrats are going to help do a day of service at the FDP Headquarters, helping with some minor repairs and grounds maintenance. We have volunteered to help do this because Nora spends at least two weekends a month trying to help keep the HQ looking amazing and we want to help too. Her commitment to the Florida Democratic Party is an inspiration to us all.

If you want to send Nora an email with birthday wishes, her email is herron@fladems.com

LCDEC Meeting on Monday, August 21st!

This is an reminder that the Leon County Democratic Executive Committee will be meeting at 7pm EST at the Tallahassee City Commission chambers. (2nd Floor, City Hall)

The agenda is as follows:

Elections for Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and District 5 Representative will be held.

There will be discussion on how to become a delegate to the Florida Democratic State Convention in Orlando this December.

Allan Katz will be a guest speaker on the Coal Plant Referendum that the city is involved with.

To conclude, there will be a social outside the City Chambers.

The Meeting starts at 7pm EST and I hope all Young Democrats will attend the meeting to stay involved with local politics in Leon County. Hope to see all of you there!

LCYDs at the Golden Gala

Yesterday the Capital City Democratic Women's Club Golden Gala was held in the Leon County Civic Center. The Golden Gala recognized democrats who had been in active service to our community for over fifty years. Thanks to a generous and anonymous donor, the Leon County Young Democrats had a table at this event. Please view the story linked in the title bar.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Check out the link in the title bar to the Florida Politics Blog...here is the teaser lines regarding what the post is about:

On the surface it would seem that Florida Democrats just ain't a perfect fit with farmers and cattle ranchers. And on the surface, you'd be right.
So it may seem odd that I think the campaign for Ag Commissioner may be second most important Florida election in 2006 after the US Senate.
Even more important than the campaign for Governor?
Perhaps.

Check it out!

Speaking of the Future Establishment

This is an article that I went to read on the Wiretap website, Alternet's news targeting young people. Much to my suprise local Young Democrat and City Commissioner Andrew Gillum was staring back at me! At that moment I knew that it was going to be the next blog post. This article is about the current model of progressive activism on college campuses and the huge number of small organizations focusing on their own issues.

Speaking of the Future Establishment
By Kristina Rizga, AlterNet
Posted on August 1, 2005, Printed on August 12, 2005

On July 13, a large auditorium at the Washington Convention Center lit by 19th-century chandeliers wasn't hosting the usual crowd of elderly men in gray suits. For the first time in 30 years of liberal organizing, Campus Progress brought together over 600 progressive twenty-something activists to the capital of political establishment.
Recovering from the steady stream of recent defeats, liberals argue over the future of the Democratic Party. And as with the recent AFL-CIO split, there is no agreement on winning strategy in sight. Progressives blame the centrist '90s and want to move away from corporate sponsors to pulling together a new, lower- and middle-class majority of Americans. But beltway moderates can't seem to abandon conservative-leaning elites.
Political differences aside, progressive grassroots organizers seem to agree on one point. While the left has been more effective in local activism, including college campuses, when it comes to national politics the right dominates the agenda more than ever.
Over the past 30 years, right-wing groups poured over $35 million annually to college campuses. Even though a vast majority of students identify themselves as being closer to the left, for every progressive publication on college campus, there are two conservative ones. When it comes to affecting national agenda, conservative groups have been more effective at organizing students, in large part, through campus publications.
But it looks like this trend could be changing. Campus Progress--a division of the Center for American Progress--is the only group in the U.S. today that financially supports progressive publications on college campuses. It currently sponsors 14 progressive publications, with plans to hit 50 next year, helps students bring progressive speakers to their schools and organizes national editorial conference calls. Student publishers receive money for printing, training and mentorship, says Elana Berkowitz, editor of the Campus Progress online magazine.
Their first annual conference was an attempt to gather hundreds of small student groups to kick off a national debate about progressive agenda.
In a day-long, free conference, students heard from Democratic moderates like President Bill Clinton and the first female White House press secretary Dee Dee Myers. There were also more-progressive writers and organizers, such as author Thomas Frank, Katrina vanden Heuvel of the Nation and Stephanie Nyombayire -- a young activist from Rwanda working to bring more visibility to the ongoing atrocities in Darfur, Sudan. Morning panels attempted to define progressive values while afternoon workshops focused on strategic training shared by veteran organizers.
A young woman in her early twenties in a flamboyant dress and pink high heels confidently introduces herself to everyone at the table. She is an intern from Americans for Peace Now. Her head shook violently as she laid out her carefully crafted talking points with a confident, at times deafening voice. I put a finger on my ear to hear my soft-spoken neighbor. Rob Cobbs is a full-time student at Amherst College and a board chair for Massachussets Student PIRG (Public Interest Research Group). He spends more than 30 hours a week on political organizing. Jamia Wilson, a veteran pro-choice activist with maturity well beyond her 24 years, has thoughtful insight on any topic that comes up. This group of students is every college professor's dream -- motivated, smart and articulate.
With 4.7 million more 18 to 24 year-old votes cast in 2004 than 2000, these young leaders are also becoming every progressive politician's dream--from Democrats to Greens.
Tom Friedman vs. Naomi Klein?
The week after the conference, Campus Progress heard a few loud boo's on its blog inspired by Sam Graham-Felsen's article in the Nation. Critiquing the conference for its lack of more radical viewpoints from the progressive circles, he pointed out that no one challenged President Bill Clinton on the war in Iraq or his welfare policies.
Most Campus Progress bloggers debated the merits of a national conference that brings together more centrist students, who typically vote for the Democrats, and more radical participants, who vote for the Greens or even start their own parties. Do they have enough in common, or is this a waste of time, a project doomed to failure once they get down to policy?
Activist Jamia Wilson thinks the conference was a good idea and was impressed by the diversity of students, but she doesn't see much future in compromising with the more though I truly appreciate Campus Progress, there is definitely this lean toward moderate, centrist propaganda. The Republican Party is winning and they never appeased us, ever," she argued. For Wilson, the issues discussed were too safe -- poverty, social security, sex education -- compared to tougher turf like gay rights, a woman's right to choose, or affirmative action.
Gilowen Jenkins, 21, a senior at the University of Massachusetts, recently changed his more radical stance and moved to the center for strategic purposes. "I feel that to get some positive progressive change we need to get the seats of power back. It's okay to dream -- we need visionaries -- but you have to be realistic about the nature of power in this country and how to get it," he explained.
Berkowitz, editor of Campus Progress, views these disagreements as an asset of the progressive movement, "At the core, Campus Progress students share a number of values -- a commitment to economic opportunity and justice, maintaining civil liberties and reproductive freedoms, pursuing a thoughtful, effective and humane foreign policy." She views finding common ground as key to effective progressive activism. "Students who don't always see eye to eye on every political issue will have to work together to create a movement and to make change on their campuses and in their communities."
Don't Just Organize, Mobilize
Most students spoke with conviction and clarity about their values and goals. There were savvy strategists, organizers, and promoters. But as with the rest of progressive community, student organizers often fail to mobilize larger groups of people beyond their immediate activist circles.
This is where Campus Progress comes in. The group helps some of the most effective progressive student activistsgo beyond short-term mobilization on one issue -- voting once a year, getting their schools to divest from Wal-Mart, or stopping a polluting plant -- to becoming long-term, strategic organizers who stay in touch with non-activists in their communities on a day-to-day basis.
Through campus publications, these organizers can connect big political issues -- like global warming -- to the personal lives of people who are working too many jobs, taking too many classes or watching too much TV. The success of long-term organizing that can shape national agenda requires engagement of our less politically-active neighbors.
John Wilson of the Independent Press Association, which that also supports college publications, comments, "If you look at any category of activism -- the number of student organizations, the number of campus protests and events, the number of students actively organizing -- progressives far outnumber conservatives. But the current model of progressive activism on campuses is a huge number of disparate organizations focusing on their own issues."
Campus Progress can be that missing tool for all progressive students -- radical or centrist -- to effectively communicate with their base, build broader coalitions and win bigger battles. David Halperin, director of Campus Progress adds, "Trying to force conformity is doomed to failure. But we can get smarter about presenting our case and figuring out when it's best to come together."
For one day, for the first time in 30 years of progressive organizing, there were students from Ivy League schools and community colleges, students from Tennessee and Florida -- all seeing each other as part of a cohesive whole. Public service seemed like a hip thing to do. And most participants were challenged to focus on what the progressive movement agrees on and stands for, rather than what it is that divides the various factions. For a movement that prides itself for its inclusion and diversity, I say it's a good thing.

Will FSU have to become the Fighting Crackers or the FSU Statesmen?

This Story is in the papers today, in yesterdays Palm Beach Post the story ran with the history of the mascot vote:

The "Seminoles" nickname was chosen by a vote of the student body in 1947. Statesmen finished second, followed by Rebels, Tarpons, Fighting Warriors and Crackers, according to the university's football media guide.

For more information read on:

NCAA bans Indian names during post-season play
By Ted Hutton
Staff Writer for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted August 6 2005

Chief Osceola may be a point of pride with Seminole fans, but the NCAA on Friday said that it considers Florida State's nickname and mascot "hostile or abusive" and banned the university from using American Indian symbols during postseason competition.Chief Osceola, the university's mascot, is banned, and the band could not lead the fans in the Tomahawk Chop war chant.

Along with FSU, 17 other universities use American Indian nicknames and are affected by the NCAA's policy.The announcement of the NCAA rule, which takes effect Feb. 1, stunned FSU, which had hoped its close association with the Seminole Tribe of Florida would protect it from any potential NCAA action.FSU President T.K. Wetherell vowed to fight, and said he intends to pursue "all legal avenues" to overturn the decision, noting that Seminole Tribe of Florida supported the university's use of the tribe's name and imagery."That the NCAA would now label our close bond with the Seminole people as culturally `hostile and abusive' is both outrageous and insulting," Wetherell said."The rules as we understand them would have us cover the Seminole name and symbol as if we were embarrassed, and any committee that would think that is a proper and respectful treatment of Native Americans should be ashamed."But the NCAA anticipated lawsuits and is confident it will prevail in any court action."Everyone has recourse through the courts. We feel this is reasoned and solid and are prepared to defend it," said Walter Harrison, Chairman of the NCAA Executive Committee that adopted the policy.Harrison said the NCAA cannot control what nickname or mascot a university chooses, but as an association the NCAA can take a stand in events it controls."What we are trying to say is that we find these mascots to be unacceptable for NCAA championship competition," Harrison said.The NCAA took into consideration the July 17 resolution the Seminole Tribe of Florida passed supporting FSU.

But the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma has strongly opposed Florida State's use of the name, and that didn't escape the NCAA's attention."That is great news and wonderful to hear. The whole movement is going in the right direction now," said David Narcomey, a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma who has been lobbying Florida State to drop the Seminoles nickname for years.

Vernon Bellecourt, an official of the American Indian Movement and president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media, agreed that Friday's announcement marked a turning point for a broader movement that also targets professional teams such as the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Indians."It's a very major milestone in our efforts that have been going on for decades," Bellecourt said. "It should be a wake-up call for Florida State, Illinois, Utah and North Dakota, which we consider the big four.

"North Dakota President Charles Kupchella said his university, where more than 400 Native Americans are currently enrolled, would wait to see "what the NCAA really means" before deciding the fate of the Fighting Sioux.

Teams would have to alter uniforms by removing nicknames and symbols, such as a spear or tomahawk, when they play in NCAA-sponsored tournaments after Feb. 1 to meet the policy. By 2008, all dance team, cheerleader and band uniforms would also have to be altered when teams appear in postseason play.The NCAA does not control the college football bowl system, but Harrison said he hoped the Bowl Championship Series would follow the same policy. Big 12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg, currently chair of the BCS, said through a spokesman that he did not yet know enough about the NCAA's announcement to comment.

Local FSU boosters were angered by the NCAA's stance."We take pride in being Seminoles. It is not mockery," said Melissa Dee, a member of the Seminole Club of Broward County. "Having gone to school there and to many games, it is such a part of our culture.""I don't know why the NCAA is getting into this," said Sandy Golson, past president of the Palm Beach County Seminoles Club. "We have nothing to be ashamed of."

If Florida State and the other affected universities don't successfully overturn the NCAA's policy, it may prove more convenient and less costly to simply change their mascots all together. Schools that have made that transition in the past decade have often reaped large financial windfalls from the sale of new merchandise.That option though wasn't broached in Tallahassee on Friday, when Wetherell vowed to ensure that "this university will forever be associated with the unconquered spirit of the Seminole Tribe of Florida."

Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer Emily Badger contributed to this report.

Liberal Make-Up Smear Plot Far Reaching

Even before Novak's off-color remark [link to full article in title], he had caught Carville and Henry by surprise. Discussing Harris' allegation that newspapers had tarnished her image by doctoring photos of her, Novak said he had experienced the same thing.

"A lot of my trouble in the world is that they've doctored my makeup and colorized me in a lot of newspapers on my picture," he said. "So, I sympathize with her."

"This is breaking news. I've haven't heard this," Henry said.

"Breaking news. Who did it? What paper?" Carville said."Well," said Novak, "I don't ... I can't tell you."

Local Democratic Leader Reaches Out to the LCYDs

Commissioner Cliff Thaell, who has been extremely supportive of the LCYD's over the last few years, addressed this letter to the Leon County Young Democrats:

I want you to be among the first to know that I have filed for reelection to the At Large seat I hold on the County Commission. I am running for my 4th term and am very energized about our campaign and passionate about the issues we still face in our community.

I need you to help me get re-elected. The republicans (led by Commissioners Grippa and Depuy are doing everything they can to get Republican Robin Safley - a Jeb associate and local media person on the Gary Yordon Show - to mount a strong campaign against me.

I am going to show Robin, and the rest of the conservatives that I can mount a strong grassroots campaign. I am working to get a couple of thousand Leon County residents to give the Cliff Thaell Campaign donations of $10, $15, $20 or even $25 within the next couple of months. Will you help me by first sending your own check to the campaign? Then I need you to send a personal email to your network of friends who support progressive politics. Help me continue to serve as the At Large County Commissioner who has demonstrated a fighting spirit for democratic principles for over a decadeÂ…. health care for poor people, affordable housing, rational transportation policies, protection of precious land and water resources, and sensible fiscal management.

My campaign account opened on July 1st. The Quarter ends on September 30th. I will file my first financial report on October 10th. I need you to reach out to the many people in your network who want to see a better future for Leon County. IÂ’m still in there fighting. I need you in my corner!

Checks can be made out to:
The Cliff Thaell Campaign
Post office Box 87
Tallahassee, Florida 32302

Thanks for everything!

Cliff

HERE'S WHY YOU CAN'T BUY THE PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL AT WAL-MART

Nothing like being able to take some Criticism.

HERE'S WHY YOU CAN'T BUY THE PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL AT WAL-MART
July 24, 2005
By Randy Hammer

You can’t buy the Pensacola News Journal at Wal-Mart anymore.The store ordered us off their property, told us to come pick up our newspaper racks and clear out.So we did.A few people called last week, some even wrote letters to the editor, and wanted to know why they couldn’t buy the newspaper at Wal-Mart in the days after Hurricane Dennis.Some managers at Wal-Mart didn’t appreciate a column Mark O’Brien wrote last month about the downside of the cheap prices that Sam Walton’s empire has brought to America. We all pay a little less, and sometimes a lot less, at the grocery store and department store because of Mr. Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart.Mr. Walton developed a brilliant business model that allowed him to undercut the prices of his competitors. He made sure that the blue jeans his store sold were cheaper than the jeans the store down the road sold. And if some store had a two-for-one special on boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Wal-Mart would have a three-for-one special.Leave it to old Mark, whose column runs four days a week in this newspaper, to find a downside to this. Actually, it wasn’t Mark, but Thomas Friedman, who wrote “The World is Flat,” which happens to be a best seller right now.A downsideI don’t mean to rub salt in a wound, but here’s what Mark wrote:“I like Wal-Mart prices the same as the next shopper, but there’s a downside, too. Many Wal-Mart employees lack the fringe benefits and insurance that makes the difference between existence and a good quality of life. Yet, we customers pay a surcharge from a different pocket subsidizing health care for Wal-Mart employees who can’t afford it.”Mark then described how Friedman’s book pointed out that more than 10,000 children of Wal-Mart employees are in a Georgia health-care program, which costs the state’s taxpayers nearly $10 million a year. Mark also pointed out that a New York Times report found that 31 percent of the patients at a North Carolina hospital were Wal-Mart employees on Medicaid.Mark’s column really wasn’t about Mr. Walton’s store, but about Pensacola and how we’re becoming a Wal-Mart kind of town, “cheap and comfy on the surface, lots of unhappiness and hidden costs underneath.”That was the point Mark was trying to make.Bob Hart, one of the upper managers for the Wal-Marts in the area, called me and said he didn’t like Mark’s column, didn’t like a lot of Mark’s columns.I told Mr. Hart that I don’t particularly like some of Mark’s columns either. Like the one he wrote about charter government, which Escambia County had put on the ballot for voters to consider last year. Mark said the charter-government proposal was a mess and that people would be fools to vote for it.Mark speaks his mindI plain didn’t like that column, especially since the week before I had written something that said charter government was the best idea since sliced bread. I am Mark’s boss, you know. He ought to have given me a little more respect than that.But Mark speaks his mind. And the truth be told, that’s what he gets paid to do, even though it kind of hurt me when nearly 70 percent of the voters sided with Mark and rejected charter government.Mr. Hart, however, said he and his stores couldn’t tolerate a newspaper that would print the opinions of someone who was as mean and negative as Mark O’Brien. But, you know, Mark’s not nearly as ornery as that left-wing rabble-rouser Molly Ivins, whose column the newspaper also publishes. At any rate, Mr. Hart said he wanted the newspaper to get its racks off his lots. But he also said that if I fired Mark, we could talk about continuing to sell the newspaper at his stores.Wal-Mart is a company that wraps itself in red, white and blue.I might understand it if Wal-Mart said I ought to fire Mark because what he said wasn’t accurate. But that isn’t the case. Mark accurately reported that there are 10,000 children of Wal-Mart employees in a health-care program that is costing Georgia taxpayers nearly $10 million a year.Shouldn’t we talk about that?When we stop listening to people on the other side of the fence, when we try to silence and even punish people for thinking differently than we do and raising facts and figures we don’t like, well, we won’t be red, white and blue anymore.That’s why Mark still has a job and you can’t buy a Pensacola News Journal at Wal-Mart anymore.
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This article is from Pensacola News Journal. If you found it informative and valuable, visit their website and register an account to view all their articles on the web. Support quality journalism

It's that time of year again!!!

DEMOCRATIC CLUB OF NORTH FLORIDA
Invites you to the 5th annual old-fashioned
Democratic Political Rally & Picnic
Saturday, August 6, 2005
4:00 -7:00
Lee Vause County Park

FEATURING
CONGRESSMAN JIM DAVIS, CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR

You are cordially invited to attend the club's 5th Annual Democratic Political Rally and Picnic to hear what Congressman Davis of Tampa proposes to do if elected Governor of Florida. The other gubernatorial candidates have been invited. Local Democratic Officeholders will be in attendance. We'll have signup sheets and campaign materials. We'll have the keynote address by the Hon. Jim Davis, music, food, and fun.

Bring a homemade covered dish, salad, dessert or a $5 donation. The club is furnishing grilled chicken, hamburgers, iced tea, lemonade and water.

The picnic is Congressman Davis' first visit to Tallahassee as a candidate for Governor, so come and be among those to give him a big North Florida Welcome.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Directions:

The park is located in Northwest Tallahassee off US 27 North.
Take US 27 North toward Havana and proceed to the intersection where Capital Circle NW and Old Bainbridge Intersect at US 27.
On the Northwest corner is the Oak Valley Shopping Center where Publix is the anchor store. The address is 5819 North Monroe.
At the intersection turn right on to Old Bainbridge Road (East) and go about ½ mile to Lee Vause Park. Turn right (South) on to Marjorie Turnbull Lane and follow the directions to the Large Pavilion.

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The Leon County Young Democrats are assisting with setup and takedown for this event, and we will have a table with information regarding our club and other local democratic activities.

Young Democrats Flyer San Fransico

YDA by the Bay

Young Democrats to hit streets of S.F.

Joe Garofoli, Chronicle Staff Writer

Monday, August 1, 2005

As the audience of 100 activists settled into their second beer of the evening in the subterranean coziness of San Francisco's hipster hangout Cafe Du Nord, 23-year-old Lilia Tamm stepped onstage and mentioned something bound to offend many in the crowd.
She asked them to join her as a delegate to the upcoming Young Democrats national convention in San Francisco. Although a couple dozen hands shot up, other young liberals had a problem besides the $60 registration fee -- many weren't Democrats.
After last fall's election defeats, the Young Democrats "realized they needed a good swift activist kick in the butt," Tamm exhorted the crowd, "so that's why they decided to come to San Francisco."
Well, yes and no; the Young Democrats chose their convention site two years ago. But leaders of the 73-year-old organization know they have an image problem -- specifically, that many of their fellow young people see Young Democrats as networking dweebs in blue blazers. Even in San Francisco -- the soul of liberal America -- the Young Democrats chapter counts only 50 active members.
"People saw the Young Democrats as boring meetings in rooms with bad lighting among people who were there to build their resumes," said Jane Fleming, who has been advocating for change since she became executive director of the group a year ago.
The makeover starts Wednesday, when 700 Young Democrats open their five- day national convention in San Francisco. Among the throng at the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway will be activists including Tamm, leading the charge to shake up an organization so staid that this is the first time in a decade it will hold contested elections for its leadership.
The under-35 conventioneers will leave the hotel to hit the street for some old-school rabble rousing, something no one in the organization can remember being done at past gatherings. They'll be campaigning against a California initiative on the November ballot requiring parents of minor girls to be notified before their daughters can receive an abortion.
Organizers see it as a symbolic start.
The group "has had a problem with its image," Fleming said. "And if we want to continue to reach out and connect with young voters, we don't have the credibility with them now."
The path to credibility, Fleming and others believe, mimics what was going on last month at Cafe Du Nord. Instead of peppering young voters with "get-out-and-vote" pleas on MTV from celebrity endorsers, progressive youth groups are adopting a new model: Go have a beer with a young person and talk about how they can't afford health care. Or sponsor a club show and take a few minutes to talk about skyrocketing college tuition. Or pop by a cafe and talk about military recruitment.
This kind of peer-to-peer outreach was used to great effect by several youth-based groups that sprang up during the 2004 campaign, including San Francisco-based outfits Punkvoter.com and Music for America, and others such as Vote Mob and the League of Pissed Off Voters.
The result of these grassroots, youth-led efforts: The turnout among 18- to 24-year-olds in November was the highest since 1992. Fifty-six percent voted for John Kerry.
"Republicans organize through their churches," said Molly Moon Neitzel, executive director of Music for America, which registered 22,000 voters last year and is still adding 750 names a week to its 45,000-person database. "And (progressives) are doing it through (music) venues."
Post-election research trickling in since November reinforces this notion. Peer-to-peer outreach increased voter participation among young people by an average of five percentage points in targeted areas, said Ryan Friedrichs, a researcher who is studying the phenomenon for 17 youth-voter organizations.
"Groups doing this really add value in a way that large campaign operations can't," Friedrichs said.
But the Young Democrats face some challenges in transforming themselves.
"They're not cool," said Mike Burkett, better known in punk rock circles as Fat Mike, frontman for the band NOFX and the driving force behind Punkvoter. com. The youth-organizing effort registered 20,000 voters through tours and sales of its "Rock Against Bush" CDs, featuring chart-toppers such as Green Day and the Foo Fighters.
Even Fat Mike's cachet has its limits.
"I'm pretty cool, but I'm not cool enough to get to some people," the 38- year-old Burkett said. "Once you become a Democrat, you're not cool (to some young people). Most of my friends are anarchists or in the Green Party."
Identifying with a party -- any party -- is a turnoff to young people dubious about such institutions, said Music for America's Neitzel.
"If I go up to someone in a club and say, 'I'm a Young Democrat, let's talk,' they're going to walk away," she said. "But if I go up to them, and I live nearby and I start talking to them about how much it costs to go to college, well, then there's a connection."
But new studies conducted by Friedrichs found that it didn't matter if young voters were contacted by Republicans or Democrats or outside groups with a partisan bent. What mattered was hearing it in person from someone who looked like them.
"What really connects with young people is, 'Local face, local message,' " Friedrichs said. "If they feel they are being marketed to in any way -- and this generation probably has been marketed to more than any other in history -- then they'll turn off."
Young Democrats moved in the peer-to-peer direction last year, sponsoring the Young Voter Alliance to reach unlikely voters. Other groups are reaching out to the same crowd as well, however.
Although Music for America will send two representatives to the Young Democrats' gathering, Neitzel will be in Pittsburgh at the League of Pissed Off Voters' national convention.
Young Democrats leader Fleming shrugged at the coincidental timing of the youth conventions and said she is friends with a founder of the League of Pissed Off Voters. Still, a league spokeswoman declined to comment on the Young Democrats' makeover.
To bridge their credibility gap with young voters, the Young Democrats are connecting with activists such as Leighton Woodhouse. The 30-year-old San Franciscan was the main organizer behind Driving Votes, which organized road trips to swing states last year.
Woodhouse enjoys credibility among youth organizers -- Music for America's Neitzel said, "Leighton is rad. We wish him super well." And Woodhouse is among the activists who think he and others can benefit from the nationwide organization the Young Democrats have already built.
"I thought it would be better to work within the party to make it better than to try to work outside it to make it come to us," Woodhouse said. "There is a lot of good infrastructure there in the Young Democrats."
And changing their image may be easier for the Young Democrats than many think. After all, "there's a new group of 18- to 24-year-olds coming along every few years that doesn't know the history," said Carrie Donovan, youth director for CIRCLE, a University of Maryland organization that studies youth voter patterns. "It's not like you're trying to change the habits of a 50-year- old person who has been voting the same way for the last 15 years."
E-mail Joe Garofoli at jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com.