Youth vote could swing election

Business Week has a new article detailing the possibility of the youth vote swinging the election. With so many voters already deciding on who they are voting for, it may come down to young voters and the campaigns are targeting that demographic.

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"Last March -- before the Democratic primaries were even over -- the Bush campaign had student volunteers handing out campaign leaflets at the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament in San Antonio."
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Kerry will also be targeting the youth market. He has already run a five-day campus tour that stopped at University of New Hampshire, Howard University, CCNY, and the University of Rhode Island. Meanwhile, Independent candidate Ralph Nader is set to do an interview in The Source.

In the 2000 election Florida was decided by a little over 500 votes and New Mexico was decided by about 300 votes. However, only 37% of 18- to 24-year olds turned out to vote. If you aren't registered yet, go to our Register to Vote page. Your vote may change history.

Rudy Rocks

Rudy Takala is a fifteen year old Minnesotan and he thinks that you are a rock. Rudy recently wrote an opinion editorial in which he attacked Rock the Vote for reaching out to young voters by stating, "[Rock the Vote's] aim is to get more rocks -- or rather, people with intelligence equal to that of rocks -- to vote. MTV wants to register twenty million voters nationwide; all of whom are, in effect, little more than rocks who vote." Rudy also had choice words for fans of rap music, calling them "ignorant denizens", whatever that's supposed to mean. Despite Rudy's innocence this is a serious problem. Back in the days of Jim Crow racists claimed that blacks were too incompetent to vote and made them take literacy tests. They also created other, more malicious tactics to keep blacks from voting.

Today there are similar forms of intimidation going on at campuses across the country. Students are being denied the right to vote at the place where they spend most of the year, their schools, by intimidation techniques practiced by state and local governments. Go to our Do It On Campus page to learn more about student voter suppression and what went down at Prairie View A & M.

Afghans killed for registering to vote

Its been a long time since anyone was killed in America for registering to vote (it did used to happen to Blacks in the South). But the practice is alive and well in Afghanistan, where the Taliban is doing its best to suppress the emergence of a real democracy. In Afghanistan 14 unarmed men were murdered because they registered to vote in their country's first free election. A Taliban spokesman has claimed responsibility for the attack. Another attack claimed the lives of two women working to register voters. Young people often hear the slogan "your vote is your voice", but in most of the world your vote isn't just your voice, it's your life. If you aren't registered to vote, do it now at our Register to Vote page.

Its the least you can do. Really.

Fahrenheit 9/11: Political, Cultural Phenomenon

With contorversy buzzing, Michael Moore's new movie "Fahrenheit 9/11", an indictment of the Bush Administration's Middle East and domestic policies, opened in theaters this past weekend. The movie has already set single day sales records at two theaters in New York City and the online movie ticket service Fandango.com has reported that "Fahrenheit 9/11" is making up 48 percent of their ticket sales while hitting number one at the box office with over 20 million in receipts. Whatever your politics it is clear that "Fahrenheit" is set to break all records for a documentary and become a cultural phenomenon. While the political impact is hard to judge a recent article in the San Fransisco Chronicle states that the biggest impact may be among young voters.

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"'Young people digest a lot of their politics from nontraditional sources, " such as Jon Stewart on Comedy Central and David Letterman on CBS, said Mark Lopez, research director for the nonprofit Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. Moore's movie "may be a nontraditional source, and if it reaches a wider audience, it would help form some people's opinions.'"

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Liberal Musicians Target Bush

This article in the Arizona Republic highlights the efforts of a number of musicians in their quest to get rid of President Bush. Mike Burkett of the politically charged punk group NOFX is leading the charge with his website Punkvoter.com.

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"He's (Bush) divided the country, but he's united the Democrats more than anyone in history," says Mike Burkett of NOFX ... Burkett is passionately trumpeting his cause on CDs, DVDs and the Internet, as well as at his band's shows. He has recruited more than 100 bands, including Mesa-based Authority Zero (also a Warped Tour act), to get the word out both onstage and during meet-and-greets with young fans.
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Conservative musicians are getting in on the act to, although their efforts are more limited in comparison.

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A right-leaning agenda is laid out on the www.conservativepunk.com Web site, formed in January to "educate, inform and increase the little-known demographic of the conservative punk," according to an introduction written by Nick Rizzuto, who works for a New York radio station.
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And where there's music and voting, you'll find Rock the Vote.

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"We're looking at the next five months as (a time of) unprecedented organizing and attention," says Jehmu Greene, president of the non-partisan Rock the Vote, whose registration bus is visiting the National Council of La Raza's conference, a gathering of Hispanic activists, today at Phoenix Civic Plaza.
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Green Party Rebuffs Nader

The Green Party nominated veteran party activist David Cobb as it's presidential candidate passing over an endorsement of the independent campaign of Ralph Nader. This will make it all the more difficult for Ralph Nader, the consumer advocate and one-time Green Party presidential nominee, to gain access to ballots across the country. So far, Nader has been endorsed by the Reform Party, which has access to ten state ballots and has previously supported conservative candidates such as Ross Perot.

New Book by Joe Trippi: Internet Democracy Pioneer

The Howard Dean primary campaign was something of a phenomenon. Despite Dean's loss in the primaries he raised more money than any Democratic primary candidate in history and built the largest grassroots campaign in history. Thousands of loyal supporters flocked to Iowa and New Hampshire after building relationships and the campaign on the Dean for America website. None of this would have been possible without the political and media consultant Joe Trippi. Trippi, recognizing the power of the internet to build community among geographically diverse but like-minded people, utilized the net in a political campaign like never before. Trippi's strategy has also brought the individual back into politics. After decades of large corporate campaign contributions and the influence of special interest groups the Dean campaign brought in large numbers of individual contributions which averaged around $60 a person. Supporters could throw their own house parties for the candidate, they could volunteer in key states, and could see the power of democracy for themselves, not through an ideologically confined group. The use of the net by Trippi catapulted Dean into stardom and has changed the way Americans participate in politics. This change is what Trippi calls Internet Democracy. Trippi has written down his thoughts and predictions about Internet Democracy and how anybody (business leaders, political campaigns, and ordinary Americans) can unleash the power of democracy with the internet in his new book, "The Revolution will not be Televised." This book offers an inspiring view of how the internet is changing our world and our ability to gain power through true, grassroots democracy. For all those interested in the future of politics, this is the book to read.

Want to Work for a Political Campaign?

The Campaign Institute in Boston is looking for recent college graduates who want to change the landscape of electoral politics and get involved in local and national campaigns. Check out their website at www.campaigninstitute.org to learn more about the training program and opportunities to change your country.

Campaigns, Economists Debate the Quality of New Jobs

The Kerry and Bush campaigns are at each other's throats over the issue of jobs. Is the job situation good? Is it bad? Is it getting better?

In a previous post we linked to a report from the Economic Policy Institute about high school students entering the job market. The EPI report concluded that benefits are being cut and wages are being lowered especially for young Americans entering the job market.

A New Generation of Activists Arrives at the Hip Hop Convention

Since its inception hip hop has been written off and demonized by politicians from the Sistah Souljah incident in the 1992 Presidential race and numerous members of Congress attacking hip hop music. This year 4,000 members of the hip hop community got together in Newark for the first anuual Hip Hop Convention to change the standing of the hip hop generation in politics. Stars young and old of hip hop attended the conference including Busta Rhymes, Dead Prez, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Wyclef Jean, and MC Lyte among others. Convention delegates debated issues and voted on a platform to press national political parties on in this and future elections. The platform included demands for criminal justice reform, public education reform, state-hood for Washington, DC, and reparations for slavery. Delegate Hashim Shomari made a point that summed up the feeling of the convention: "2004 is the calling, but 2008 will be better, and in between we will make an impact at the state and local levels. ... In the '80s, the group Public Enemy would say, 'Fight the Power,' but we now have to 'Be the Power' to create a different set of circumstances."

Check out the stories on the Hip Hop Convention in the Christian Science Monitor, MSNBC, Newsday, or listen to a report on NPR.

Or go straight to www.hiphopconvention.org

Bill Gates Sr., Chuck Collins Call for Universal GI Bill

In an Op/Ed for the Houston Chronicle Bil Gates Sr. and Chuck Collins, the co-founder of United for Fair Economy and Responsible Wealth, write that the GI Bill passed after World War II laid the foundation for a strong middle class by sending many young Americans to college. This helped create a long economic boom in the fifties and sixties, generating wealth that lifted all boats-unlike what we have experienced in this country since the mid 1970s, when the folks at the top seem to reap most of the gains from economic growth. Gates and Collins argue that we need a universal GI Bill to ensure that our society is the best it can be and that our people are given the chance to live up to their potential.

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"We propose the creation of a GI Bill for the next generation. A fund would provide grants for college and subsidized mortgages. It could be modeled after the "baby bond" program passed in Britain last year that creates a universal savings program for all citizens as they come of age. In this scheme, high school graduates are eligible for funds to open doors for higher education, homeownership and small business development ... A GI Bill for the next generation is the best way to honor the families who are serving in our military. But it should be a universal benefit, also providing opportunity for the next generation of teachers, nurses, firefighters and scientists."

Abuse Scandal Goes to the Top

Since the breaking of the Abu Ghraib prison torture scandal, military and administration officials have insisted that the abuse was perpetrated by "a few bad apples"---namely, the young men and women who committed the acts. But new information indicates that, despite efforts to shift the blame, the soldiers were actually following a policy established by their superiors.

The top military officer in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, apparently authorized the use of techniques employed at the Guantanamo Bay detention center to be used against detainees in Iraq.

From the Washington Post: "Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, the senior U.S.. military officer in Iraq, borrowed heavily from a list of high-pressure interrogation tactics used at the U.S. detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and approved letting senior officials at a Baghdad jail use military dogs, temperature extremes, reversed sleep patterns, sensory deprivation, and diets of bread and water on detainees whenever they wished, according to newly obtained documents."

The people who made the decisions need to face the music.

Battle of Bands to Rock the Vote

This article provides a great example of how you can Rock the Vote in your own area. Our voter registration kits are available from our website (here). They have voter registration forms and a manual along with stickers, buttons and posters. Order one for your event!

High School Students to Enter Dismal Job Market

A report from the Economic Policy Institute shows that high school graduates are entering a worsening job market with less access to health care, lower wages, fewer opportunities, and fewer pensions. This trend indicates that new jobs are predominantly falling in the low-wage sector and those jobs that do provide a moderate income are denying employees access to healthcare and pensions, two benefits that had been a pillar of the strength of American capitalism and building blocks to a strong middle class. A strong middle class has been the strength of America in the post-WW II 20th century. These figures show the erosion of this strength now and for the future. Young Americans must take action and tell their representatives and officials seeking election that they will not accept this continued deterioration in wages, opportunities, or benefits.

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"As high school graduations take place around the country, it is timely to examine how young high school graduates are faring in the job market. From 1979 to 2003, the inflation-adjusted hourly wages earned by recent high school graduates (one to five years past graduation) have fallen by 17.4% among men and by 4.9% among women. Thus, the quality of jobs available to recent high school graduates has deteriorated remarkably over the last few decades."

New Poll Results Show Kerry in Lead

A new poll by the Los Angeles Times (6/5-6/8, MoE 3%) shows Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry leading President Bush by seven percentage points: 51-44 (LA Times). The poll also finds President Bush's positive marks in the war in iraq, the war on terror, and numerous domestic policies, including energy, economic, and health care policies, dropping to new lows. Battleground state (states that are not predicated to go heavily Democratic or Republican) numbers show a much tighter race than the national numbers indicate with the President leading in Missouri and tied in Ohio and Wisconsin.

Top News Stories on Rock the Vote Blog

The Rock the Vote Blog will be posting major news developments to help keep young Americans aware of current developments in the country and around the globe. With so many important events occurring almost daily it is important to know what's going on. Stay tuned for more news updates.

UN Security Council Approves Resolution in Support of new Iraq

The UN Security Council has voted unanimously to endorse the new Iraqi interim government and grant it "full sovereignty" (Boston Globe: here). The resolution lays out what powers and what restrictions the interim government will have after the transfer on June 30th. The resolution gives the government control over Iraqi security forces and allows the government to have a say in "sensitive operations" performed by US and coalition troops. Critics of the war, France and Germany, lent many ideas to the new resolution. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most influential Shiite cleric in Iraq, has endorsed the resolution while the Kurdish minority in the north of Iraq has voiced extreme opposition to the resolution and is threatening to withdraw from the interim government and possibly secede, raising fears of a possible civil war or a conflict with Turkey (Christian Science Monitor: here).

Legal memos permit President to side-step torture laws?

A Justice Department memo prepared for President Bush in 2002 "stated that the president's broad wartime national security authority may override anti-torture laws and treaties, including the Geneva Conventions, in certain circumstances," according to the Columbia Herald Tribune (MSNBC: here; Washington Post: here). In the wake of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal this memo provides more evidence to those who believe that senior members of the administration ordered the abuses. Attorney General John Ashcroft refused to release the memo to the public or to the Senate committee investigating the abuses, but claimed that "this administration rejects torture ... I don't think it's productive, let alone justified." (FOX News: here)

John Kerry: military needs 40,000 more troops

According to a Reuters article, Kerry is calling for an increase of 40,000 troops as part of his effort to transform the military.

He describes President Bush's policy of preventing current enlisted soldiers and particularly members of the national guard from completing their tour of duty (these involuntary extensions are termed "stop losses") a "back door draft."

We have to agree with that formulation. While these folks did sign up for the military in the first place, its clear that the Pentagon is breaking the agreement they made with them and requiring them to extend their tours of duty---even if they have families at home, etc.

At the same time, we think it is worth noting that increase in troop levels that Kerry is calling for.

How would he get 40,000 more people to join?

Could Bush do the same thing?