First, Wi-Fi on a plane is the best thing since the flash drive. I am currently cruising at about 20,000 feet over Salt Lake on my way to Orlando, Florida for the 2009 Young Democrats of America Fall conference (apparently Chicago seemed like a logical connection point for the airplane to go first...this is the type of logic that is probably at the root of the airline industry's financial problems, but I digress).
For those who missed it, earlier this year Crystal Strait, the past California Young Democrats President and former Political Director for the California Democratic Party, was elected as the first Californian to become President of the Young Democrats of America (amusingly at the YDA convention in Chicago). Taking the reins of YDA is at best going to be a challenge for Crystal and this conference will be the first public view of her leadership.
She is going to need to balance the needs of a country trying to defend the blue wave of 2008 as well as the needs of her home state which has historically received significant financial support from YDA and will be looking for help in the upcoming election. It is yet to be seen how a Californian at the helm of YDA will impact the California Young Democrats fundraising.
Last week, I posted a brief entry about CYD's endorsements in CDP leadership races. I received some complaints about it, and I agreed to post CYD's official press release as a clarification of sorts. It is rather lengthy, so I am posting the full text below the fold.
(CYD is one of the larges Dem. organizations and regularly works in the trenches for progressive change. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
I am the VP of Membership for the California Young Democrats
This weekend in Anaheim, CYD President Tim Steed addressed the California Democratic Executive Board delegation in Anaheim and was the strongest voice addressing the general session in support of Proposition 92 - the Community College Initiative (on the February 5th ballot), taking a public stand for young people in California.
Last week at our biennial Lake Tahoe retreat and Executive Board meeting the California Young Democrats overwhelmingly endorsed Proposition 92. This initiative is the most progressive expansion of public education in a generation and the first chance our state has had to roll back the regressive and unjust fee hikes of the last several years.
In his address to the CDP board in Anaheim, President Steed said, "I come from a family where four of us got our start in the community college system. It was our gateway to the American Dream, we must do all we can to ensure millions of other Young Californians have the same access to the American Dream as me and my family had".
OK, I know that there's an important election coming up. Pretty soon, California Young Democrats will be choosing their next President. But for me, there really isn't a choice. Tim Steed has what it takes to lead CYD, and to make it stronger than ever. He's always been a young progressive champion in Orange County, and I'm sure he'd do a great job as CYD President.
He started out working in Joe Dunn's office. That should be enough for us. But no, there's much, much more. He reinvigorated the Orange County Young Democrats as OCYD President. He put the pressure on Tom Umberg to support Leno's marriage equality bill. And in 2004, Tim coordinated the first Democratic precinct captain organization in Orange County in over 20 years with the Orange County Victory Fund. Tim and the other OCVF organizers raised $30,000 and organized hundreds of volunteers, which enabled them turn out countless new voters and impact local elections. Sergio Contreras won a seat on the Westminster School Board as a result of OCVF's precinct program, and the majority flipped from Republican to Democratic. That's the type of great results that came out of Tim's work with OCVF.
And oh yes, how could I ever forget the Peer to Peer program?! Last year, Tim ran the Peer to Peer operation for CYD in SD 34. I saw firsthand as he and other young activists in OC knocked on young SD 34 voters' doors, called their phones, and got over 1,100 of them to vote last November. Oh yeah, and let's not forget that Democrat Lou Correa won by 1,392 votes. Tim helped make the difference in keeping Central Orange County blue.
OK, so Tim has done some great things in the past... What does he plan to do with CYD in the future? Well, let me tell you all about it after the flip...
This is THE CLOSEST RACE in the state! If you're in Southern California, please help us out!
2006 Young Democrat Alliance Campaign Mobilization
When: Saturday, October 21
Where: Senate District 34
1800 N. Bush St. #102
Santa Ana, CA 92706
Who: Young Democrats from all over California
Time: 12pm – 6pm
