Brandeis College Democrats

Loving Elizabeth Warren

2012-01-31T19:32:00.000-08:00

Hey,
I found a few articles analyzing her history, her stances, and her personality. With all of this info, how can you not love her and want to fight for her?

~She's definitely brave
  Elizabeth Warren: "There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own"
~NY Times is also in love but who can blame them?
  Heaven Is a Place Called Elizabeth Warren

~Her plan for our economy
3 Consumer Issues for Elizabeth Warren

~She was named American of the year
  Elizabeth Warren, American: Wall Street thought it would destroy her. Wall Street was wrong.

~Definitely interesting information

Top 5 Reasons Tea Party Republican Scott Brown is bad for Women and Families

I have much more information so I can add more for next week's post. Let me know! Have a great week and good luck with your life and/or school!

Dems love forever,

Marcie

SOPA and PIPA

2012-01-18T17:18:00.000-08:00

Here are some articles about the 2 bills, SOPA is short for the "Stop Online Piracy Act," and PIPA is an acronym for the "Protect IP Act." ("IP" stands for "intellectual property.")

SOPA, PIPA: What you need to know, from CBS News
Wikipedia, Craigslist, other sites go black in SOPA protest, from the Los Angeles Times
Google Rallies Opposition to Murdoch-Backed Anti-Piracy Bill, from BusinessWeek
SOPA protest: The Net strikes back, from Politico
Protest on Web Uses Shutdown to Take On Two Piracy Bills, from the New York Times

Romney's Foreign Policy

2012-01-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,

I thought I'd try to give a nice list of articles explaining Romney's foreign policy stances. I hope you guys find it interesting. Good luck on your second day of classes and see you guys at our meeting!!!!

Lots of Dems Love,

Marcie

2012-01-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

After my serious posting and for the last week of break, I thought I should post something light. I hope all of you enjoy it and I'm looking forward to seeing you soon.

Love u guys,
Marcie

Know your Opponent

2012-01-05T14:34:00.000-08:00

After Iowa, Romney needs to be taken seriously as Obama's competition. I thought I would post a few articles explaining his economic stances on issues and a few that compare them to Obama's stances. Jobs and the economy are huge priorities for voters during this election cycle so I thought we could arm ourselves with knowledge now. We can prepare to kill republicans in future discussions and debates. I hope this helps and I'm sorry to post so many articles but I couldn't cut the list down.

o Profile: Mitt Romney

o http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13623374

o Obama, Romney, Jobs

o http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/obama-romney-jobs/

o Romney vs. Obama on job creation

o http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/romney-vs-obama-on-job-creation/2012/01/03/gIQA31g3YP_blog.html

o Romney’s focus on deficit ignores real problems

o http://www.marketwatch.com/story/romneys-focus-on-deficit-ignores-real-problems-2012-01-04?dist=countdown

o Gingrich Strikes Economic Themes in Hitting Romney

o http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/27/gingrich-strikes-economic-themes-in-hitting-romney/

o Economists rate Obama, Romney on economic policies

o http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/2011/12/28/news/politics/doc4efbb1bccd30a680443493.txt

o Inequality v entitlements

o http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2011/12/mitt-romneys-campaign?page=2

Sorry for the length and enjoy your break,

Marcie

2012-01-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,
I hope everyone had a nice Chrismahannuakwanza and New Years. I hope all of you will have your best year yet in 2012 in every reard. Also I hope our party has a great year seeing that this is our election year!!!

I'm sure you're busy enjoying/avoiding family and relaxing. Though you are a dem at heart, politics might be on the back burner so I'm just posting a link to a funny/interesting/scary documentary on Carl Rove called Bush's Brain. It's on Current TV, Al Gore's station. I think that everything on the network is great but I highly recommend this.

Here's a link to the Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZComL5Txu7E

If it sounds interesting to you, the movie is on netflix but otherwise, here is part 1 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ffb_1195109136 and here is part 2 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a76_1195109773 .

Relax, Enjoy, and Think of New Year's Resolutions,
Marcie

Stop Online Piracy Act: Is it internet censorship?

2011-11-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

I encourage everyone to read the Stop Online Piracy Act and here are some articles to hopefully help u guys come to your own opinion.

I hope you guys are doing well and are having a demtastic weekend!!!

<3,
Marcie

Too honest?

2011-11-19T16:24:00.001-08:00

Amazing News!

2011-11-11T19:00:00.000-08:00

To repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and ensure respect for State regulation of marriage.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES-MARCH 16, 2011

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF SECTION ADDED TO TITLE 28, UNITED STATES CODE, BY SECTION 2 OF THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT.

SEC. 3. MARRIAGE RECOGNITION.

‘Sec. 7. Marriage: ‘(a) For the purposes of any Federal law in which marital status is a factor, an individual shall be considered married if that individual’s marriage is valid in the State where the marriage was entered into or, in the case of a marriage entered into outside any State, if the marriage is valid in the place where entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in a State.

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s598/text

2011-11-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

Hello,

I hope everyone is doing really well . I found a few articles that compare the economic policy plans for the Republican 2012 candidates. A few are lists and a few comment but I tried to find articles from different points of views.

**Here's How The GOP Candidates Plan To Save The US Economy by the Business Insider

**By MSNBC, Studies challenge wisdom of 2012 candidates' plans

**Economics: Presidential candidates slip on Econ 101 - Nov. 9, 2011- an article by CNN money

**Republican candidates offer a diverse set of economic plans- Washington Post

Good Luck with everything! I hope everyone has a fun, relaxing, or productive weekend (depending on which you'd prefer). See you guys around!

Dems Love,
Marcie

The President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge

2011-11-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

Copied from: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ofbnp/interfaithservice

Since his inauguration, President Obama has emphasized interfaith cooperation and community service – “interfaith service” for short – as an important way to build understanding between different communities and contribute to the common good.

Interfaith service involves people from different religious and non-religious backgrounds tackling community challenges together – for example, Protestants and Catholics, Hindus and Jews, and Muslims and non-believers -- building a Habitat for Humanity house together. Interfaith service impacts specific community challenges, from homelessness to mentoring to the environment, while building social capital and civility.

American colleges, community colleges, and universities have often been at the forefront of solving our nation’s greatest challenges. The White House is encouraging institutions of higher education to make the vision for interfaith cooperation and community service a reality on campuses across the country.

The White House is launching the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge, an initiative inviting institutions of higher education to commit to a year of interfaith and community service programming on campus. This programming might take the form of diverse campus groups working together to implement a specific year-long service project. It might also involve students from a college or University partnering with local religious groups to tackle a specific community challenge together.

The best examples of students coming together to help those in need will be recognized by the White House. Click below to download more information about the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge:

Deadlines

Indication of commitment to participate: May 13, 2011
Submit plan: June 24, 2011

This initiative is led by the White House and is supported by the Department of Education and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

For questions and more information, please contact: whpartnerships@who.eop.gov

This Week in Congress

2011-11-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hey,
I hope you guys aren’t too stressed . If anyone has some extra time, I posted Congress’s schedule. There are a few interesting bills coming up and if anyone feels passionate about these issues, definitely let us know!

Copied from the awesome opencongress.org blog!

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31ST
On Monday, the House will meet at 1:00 p.m. in Pro Forma session.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) H.R. 1002 – Wireless Tax Fairness Act of 2011 (Sponsored Rep. Zoe Lofgren / Judiciary Committee)

2) H.Con.Res 13 – Reaffirming “In God We Trust” as the official motto of the United States and supporting and encouraging the public display of the national motto in all public buildings, public schools, and other government institutions (Sponsored Rep. Randy Forbes / Judiciary Committee)

3) S. 1280 - Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011(Sponsored by Sen. Johnny Isakson / Foreign Affairs Committee)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND
On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

1) H.R. 2061 - Civilian Service Recognition Act of 2011, as amended(Sponsored Rep. Richard Hanna / Oversight and Government Reform Committee)

2) H.R.1070 – Small Company Capital Formation Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Rep. David Schweikert / Financial Services Committee)

3) H.R. 1965 – To amend the securities laws to establish certain thresholds for shareholder registration, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. James Himes / Financial Services
Committee)

4) S. 894 - The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray / Veterans’ Affairs Committee)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes for the week are expected no later than 3:00 p.m.

H.R. 2940 – Access to Capital for Job Creators Act (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Kevin McCarthy / Financial Services Committee)

H.R. 2930 – Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Patrick McHenry / Financial Services Committee)

Concerned about what the fuck Obama has done so far?? GO TO
http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/ !!!!!

Also, Come to our meetings @8 in the Multipurpose Room of the SCC!
Good luck with work! I'm sure you can do it but I give free hugs anytime!
Deis Love,
Marcie <3

2011-10-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

2011-10-20T18:06:00.001-07:00

Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

The Occupy Wall Street movement is finally getting attention from the country and so I thought our blog should have some information about what all of the fuss is about.

Bloomberg, who is against the movement, has said this. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/08/bloomberg-occupy-wall-street-jobs

Reagan, another Republican who many treat like a g-d, thinks that loopholes for millionaires are wrong. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cgbJ-Fs1ikA#!

This article written by Bernie Sanders called Reign in Wall Street and Rescue the Middle Class describes the movement well. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/oct/07/wall-street-middle-class

This article describes how it might affect the 2012 election. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-10/taxing-millionaires-casts-obama-s-democrats-as-class-warriors-.html

Sorry to bombard you but I thought these articles could help people understand this new movement and decide if they agree or not. Please comment if you'd like to add something, have questions, or would like to discuss the issue. I hope everyone is doing really well and I hope I'll see you guys at our next meeting.

Dems Love,

Marcie Lieberman

Youtube! I-Tube! We-all-Tube!

2011-09-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Don't you love those videos that are shown every meeting? Don't you wish that you could show all your friends when you get back to your dorm? Don't you wish that you could find the exact video and make new friends by showing random people!?

Now you can!

Deis Dems is now on Youtube. Our username is Brandeisdems and you can access all the videos on our channel. Better yet, if you have a video you would like to share, send an email to E-board and they will post it on the account!

Peace and love,

Jacqui

Help Get Obama Reelected

2011-08-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

This summer, I worked as a summer organizer for Organizing for America-President Obama’s grassroots reelection campaign.

I had the honor to meet Governor Deval Patrick who enthused me with his definition of government. He explained, “Government is the name we give to the things that we do together.” Although simple, I think this definition encapsulates the very essence of democracy and what it means to be a democrat.

Certainly, I think this definition comes with another: that of the citizen.

With Patrick’s conception of government comes a representation of the citizen as active, as “being the change he or she seeks to see in the world”- as inherently political.

My experiences with the Deis Dems and with Organizing for America have taught me that the active role of citizenry is not limited to a vote.

Amongst many things, it extends to communicating your concerns to your congressmen, to registering others to vote, and to supporting the candidates you believe will work to better the lives of all people (and by people, I am in no way referring to corporations. Romney- I’m talking to you.)

I believe President Barack Obama to be that candidate for 2012. If you do too, I urge you to volunteer for the campaign. Obama may not be perfect, but he is the right candidate for this upcoming election.

I will be serving as the Brandeis liaison for OFA, and would love to work with anyone interested in organizing our campus and the Waltham community. If you have any ideas, please email me at sasha.beder@gmail.com

It is people like us- working together, reaching out to others to grow the movement- that will not only help to re-elect the President and other Democrats, but also help to move America forward.

Sasha Beder-Schenker

Welcome Back (Almost!)

2011-08-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

We are about to embark on another year at Brandeis. I want to welcome everyone back and say hello to all the new members. We can expect a fun-filled, yet busy year with our new prez Jake Weiner and vp Gabe Distler.

Between the debt crisis and the upcoming presidential election, it's been a crazy summer for the Dems. If anyone has any articles or news they would like to share please email me at bellivj@brandeis.edu. I'll create a blog for you with your information or add you as a contributor to this blog. I would love to see everyone contributing because that would make this blog a whole lot more interesting. Or I can rant about my beliefs and monopolize this entire thing. (Just kidding!)

Peace out girl scout!

Jacqui

Amber for Student Union President!

2011-04-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

At tonight's meeting, Dems President, Amber Kornreich announced that she will be running for Student Union President! The Brandeis Democrats endorse her campaign and hope her the best in the elections! She is a true leader on campus and this is shown through her energetic attitude and willingness to listen. Below is a link to her facebook event for the election. Click attend and start a discussion with Amber. Tell her what you want from your Student Union because when she is elected, she will do all she can to achieve the objectives of the student body!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=190966360945992

Good luck, Amber!

<3 Jacqui

Government Shutdown?

2011-04-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Here's an article from the New York Times from April 6, 2011.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/us/politics/07fiscal.html?_r=1&hp

Michael Shear reports on the stalement between the Obama administration and the Congress at this point.

"In brief remarks to reporters at the White House, Mr. Obama made it clear that he and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had not been able to bridge the divide between House Speaker John A. Boehner, the top Republican, and Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader. Mr. Obama said the two sides would “work through the night” to try and reach a deal that could avert a shutdown of the federal government on Saturday, when the authority to spend money expire."

The Obama administration is really pushing to reach some compromise after intense negotiations between Obama, Boehner, and Reid.

Take a peek at the article!

DEIS DEMS!

2011-03-30T18:18:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

At the meeting on March 30, Marcie showed us a great website (linked below).

http://www.opencongress.org/

This is an amazing site for keeping up with what Congress is up to. There are links to specific bills, including who sponsors them, what the text is, and any other information on them. You can also look up your Senator or Representative to check out their history and what they are working on now. You can even look up bills concerning specific issues, such as reproductive rights or worker's rights.

It is an amazing website to stay connected to your Congress and letting your voices get heard on the forums.

Check it out!

<3 Jacqui

Welcome Back!

2010-08-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

Hey hey Deis Dems!

Welcome back to lovely Brandeis!

Hope you enjoyed incredibly Democratically satisfying summers!

We are all looking forward to welcoming new members this semester!

Come check out the John Stewart mix and mingle party in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium from 8-9 this coming Wednesday, September 1!

We'll share some really great reasons you should become a Deis Dem, and our ideas and goals for the semester.

Plus, there will be popcorn!

Deis Dem Love,

Amber

2010-08-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

Better Know My District By Gabe Distler

Last Friday, in a small storefront office in Delray Beach, Florida, I volunteered for Ron Klein, my representative to the United States House of Representatives. Ron Klein has served Florida’s 22nd Congressional District since 2007, when the Democrats re-took control of Congress. Prior to this, Republican Clay Shaw, who served the House for 26 years, represented the district.

Ron Klein, a native of Cleveland, was born in 1957. He is a 1979 graduate of The Ohio State University and earned his Juris Doctor degree from Case Western University Law School in 1982. Klein practiced law, and in 1985 he and his wife moved to Boca Raton, Florida. In 1992, Klein was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, and in 1996 he was elected to the Florida State Senate where he eventually became Senate Minority Whip and Senate Democratic Leader. In 2006, Klein ran for the U.S. House of Representatives against long-time Republican incumbent Clay Shaw. Klein won by about a three percent margin. In 2008 Klein defeated Allen West by about a 10 percent margin. Klein prides himself on his bipartisanism and his dedication to Florida’s families and economy. Klein was instrumental in passing the Homeowners’ Defense Act and co-sponsored the GI Bill for the 21^st Century.

Florida’s 22^nd district exemplifies the concept of gerrymandering. Deriving its name from Elbridge Gerry, U.S. vice president (1813-1814) and Massachusetts governor (1810-1812), gerrymandering is the process of designing congressional districts to ensure the election of a particular political party. Governor Gerry reconfigured certain districts in Massachusetts to guarantee the election of members of his party to the U.S. House of Representatives. When viewed on a map these districts took such elaborate shapes that Gerry’s critics compared one such district to the shape of a salamander, or as they refereed to it as a “gerrymander.” The term stuck and is still used today.

Though the process of gerrymandering is usually illegal, it does still exist, as evidenced by Florida’s 22^nd District. Created in the early 1990s, the 22^nd District appears to have been designed to benefit the Republican Party. This district, in the heart of South Florida, runs along the coast of Palm Beach and Broward Counties. The 22^nd District was designed to encompass the more conservative areas of a relatively liberal part of the state. This district includes the town of Palm Beach, and parts of the cities of Delray Beach, Boca Raton, and Fort Lauderdale. Look at the map below and see how this lizard-shaped district has been drawn— a fair district would encompass an entire community, not pieces of selected communities.

Since the early 1990s, most of South Florida has become more liberal. This is in part due to the influx of new residents originally from the Northeast United States. This influx as well as a national dissatisfaction with the Republican Party helped Klein win his seat in 2006, despite the challenges of running in a district originally designed to benefit the Republican Party. This upcoming election might be the last chance a Republican has of winning this seat— an anticipated redistricting after the 2010 census most likely will break up this once conservative district. This would secure fairer representation that would reflect the views of South Florida’s growing population.

In this year’s election Klein is once again running against West, whose far right views align with the “Tea Party” movement. Although the Klein camp feels confident, they also admit that this election will be a challenge. According to an article by George Bennett in The Palm Beach Post, “…West has emerged as one of the nation’s top congressional money magnets… (raising) more then $ 2 million overall…” Klein and his staff hope their outreach to Democrats and Independents will help defeat West despite West’s campaign assets. When I volunteered at Klein’s Delray Beach office, I made phone calls from a list of potential Democratic and Independent voters. Unfortunately most of the people I called were not home, others who were home did not have time to talk, but of those who had time to talk they all told me they were voting for Ron Klein.

2010-07-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Condom War: Not This F***ing Thing Again

By Rachel Berman-Vaporis

10:15 AM FOX news special alert:

The Cape Cod school district has recently decided to provide free condoms to students who ask for them. All students in the district, be they from the elementary or high school, can request these condoms from the school nurse after receiving counseling that involves a discussion on abstinence without their parents being notified.

The last detail was the big kicker for the blond FOX anchor. THE PARENTS WON’T BE NOTIFIED! THE PARENTS WILL NOT KNOW! OMG, this is an obvious attempt by the government to supercede parents in the raising of the future generation and is yet another illustration of the continued intrusion into the private lives of citizens by the huge, socialist government led by the White House and the Democratic Party, (I’m sorry did I say socialist? I meant communist). It is George Orwell’s 1984 come to life! The government is trying to take the place of parents! OR perhaps does it have anything to do with the fact that students will NOT get condoms if there is any small possibility that their parents will find out about it. And its not like the only place condoms can be found are in public schools…they can be found in pharmacies, grocery stores, and a myriad of other places…places that do not give free counseling along with free birth control.

The other horrifying consequence of this recent enterprise as related to us by all the wonderful people at FOX was the new hypothesis that if you give a child a condom, that child will immediately grab another child and engage in repeated, sexual experiences and will get pregnant, and DIE. Except that wait, this idea isn’t new in fact it is older than I am. And is still false.

A kid is no more likely to have sex if he or she hears about or sees birth control. Instead, making condoms and other birth control possibilities more available to students will make it much more likely that when a student has sex, it will be done safely. They already know how to do it (just turn on the tv and meet your kids OTHER teachers) and even if MTV wasn’t lighting the way with scented candles, they would still be able to figure it out. You can thank your biology for that, the deity who gave it to you, or both.

The problem with this controversy is not that those against real sex education are destroying and ending lives by allowing teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other STD numbers to skyrocket, but it is because it is not new. The war against the availability of birth control and real sex education is far older than I am, and is debated every election cycle. And it never ends. Those against sex education are sticking to their guns, to which I understand, but those advocating the opposite side keep letting the ball drop in fear of losing the next election. as the individuals in the middle can’t make up their minds. But it’s about time they do.

Making birth control options obtainable and understandable will decrease the likelihood of unwanted pregnancies and disgusting diseases, while not increasing the amount of couples that “try it”. This, surprisingly enough, was the Superintendent of Cape Cod School District’s reason for passing this policy. Her desire, shared among others, is to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS of which further availability of condoms play a big role.

AVERT.org estimates that over a half a million Americans have died of AIDS in the United States and that there are over 56,000 new cases every year. Allowing for real sex education programs that educate and not intimidate like that of the Cape Cod School District, will not end the AIDS epidemic. It will, however, play a large role in eliminating AIDS and in promoting healthy living that will impact the world for the better for generations to come.

It is the same debate, the same arguments, and the same bible passages thrown at teachers, parents, and administrators trying to do the right thing and yet it still works. It is time we changed that.

2010-06-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Hey Dems and Friends,
This is your new Public Relations Coordinator, Jessica. I just want to let you know about our game plan for this summer and this upcoming year. The entire E-Board – Amber, Rachel, Jake, Emily, Marcie, Gabe, and myself – is staying on top of the news stories and election primaries, so we plan on hitting the ground running in the fall. This upcoming year, we will have a lot of social/Dems-bonding events, we’ll advocate for or fight against legislation, and hopefully we’ll hit the campaign trail! We’ve also been thinking of making a Google Group, revamping the Facebook page, and taking greater advantage of the Blog. Hopefully all these changes will make the club more accessible to all of Brandeis, which will be great if you can’t make a meeting or can only be involved to an extent because of other commitments. Keep checking the Blog and the Facebook page periodically over the summer to see what we’re up to (and to read some really cool articles and find links). See you in August!
ALSO, I want to hear YOUR ideas – for social events, legislation you want to explore, campaigns you’re interested in, something you’d like to learn about, a project you want to see Dems do this year – any ideas you have would be great, so just shoot me an email at jsg27@brandeis.edu!
If you’re not on the list serve, join here: http://my.brandeis.edu/clubs/democrats
If you’re not a fan of the Facebook page, go here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deis-Dems/264508895714?ref=mf
Lastly, check out all the new blog posts from me and Marcie below, and keep checking for more posts from Amber, the rest of the E-Board, and other club members.
Peace, Love, and Liberalism,
Jessica

RIP Robert Byrd, 1917-2010
By Jessica Goldberg

At 3 AM this morning, a prominent Democrat died at the age of 92. Robert Byrd’s legacy includes the longest length of time serving in Congress – six years in the House and over 50 more in the Senate. Here are some facts about the late Senator.

Full name: Robert Carlyle Byrd
Represented: West Virginia 6th (three terms in House of Representatives), West Virginia (died during ninth term in Senate)
Leadership: Senate Majority Whip (1971-1976), Chairman of the Senate Democratic Steering Committee (1977-1988), Chairman of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee (1977-1988), Chairman of the Senate Democratic Conference (1977-1988), Senate Minority Leader (1981-1986), Senate Majority Leader (1977-1980, 1987-1988), President Pro Tempore (1989-1994, 2001-2002, 2007-2010)
Committees: Budget, Rules and Administration, Armed Services, Appropriations (Chairman 1989-1995, 2001-2003, 2007-2009; Chairman of Homeland Security Subcommittee)
Voting Record: Approximately 90% Democrat. Byrd voted against the war in Iraq, was in favor of universal health care, supported alternative energy, and advocated for social security. On his official website, he made it clear that some of his pet issues were education, mine safety, animal rights, homeland security, celebrating veterans, the environment, and alternative energy.

Not so Democratic on: Gay rights, George W. Bush’s Supreme Court nominees
A smudge in his record: At the age of 24, Byrd joined the KKK. He quit soon after; however, he played a key role in the unsuccessful filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 years later. He opposed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but thereafter abandoned his segregationist views. Later in his life, he expressed regret over this facet of his younger self.
Family: Married to wife Erma for 69 years until her death in 2006; two daughters and two sons-in-law; six grandchildren (five living); seven great-grandchildren.
Fun Facts: Byrd played the fiddle; he wrote five books; he has voted 18,689 times (more than any other Senator in history) and has a 97% attendance record; he advocated a 2004 law creating “Constitution Day” on September 17th.
Robert Byrd’s website is http://byrd.senate.gov/. This is also where I got most of my information. Check out many great speeches he has made over the last few years, archived on his website!
(This was written by Jessica, who promises to get a Google account soon so she can post to the blog herself)

Towards A More Liberal Union?
By Jessica Goldberg

“I think we could [accept gay marriage]. I think it’s also a generational thing – it will come.”
Taken out of context, this quote is mundane and appears to originate from some nonspecific liberal-leaning political analyst.
Not so.
These are the words spoken to Larry King by former first lady Laura Bush.
In the interview, Bush stated that she and her husband disagree on the subject of gay rights and that she believes gay couples deserve the same rights as anyone else. She also more or less identified as pro-choice.
This is the same Laura Bush who criticized the “liberal media” and refused to voice a preference between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, simply stating that she “prefers the Republican.” So I don’t think her more recent statements are any indication of an impending party change.
But Bush astutely attributes the kind of social conservatism that makes us as Democrats long to choke [insert your favorite bat**** crazy Congressperson here. Michelle Bachmann] to generational standards. Does she have a point here?
Case study: our grandparents’ generation almost universally rejected interracial marriage, while our generation almost universally accepts it. Public opinion can change drastically within just a few years. Will we see this pattern with today’s hottest social issues?
Take gay marriage. According a 2003 poll of Massachusetts residents, only 21% of those over the age of 65 are in favor of gay marriage. From the ages of 40-64, that number is 53%, and for those in the 18-39 age range, the figure is a whopping 62%. That means that a majority of individuals under 65 accept gay marriage but the same can be said for only one out of five people over 65. These figures are similar throughout much of the United States.
As a new political generation comes of age, will gay marriage reach the level of acceptance that interracial marriage has now attained? And as more women gain prominence in politics (statistics commonly show that women are more socially liberal than men), will the nation acquire a liberal bent?
What other issues are generational? Abortion polls show that within the last few years, the percentage of voters identifying as pro-choice has very slowly but surely increased, and the percentages of voters who believe that a woman’s husband or a teen’s parents should be informed before an abortion has decreased. Forty percent of Americans feel that Obama’s health care reform does not go far enough, while only 30% believe that it goes too far. Why is it that so many voters support health care reform but so many Congresspeople don’t? Maybe because the median age of a voter is 44 and the average age of a Senator is 63.
Imagine a society of liberals and libertarians, with a conservative minority.
When our generation takes the Capitol and the White House, will this be our reality?
Check out the secret liberal side of the Bush family!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtNabdDx_mU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR137LKQdBE

(This was written by Jessica, who promises to get a Google account soon so she can post to the blog herself)

2010-06-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

Tell us what you think! Does the ad cross a line?

Please comment below! All opinions are welcome!

2010-06-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

I thought this was funny! I hope you enjoy it too!

Like Sand Through the Hourglass So Are the Days of Our Lives

Before:

Nice calm demeanor

Hint: looks human

After:

Cheney or Mr. Darth Vader himself!!

2010-06-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

The Young and theRestless:

Can you name the politician?

Scroll down when you got it!

Arlen Spector

2010-05-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

Hey fellow Dems,

I know everyone is stressed during finals week and I wish all of you the best of luck in all of your papers, tests, and all-nighters. If you would like to multitask and learn about the healthcare bill that was just passed and procrastinate, I have links that I hope you will like.

Here is one of deis dems favorite clips that we show to explain the healthcare crisis. It is called Why We Need Government-Run Universal Socialized Health Insurance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jng4TnKqy6A&playnext_from=TL&videos=Cb8YSu1oZg0&feature=rec-LGOUT-real_rn-3r-4-HM

I found this really interesting! Amnesty International has recently declared health care as a human right! It is really big news!

http://www.amnestyusa.org/demand-dignity/health-care-is-a-human-right/page.do?id=1021216

In Full: Obama Health Care Address

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1YNF9I25yU&feature=fvw

Here is a clip of Minority leader Boehner and Speaker of the House Pelosi making their final appeals on Health Care. The comments from the people in the background are comic relief.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sytkf0pGVKQ&feature=fvw

Compare the House, Senate and Reconciliation Bills

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/interactive/static/stories/healthcare-comparison.html

Have a great week and I am sure that I will see you in the library at ungodly hours,
Marcie Lieberman

interesting links

2010-04-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

Hey Deis Dems,

My name is Marcie Lieberman, freshman, and proud member of Deis Dems. I LOVE politics and have my whole life. I love watching Rachel Maddow and reading the New York Times. I watch C-span religiously and actually enjoy it ,which I didn't realize was so revolutionary until I left my political education called my home.

Deis Dems members are passionate and opinionated but really are trying to make the world a better place. We are a little politically obsessed family that really cares about each other and if you attend a meeting, (wed at 8 in SCC) you will definitely see that loud and clear.

Now to my passion: If you are interested in following what is happening on Congress, I have a couple of links that you might really enjoy.

1) Schedule for the 111^th Congress

http://www.c-span.org/Topics/Congress-Legislative.aspx

2) Legislative Activities

http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/floor.html

3) If you want to find any speech on any subject or just watch the debate on the floor live, watch C-span!! I promise you it's more than just what you put on to fall asleep!!

If there is anything that you are interested in learning more about or you want a list of political websites, feel free to e-mail us.

THANK YOU ALL WHO ATTENDED HOWARD DEAN!

2010-04-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

Hello Dems!

Thank you to everyone who attended the Howard Dean event in Levin Ballroom!

A special Kudos goes out to our VP Justin Backal-Balik who introduced Dean! Also a shout-out to our co-sponsors DFA, Gen Ed Now, ARC, and the Student Union!

Check out this "Brandeis NOW" video of the event: http://www.brandeis.edu/now/2010/april/deanvisit.html

Keep up your excitement and see you at Dems elections this Wednesday at 8PM in the MPR of the SCC!

College Democrats of Massachusetts Convention at Smith College!

2010-04-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, some Deis Dems attended the College Democrats of Massachusetts Convention hosted at Smith College.

We networked and befriended tons of passionate Dems from Boston College, Suffolk, UMass Amherst, Boston University, Tufts, Mount Holyoke, Smith College, Framingham State University, Harvard, and Worchester Polytechinc! Quickly, we were the most popular chapter there ;) .. known for our crazy antics and gorgeous suite at the Quality Inn..

We listened to our Honorary Chair State Senator Ben Downing, Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairman John Walsh, Former MDP and DNC Chairman and current candidate for State Treasurer Steve Grossman, State Senator Stan Rosenberg, State Representative Ellen Story, and Conor Yunits discussed the importance of youth involvement in Massachusetts politics and shared wonderful stories. Jim Fleming, Nicole Lachapelle, Xavier Malina, and Mark Noble also led us on Saturday to facilitate interesting and informative breakout sessions.

We got close with Matt Brunner from Mass Equality- he's going to come to Brandeis sometime in the coming weeks to talk about how we can get active to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and to advocate for Trans-Gender rights in the workplace.

However, the coolest events were probably those with Governor Patrick. He was ON FIRE! He spoke to us in an intimate youth fundraiser on Saturday evening and guided us in a strategy breakfast Sunday morning.

We learned about how to better organize, picked up some cool ideas for future meetings, and got fired up for the upcoming 2010 Midterm Elections.

Go Dems!

GET PUMPED FOR HOWARD DEAN THIS THURSDAY! Doors Open @7:15. Levin Ballroom!

Update!

2010-03-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

Hey hey Deis Dems!

A huuge shout out to everyone who came out and supported us at our Voices (and instruments) for Haiti event last Wednesday!

We co-sponsored with Habitat for Humanity, WBRS, Brandeis Republicans, Positive Foundations, and Bdeis Records for a super sweet concert in the Atrium!

If you couldn't make it out, Our lovely friends at WBRS (thanks Matt Kessler!) recorded it all:

Amber: http://www.zshare.net/audio/7367271391a95f4a/

Sequan: http://www.zshare.net/audio/73672840aebeaad9/

Just Me And The Jazz Band: http://www.zshare.net/audio/736729829f14074d/

David Wayne: http://www.zshare.net/audio/736730605b96ff11/

National Security Blanket: http://www.zshare.net/audio/7367307856a63356/

Full concert: http://www.zshare.net/audio/73673153933ba891/

We raised $80 toward the Brandeis Haiti Relief effort goal of $25,000. Nice job Dems!

What are we up to now?

PREPPING FOR HOWARD DEAN!

save the date: April 15th 7:15 in Levin Ballroom. Remember your Deis ID!

Blue Skies,

Amber

SEE YOU AT OUR MEETING AT 8pm on WEDNESDAY in the MULTIPURPOSE ROOM of the SHAPIRO CAMPUS CENTER!

Whoa.

2010-02-01T07:12:00.000-08:00

This past week was hectic for the Dems!

We had a tremendous State of the Union pizza party and 8 Dems went down to NYC to be part of the live audience of the Colbert Report!

Stay tuned for some photos and stories!

See you all Wednesday in the Village TV Lounge @8PM to welcome the Midyears to Deis!

..What we've been up to

2009-12-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

Hey hey Dems!

Hope you are all putting in a healthy Democratic effort into those finals!

Thanks to all of you who have been part of our events in the last week- your dedication is inspiring!

We've had two very successful social events: a potluck dinner, and "Secret Democrat" gift exchange. NIIICE.

But beyond those, we co-sponsered quite an interesting event last night.

BIPAC, BOO, Brandeis Republicans, GenEd Now, and the lovely Deis Dems put on an evening of discussion on the US-Israel relationship. Held in Ridgewood commons, we chowed down on some DELISH Kosher chinese from Taam China, and shared our views about Israel.

We all could agree- we support Israel.

I made a few remarks on behalf of the Dems stating our support for Israel, and willingness to continue fighting for what is right.

However, a guest speaker of the evening, Professor Cohen of American Studies, called out President Obama and "the Left" for their "one-sided policies" regarding the Israeli-Palestinean conflict. He censured the President for his address at Cairo claiming it impedes Palestinean desire to make peace negotiations.

If you scroll down the page, you'll see that the Deis Dems actually praised President Obama's address at Cairo.

As Democrats, we're used to criticism. We're used to taking the blame for the problems of our country, and our world.

However, as I reflect upon the evening, I think it's important we all realize that the question of US support of Israel is not entirely partisan.

As Brandeis students, we have an important historical connection to Israel, and I think both Democrats and Republicans can support the state.

Please check out this article from the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/12/07/appealing_to_conservatisms_good_heart/

It's a feel good peice about conservatives. (Take it for what it is, I could do without all the religious references, but..)

Remember, at the end of the day, we're not Democrats because we like to fight Republicans, we're Democrats because we believe whole-heartedly in Democratic values, including complete uninhibited free speech.

Best of luck with your work!

Better be seeing you at meetings next semester!

-A

Welcome Back!

2009-11-30T07:32:00.001-08:00

Hey Dems!

Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving break!

Good luck on your finals-- and working for your favorite Senate candidate!

As we face another week, we should be thankful for the things we have and work hard to improve the lives of others.

The NYT reports 20,000 new people begin using food stamps in the US everyday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/us/29foodstamps.html?_r=1&hp

What can we do?

See you all soon.

Keep it Democratic!

-A

Deis Dems Update

2009-11-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

Justin, Jeff, Amber and Cheryl! :)

Thanks to everyone who came out for Jeff Kreisler!

It was an incredible event! Jeff was a RIOT!

If you didn't get a chance to pick up Jeff's book, Get Rich Cheating, you can check it out

here: http://getrichcheating.com/

--NEW PHOTOS UP ON FLICKR! Click on the flickr icon to see some smiling dems!--

Healthcare Forum TONIGHT!

2009-11-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

Tonight, the Deis Dems along with Ahora!, Brandeis Black Student Organization, Brandeis Democrats, Brandeis Feminists, Brandeis Labor Coalition, Brandeis Republicans, Students for Environmental Action, Student Health Organizing Coalition, Triskelion, and Women of Color Alliance will be presenting at DFA's Healthcare ReForum in Pearlman at 8PM.

Come out and support us, as well as let's get discussing!

What have we been up to?

2009-11-15T18:03:00.003-08:00

1. SEEING OBAMA SPEAK IN BOSTON

2. PLANNING FOR JEFF KRIESLER'S POLITICAL COMEDY! JOIN US IN LOWN at 7PM on Thursday November 19!

Who's Jeff?

-writes for the HuffPo

-Part of Indecision '08

-super crazy awesome hilarious comedian - www.comedyagainstevil.com

3. SOCIAL EVENTS - Capitalism: A Love Story, Planning for a Deis Dem Holiday party complete with "Secret Democrat"

4. DESIGNING THIS YEAR'S T-SHIRT-- Have any ideas? Like this? Let us know!

5. HEALTHCARE EVENTS - Prepping for presentation at Healthcare ReForum Tuesday November 17 at 8 in Pearlman.. Check us out! Band-aid campaign (you'll see..)

6. DISCUSSING U.S. SENATE SEAT, WHO WE SUPPORT/WHY?

7. CANVASSING AND PHONECALLS (for Setti Warren --who won!!-- Deval Patrick's re-election campaign, and various others)

8. RECRUITMENT

9. LOOKING FOR BLOG CONTRIBUTERS

10. SERVICE PROJECTS - Participated in Halloween for the Hungry, Planning for a Thanksgiving good deed, PROUD to be one of the first groups to be involved with clubs in service with our collaboration with Afternoon Enrichment last Spring, and looking for new ways to carry out our democratic mission of equality and helping others!

11. COSPONSERING AND ATTENDING CAMPUS EVENTS - Haider Hamza (sweet!) as well as surprise project coming up in Spring! Naturally, open to suggestions! Also shout out to DFA for their awesome job in the NO H8 campaign! We were proud to be a part of it.

12. BEING CHARMING, WONDERFUL, COMPASSIONATE, AND AWESOME INDIVIDUALS. COME JOIN US!

Not presented in order of importance. Come to our meetings Wednesdays at 8PM to learn more about us!

2009-10-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hey Hey Deis Dems!

Last night's meeting was FANTASTIC!

Thanks to all of you who participated in our "NO H8" picture, and who helped us come up with fantastic future event ideas.

The CNN segment "Latino in America" that we watched after the meeting has a lot of us thinking about stereotypes and the condition of Latinos in America.

Did you realize that Latinos are the largest minority in America?

We are so unbelievably excited for tomorrow, as some of us are going to a Deval Patrick fundraiser which BARACK OBAMA is attending.

Have an event idea? Want to see something happen on campus? Talk to us!

We are looking for blog contributers and your ideas!

Health Care Reform: Explained

2009-10-03T07:03:00.000-07:00

To all the DD's that came out to watch Obama address the nation on Health Care Reform, Thank you!

It was awesome to share the moment with you all.

FRESHMAN REP APPS DUE VERY VERY SOON, please get on that!

Check this video for a clear, sane, and friendly explanation of Health Care Reform.

Blue Skies,

A

Presidential Address in Cairo

2009-06-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Dems!

I encourage you all to carefully watch the Presidential address in Cairo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BlqLwCKkeY

Personally, I am inspired and greatly affected by the President's words.

This is a subject we all must greater inform ourselves with, as well as, I believe this speech to be a landmark in this country's modern history.

Definitely, President Obama took some risks. I imagine many Americans were a little put off by the President's acknowlegement that the literacy rate among American Muslims surpasses that of other Americans. I imagine they were a little turned off by President Obama's sudden closeness to his loose Muslim ancestry.

However, it is also a beautiful and clear address that divides radical Muslims from the entire Muslim community.

It is supremely important that as a country, we change our mindset toward the Islamic world while still awknowleging the threat radical extremists impose on our country and our society.

Please share your thoughts!

Blue Skies,

Amber

Petition widget

2009-06-04T08:33:00.001-07:00

Internship Opportunities!

2009-05-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

Hey Dems!

Anybody still looking for an internship this summer?

We've got the hookup!

Drop a line, send an e-mail, smoke signal, anything.

Happy Summer!

2009-05-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Dems!

Welcome to the new blog! Thanks to Aaron Zelin for setting it up :)

Hope the summer treats you all well!

While you're at home for vacation, be thinking of crazy new ideas for next year's events!

As soon as we return, we'll be putting in major grassroots campaign effort for Setti Warren, mayoral candidate for Newton!

Check him out: www.settiwarren.com

He's coming to speak to us also!

Looking forward to a new chapter in Deis Dems history with you all!

-Amber

Brandeis College Democrats

Loving Elizabeth Warren

SOPA and PIPA

Romney's Foreign Policy

Mitt Romney's Foreign Policy

Mitt Romney-Council on foreign relations

In Foreign Policy Speech, Romney Calls for an ‘American Century’

Know your Opponent

o Profile: Mitt Romney

o Obama, Romney, Jobs

o http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/obama-romney-jobs/

o Romney vs. Obama on job creation

o Romney’s focus on deficit ignores real problems

o Gingrich Strikes Economic Themes in Hitting Romney

o Economists rate Obama, Romney on economic policies

o Inequality v entitlements

Stop Online Piracy Act: Is it internet censorship?

Too honest?

Amazing News!

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF SECTION ADDED TO TITLE 28, UNITED STATES CODE, BY SECTION 2 OF THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT.

Hello,

**Here's How The GOP Candidates Plan To Save The US Economy by the Business Insider

**By MSNBC, Studies challenge wisdom of 2012 candidates' plans

The President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge

Deadlines

This Week in Congress

Occupy Wall Street

Youtube! I-Tube! We-all-Tube!

Help Get Obama Reelected

Welcome Back (Almost!)

Amber for Student Union President!

Government Shutdown?

DEIS DEMS!

Welcome Back!

Here is one of deis dems favorite clips that we show to explain the healthcare crisis. It is called Why We Need Government-Run Universal Socialized Health Insurance.

In Full: Obama Health Care Address

Compare the House, Senate and Reconciliation Bills

interesting links

THANK YOU ALL WHO ATTENDED HOWARD DEAN!

College Democrats of Massachusetts Convention at Smith College!

Update!

Whoa.

..What we've been up to

Welcome Back!

Deis Dems Update

Healthcare Forum TONIGHT!

What have we been up to?

Health Care Reform: Explained

Presidential Address in Cairo

Petition widget

Internship Opportunities!

Happy Summer!