NY

cross posted on the College Democrats of New York blog

I wanted to bring to everyone's attention a great blog entry, posted on The Albany Project, by Phillip Anderson, in which he informs everyone that student ballots cast in the NY-20 Special election, are being challenged by Republican candidate James Tedisco, alleging that the students did not have residency in the district. Students attending Skidmore College who voted for Democrat Scott Murphy are facing the brunt of these attacks.

Click here for the latest on the situation

These are the same old tricks we've seen by the Republican Party in the past, trying to disenfranchise young voters with intimidation tactics, and challenges to our votes. Demonstrating how desperate the Republicans are getting in the district, they just challenged the validity of the ballot cast by Senator Gillibrand, the former Congresswoman of the NY-20 Congressional District. Thankfully, the Democratic Party has been stepping up to the plate, to defend the rights of students to vote.

cross posted on the CDNY blog: http://www.collegedemsny.com/blog

Are you excited for the 2009 College Democrats of New York Convention? We sure are! This year's convention is going to be the biggest and best CDNY Convention ever and we can't wait to see you all at St. Johns University in Manhattan, April 17-19.

Click here to attend the 2009 CDNY Convention.
Tickets are only $15. If you need housing, free hotel housing is only guaranteed if you pay before the end of this Sunday, April 12.

We have a ton of great speakers, panelists and programs coming up, and this year's youth turnout at the convention is expected to double last year's registration numbers. Plus, we've inserted a New Media Panel hosted by the folks at The Albany Project, Robert Harding and Phillip Anderson who will be teaching students how to use new media technology in today's political world.

We can't wait to see you there!

Bumped. This is in my backyard next weekend. --Mike

I wanted to write about an upcoming conference which I am very excited about: The Young Democrats of America Winter Conference in New York City. The convention will start on Friday Feb 20 and last until Sunday Feb 22. Online Registration is $35; on-site registration is $45. On site registration will open Feb 20 @12pm and last until Saturday Feb 21 @12pm. The Conference will take place at the Sheraton hotel in Manhattan.

For more info about the Convention and to register, here is the link: http://www.yda.org/events/375/2009-winter-national-conference-in-new-york-city

The schedule of events is posted on the YDA website. I believe the featured speaker is the new New York State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith.

cross posted on the College Democrats of New York blog: http://collegedemsny.com/...

I just received an email from the President of Binghamton University in upstate NY, asking for help in fighting the budget reductions. President Lois De Fleur writes:

I am writing to you about Governor David A. Paterson's proposed budget reductions for this year and the impact on you and the University. Currently, the governor proposes for the state to retain 90 percent of the $310 tuition increase you just paid and to implement additional cuts to SUNY's budget. Similarly, the governor's 2009-10 budget proposes to take 80 percent of the $620 tuition increase and to implement even more budget reductions for SUNY. If these budgets are approved, it will mean larger class sizes, fewer class sections, the loss of courses critical to degree programs and fewer full-time faculty due to hiring freezes. This is unfair to you and your families.

During the next two weeks, the legislature and the governor will be negotiating issues for the 2008-09 budget followed by considerations of the 2009-10 budget, so there is still time to voice your concerns and try to change these proposals. We need your help.

It basically is going like this: To make up for some of the budget gap, SUNY tuition is being raised and the state is taking a cut of it. This creates a tax on students to go to SUNY. So 10% of the increase will be going to the state this year and 20% next.

Students across the state need to contact their local representatives to fight this and tell the legislatures that all of the increase needs to go to SUNY.

cross posted on the CDNY blog: http://collegedemsny.com/blog/...

Today the College Democrats of New York executive board and members of the St. Johns executive board met on the St. Johns Manhattan campus in NYC to discuss planning the 2009 CDNY Convention. Details about the itinerary were discussed including who to invite as guest speakers, where to hold events, what to do about entertainment, registration and check-in, hotel accommodations, and much more. For 4 straight hours, we debated and discussed everything about planning the convention. This will definitely be the Biggest & Best CDNY Convention Ever so make sure you attend this year! The Convention will take place from April 17-19.

We are planning on having a ton of speakers at our convention including state senators, Congressman, Assemblyman, and hopefully (fingers crossed), we can get Senator Schumer and Governor Paterson to be our keynote speakers. More details about our convention will be posted on our blog (link above).

A strong victory for the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party

cross posted on the College Dems of NY blog: http://www.collegedemsny.com/blog

Tuesday December 9, 2008- Last night the Binghamton College Democrats helped lead the fight to save multiculturalism at Binghamton University in the latest partisan battle at Binghamton University's student government in New York.

The election season may be over but the College Democrats have not stopped fighting for our fellow students. The Binghamton University Student Assembly held a meeting late Monday night that lasted well over four hours, debating and voting whether or not to move to a school-wide referendum to remove the position of Vice President of Multi-cultural Affairs (VPMA). The VPMA position helps promote diversity at BU through intercultural awareness and helps promote the activities of Binghamton's 22 cultural clubs.

The resolution which would move the student body into a referendum was brought to the table by the editor-in-chief of the Binghamton Review, the far right conservative journal that has promoted racist ideology and has divided the Binghamton campus. The resolution needed a supermajority 2/3 vote to go to a school referendum, and with the help of the Binghamton College Democrats, the divisive resolution failed.

Dan Levin, President of the College Democrats of New York, and last year's Binghamton College Democrats president, who also holds a seat on Binghamton's Student Assembly, voted against the referendum. "We needed to send a strong message to our student body that we will not tolerate the removal of diversity from our campus, and we will not sit idly by while the conservative minority tries pushing forth this hateful ideology."

Binghamton College Democrat's President Brian Young spoke during public comment about the abrasive attitude which Binghamton has treated the promotion of culture and praised the Student Assembly members who voted down the resolution. "This bill to move to referendum was nothing more than the conservatives hiding their hateful ideology behind their notion of democracy in an effort to remove diversity from our campus. I am proud to be part of an organization that led the fight against this."

Sophomore Jane Rosales who also sits on the Binghamton Student Assembly and is an executive board member of the club joined in opposition of the bill. "Students need to know that the promotion of culture is an important part of our campus life and needs to remain strong."

Over 200 students were in attendance for the controversial Student Assembly meeting, with 90% of the student speakers during public comment voicing their vehement opposition towards putting the VPMA position in peril by going to a school referendum.

cross posted on the CDNY blog: http://www.collegedemsny.com/blog

The College Democrats of NY have finalized the dates of the 2009 CDNY which will be held at St. Johns University in NYC. The convention will go from Friday March 27- Sunday March 29

The St. Johns college dems are currently working on arranging for housing at the Quality Inn Hotel in Manhattan. Meanwhile, we are brainstorming names of politicians who students would like to see speak at the convention.

More details soon to come

cross posted on College Dems of NY blog: http://www.collegedemsny.com/blog

Caroline Kennedy for Senate? In New York? Replacing Hillary Clinton? Are you kidding me?! Governor Patterson has reportedly talked with Caroline Kennedy about filling Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, according to ABC News: http://blogs.abcnews.com/...

Another Senator Kennedy? The crazy speculation about Hillary Clinton's Senate seat may not be so crazy after all. A Democrat who would know tells ABC News that New York governor David Paterson has talked to Caroline Kennedy about taking the seat, which was once held by her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy. It's not exactly shocking that Paterson would reach out to one of the most highly respected public figures in New York, but this is: Sources say Kennedy is considering it, and has not ruled out coming to Washington to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate.

I think Caroline Kennedy would be a perfect fit for the Senate seat. Think about this match made in heaven: one powerful woman replacing another for a Senate seat in a state that craves icons larger than life. Caroline Kennedy definitely foots the bill.

I saw Caroline Kennedy speak twice when I went to the DNC Convention in Denver and not only is she a great speaker, but she knows the issues. What better way to replace a Clinton than with a Kennedy? New Yorkers would love it. The netroots would love it. And Governor Patterson would look good with a tough election for governor coming up.

Your thoughts?

Bumped. --Mike
Cross posted on College Dems NY.

Today at a hearing on the ballots in the SD 11 case, the judge ordered that the St. Johns students that were subpoenaed could leave because they where not about counting the votes but about intimidating the students.

According to the NY Times:

At a hearing that lasted just half an hour, Justice Kevin J. Kerrigan of State Supreme Court stated that the subpoenas were nothing more than a nuisance and ordered that they be dismissed. He told the students that they had no obligation to present any materials, and he asked them to leave the courtroom and return to their studies.

This is a tactic that Republicans often use to scare voters. I remember working on petitioning for Sen. Johnson on Long Island and the Republicans called everyone in to testify that it was them who signed it. The Republicans often do this to students and minorities because they think that they can scare these groups into not voting by doing this. It is a shame that the Republicans feel that the only way they can win is to scare voters and get Republican judges to throw out Democratic ballots.

cross posted on the College Dems of NY blog: http://www.collegedemsny.com/blog

In New York's 11th State Senate District, the race is still yet to be determined because the counting of ballots has not been finalized. Currently the Republican incumbent Frank Padavan leads Democratic challenger Jim Genaro by 600 votes. The Republican party has it out for the students of St. John’s University in the senate district, contesting that student votes should be thown out.

State Senator Frank (the tank) Padavan has even stooped so low that he is subpoenaeing a handful of students at St. John’s.

The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/nyregion/02queens.html?_r=1

“Republican lawyers have challenged the votes of students, mostly from St. John’s University, saying that they filled out affidavit ballots with addresses that were not their permanent residences. In the paper ballot count, Mr. Padavan is leading by about 600 votes, but about 1,000 more ballots remained to be counted and the validity of an additional 2,000 must still be reviewed.

oh, and did we mention the subpoenas are during final exams week?

While the challenges and subpoenas have angered students, who are being forced to appear during exams, they underscore the high stakes attached to winning the Senate seat in Queens

According to College Dem member Chris Puntarrilo from St. Johns:

"I’m glad this race is finally getting the attention from bigger media outlets it deserves. From what I know, students are upset but will show in court. I ask you, don’t let this discourage you from voting in the future. Do not let anyone take away your right to vote."

Lets break down this wall of injustice.

Chris is a student at St. John’s University.