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In the New York legislature, an ongoing fight has emerged on legislation proposed by Governor David Paterson to legalize same-sex marriage. While the Assembly is likely to pass the bill, the state senate is struggling to find the votes to pass it.

Last night, the Student Association at Binghamton University in upstate New York, unanimously passed a policy statement supporting same-sex marriage on behalf of its student body. I was proud to be a sponsor of the policy statement and a special thanks to Phil Calderon for authoring the legislation.

The policy statement is below:

Whereas the University prides itself on having a very diverse culture and atmosphere for its students;

Whereas all of the different departments on campus of Binghamton University also strive to endure they are meeting the needs of diverse lifestyles;

Whereas Binghamton University is recognized as a leader amongst SUNY schools due to its academics and diverse student body;

Whereas the city of Binghamton, along with the mayor, unanimously showed their support of the same-sex marriage bill which was reintroduced by Governor Paterson,

Therefore be it resolved:
1. That the Student Assembly join the Binghamton City Council in supporting the same sex marriage legislation
2. That the Student Assembly join the mayor of Binghamton in supporting same-sex marriage legislation
3. That the Student Assembly here at Binghamton University position the university as a leader in this very important social issue.
4. That this Assembly show its support of the lifestyles that are within its own members and constituents and support same-sex legislation which was reintroduced by Governor Paterson to the state assembly and senate.

Dan Levin is the President-Emeritus of the College Democrats of New York

(Quick Note- I've changed my blogging account from NY College Dems, to my name, Dan Levin, as my term expires as President of the College Democrats of New York).

Among the many issues that the Obama administration is trying to tackle, is expanding financial aid for college students while cutting costs at the same time. To do this, he is planning on cutting out the middle man, the private lenders.

From

Obama also is seeking to overhaul federal Perkins loans, administered by schools to bridge gaps between other loans, grants and scholarships. The revamped Perkins program would provide $6 billion in loans a year, compared with the current level of $1 billion, and participation would be expanded beyond the current 1,800 institutions to all 4,400 colleges and universities. An additional 2.7 million students could receive the loans.

The plan would save an additional $94 million, which could then be redirected to more students.

Of course, the Republicans and the private lending lobbyist groups are gearing up for a fight. We can only hope this plan gets passed before the fall academic semester

• The recession is hitting young adults the hardest with disappearing jobs, shrinking wages, vanishing benefits, massive credit card debt...need I say more?
• The National Journal profiles Joe Rospars, Obama's young new media director.
• Check out how to track social media anayltics.
• Young advocates call for a framing shift on Waxman Bill.
• Check out OpenLeft's coverage of revamping voter registration to reduce disparities in the electorate.

• Bristol Palin speaks out against abstinence-only education.
  
• Aerosmith tells the House GOP to not use their songs.
• Millennial Joe Rospars, who worked on the Obama campain, makes Cande Nasts's list of 25 influential techies. He comes in at #4, right after Steve Jobs.
• Check out an interesting article on AlterNet on the plight of young people struggling to make ends meet.
• Brazen Careerist wonders if Luke Russert should be on Twitter. Russert made an account on Tuesday at http://twitter.com/RussertXM_NBC.
• What do the Obamas tell us about millennials' idea of marriage? Newsweek explains.
• Check out The Nation's profile of the new president of the United States Student Association, Carmen Berkley.
• Al Gore and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon write about the need for a Green Stimulus.
• Learn about the five ways The Pickens Plan is using social networking to build public support.
• Luke Russert interviews Bill Clinton about the Clinton Global Initiative and the role youth can play in changing our world:

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

A loan package of as much as $200 billion could be going to private loan companies of student loans, according to the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/27/AR2008112702570.html?wpisrc=newsletter

Student advocacy are alarmed that Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson would approve of such a move without better consideration as to how the money would benefit students in the long run.

According to WaPo:

"A bailout for the providers of usurious private student loans will not solve the college affordability crisis caused by the failing economy, and would actually be detrimental to many students and consumers," nine advocacy groups wrote in a letter sent last week to Treasury secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr., after he signaled that the department was developing the program. "However, if you continue to pursue any form of rescue for private student loans, it would be unconscionable to do so without also providing better consumer protections."

The biggest concern is that the taxpayer money to student loan companies won't decrease the loan rates. Furthermore, the money would be better spent by the government taking on more responsibility in issuing Federal Direct Loans.

Currently the federal government issues the following loans:

1. Federal Direct Subsidized Loan: 6% interest rate (no interest accumulates while student is in school)
2. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: 6.8% interest rate (payment not due until student finishes school but interest accrues)
3. Federal Direct Parent Loan: 7.8% interest rate (parents pay loan)

Often loans from private insurers, Sallie Mae being the biggest, is that interest rates are twice the amount, between 11-13%.

More from WaPo:

The student and consumer advocacy groups who wrote Paulson say that far too many students unnecessarily take on private student loans. One out of five undergraduate private student loan borrowers did not first take out federal loans, according to a study by the American Council on Education, which represents college and university presidents. Experts and government officials say students should always exhaust federal student loans before they turn to private ones.

The estimated 8 percent of undergraduates who take out private loans often are swayed by misleading and deceptive advertising, then saddled with interest rates two or three times as high as federal loans, according to the Nov. 19 letter to Paulson, also signed by the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups, U.S. Student Association, National Consumer Law Center and the Project on Student Debt.

We can only hope that Congress will take a better look at how this can better student aid. Decisions about the bailout money have yet to be finalized.