People for the American Way

This week People for the American Way hosted their Young Elected Officials Network conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. No, not because Bill and Hillary Clinton were hoping to lock the superdelegates in a room and placed a chip in the back of their necks. But because young elected officials are different from those regular ol elected officials.

More than 150 elected officials age 35 and under, descended upon the Clinton Library to share their experiences, policy initiatives and best practices, and build a lasting network with their fellow young elected officials from across the country.

My friend Jason Croucher, Councilman to Osage City, Kansas, was in attendance and it can be said that the conference had such an impact on him that it has changed his outlook on his position and on politics.

It can be said that Jason for all his youth and idealism was a fairly establishment kind of Democrat who only recently began to dabble in the internets.

With his iPod touch Jason sent me sporadic updates mostly saying how awesome it was.

Jason Update 8:

"Very standard campaign training but bent toward the specific issues, challenges and culture young people experience and understand first hand... The trainers were very outside the box. The best organized training i ever attended. Truly seamless."

Jason Update 6:

"This conference is exactly the sort of thing that you would love- dozens of your progressives all together out of a common desire to do good. It really is moving."

Of the lectures the most interesting to me was the one about new media. I think there is a huge disconnect between candidates and parties when it comes to bringing them to the internet, so I was curious how PFAW would conduct a lecture like this but further how young officials would connect with it.

Jason Update 2:

"They did a workshop on net stuff this morning that was pretty good. Saying it isn't enough just to have a web site, talked about using social networking and just treating it like any other kind of organizing. It wasn't great and was honestly over a lot of heads.

Something thats kind of surprising is that that young progressive electeds are pretty establishment in how they view politics- even though they all have facebook they don't think of it as a tool for campaigning."

One way in which young electeds are just like all the others.

Regardless, Jason told me it was new and original and certainly non-establishment. Jason said he was a minority in that respect, and that he understands "it" now. Clearly he's been converted him to our technology loving youthy ways.

I just added two new youth groups to the "Young Progressives" block in the sidebar. SNAP looks particularly interesting as it fills a gap the we've identified in multiple posts here at Future Majority - permanent infrastructure that can serve as an entry point into progressive politics.

Students for a New American Politics

SNAP PAC is the Students for a New American Politics political action committee, a federal PAC. SNAPPAC is working to provide stipends for as many students as possible to work as full time grassroots organizers on progressive Congressional Campaigns for 10-12 weeks during Summer 2006. As students, we bring the energy and enthusiasm needed to promote democratic participation in communities across the country and to strengthen the progressive voice in Washington.

Young Elected Officials Network

The YEO Network supports elected leaders ages 35 and under, as they define issues, develop solutions, and respond to the needs of their communities. By exchanging ideas, developing leadership skills and connecting with policy development organizations, YEO Network members will be empowered to transform their political vision into progressive action.