SNAPs to Those Up For The Challenge

BY JUSTIN LEE

GW College Democrats in conjunction with the Alpha Phi Omega service Fraternity and GW Hunger and Homeless Awareness held a meeting with all participants of the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Challenge in the Marvin Center on Nov. 11.

The SNAP challenge is a nation wide call to action for ordinary citizens to live off a food budget of $22 dollars for a week or $4.50 a day. The challenge is designed to give participants the experience of living on food stamps. 

Brooks Boron, community service director of Campus Democrats, started the meeting with a list of places people could buy food from in order to emulate the dietary restrictions SNAP places on participants. He then explained items SNAP restricts such as alcohol, tobacco, and hot foods.

Brooks then introduced a blog that participants could fill out about their daily food intake. He stressed that the writer be honest about his or her success and failures, noting that even going above one’s daily budget of $4.50 showed the difficulty of living off food stamps alone. These stories will be posted on the blog

Boron also explained the positive effects that the SNAP program has on people below the poverty line such as reduced chances of childhood obesity and better overall health. He dismantled common myths regarding SNAP. 

Upon being asked if the 73 participating students would be enough to spread awareness on GW campus, Boron replied that the challenge would be heavily invested in social media such as the blog and twitter where it could attract more people to the cause.

Two teaching assistants from the Human Services and Community Class, Daniela DiGuido and Tyler Daniels, also took an opportunity to explain the coinciding events happening this week for Homelessness Awareness Week. Upcoming events, including Thursday’s Hunger Banquet, will spread awareness of homelessness issues that pervade DC and other major cities.

During this week, they will collect canned food items for the homeless in boxes placed around campus. 

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Stay tuned to WRGW News for updates on how the SNAP challenge is going.

The Voters Have Spoken: Election Day Results

BY, EMMA FRANKLIN

Voters flocked to their local voting locations on Tuesday to elect various candidates to office. Three of the most heavily watched races were for governor of N.J., governor of Va., and mayor of New York City.

The candidates for N.J. governor included Republican incumbent Chris Christie and Democrat Barbara Buono. Christie won the election by a landslide with 60.4% of votes to Buono’s 38.1%. Although N.J. has been a historically Democratic state, Governor Christie won the support of voters through his moderate policies and quick response to last year’s Hurricane Sandy disaster. Governor Christie’s mounting bipartisan support would potentially strengthen his potential bid for the 2016 presidential election, if he chooses to run.

GW College Republicans Chairman Alexander Miller said he was, “Very proud of Chris Christie in his incredible victory in New Jersey. He received a record number of votes from women and minority groups and seems well positioned for 2016.”

The race for Va. governor included the state Attorney General, Republican Kenneth Cuccinelli, and former Democratic National Committee chairman, Democrat Terry McAuliffe. Although the race was very tight, McAuliffe came out on top with 48.0% of the vote compared to Cuccinelli’s 45.5%.

“I kept a watchful eye on Virginia. Cuccinelli was predicted to lose by 7-12 points. However, the closeness of the elections proves that Americans are upset with the failed Obamacare and refutes claims that the government shutdown was the fault of, and ultimately hurt the GOP,” said Miller.

Cuccinelli, a Tea Party supporter, was not predicted to receive as much of the vote as he did. However, due to negative public opinion surrounding the Republican Party following the government shut down, McAuliffe’s campaign received a bit of an energy boost and increased voter turnout. These results have prompted the Republican Party to reevaluate how it chooses nominees in an effort to lessen the number of extremely radical candidates.

The GW College Democrats were active in the campaign. “Mr. McAuliffe's victory is particularly heartening because we invested so much effort in helping him win. These results mean real, material improvement in people's lives because now Medicaid expansion appears more likely in Virginia,” said GW College Democrats president Omeed Firouzi.

The race for mayor of New York City, widely considered the second most powerful political position within the United States, included Democrat Bill de Blasio and Republican Joseph J. Lhota. De Blasio was the overwhelming winner with 73.3% of the vote compared to Lhota’s 24.3%. 

“I’m thrilled at the results in New York City,” said Firouzi. “Stop and frisk may come to a close now, so obviously that is a good thing because it means progressive policy outcomes.”

New York City consistently votes liberally and considering the not-so-popular term of current moderately conservative mayor Michael Bloomberg, de Blasio’s win was no big surprise.

The Great Debate: Two Professors Square Off

BY MICHAEL SCARBOROUGH

Two political science professors, Henry Nau and Vincent Stine, faced off Wednesday in a debate sponsored by the GW chapters of College Republicans and College Democrats. 

Stine, who has taught on topics ranging from religion’s influence on politics to the nature of political parties, represented the Democratic side. Nau, who has been a professor of international affairs since 1973 and was a senior staff member on President Reagan’s National Security Council, represented the Republicans. 

The debate featured very little back-and-forth banter reminiscent of last year’s presidential and Republican primary debates. Instead the professors answered questions from moderator and fellow GW professor Daniel Ericson, and once opinions were given, the discussion moved on to new topics. 

On the question of the country’s fiscal situation, both professors agreed that deals should revolve around reforming entitlements and closing tax loopholes, with Nau taking a stand against “agricultural and industrial subsidies.” 

The professors also agreed that the problematic implementation of The Affordable Care Act has reflected poorly on the Obama administration. 

“I think it is a big embarrassment for the administration,” said the left-leaning Stine, “but I don’t think (Secretary of Health and Human Services) Sebelius should resign.”

Nau expressed his belief that many provisions of the ACA could have been worked out in the private sector, and that government only makes healthcare reform less efficient. 

“Insurance companies easily could have solved the pre-existing condition problem on its own…don’t wait for government to solve your problem. Go out there and solve them.”

Ending the debate, Professor Ericson asked the participants to predict the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees in 2016. Nau and Stine were reluctant to give predictions, noting that there are no clear front runners. 

Both agreed that in every election cycle, it is impossible to predict circumstances and events that lead to candidate nominations.

Three Minutes with Mayor Cory Booker

The College Democrats hosted Newark, N.J. Mayor Cory Booker as their year-end speaker Sunday night in SMPA's Jack Morton Auditorium.

The Democratic Mayor made headlines last week when he helped rescue a neighbor from her burning house after it caught fire, but focused the majority of his speech on his professional experiences as a Newark city council member and mayor. He also shared stories about his personal development, coming out of  Yale Law School as a passionate idealist and learning the realities of inner-city life while living in a Newark public-housing project.

His speech emphasized faith and positivity in his life, including the "conspiracy of love" from the unsung and often anonymous individuals who helped him along the way.

WRGW News caught up with Mayor Booker after his speech to talk about health care, bipartisanship and working with Governor Chris Christie. Listen below:

Three Minutes with Newark, N.J. Mayor Cory Booker by Wrgw_News on Mixcloud

-Joseph Rabinowitz

Debating the Issues: Ann Coulter v. Lawrence O' Donnell

On Sunday night in Lisner Auditorium, conservative pundit Ann Coulter faced off against liberal MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell in a debate.

Even before either Coulter or O' Donnell took the stage, the people who were introducing them were jockeying for position such as mentioning that Coulter is "the New York Times bestselling author of eight different books" and that " O'Donnell is "donating his speaking fee to an organization that helps provide school desks for children in Guatemala."

The first hot button issue that was brought up was the current controversy surround Rush Limbaugh's criticism of Sandra Fluke in which he called her a slut and a prostitute. The moderator, Frank Sesno, couldn't even finish his sentence before being drowned out by the booing audience. The debate opening focused more on contraceptives than the controversy.

When asked for her opinion on the matter Coulter said "What I don't like about this and also what has annoyed me about a lot of the republican responses about the HHS mandate is that it is completely missing the point by making it a debate about contraception, which by the way why they really come to life when your talking about it. And about religious freedom, which isn't the issue here." She went on to say that it is not insurance.

“Insurance is to cover unexpected emergencies — fires, car crashes and dreaded diseases,” Coulter continued. “If we’re covering something that costs between $10 and at most $30 a month, well then what can’t be ruled on by the HHS secretary? This is them taking our freedom away — the government taking our freedom away. I think the next mandate if Obama is reelected is going to be that you will have to pay a higher insurance premium if you own a gun in your home.”

O' Donnell responded that "I wish that the government was not to require any insurance companies to do anything in the health care field area because I wish that the government would bypass the insurance companies completely."

When Coulter was further questioned about the Limbaugh controversy, she state that, “this red-herring, when liberals all get ginned up about some talk radio host who is very popular, I don’t know why Republicans, particularly elected Republicans are responding at all.” She further elaborated by questioning why other prominent individuals don't have to answer for their verbal gaffes.“Why doesn’t Obama have to respond to the things that his million-dollar donor Bill Maher has said, calling Sarah Palin the ‘c-word,’ for example. Why doesn’t my friend Lawrence have to respond his MSNBC colleague Ed Schultz calling Laura Ingraham a slut? Or Rachel Maddow accusing the good people of Kentucky of murders of the census worker?”

O'Donnell focused more on Rush saying that, "It is about contraception for Rush Limbaugh. That’s all he’s talking about. And Rush Limbaugh has decided a college student or in the case he was talking about a law school student — if that law school student wants and uses contraception and advocates for others, she is a prostitute. She is a slut. That is what the Limbaugh position is.”

O' Donnell truly won an advantage over Coulter when he brought up a quote from 2003 in which Coulter says "It’s true. It would be a much better country if women did not vote. That is simply a fact. In fact, in every presidential election since 1950 – except Goldwater in 64 –would have won, if only the men had voted." She was asked this by the British newspaper, The Guardian.

The fact that this followed Coulter mentioning that people shouldn't be able to vote until they can afford health insurance- at age 26- didn't go over that well with the audience-mostly college students under 26. She effectively said that the majority of people listening should not be able to vote in the next presidential election. These statements elicited the loudest boos of the night and many members of the audience seem genuinely stunned at her comments.

Ann Coulter and Lawrence O' Donnell put on quite the show for GW students and shortly after wrapped up the debate. Mr. O' Donnell took some time to answer some question posed by WRGW's own New Director, Joey Rabinowitz. The interview can be found on our blog. And both Coulter and O' Donnell took some time to meet with students from the College Democrats and Republicans afterwords and answer questions and pose for pictures.

MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell Talks Socialism, Marijuana and Obama

MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell - WRGW News Interview by Wrgw_News on Mixcloud

Student Keystone Pipeline Debate

On Tuesday, February 7, in the Marvin Center Grand Ballroom the College Democrats and the College Republicans hosted a student debate on the Obama Administration's stance on the Keystone pipeline debate.

It may have been a student debate, but the discussion almost immediately took on a tense air. On one side you had the College Democrats and the other the College Republicans. The room was divided with members of each party on opposites sides of the room. Moderators walk around the room offering each person a small piece of paper to write questions for the debaters upon.

The Democrats slightly outnumbered the Republicans, but from the intensity of the debate, you wouldn't know it otherwise. The Democrat debaters each read an opening statement about why they opposed the Keystone pipeline-among which dealt with environmental impact and the fact the the jobs that it would create would only two thousand temporary jobs. The Republicans quickly countered with an estimate that the jobs wouldn't be temporary and would be numbered as many quarter million. Each cited different reliable sources.

However, once the debate quickly began to ignite with the Republicans going on the offensive. They began a very cohesive offensive on Keystone Pipeline and criticized the Obama administration. With one of the debaters referring to the President as "Your President" towards the College Democrats, with which one of democrats "He is your president too." This elicited a round of cheers from the College Democrat members present.

The College Republicans continuously assailed the Democrats bringing up the the Alberta Clipper Pipeline. This is a oil-sands pipeline that Obama previously approved in 2009. They stated that it was similar and that the only reason that Obama refused Keystone Pipeline was because it was in key swing states. The way it came was if the College Democrats hadn't heard of the Pipeline, but it may have had something to do with the fact that they had such little response time.

The College Democrats were calm, cool, and collected. They had asked the other side for a moment to respond, but they weren't readily granted it. The result was that they barely were able to successfully defend their views, much less counter what the Republican debaters were bringing up. The Republicans dominated the speaking time- command a significant about more time than them democrats themselves received.

The arguments and statements began to get slightly out of hand during an attack on Obama's decision with one of he Republicans stating "Now I understand why Obama went to Disney world, he's in fantasy land." The Republican side all cheered, but you could feel the silent shock on the Democrats side that such a brazen attack. Members of the Democrat audience even got involved when one of their debaters tried to respond to a comment the Republicans had just made, just to be spoken over. They wanted the debater to be able to speak and the Republican who had just interrupted told the audience members to let him finish.

It continued to get out of hand when the moderator attempt to stop the debate in order to ask a question. One of the Republican's continued to speak and interrupted him multiple times. The moderator stated when he was able to speak "now just let me interrupt this crazy circus."

The Republican displayed a significant amount of passion and knowledge about the subject and thus made a lasting impression. However, sometimes the interruptions and the passionate comments began to hurt there argument. It hurt their credibility. You could tell that they are both incredible intelligent, but there is a certain point where the passion begins to be mistaken for emotion. And if you speak on emotion, rather than facts. The argument is already lost. They just need to reign it in a bit.

The College Democrats had almost the opposite problem- if it is possible they came across as almost to respectful. They let the republicans speak when they asked, but were not rewarded with the same privilege. The Democrats really earned a significant amount of credibility, just from how they acted. However, you could feel that they might not have been able to make their whole argument in the limited time they had to speak. This is one case where they should have spoken up a lot more. They made valid points, but if debate team has half the time, then they won't be able to make an effective argument.

Both sides made this debate feel like the real thing- meaning it felt like they are elected officials off of a CNN debate. And most importantly, both sides made good points and displayed the best of there respective organization. It was an impressive debate.

Not Your Stereotypical Speakers featured at Hunger and Homelessness Event

Jackie Grimball has a masters degree from GW. Donald Whitehead is a published author and Emmy winner. But both are homeless.

Grimball and Whitehead were the featured speakers Tuesday at a GW College Democrats and Amnesty International co-sponsored event called, "Faces of Homelessness Panel," just one of the events and activities the University hosted in recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness Week.

According to the organizer of the event, College Democrat Community Service Director Dietra Backup, Whitehead and Grimball's stories were emblematic of a growing problem in America.

"The main point of tonight was to dispel misconceptions," Backup said, "that homeless people aren't stupid and lazy. That's something we [students at GW], being very fortunate, don't always realize."

Grimball and Whitehead spent the evening telling their life stories, including how they ended up homeless.

After a divorce, Grimball was left with three children and not a lot of money. She decided to go back to school at GW for her master's in special education.

She had never worked before in her life, but after receiving her master's she ended up working in a DC school district advocating for students with disabilities and juevenile delinquents who were in trouble with the law. Grimball's talent for advocacy led her to take a job with a private law firm while still working for the school district. Grimball began to charge steep prices for her services. Business at the law firm was going so well that she quit her job in the school district, a decision she later realized was a big mistake.

Shortly thereafter, the law firm began to see less cases and decided to pay her less as a result. Grimball suddenly wasn't able to pay her rent and was kicked out of her apartment. She lived an anxiety-filled ten days on the streets, sleeping on a park bench, before finding another job at a home for the mentally ill, where she was the only caretaker employed but not paid the amount she had been promised. She decided to leave the poor working conditions in April 2010, but that meant she was once again homeless.

She finally found the courage to tell her now adult children her predicament. However, she did not receive the help and support from them she expected. They were "ashamed" that their mother had become homeless and upset she was hurting the "family's name," she said.

At this point, Grimball decided to go to a shelter, despite her past reluctance. From that day in April 2010 until the present day she has been living at the Open Door Emergency Shelter for Women in DC. At the shelter, Grimball has met many different women from all different backgrounds.

"It has been enlightening and it's been wonderful, as weird as that sounds," Grimball commented.

Grimball said she has found the love and support at the shelter that she did not receive from her children, adding that it built up her character.

Grimball quickly discovered that telling potential employers that she was homeless was not a good job strategy. This past summer, she found a job as a DC-appointed advocate for the mentally ill. She said she's glad to be back in the court room, but still cannot afford to rent or own a home and remains at the shelter.

Donald Whitehead grew up a straight-A student in Cincinnati, Ohio. Throughout his early education, and then at the University of Cincinnati, Whitehead continued to be kicked out of school due to an addiction illness. His addiction then led to him living under bridges. Whitehead learned about homeless shelters and soup kitchens from a couple of other homeless men.

The worst part about being homeless is that "no one would look you in the eye or say your name," Whitehead said. "It becomes very lonely when no one calls your name."

Whitehead's life turned around after he was named the outreach coordinator at the Cincinnati shelter where he was staying. From there, he became the director of the Cincinnati Coalition of the Homeless, and later the national chapter, before his current position working for a non-profit program in Orlando that works with homeless Veterans.

Whitehead also wrote a book based on his life story called "Most Unlikely to Succeed," and received a regional Emmy for his performance in the Showtime movie "Open The Sky."

Despite his success, Whitehead never forgot about the tough times he once had.

Whitehead demonstrated a penchant for theatrics. He started his speech wearing a black winter coat which was unzipped revealing a yellow plaid shirt and blue jeans. He wore dark black sun glasses and some black rags around his neck, accenting his long black hair. At the beginning of his presentation he only introduced himself as "Donald" and spoke in a very quiet voice that made the audience lean forward in their seats to hear him.

As the presentation went on, though, Whitehead's voice became increasingly louder as he told the part where his life improved at a shelter in Cincinnati. He took off his jacket to reveal the plaid shirt. Later, as he began to tell the audience that he had been the director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, he took off his jeans and plaid shirt to reveal that he was wearing a suit, followed by removing the sunglasses, rags and wig, revealing his true bald self. Whitehead told the audience that besides his affinity for acting, he "dressed-up" like a stereotypical homeless person to show how he looked when he was homeless and that anybody, even those who are smart, can become homeless.

Gibbs Recounts Hard Times in White House, Emphasizes Youth Vote in 2012

Former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs
Photo: James Reed

Robert Gibbs, former White House Press Secretary and outside adviser to President Obama’s reelection campaign, energized a room full of College Democrats for the upcoming 2012 elections Tuesday evening. Gibbs briefly reminisced on his tenure as press secretary, during which he held more than 250 press briefings, before talking about the state of the economy.

“Our fiscal house is a mess... This is not your normal recession,” Gibbs told students at Dorothy Betts Theatre. Gibbs pointed to the falling strength of the dollar, noting that the income average in 2011 is about the same as 1996. “Your parents are paying your 2010-2011 GW tuition on a 1996 income,” said Gibbs.

Shiah Shahmohammadi, the GW College Democrats Communications Director, decided to host Gibbs as a speaker in order to rally their members toward the reelection of President Obama.

“Mr. Gibbs is an important figure in politics today. Not only was he the spokesperson for the nation's highest office for two years, but he is also an integral part of the reelection campaign of Barack Obama,” Shahmohammadi said. “The GW College Democrats chose Mr. Gibbs to be our kick-off speaker because he has the ability to excite our membership and encourage them to get involved with our organization as well as the 2012 campaign.”

During his speech, Gibbs pointed to the events of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 as a challenge for himself and the press, calling it “three of the most hardest months in the White House.” During the spill, Gibbs said he learned much about the oil industry and claimed to know more that than anyone who works for such a company.

Looking to 2012, Gibbs asked students a series of questions pertaining to their voting and social habits.

“This election is as much important as the last election,” Gibbs said emphatically. Gibbs, devoted some time to voting trends over the last decade, and particularly noted the shortfall in youth voting in 2010. In 2008, the youth votes comprised eighteen percent of the electorate, while in 2010 it was only eleven percent.

During the question and answer period, Gibbs noted a briefing featuring both President Obama and former President Clinton regarding the tax deal. Gibbs said his first thought when he first saw the two presidents walking past his office was “Holy Christ.” The presidents wanted access to the briefing room on a Friday evening.

“It was really cool getting the insight of someone who not only was a top White House insider for two years but the President’s main gatekeeper to the press,” said sophomore College Democrat member Scott Challeen. “My favorite part about hearing from former White House insiders like that is not so much the descriptions and specifics of their jobs, but the funny personal stories from the job.”

CDs, CRs Host Dean & Gingrich Debate

GW’s College Democrats and Republicans jointly hosted a debate between two prominent partisans last night, former Republican Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, and Democratic Chairman and Vermont Governor, Howard Dean, in front of a sold out Lisner Auditorium.

The event, moderated by Professor Derek Malone-France, covered a range of topics currently circulating through the media. Unlike many politicos, however, both debaters were civil and respectful.

“Newt and I like each other,” Dean pointed out before the debate, adding, “this is a transition point for the country.” Gingrich responded politely, praising President Obama’s campaign as “brilliant,” describing the candidate as “remarkable,” before stating the country, however, needs a “fundamental change.”

CDs Praise, CRs Condemn Obama's Address

President Obama focused on jobs, innovation, and education last night in his second State of the Union Address to Congress, highlighting bipartisanship and cooperation as the keys to success.

“Government will now be a shared responsibility,” exhorted the president. “We will move forward together or not at all.”

Obama stated that jobs are a priority and explained that if we fail to innovate, other countries in our globalizing world will overtake us, pointing to examples of China and India.

“In America, innovation doesn’t just change our lives, it’s how we make a living,” he stated. “This is our generation’s Sputnik moment.”

AK Sen. Visits GW; Criticizes Palin, Beck

Alaska’s junior senator, Mark Begich, visited campus Thursday night, speaking to crowd of about 70 College Democrats and interested observers.
Begich, who defeated longtime Republican Ted Stevens in 2008 by a razor thin margin, addressed a series of issues, ranging from policy, to politics, to Sarah Palin and the Tea Partiers.
He explained that though he agrees with President Obama’s $50 billion infrastructure initiative, more needs to be done, because “infrastructure in this country is in desperate need of renovation.”
In terms of the critics who claim that Congress and the White House are spending too much, Sen. Begich retorted “no one talked about it (spending) for 10 years,” while “millionaires and companies that shipped jobs overseas received tax breaks.”
He expressed concern that, to “the obstructionist Republicans, it’s not about policy, it’s about politics.”
When asked about the Tea Party, Sen. Begich explained that there are currently two groups propelling the movement, “a very, very hard right extremist group and those who are just mad” because of economic problems.
He went on to state that it’s important not to paint them all as radicals, as well as reminding the audience, “we (Democrats) had that group two years ago who were mad at Bush.”
Describing Glen Beck as an entertainer, Sen. Begich stated, Mr. Beck is “tapping into this anger and reaching out, trying to deliver his message.” He went further, labeling Mr. Beck dangerous because he was riling people up.
In perhaps the most comical portion of the evening, Sen. Begich, sarcastically referring to Sarah Palin as “our favorite governor,” commented on Ms. Palin’s role in the economy. “Sarah Palin is just another constituent who quit her job,” Mr. Begich stated, a quote that received a round of applause from the audience.

CDs, CRs React To Financial Reform, Immigration

In response to two pieces of legislation, one making its way through Congress and the other recently signed into law in Arizona, the G.W. College Republicans and College Democrats produced an official reaction on Friday.

Both the financial regulatory reform bill, backed by Congressional Democrats, and the illegal immigration bill signed into law by Republican Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona, have proved to be hot button issues in terms of the national political attention, dividing public opinion.

Michael Garber, the CD communications director, explained that it is a “universally accepted necessity” that this country needs financial regulation, stating that it’s important for the federal government to reign in bad practices such as derivatives trading.

“The actions of Wall Street, hurt main street,” Garber said, noting the CDs full support for Sen. Dodd’s bill.

Sinead Casey, the CRs' director of public relations, disagrees. While her organization does advocate for reform, “the problem is-we need smart regulation, not necessarily more regulation,” citing the fact that expanding government would do little to prevent another collapse.

Specifically, she disagrees with “the $50 billion ‘bailout’ fund,” and emphasized the idea that businesses need to possess “the freedom to fail.”

In terms of the Arizona immigration bill, which expands police power to question anyone believed to be an illegal immigrant, Garber explained, “it seems like it basically legalizes discrimination.”

Though illegal immigration is a serious policy that needs to be addressed, the CDs feel it needs to be resolved in a responsible manner, and that targeting people based on how they look is not an acceptable method.

“[Since] not all illegals are from Mexico [or are Hispanic], why are they only targeted?" Garber asked.

Though the College Republicans have not taken an official position on the new law, Casey said that “in accordance with Republican core principles, we support the state of Arizona when there is a lack of leadership on Capital Hill regarding illegal immigration.”

She emphasized the fact that the Democratic Congress needs to address the issue, instead “of only dealing with one issue at a time,” such as healthcare reform or financial regulation.

Adam Green: Progressive Agenda is Mainstream Agenda

Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and a graduate of the School of Media and Public Affairs, spoke to the College Democrats Thursday night to give them words of encouragement going into the 2010 elections.

Green, who previously worked for MoveOn.org and several campaigns such as that of Tim Johnson of South Dakota, said that PCCC was founded to provide Democrat activists with an alternative to institutions such as the Democratic National Committee.

“A lot of candidates who went on to vote against Obama’s health care agenda, Obama’s environmental bill, received the most money from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,” said Green. “We want to give people the opportunity to vote with their dollars and volunteer hours, and force the DCCC to compete and become more progressive.”

Green said that the conventional wisdom about candidates needing to pander to the center on issues is “wrong.”

“What genius came up with the idea that because something is in the ideological center of our country, that’s in the center of the bell curve?” He asked, referring to the widely-accepted bell curve showing that the majority of Americans are in the political center, with fewer voters leaning to the left or right of the political spectrum. “We have a lot of ignorance in the media about the center of our ideology being in the center of the bell curve, and a lot of it comes from pundits we’re taught to respect.”

“A progressive agenda is a mainstream agenda,” he added. “The center of our country is progressive.”

Green cited polls showing that, before the health care reform vote, over 70 percent of Americans wanted a public option, and yet many Congressional Democrats said they would only support health care reform legislation if it did not include a public option.

“The problem with Democrats is that they aren’t representing their districts,” Green said.

One of these Democrats, Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., is now facing a primary challenge from Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter, who is catching up with Lincoln in recent polls. The PCCC and other organizations helped Halter bring in $1.5 million in grassroots donations.

Green assured the College Democrats that giving conservative Democrats such as Lincoln primary challenges by more progressive candidates would not threaten their majorities in both houses of Congress.

“There is room in the Democrat party for new ideas. It’s okay to question authority, to question conventional wisdom, to question the norms,” he said. “The book is constantly being re-written.”

College Democrats, Republicans Clash on Abortion Rights

A pro-life protest in Kogan Plaza Monday brought abortion rights back to the forefront of many GW students’ minds that had been more recently occupied by economic and health care issues.

The protest, according to College Republicans Communications Director Rob Noel, was hosted by outside organizations unaffiliated with GW. Featured prominently was a set of bagpipes, the music of which was so loud that several GW students complained that their midterm studying was being interrupted. Eventually the protesters were chased off campus by pro-choice individuals.

“It is hard to say exactly what the motives of the protesters were since I have no doubt that they knew the environment they were entering,” said Greta Twombly, vice president of the College Democrats, referring to the fact that GW is typically a liberal university. “Undoubtedly though, they wanted to stir up emotions and certainly achieved this objective.”

Twombly said that Monday’s protest was a reminder that “the fight for woman's rights and the pro-choice movement is never over and should never be taken for granted.”

“The College Democrats strongly support a woman's right to a safe and legal abortion and we oppose any efforts to weaken this right,” she said.

But Noel said that the abortion debate is not about women’s rights so much as it is about the rights of the unborn child.

“Every life has the inalienable right to a chance at growth and liberty,” Noel said. “For a woman or man to decide that the timing is not right for them is to make a decision that directly infringes on the constitutional and intrinsic right of the child. Most medical and scientific professionals recognize that life begins at conception.”

Noel said there are alternatives to abortion, such as adoption, that are preferable because they are “far more conducive to protecting the human rights of everyone involved.”

Twombly agreed that the need for abortions should be addressed, citing family planning and improved sex-education as alternatives to the procedure.

Coming Up on News in Depth: CDs/CRs Face Off on State of the Union

Communications directors Michael Garber of the College Democrats and Rob Noel of the College Republicans will join WRGW News' Jared Pliner and guest-anchor Alex Laska THIS SUNDAY on News in Depth from 12 to 12:40 p.m.

Garber and Noel will respond to President Obama's State of the Union message, the very latest happenings on Capitol Hill, and the general direction of the nation.

You don't want to miss this edition of News in Depth...live from Washington D.C.!

CDs and CRs React to President Obama's First State of the Union Address

Almost a year after taking the oath of office, President Obama made his first annual State of the Union Address in front of Congress Wednesday night. Amid 10% unemployment, a struggling healthcare bill, two unpopular wars, and a spiraling deficit, the president took the stage.

After discussing the historical significance of his speech and of the times the American people live in, President Obama got down to business addressing the nation’s faltering economy. He stated that he supported the measures passed at the end of the Bush Administration and early in his term, those of the bailout and stimulus plan, keeping true to his campaign pledge to do the unpopular but necessary, while likening the bailout to “ a root canal.”

Spending a considerable amount of time on his jobs bill and the middle class, Obama presented his small business plan to promote growth through tax credits, eliminating the capital gains tax, and using the repaid TARP funds for lending through community banks.

Obama then proceeded by explaining the need for bills addressing energy independence and climate change, in addition to improvements to our nation’s education system, all of which will promote job growth and keep America ahead of an advancing world, citing India, China, and Germany as potential rivals in these fields.

However, though it was the cornerstone of his agenda through his first year, the president only touched on healthcare, explaining its need and asking members of Congress to “take a second look at the bill.”

Joshua King and "Polioptics: Packaged Political Persuasion"

“Chicken or Egg?”

This was the question Joshua King asked of his audience Tuesday night in the Marvin Center Amphitheater as he concluded his presentation entitled “Polioptics: Packaged Political Persuasion.” The event, sponsored by the School of Media and Public Affairs, the Graduate School of Political Management, and the GW College Democrats, focused on King’s experience as a former aide to the Clinton administration. He designed the way in which the president was viewed by the public in any and all realms, from public to private. His presentation touched on how recent presidents, i.e. from Reagan to Obama, and their imagery affect culture and vice versa.

Thus the question: Chicken or Egg? Is it an American obsession with marketing that has changed our culture, or has culture changed how we market aspects of society as important as our government officials? King’s career provided him with an insider perspective of this phenomenon, orchestrating how Clinton was presented to the world. His presentation was filled with literal architectural sketches of presidential events, rallies, meetings with foreign dignitaries, and everything in between. These events were all put together with the knowledge that image can make or break a story - and history.

King showed images and recounted tales of gaffes and epic moments in the past 29 years, from Reagan's walk with Nancy through a cemetery in Normandy to Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” sign declaring the end of combat in Iraq. He brought laughter to the room with anecdotes and images of the past and present, including a screen capture of Obama’s purported "evil eye" from the Drudge Report.

Imagery of the president today means something entirely different from King’s tenure, a point he himself admitted. Mostly, he said, technology has changed our ability to get information and images of the President. But our desire for information on any and all aspects of the President’s life has kept the business of political persuasion afloat.

Now, we can view hundreds of photos of the president throughout his day almost immediately after they’re taken via the Internet. Political imagery today is less packaged than King’s time. Today, the best images are lucky images captured with the simple fortune of being in the right place in the right time. It is these images that ultimately define presidential history.

Massachusetts Senate Race Tightens: the College Democrats and College Republicans React

The late Ted Kennedy was a symbol of liberalism in the state of Massachusetts.  When Attorney General Martha Coakley handily won the Democratic primary last month, polls showed her leading the Republican nominee, Massachusetts State Senator Scott Brown, by over 30 percentage points, and all analysts predicted she would cruise to a victory on January 19.

Flash forward to the second week of January, and recent polls show the race has dramatically tightened.  It all began with a January 4th Rasmussen Reports poll which showed Brown trailing by only 9 points, which many pundits initially saw a merely an outlier.  However in the past week, one Democratic pollster actually had Brown leading Coakley by 1 point, and Rasmussen Reports now has Coakley leading by only 2 points, 49% to 47%.

In response to recent polls which show a dramatic shift in the race, College Democrats Communications Director Michael Garber stated, "polls and reality are often quite different.  We are confident that Coakley will pull off a strong win on election day and will be the next in line of great senators from Massachusetts."

Rep. Steve Israel Paints Vivid Portrait of Future

Representative Steve Israel, a Democrat who represents New York’s second district and sits on the House Appropriations Committee, spoke to GW students Wednesday night about the future of energy, the middle east, and politics.

“We have a commonality in what happens in the future,” he said. “We have been given an opportunity to do more for this planet than any other generation in history. The fact that you’re here tonight gives me a lot of hope for the future.”

According to Israel, this future requires a transformation of the way America produces and consumes energy, not only because it would “unleash a whole new generation of jobs,” but also because America’s dependence on foreign oil is a national security risk.

“We borrow money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to fuel our tanks and planes and boats to protect us against China and the Persian Gulf,” he said. “That doesn’t make much sense.”

America’s dependence on foreign oil is also a threat because Israel considers Iran, the fourth largest exporter of crude oil, to be “the single greatest threat in the Middle East.” Israel said that the US needs to rid itself of foreign oil because if Iran were to stop crude oil flow out of its borders, “the price of gas would hit $14 overnight.”

Israel expressed optimism about the December UN environmental conference in Copenhagen on the grounds that “China and India have both realized that the current paradigm has not been working for them.”

Turning to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel asserted that the problem was “generational,” because Palestinian children are being educated in an anti-Israeli way.

“We believe that negotiating at high-altitude diplomatic positions will make a difference, but if we don’t reform the curricular and education for Palestinian children, all the peace treaties in the world won’t make a difference,” he said.

Speaking of the previous day’s elections, Israel – who was allegedly a key player in getting Republican dropout Dede Scozzafava to endorse Democrat Bill Owens over conservative candidate Doug Hoffman – said that “in a challenging environment, we actually added a Democrat to the House of Representatives… In the one federal election that mattered, we won.”

Saying that he “loves moderate Republicans, all two of them,” Israel noted that “the tea party has taken over the Republican party… they have hijacked the party to the right; they will not be able to sustain themselves in most future elections.”