Doing the Hard Work
So it's been a long two days - but very exciting at the same time. I have to say that this was one of the best trainings I have ever been to - it covered everything from the basics of organizing, to the more complicated politics of constiuency outreach, to breakout sessions with their regional political directors. You could sense the energy in the room.
After the last break-out session the organizers gathered back together for a Q & A with Governor Dean. He closed his remarks with this:
Change does not come over night...It's really hard work. What they [Republicans] do is appeal to the worst in people, and divide them, and scapegoat different groups to win elections. What we have to do is stand up everyday and do the right thing. But we also have to work our butts off everyday, and be as tough as nails, and not be afraid of hard work. This does not happen overnight, and it does not happen because we're right and they're wrong, it only happens when we work hard and appeal to the better nature of people in a very firm and tough way. My job is the easy part. Keeping it going, that's the hard part, and that's your job.
In 2004 I was a field organizer in Florida, though I was so new to campaigning, that I don't think I would have known that was what it was called at the time. The amazing thing about campaigning is there is tremendous opportunity for growth. There is so much to do that the ability to be flexible, be creative, and be willing to take risks, is a huge asset. We need that in our field teams, yet we also need to have a foundation of experience and a core base of supporters. The 50-State Strategy is the answer to that need. Having staff on the ground, well in advance of election day, working every day is a huge step foward for our Party.
The organizers that have been hired are most often from the states where they are working, so they know the territory. They have different backgrounds, but often have a few Election Days under their belt, so they have experience. Yet they are also often young and energetic, and ready to try new things, to work hard and to build the kind of infrastructure the Party needs at the local level.
What I saw during the training was that it didn't matter if the organizer was from a red state or a blue one. It didn't matter if their state was a "battleground". All that mattered to these staffers was that there was the potential to make a difference, to reach out to the Democrats in their communities. They are willing to do the hard work and that is how we take our country back.
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Working hard for your beliefs and fighting the good fight...in the end, if you can say you did this, you know you lived your life right!
Thank you Tracy, these are great summaries - almost can feel the energy.
IMPEACH CHENEY FIRST!
IMPEACH ARBUSTO NEXT!
What? No slacker asses?
That's right. Make a difference. Be the change. Work it night and day.
RACES IN NEW YORK
Filing Deadline: July 13th, 2006
NY-01
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Tim Bishop
NY-02
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Steve Israel
NY-03
GOP incumbent Peter King
NY-04
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy
NY-05
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Gary Ackerman
NY-06
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Greg Meeks
NY-07
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Joseph Crowley
NY-08
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Jerry Nadler
NY-09
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Anthony Weiner
NY-10
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Edolphus Towns
NY-11
Contesting this open seat:
Emanuel Andrews
Yvette Clarke
Chris Owens
Noah Perry
David Yassky
NY-12
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Nydia Velazquez
NY-13
Challenging GOP incumbent Vito Fossella:
Steve Harrison
NY-14
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Carolyn Maloney
NY-15
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Charles Rangel
NY-16
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Jose Serrano
NY-17
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Eliot Engel
NY-18
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Nita Lowey
NY-19
Challenging GOP incumbent Sue Kelly:
Judith Aydelott
John Hall
James Martorano
Darren Rigger
Ben Shuldiner
Gary Suraci
NY-20
Challenging GOP incumbent John Sweeney:
Kirsten Gillibrand
Morris Guller
Edwin Pell
Douglas Walters
NY-21
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Michael McNulty
NY-22
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Maurice Hinchey
NY-23
Challenging GOP incumbent John McHugh:
Bob Johnson
NY-24
Contesting this open seat:
Mike Arcuri
Les Roberts
NY-25
Challenging GOP incumbent Jim Walsh:
Paloma Capanna
Ken Howland
Daniel Maffei
NY-26
Challenging GOP incumbent Tom Reynolds:
Jack Davis
NY-27
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Brian Higgins
NY-28
Democratic Incumbent
Rep. Louise Slaughter
NY-29
Challenging GOP incumbent John Kuhl:Eric Massa
Keeping Promises To Our Veterans
Our government has made a number of promises to the men and women who served in our nation's armed forces. Sadly, these promises of health care, education and other benefits have existed more in rhetoric than in reality. As a combat veteran, I know that the promises made to military retirees and veterans are a sacred obligation that must be upheld.
Education
This is where it begins. Education is not just about skills, it provides a reference point for comparison letting you know where you are, what else is out there, and the heights that one can reach if only afforded the opportunity. Education allows you to understand your environment and improve your quality of life.
The key to a better way of life in this district is bound in one document: a high school diploma. A high school diploma gives a child a step towards self-determination rather than public assistance. The quality of education a child receives should not be tied to the accident of birth. Our children deserve the equal opportunity to learn and thrive wherever they live. We have a fundamental understanding of why our education systems continue to rank near the bottom of the country. We will only uplift our children if we work in concert with our state and local leaders to address the problems and find solutions that are suitable and effective for a particular community.
Investing in education is investing on the front-end for a status of independence rather than dependence. Investing on the back end means more money for jails, social workers and public assistance. Simply, if we fail to repair our education system, we all lose.
ENERGY PLAN
A major concern of the United States is the extraordinary rise in the cost of energy. The energy crisis hits
hard in the heartland of America. People, especially farmers, are hit by energy costs to produce crops. High
petroleum costs means a rise in costs for not only running machinery, but also in costs for fertilizer, irrigation,
etc. But, where there are problems there are also opportunities. This crisis brings to the forefront the need to
become self reliant for our energy needs. I believe that the mid-state region can become an integral part in
the solution. Not only will this plan be a tremendous boost to the energy needs for the entire nation and
beyond, but it will help alleviate some of the water shortage problem that is relevant in a portion of Kansas and
bordering States.
ENERGY PLAN
A major concern of the United States is the extraordinary rise in the cost of energy. The energy crisis hits hard in the heartland of America. People, especially farmers, are hit by energy costs to produce crops. High petroleum costs means a rise in costs for not only running machinery, but also in costs for fertilizer, irrigation, etc. But, where there are problems there are also opportunities. This crisis brings to the Forefront the need to become self reliant for our energy needs. I believe that the mid-state region can become an integral part in the solution. Not only will this plan be a tremendous boost to the energy needs for the entire nation and beyond, but it will help alleviate some of the water shortage problem that is relevant in a portion of Kansas and bordering States.
WHY I AM RUNNING FOR OFFICE
First, we must restore commonsense Colorado values to our nation’s economic policies. This means spending only the money the government has in its coffers and suspending the massive, debt-fueling tax giveawgoing to amkeays to the ultra-wealthy so beloved by President George W. Bush.
Getting our financial house in order will enable us to begin building a health care system that covers every American regardless of age, health or employment status. This is a long-term project, but as first steps, we must find a way to ensure that small businesses are able to provide all of their employees affordable, quality health care and that no patient is turned away from a hospital because he or she is uninsured or underinsured.
We must stop the assault on our public lands. As Coloradoans, we know that our few remaining wild lands provide a lasting link to our Western heritage and are critical for ranching and outfitting as well as wildlife habitat. The time is long gone when our nation could abandon despoiled land for greener pastures farther west.
About Jill
Jill Derby began her life in the small town of Lovelock, and her Nevada roots run deep. Her great-grandfather purchased land in Pershing County at the turn of the century and her grandfather worked in the mines in Virginia City. Some of the family’s land is now Derby Dam and Derby Field in Lovelock.
During the Depression, Derby’s parents created the Flying Flapjack ranch in Lovelock from bare land and a simple bunk house where they raised crops and cattle. An accomplished pilot, Derby’s father later volunteered to train fighter pilots for the European and Pacific theatres in World War II.
As a teenager, Derby dreamed of far away lands, encouraged by her parents and the family collection of National Geographic magazines. After graduating from college, she traveled throughout North Africa, India, Asia, and the Middle East. She lived in Saudi Arabia, trekked the Himalayas, and visited the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat, deep in the jungles of Cambodia.
Education
In today’s flatter, globalized world, the key for our nation’s future prosperity is education. Especially in the area of science and engineering, we are facing a critical brainpower shortage that could seriously hamper our ability to maintain our standard of living. Garrison Keillor said it best: “You don’t encourage investment and ambition by giving a quarter-million dollar tax break to a $15 million dollar man. Give the bus driver’s bright child a chance to get a great education. That’s an investment.” Recent cuts in funding to the National Science Foundation, which sponsors the basic university research that moves this country forward, and other cuts in education, are penny-wise and pound-foolish.
I would change the thinking behind the No Child Left Behind act. Instead of using the heavy hand of the federal government to force Utah schools into a bureaucrat’s one-size-fits-all mold, the Department of Education should use its resources to study education programs across the country and make training and resources available to local school officials to give them information on what innovations are finding success in the nation – and then let us decide which ones work best for us. The federal government should stop, once and for all, the practice of burdening Utah schools with unfunded mandates.
Education
On December 15, 2005, Congressman Graves voted to cut 4% of the No Child Left Behind school funding and aid for special education and funding for disadvantaged children. Strengthening public education is necessary for the nation’s economic future. Government must not set policies which leave us with an unfunded mandate as is the case with No Child Left Behind.
It is important to keep educational decision making within the community and maintain the integrity of local school boards. Equitable educational funding formulas should remain a high priority for education stakeholders. Quality teachers are the backbone of public education. Our federal policies should encourage partnerships between universities and communities to expand the pool of qualified and successful teachers and the health of the public education system.
Cutting funding for student loans and increasing interest rates is not acceptable. On February 3, 2006, $12.7 billion in student loan cuts have been approved by Graves. For too many young adults in the 6th Congressional District student loans are the only way they can attend college. College degrees increase earning potential and career prospects. Aid cuts affect those most in need, particularly at community colleges, where almost half of undergraduates begin their education.
SARA JO SHETTLES FOR CONGRESS
EDUCATION
I believe the foundation for the educational system in our country needs to be public education that is available to all, public education that is adaptable to change and public education that is held responsible for achieving its stated goals. Most importantly, we must invest in quality teachers by making the commitment to raise teacher pay and focus on teacher training while simultaneously requiring accountability for teacher performance.
As all of us have learned from past government failures, increased spending means little without accountability and results. So, while I believe in quality public education for all, I am also open to alternative ideas for delivering a quality education. However, we must take care not to create a system where some receive a quality education at the expense of others.
Instead of cutting eligibility for college grants and limiting educational loans, I believe we should offer the following incentive to our students: graduate from high school with solid performance and we, the American people, will promise to help you afford the college and/or higher technical training that you deserve and have worked so hard to earn.
Wyoming needs a Representative who will accept the challenge of working with entrenched interests as well as innovative thinkers so that all children have the opportunity to succeed. I understand this challenge and I will be that person.
GARY TRAUNER FOR CONGRESS
Securing Resources for Quality Education
We all have a stake in ensuring the quality education of each new generation of South Dakotans. Dedicating necessary resources to improving our education system is an investment in the very future of our country - and is a fundamental form of economic development. States and local communities should lead this effort and define the specific needs of their individual students. The federal government can be an important partner to local efforts by providing resources to help teachers, students, and parents meet the education goals of our communities.
In Congress, I support legislation that provides adequate resources for communities to modernize facilities, foster early childhood development programs, hire and retain qualified teachers, and reduce their class sizes. I also am working to ensure that new national testing standards are fair and equitable and used to target the individual growth and progress of our students.
Improve Our Kids’ Education
Endorsed by our Jefferson County Teachers
“Kentucky has made considerable improvements in public education over the past 20 years. We did it by trusting educators to use their talents, giving them more adequate resources, holding them accountable, providing them incentives and by listening to leaders who cared more about solving problems…”
EDUCATION
My opponent voted for and heavily supported President Bush's "No Child Left Behind Act". This was a terrible mistake, with tragic implications for our children.
The NCLB Act requires public schools to maintain a certain score level on standardized tests, in order to be eligible to receive federal funding. But this policy is based on a flawed theory. The act punishes schools that are not able to attain high test scores, rather than giving the lower-testing schools the money they need to achieve their goals.
At the same time we must ensure that our schools continue to provide the basis for a balanced, rounded education, including adequate funding and consideration for music and arts programs. For the benefit of many students, and for the economy, adequate provision for vocational education must also be included in our planning.
It's kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy, and this is just one way that the Republicans are undermining public schools. Since schools with low test scores are not able to receive federal aid, many are forced to close their doors permanently. A substantial amount of school closings has led to school overcrowding and an increase in the number of students per
classroom.
The only responsible solution is to fully fund public schools, so that every student may have a real opportunity to succeed. And we need to provide adequate resources for teachers, so that they can do their jobs to the best of their abilities.
Education
"No Child Left Behind" is really not much more than this administration’s attempt to take federal control of primary and secondary education. Do we really want politicians of any party writing the tests our children will be taking 5, 10, 25 years from now? George W. Bush and Congress have laid the ground work for that very thing to happen. Understand that he who writes the tests, determines the curriculum. No Child Left Behind in fact leaves us all behind.
The failure of American public education resides with many people, and the common denominator of that failure is the refusal of those people to be accountable for their responsibilities.
To ask all children to pass the same exam is on the face of it a cruel silliness. There are kids with learning disabilities, physical handicaps, language problems—any or all of which make it impossible to hold them to the standards of what we might call normal or average kids. Moreover, the NCLB tests deal only with the narrowest of educational mandates. We have lumped our kids together in one huge pot with little regard for different abilities and different needs, and the result has been decline upon decline.
Should there be basic standards for math and reading? Of course! But they must be spelled out for all states in common with the realization that certain kids will never be able to attain them.
Restore Funding for Public Education and Higher Education
Public education built this country. Vouchers for private schools and for home schooling hurt public schools, as do unfunded mandates like No Child Left Behind. If the federal government won’t fully fund programs like NCLB, states should not be required to comply. I support Dennis Moore’s bill that allows the states to opt out of NCLB if it is not fully funded.
Jim Ryun angered teachers in the last campaign by misrepresenting himself as a strong advocate for public schools and denying that he supported private school vouchers or home schooling. He has voted consistently (more than 8 times) for school vouchers and home schooled his children. His son heads Generation Joshua, a home school advocacy organization.
Higher education can help ensure a brighter future for all Kansans – no matter their economic status. Congress’s recent $12 billion cut to federal student loan programs and cuts to federal grant programs have out-priced a college education for those least able to afford it. This funding must be restored.
Education
During my 8 years as your Congresswoman, I have visited every school district in the 4th CD. This gives me an opportunity to stay in touch with Long Island’s future generations. Each month, I recognize schools demonstrating a unique contribution to Long Island education, through my “School of the Month” program. To honor “Schools of the Month,” I recognize them on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, and bestow a Congressional Proclamation of Distinction award. I have also begun a “Teacher of the Month” program to honor the district’s outstanding educators. I have worked hard with Project GRAD at Roosevelt Union Free School District to develop a program to address the faltering student performances in urban school districts. The program has been a huge success, and has truly elevated the state of education in the district. I am also drafting legislation on this important program and hope for bipartisan support. Down in Washington, I serve as a senior member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, and fights hard to provide educational opportunities for all Americans. I truly believes our nation’s security begins with our children’s education.
For Our Children's Education
Leading the negotiations to strengthen teacher training, reduce class size, and equip all schools with the modern technology they need.
Leading the fight to provide quality after school learning centers
Succeeding in raising student financial aid by 75% over the past five years.
Education
Mike Callaghan is a devoted father of three children who attend public school; he well understands the importance of federal funding for mandates like No Child Left Behind.
West Virginia schools now face a budget deficit of over $18 million because of this Bush/Capito policy failure. These unfunded mandates also require an extreme amount of paper work leaving our teachers with less time to prepare our children, and less time for our children to learn.
In Congress, Mike Callaghan will sit side-by-side with our West Virginia teachers and our school administrators to work on solutions to fix the problems of No Child Left Behind and give our educators the quality time they want and need to prepare our children.
Education
Adam On The Issues
A well-educated country yields endless rewards: a better workforce, a stronger economy, and lower crime, to name a few. It must be our goal to have the best public education system in the world, and although local communities and parents clearly have the biggest role to play in educating children, I am proud to be a partner in those efforts. We need an innovative new approach to public education, one that focuses on results instead of process. Vigorous standards and holding schools accountable for meeting those standards is imperative to ensuring our children are prepared for the 21st Century. I also support freeing local schools from the unnecessary red tape and regulation that often accompanies federal funding.
At the same time, we cannot abandon our commitment to K-12 public education. I support increased funding for local schools and more efficient methods of sending federal dollars to local classrooms, so that the children who need the extra boost of federal funding receive it.
Higher education is also extremely important to the success of our nation. I am proud of the long tradition of high-quality higher education offered to Washingtonians, from the University of Washington, to Bates Technical College. We need to ensure that students continue to have access to higher education, including financial aid such as student loans and grants, and enough slots at the schools to accept them.
Education for the 21st Century
As an educator, I know that the key to expanding opportunity is to provide every American with a world-class education. As we face increased competition in the global economy, we need to continue to set the highest standards for our children. At the same time, many aspects of the “No Child Left Behind” legislation need reform. For instance, it is counterproductive to deprive underperforming schools of the very resources they need to educate their students. And while we all agree we need the best teachers for our kids, we need to rebalance the demands made on a teacher’s time to complete the mountains of paperwork required of NCLB and the time required to educate our children.
I will also work to help expand educational opportunities for college by providing relief from skyrocketing college tuition, increasing the size and access to Pell Grants, and fighting against those who want to make it more expensive for student loans. America can compete in this increasingly competitive world only with more access to post high-secondary education. And in Iowa’s second congressional district, this includes the University of Iowa, several private colleges, and numerous community colleges.
Affordable Higher Education
"No other sure foundation can be devised for the preservation of freedom and happiness... Preach a crusade against ignorance; establish and improve the law for educating the common people. --Thomas Jefferson, 1786
Providing an affordable higher education system has been a top priority of mine ever since entering public office as a State Senator. In Columbus, I sponsored several amendments to budget bills that would have made universities more affordable, yet sadly, the Majority party rejected them along party line votes. Undeterred, I organized a rally at the Ohio Statehouse where over 500 college students came from across the state to voice their concerns about skyrocketing tuition costs. As more rallies were organized and more students came to be heard, I recognized the need for students to unite in common cause. I helped the students organize the Ohio Collegiate Political Action Committee. OCPAC provides students with a political voice and a chance to organize together to support candidates who support higher education and oppose candidates that don't. My resolve to make college more affordable has only deepened since then, and as such, I will continue to fight hard for increased funding for grants and loans in Congress.
Issue: Education
I will make education a priority again.
“An Investment in Knowledge Pays the Best Interest” – Ben Franklin
Budgets are a reflection of our priorities, and the 2006 and proposed 2007 Republican budgets make it abundantly clear that education is no longer a priority.
Education is an investment with proven returns. For example: in 1983, an undergraduate degree earned 40% more than a high school diploma; today, 60% more. In 1985, a graduate degree earned 60% more than a high school diploma; today, over 100% more.
Yet as the cost of tuition has skyrocketed in recent years, the Republican establishment has acted to place higher education even further out of reach, approving $12 billion in cuts to Student Aid programs -- the largest cut to education in American history -- to finance tax-breaks for the wealthiest 1%.
The misguided Republican approach is not exclusive to higher education, but rather indicative of current policies in place across the Education spectrum.
*No Child Left Behind continues to go underfunded for the sixth straight year.
*The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act remains an unfunded mandate, forcing schools to choose between inadequate assistance for disabled students or less funding for other areas.
*Pell Grants, a critical source for college funding, have been frozen for four years despite promises to raise them.
*Early education programs like Head Start are routinely cut.
*Transitional and vocational programs and designed to help workers move into high-tech, 21st century jobs are scheduled to be eliminated entirely.
I believe education is more important today than it has ever been. If America is to remain the most competitive, innovative, and productive country in the world, it is imperative we prioritize education from early childhood through the graduate level.
That means more than just throwing money at the problem. It means structural changes to make quality education accessible to every person who seeks it, collectively encouraging the best and brightest minds to become teachers, and identifying and implementing proven techniques that improve the educational process.
Education is the vehicle through which the possible becomes a reality. It's time to make education a priority again.
COLEEN ROWLEY FOR CONGRESS
MINNESOTA
Education
Our National Security begins with the Economic Security of our citizens. Without it, a country suffers from higher crime rates and there is always the possibility of civil unrest. While education is primarily the responsibility of our state and local governments, the Federal Government can play a key role. Despite recent improvements in South Carolina's public education, and some fine schools in the 4th District, our State has the lowest graduation rate, 49.2% in 2002, in the U.S.. All of this comes at a time of globalization and many of our lesser-skilled jobs are moving overseas. What sort of jobs will we have in ten years that will gainfully employ our people? Our Country is already an 82% service economy and it seems unlikely that we can reverse this trend, not to mention that many of today’s manufacturing jobs require more than proficiency in reading and math. In the past, strong public education has been instrumental to our Country's success and the health of the middle class. Our Nation's future competitiveness depends on a strong public school system, and we must not let this asset slip into mediocrity. Solutions must be found that involve all of the key participants: Students, teachers, parents, schools and communities.
Education for Hawaii's School Children
As a former teacher, Neil understands that Hawaii's future depends on a solid educational foundation for our young people.
Neil's accomplishments in federal education programs include:
Secured $34 million in federal grants for educational purposes including $6.3 million to provide childhood development services for children from 0 to 5 years of age.
Co-sponsored the Public School Modernization Act of 1999, which would provide $49 million in federal assistance for the construction, repair and modernization of Hawaii public schools.
Co-sponsored the Class Size Reduction Act, enabling schools to train and hire more teachers to reduce the class size.
Tom’s key action on Education issues:
·Proposed restoring funding to Title V in the No Child Left Behind Act to the 2005 level of $200 million.
·Supported increased funding for Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA).
·Supported $1.326 billion in 2006 for career and technical education (Vo-Tech) programs.
·Requested funding for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program.
·Supported increased funding for State Maritime Academies.
· Continued supporting Enhancing Education Through Technologies program and funding for Elementary and Secondary School Counseling programs.
·Original cosponsor of the Student Bill of Rights, which would require each school system to provide specified fundamentals if education to students at public elementary and secondary schools. It would also require that school systems receiving federal funds provide educational services for disadvantaged students that are at least comparable to educational services provided in school districts not receiving such funds.
·Original cosponsor of the Teacher Tax Credit. This bill provides $2,000 tax credit to teachers who work in low income schools. The tax break specifically targets individuals who are a kindergarten through grade 12 teacher, instructor, counselor, principal, or aide in an eligible elementary or secondary school for at least 900 hours during a school year.
Education
When I first ran for State Representative in 1998, state education aid to my district had been decreasing for years. I made it my priority to reverse this trend in order to give schools the resources they needed. During my seven years in the legislature, the school districts that I represented have seen record increases in education funding, resulting in higher quality education and more stable property taxes.
When I get to Congress, I'll take this record of success and put it to work for all of us. Ask any school administrator and they'll tell you that the federal “No Child Left Behind” legislation has been a disaster for Connecticut’s students. This legislation, devised by Washington bureaucrats, simply doesn't fit our brand of education. Before this failed act, Connecticut already had one of the most successful testing programs in the nation. Yes, schools need to be held accountable, but it's more important to teach children how to think, rather than how to take tests. The No Child Left Behind Act emphasizes testing over learning. I believe that we here in Connecticut know best how to educate our children, and I will fight to restore state control of education funding.
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