Every week here at the Center for American Progress, our very own Theo LeCompte, Special Events Coordinator and unofficial Senior Vice President for Fun and Gambling holds Dollar Friday.
The rules are simple: You write your name on a dollar bill, place that dollar bill into the silver ice bucket by his desk. At noon, a dollar is drawn. The person who's name is on the dollar wins all the dollars.
What is typically a $30-or-so game of office excitement turned into something special today.
He and another Communications Team member at American Progress, Anna Soellner, decided to match the funds of Dollar Friday and donate them to the American Red Cross to help the relief effort from Hurricane Katrina. Slowly, e-mails trickled in, with individuals also pledging to match the winnings of the game. It wasn't long before e-mail boxes were flooding with these pledges - it was hard to get work done with the persistent *ding* sound from a new e-mail arriving.
As we looked into the silver bucket, we found that this Friday, people hadn't just put dollar bills, but tens and twenties.
By the end, a typically $30 Dollar Friday had turned into a $189 pot, with 46 pledges to match funds. That's $8694 donated. The winner of the $189 graciously donated it as well to the Red Cross, making this Dollar Friday generate $8,883 and quite a remarkable day of generosity.
The Roosevelt Institution launched the inaugural issue of the Roosevelt Review, their flagship publication, online today.
Featuring the best of student policy work from across the country, from elevating the gas tax to military use of depleted uranium, from improving Medicare to reducing the vulnerability of the married woman demographic in rural South Africa to HIV/AIDS, this is progressive policy at its finest, written and produced by students.
Check out the Roosevelt Review Online Edition here
Concerning JMendelson's post that we, Campus Progress, were too hard on CDA, I must admit that my one post (CDA Madness - The Beginning) was only concerned with my lack of breakfast, bathrooms, and beautiful credentials. I did not write my thoughts on Hillary's or Dean's speeches because, journalist that I am (or am considered), my every thought was bent at the time on CAP's intern vs. staff softball game that afternoon. I guess you could say my priorities are out of order, but you could also say that you're wrong.
Despite being impressed at Hillary's speech and having respect for successfully organizing any sort of political conference, understanding the hard work it takes to put one together, I do believe that Campus Progress's posts on the CDA convention reflected an inner rage and frustration (held not only by CP, but many in the progressive community) with what exactly the CDA does/could be doing.
True, CDA successfully mobilized the one demographic that went Kerry's way, and Hillary and Dean both applauded the audience with cheers of "You did it!". Well, we didn't really do it, but I applaud CDA's tremendous election effort. My concern is that election effort is the only drive I ever see from the CDA. My experience with the Stanford chapter of the College Democrats affirmed this, though I decided to ask the far more dedicated College Democrats behind me when I was sitting waiting to hear from Hillary.
"So what exactly does the CDA do when it's not election season?" I asked a one enthusiastic Dennis Vondran from Pennsylvania.
"Well, elections are the biggest thing of course, but we do a lot of recruitment and fundraising during the rest of the time."
Precisely - fundraising and recruitment so that when election season comes round again, we'll be doing it better.
Indeed, when one speaker (Scott _____) took the podium, he called on the audience to help the CDA all the time, not just every four years, since "there are not off-election years", citing impending elections in New Jersey and Virginia.
That's great, and I appreciate the CDA's committment to the home of the Boss. But there are plenty of other things for the Dems to do other than campaign all the time. College Dems need to reflect on what they believe, especially if campaigning is at the heart of their organization. I find it hard to believe that successful campaigning can be done if you're only reciting talking points and can't speak from the heart.
Asking some veteran College Dems what they would recommend most in the CDA Convention, I heard consistent replies about the Democratic GAIN training. "And what do they train you to do?" I asked. The answer was: canvassing, election organizing, successful campaigning.
The College Democrats are too ingrained into the fabric of politics on campus for them to be solely focused on elections. The CDA needs to promote skills training on issue advocacy, media relations, messaging, etc. I was delighted to hear Hillary say just that:
"Young people were on the front lines of every movement. They are working on Darfur, AIDS, Global Poverty... We need to equip young people to be in the forefront...We want you to be comfortable and confident to stand up for the values of the Democratic Party."
If there is one thing I wish College Democrats could promote, it is that - making College Dems across the country comfortable and confident in ironing out and standing up for what they believe. It will help us in talking to the media, it will help our brand, it will help us campaign, it will help us run for office, as Gov. Dean encouraged us all to do, and the College Democrats of America should be helping students do that.
The anger that perhaps manifested itself as hostility in Campus Progress posts is a frustration with what an organization as pervasive and established as the College Democrats of America could be doing when we see what it is in fact doing. The College Democrats should mobilize students for dreaming up and being the future of the Democratic Party instead of solely getting them to support the present establishment.
I got to the CDA pretty damn tired after a long night with Hermione and was in need of some good ol' pampering. I'll be the first to say that the DNC doesn't have much money, but when I saw the fake cascades (see Geoff's post) in the Washington Court Hotel, I was ready for my share of political spoils.
I walked up to the press table and asked for my press credential, expecting a sweet badge or card or something, and then I get it.
It exceeded my wildest expectations.
I never could have dreamed up such a pass.
It was a sticker, resembling that of a "Hi, My name is" sticker, just without that phrase. And in the space, in alternating blue and red letters read "CDA Press Credential".
A bit underwhelmed by my credential, I doublecheck that the breakfasts are at the caucuses downstairs.
Indeed they were, but those caucuses were closed to press.
"Oh!" I said, "What is open to the press?"
"Just Hillary Clinton's and Howard Dean's speeches", she replied, "but you'll have to view them from an overflow room".
"To hell with that!" I thought, and went outside to begin blogging my whining complaints, only to discover, we didn't have access to wireless, that is, unless we wanted to pay a dollar a minute.
As fellow CPer Geoff and I are bemoaning our circumstances, I discover another press person, yet he didn't have the crayon-etched credential, but a full-fledged pass, with various logos and a nice metal band to wear around the neck.
It turned out that press did get legitimate creds, but bloggers got the psychedelic stickers. "Second-class press!" I bellowed, only to be interrupted by a friend who told me that the bathrooms were only accessible by hotel patron key cards. Who did these Dems think they were?
Wasn't Clinton's point that a Democrat wanting to reduce America's abortion rate isn't news? That's just sensible? Incredible... But hey people care I guess
Clinton has an incredible way of breaking things down into something so unbelievably appetizing, and then, when reading over what he said later, his points are just as reasonable, as logical, as practical, and as smart as when in his presence.
This speech is no different.
Progressivism is new and undefined. This conference is largely about what it is and how we should shape it.
Clinton laid out his vision for progressivism, which happened to be exactly the topic I wanted him to address. Read More »
From Garance Franke-Ruta in Moving Words Panel - there is a lot of suspicion and distrust about the media. What blogs allow people to do is stop complaining about the media and become the media.
Don't know how I feel about that. The problem with blogs (this included) is that most people writing for them are recycling information and focus on process instead of facts and policy. They also usually allow people with certain thoughts just bouncing their ideas off those who agree with them, rather than testing them against those who don't.
Though, blogs do allow a more democratic process of deciding media coverage.
Tom Matzzie, Garance Franke-Ruta, and Steve Gilliard on blogging, its virtues and problems and how we can seize the new movement to promote progressivism.
Tom Matzzie from MoveOn had a personal aside about a protest tomorrow "Stop the cover Up: Fire Karl Rove" - allegedly to give the media more fodder for the story, because Scott McClellan's face is getting a bit tiresome, as good as he looks.
What a story - over a hundred of her family members, including grandparents, aunts and uncles, and their children, were killed in the Rwandan genocide. Now a student at Swartmore College and a founder of the Genocide Intervention Fund (GIF), which has done incredible work and is now working with American Progress Action Fund on a campaign called Be A Witness and presently introducing President Clinton.
Never thought I'd say that, but this panel on the progressive ideas really showed why Begala managed Clinton's campaign.
First question asked: "What do you think some principles of progressivism are?" - Great, simple questoin
Begala talked about community, and I love him for it
"The principle of community goes back to the beginning of the Bible with Cain asking God - 'Am I my brother's keeper'
I'm on God's side on that one
God said, 'You bet your ass!'"
Next quote:
"We are all Americans, we are all in this together. We are all healthier, stronger, safer, (insert positive progressive goal here)...if we do it together"
The question, as moderator Dee Dee Myers, (who did a great job) pointed out, is how to make sure everyone is pulling their weight, doing their part. The handouts problem, the free lunch problem. I'll get back to you on that - the big man is on.
I was checking out some Amazon.com user reviews of Rick Santorum's new book (which I simply must read) It Takes a Family. There were a ton of boring one-star reviews, so I scouted out the few five star ones that were there...
vote Rick "man on dog" Santorum, July 10, 2005 Reviewer: chemp (La Prov)
Thanks Mr. Santorum! Thank you so much! After reading "It Takes a Family" I made my wife quit her job. We're now working on having our third child. Hopefully things will get better though, because we can't afford to eat too much these days. A meal usually consists of what we call "ketchup sandwiches". But, I must say I'm truly enlightened and this outweighs the hunger in my stomach and the fear of not being able to pay the mortgage. Mr. Santorum, you're a true American hero.
This book may save my marriage, July 10, 2005 Reviewer: William Michael Brown (Oakland, CA United States)
My life was miserable before I read this book. My wife, ofjoshua, refused to submit to my patriarchal authority. She disobeyed my directives and flaunted her independence in front of the pastor. Fueled by Cosmo-induced size fantasies, she openly mocked my little soldier's stature by calling me Sir Lackawanger.
I just finished reading a few sections of the book to her, I think things will be different now. She agrees with the Senator about the proper role of women. Indeed, she said that she wants to quit her job to stay at home. I can't believe it. She was so excited she couldn't stop talking about how she'll have that tall neighbor with all the muscles come over and till her garden.
I have Sen. Santorum's book to thank for that. I can't recommend it enough.
Disappointed but I still like Rick, July 9, 2005 Reviewer: Read White
Rick Santorum tried but failed to explain all the reasons why a woman's place is in the home. For example, he forgot to mention those task that a modern housewife could resonably be expected to perform while her husband is away, such as lawn maitenance. Mowing grass and trimming scrubs is the perfect job for a stay at home mom. It would provide her a good exercise routine, thereby keeping her slender figure and, in turn, an interested husband.
Ah the beautiful sound of sarcasm dripping...
Read all the reviews here: Rick's Book on Amazon
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