TRUE COLORS ARE SHOWING ~ SAYING STUDENTS SHOULDN'T VOTE IN THEIR COLLEGE'S STATE ~ EVEN THOUGH IT IS LEGAL
From the Iowa's Secretary of State website:
‘If you are from another state (i.e. Illinois) and are attending college in Iowa (i.e. Iowa State University), you may register to vote in:
• your Iowa college town or
• your home state (hometown) and vote absentee - subject to the laws of your home state.’
* "To tell students that they can only vote in the town that they came from, rather than in the town where they live, is a clear effort to disenfranchise student voters. Attempts on the part of campaigns to deter eligible voters from voting should be forcefully and immediately denounced.
"These statements are even more disturbing given the unprecedented levels of engagement we’re seeing from today’s young voters – both in participating in the 2008 campaigns, organizing their peers to register and vote in the caucuses and primaries, and in their recent historic turnout levels in the 2004 and 2006 elections. Young adults’ growing political participation should be encouraged, not deterred.
"Rock the Vote urges every campaign and candidate to issue a statement that validates students’ right to vote in Iowa and lauds young Americans for their increased engagement in the political process. We also encourage all media outlets to make clear in their reporting leading up to January 3rd that college students have rights equal to any Iowa resident to vote in the Iowa caucuses.
"Students go to a college or university for 4 or 5 years and many stay on in those communities afterwards. They pay sales tax, many work full or part-time jobs and pay income tax, and they are subject to the laws of the community in which they live – they have every right to vote in that community, legally and morally.
"It is important to note that this is an issue larger than the Iowa caucuses. Legally, students have the right to vote where they go to school in virtually every state across the country. Despite this, we see challenges to student voters year after year. As we have in the past, Rock the Vote will make sure all students know their rights in 2008, and will work to ensure all eligible voters are allowed to register and vote in the 2008 elections.
"Rock the Vote’s Iowa program Rock the Caucus aims to mobilize high school and college students to caucus on January 3rd. As always, Rock the Vote will aggressively ensure young people know that if they live in Iowa, they can vote in Iowa, and let them know where candidates stand on important issues like student voting rights.
"Again, Rock the Vote urges every candidate to issue a statement that clearly validates students’ right to vote in Iowa and lauds young Americans for their increased engagement in the political process.
Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/11/16022/544/240/420792
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=673wU4ghchQ
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9RLt8uljXI&feature=related
"18 in '08" Bio on David Burstein
A behind the scenes look on the young man behind the Documentary Film "18 in '08". He explains his passion for politics and his drive to get other young people involved in our nation's government.
* Over the weekend, Biden and Richardson announced that they do not support the right of Iowa students from out of state to caucus. Dodd has had four different positions in the span of as many days. The Clinton campaign seemed to retract her earlier comments and then not somuch.
What is so shocking is that so few in the Democratic Party establishment and no one else in the Democratic primary field has weighed in on behalf of the utterly unproblematic, long-held progressive position that students have every right, and should be strongly encouraged, to register to vote. How hard can this be?
This has nothing to do with the horse race, this has everything to do with potential Democratic Party nominees abandoning principle and throwing young people under the bus to spin a loss in Iowa. This is no longer isolated to the foibles of individual candidates, this is turning out to be a broad failure of the Democratic primary field as a whole.
Here's Biden:
Following reports that Gov. Richardson is "asking governmental appointees and other state employees to volunteer to help his campaign by traveling to Iowa before the Jan. 3 leadoff presidential contest," and that Sen. Obama☼ is encouraging out of state college students to "come back and caucus," the Biden for President campaign today called on Richardson and Obama to join the rest of the Democratic field in pledging to refrain from shipping in supporters to affect the outcome of the caucuses. [Associated Press, 12/6/07], [Associated Press, 12/5/07]
Here's Richardson:
In addition, Reynolds said Richardson's Iowa staff has not and will not encourage out-of-state students to return to Iowa early to caucus, saying the campaign is ‘going to abide to the letter and the spirit of the law. I think the spirit of the law is what's most important,’ Reynolds said. [Des Moines Register, 12/1/07]
As Mike Connery wrote today:
Seriously how hard is it to understand that both the letter and spirit of the law encourage participation by Iowa students. This whole episode is really revealing the opportunistic, sleazy side of Democratic politics. That it should be this difficult to get Democratic candidates to say that young people can and should vote.
Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/11/16022/544/240/420792
"It's time to raise a stink about this.
Candidates for president have been advocating
disenfranchising student voters, just to spin a
potential loss against Obama. Now, Rock the Vote
and a coalition of Iowa student leaders are
speaking out. It's our time to join with
them and raise some hell." DAILY KOS...............................................................
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vknPM_6rtt4Young voters in USA ~ Prove these ne'ersayers wrong in this clip!
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