"Nobody can mess with my attitude but me!"

…That's what we heard from 62 year old Cheryle, who used the Rock the Vote website for all of her registration and election needs…

From her p.o.v.:

"I was able, thanks to your site, to vote for the first time in about 5-6 years.

"I felt this year, this particular vote, is one of if not the mostimportant elections I will ever vote in. So I do thank you for theservice you have in your site... to educate people about voting andthe methods we can vote.

"As soon as I got my Absentee Voter's Ballot I marked it and followedthe rather complicated instructions for someone with Alzheimer's andMAILED MY VOTE IN ABOUT A WEEK AGO !!!!!

"I was ever so proud to be able to vote once again, largely thanks toyour site Rock The Vote !!!!!!! Thank you for helping me be a part ofthe election process once again. You can be sure I'll vote this wayevery election from now on....... as long as I'm able. I have twoterminal diseases and am almost totally shut in. I'm glad to be ableto at least be a part of things to this extent.

"Thank you for helping a 62 year young lady feel a part of a very importantelection."

Rock the Vote has gotten lots of letters, love and hate, over the past year. But this is by far the best letter we've ever received…to know you've made a difference by making it easier for someone to vote, something we're all entitled to do, is such an amazing feeling. We're sure you'll know exactly what we're talking about when you're inside that voting booth come November 2nd.

Counting Sheep. Counting Votes.

What keeps Rock the Vote up at night?

1 thing: Thoughts that young people will be the no-shows on November 2nd.

Election Day turnout among the youth vote declined by 13% since 1972, the year 18-21 year olds first got the right to vote. It only jumped up once in 1992, electing Bill Clinton in the process.

Curtis Gans, director of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate, has been one of the bigger nay-sayers for the youth vote. He’s sort of like the grand poo bah of voting analysis. And whenever youth voting types predicted a rise in turnout, Gans was there to throw on a wet blanket. Curses! He was generally right, too.
But the man’s finally come around.

Now Gans says between 12 million and 15 million new voters are likely to turn out for this election. What changed his mind? Well, Gans says, "What we have this year compared to other years is motivation."

Hot.

So, yeah….please, please, please vote.

Please.

That’s all.

The Rule of Thirds

3 major candidates…
3 days before election day…
3 things to sharpen up your political savvy…

New poll numbers show unpredictable youth vote breaks towards Kerry
The latest numbers from the Zogby/Reuters poll show young people breaking towards Kerry, but only slightly. And the Washington Post/ABC News daily tracking poll concurs with these numbers on the18-30 set:

Kerry: 52%
Bush: 45%
Nader: 1%

The youth vote traditionally breaks late, which means we can be a bit indecisive about things. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but we’re just trying to say: nothing’s written in stone. Plus, Nader, a very likely deciding factor in this election just as he was in the last, is losing support among young people as Election Day nears…

Lost Explosives
For the fourth day in a row, the lost explosives of al Qa Qaa has been a major campaign talking point. The Pentagon said in a press conference today, that the loss was minimal -- only one-one-thousandth of the amount of munitions captured and destroyed during and after the invasion of Iraq. Kerry, on the other hand, says missing bombs, which can be used to trigger a nuclear device, symbolizes the Bush administration’s failure to keep the lid on Iraq. With the election just over the horizon, this issue is sure to fire up both campaigns as they make their last lap sprint to the finish line.

And finally…
We just wanted to astound you with this little tid-bit: “More than 143 million Americans will be on the voting rolls by Election Day,” a new report says. There is a massive voter turnout drive going down in Ohio. And in California, they’re expecting hordes of people to head to the polls, upwards of 73%! And if you don’t know where to vote, just go to http://www.mypollingplace.com/find.php. You can find out there.

So it’s Friday. We’re gonna be holed up in here, watching the news and digging around for more stories. But go out this weekend. Do it for us. Hang out with your friends. Chew the fat. Shoot the shi*t. Tell your friends you’re voting. Not because anybody told you to. But because you’re doing it for yourselves. On Tuesday, it’s up to you.

The Third Three

Rock the Vote presents:
“The Big 3”
So big, it makes the other stories feel small.
(5 days to the election!)

1. You’re wild, man. Wild!

If the Boston Red Sox haven’t demonstrated the power of the “wild card,” for you, nothing will. In Colorado, thirty five percent of all newly registered voters are young people. And now both parties are in hot pursuit of their votes. See what happens when you show up in force? Another thing making these new voters so desirable is that they’re registering as independents. Independents are outnumbering Republicans and Democrats at a rate of 2 to 1. Also, there are nifty graphs. And we LIKE pictures…

Also, we know you’re busy and all that and probably just wanted to read the LA Times polling story about Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania (the big 3?) but you really ought to check out their early voting story. And not just because it features an adjective-laden outburst from the usually understated Hans Reimer. It’s also very informative if you’re looking for the latest on the ongoing battle against disenfranchisement. Wanna know who’s winning? Then you gotta click on the story, fool!

2. Tick Tick Boom!
Today is the 3rd day of the missing explosive story. Hmmm, 3 days? Did some canny media observer comment on this story earlier? Did they predict that it may be here for awhile? Man, they must be GOOD!

3. Slim Shady “Marshals” the Youth Vote
(That pun was hot.) If rapper Eminem’s impact on the youth vote turns out to be the October surprise then there will be an abundance of hand-wringing from pundits everywhere. Who could have seen this coming? “Mosh,” Eminem’s bitterly partisan video attack on the President is a call to arms to his legion of fans, and he encourages them to vote on November 2 in order to join him in the fight. When the L.A. Times is writing about a music video in their Politics section, it’s news. Calling on animation, news clippings, and footage of the President, Eminem’s video touches on the issues of tax cuts and the war in Iraq – and he doesn’t seem to favor either one. The video has been highly popular on MTV, and is currently the number one music video on the network.

Stay tuned for more.
-Aaron Coles

Officials respond to assertions about a draft.

Since the end of the debates, where the candidates were given the chance to lay out their rebuttals to the potential of a draft, each candidate continues to appeal to young voters with the strident message that he is the candidate of no draft. All along the campaign trail, Senator Kerry has been asserting that the policies of a second Bush administration could lead to a draft, while President Bush’s speeches often include a vehement denial of the charge. Bush recently took it to the next step with the assurance that even dealing with a national crisis involving Iran or North Korea would not include a draft.

Similarly, in response to the article reporting updated contingency plans for a medical draft, the Pentagon last week firmly asserted that there will be no need for such a draft even in the event of a national emergency. Pointing to the capabilities of their own medical system and associated private health care networks to step in if needed, officials assured a medical draft would not be used to supplement volunteer medical military staff.

Most notably, today the Seattle Times published an op-ed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld refuting the possibility of a draft. The bulk of his article focuses on disputing the existence of a “secret plan” to reinstate the draft. That’s comforting and all, but not at all the point. While the so-called “base” of each party is beyond satisfied with the stance of their guy (and his wingmen), it’s not exaggerated rumors that are leaving young voters still confused and frustrated. Instead, it’s the purported “dialogue” on the subject that actually consists of unproven promises that has voters feeling like they’re not being told the full truth. Neither candidate, for example, has fully proposed a viable plan to combat falling recruitment numbers in the National Guard without a draft. Similarly, neither candidate has broached how he would prioritize avoiding a draft and the effective stabilization of Iraq or another nation, if the choice came to that. So, while Mr. Rumsfeld’s effort to quell concerns is well-intended, it still doesn’t answer the most essential questions. It’s embarrassing that the closest thing to a real dissection of the issues has only occurred between military veteran surrogates for each candidate.

Bottom line? Don’t worry guys. The politicians promise: No New Draft.

- Anna Deknatel

Bringing You Today's News Today

ROCK THE VOTE PRESENTS:
“The Big 3”
They’re rilly big.
(6 Days Until the Election!)


1. Acquire a new habit! We want our GOTV!

Remember yesterday (today?) when we told you to believe it about the new voters (you!) making the difference this year? James Dao keeps the story going by profiling newly registered voters in Ohio, as well as addressing the national efforts of both parties to focus on what Dao calls the “wild card” in this race. Because there are so many newly registered voters on the rolls this year (you’re welcome!), it’s even tougher than usual to predict how (or whether) they’ll vote. Since these voters have not yet acquired the “habit” of voting, the real determining factor will be voter turnout this year.

And the results of the Rock the Vote/Pace University poll are IN! And they have some strong feelings about what direction the country is going in, they’ve got the draft on their mind, and they’re ready to participate! Well don’t take my word for it - see for yourself!

2. The “D” word

Ok, normally we don’t compel you to read articles that we link to, right? This isn’t high school - there won’t be a quiz. You figured, “hey I already read the Ricks piece on how some military folk are beginning to think a draft may be an option we’re forced to consider!” Well, did you catch the part about supply and demand of America’s ground forces?

You did? Smarty-pants. Well, no one likes a kiss-up. Fine. This time it’s different. You are obligated to click on these stories. There will be a quiz.

Question 1: “Does the 2nd Paragraph of this L.A. Times story refer to the issue of the Army’s “stop loss” policy as a) Democrat b) Republican c) A Shocker?” Question 2: Fill in the blank: The “D” Word in the following sentence is ____? “Quite a few experienced military and government observers are quietly uttering the "D" word, although neither major political party wants to be associated with it. Especially before the presidential election.” Read up. This will count toward your final grade.

Want some extra credit? Try this one, Pentagon officials say privately that the decisions about troop rotation schedules (to allow for proper preparations) must be made: a)never b)at some point c)soon d)after the election.

The class clowns weigh in.

Oh, and the Secretary of Defense does too. We thought he should get a say as well. After all, he takes the issue personally. Read on.

3. Your Suppression. You’re my suppression. What do you want me to be….?

Lastly, the Washington Post keeps you informed of the latest on the student voter suppression problem that just hasn’t gone away. Note that most voter challenges were inevitably denied, but that they resulted in many voters being fed up with delays and leaving anyway. Hmmm, you don’t think that’s what they had in mind when they challenged them…do you?? Remember when we told you about 866-OUR-VOTE? It’s for situations like these.
-Aaron Coles

CNN Reports:

Since the draft was suspended, there has been a significant shift in gender roles, raising the issue of whether women should face compulsory military service.

"I'm in between on that issue because I would see women as more equal if they could be drafted, but I wouldn't want to be drafted," sophomore chemistry student Kara Kinzel said.

On college campuses all over the country, students are debating the draft issue. If you're concerned about it, consider what both candidates are planning for the next four years.

If you're cynical, get informed on the facts. More than once on the pages of our blog we've pointed to articles in which military insiders, our nation's Generals, the highest ranking officials in the Pentagon, even L. Paul Bremer has stated on the record that the armed forces are feeling a crunch.

If the vast majority of our military is concentrated in Iraq, what is a President to do to defend this country in case of an attack? Contrary to the campaign promises, a draft will be one of the options on the table. Don't let anybody scare you out of knowing the truth.

No matter what, your vote matters next Tuesday.

Alex Sherman

The Big 3 - (from yesterday!)

From now until Election Day, Rock the Vote’s New York office will be bringing you the top three stories of the day. Enjoy them if you must. So without further ado…

“The Big Three”
10/26/04
(7 days to the election!)

THE TIPPING POINT
1. It’s time to believe our own hype: The youth vote is actually going to be the swing vote this year. With the race in a statistical dead heat among “registered” and “likely” voters, USA Today profiles the “X-factor” which will be new voters. These votes are not showing up in the polls (and we already know about the youth vote being difficult to survey due to their primary dependence on cell phones instead of land lines) – and in position to tip this race one way or the other.

Key graf: “Among people under 30, 58% of non-voters say they are highly motivated go to the polls now, as do 54% of voters ages 30-39. Younger voters have been targeted for turnout by interest groups, and college campuses have been the scene of heavy political activity this year. But younger people traditionally have voted at much lower levels than older voters. Those under 30 made up just 15% of the electorate in 2000, a modern-day low.”


THE POTUS AND THE SCOTUS
2. As if we needed yet another symbol of the pivotal nature of this election…Supreme Court Chief Justice Rehnquist has been hospitalized for treatment for thyroid cancer, and has undergone a tracheotomy. Rehnquist’s health may become a serious issue during the next four years (if not the next four days), marking him as yet another vacancy that may be created on the court during the next four years. Justice Rehnquist Other Justices have already made their intentions of an imminent retirement known. For news. For analysis. For You.

THE STORY THAT’S BLOWING UP ALL OVER
3. And for the story that showed up Monday and should be here to stay for a couple of days (an eternity within the hyper-space news cycle of the last week of an election), the winner is: the escaped explosive materials in Iraq. No matter who you believe over who’s responsible for this story, or if you believe it should be – you can expect it to dominate the back-and-forth over the “national security” portion of the debate. This, incidentally, has led to a tangential process story regarding campaign strategy: Bush’s pre-planned and shaped message vs. Kerry’s “news-of-the-day” approach. Stay tuned to see which one worked better!

PS - ok people, this was supposed to come out yesterday, but we were too busy watching re-runs of "The Real World" to put it up. Sorry, but have you seen that house?? Stay tuned for today's ASAP. Do you love it?
-Aaron Coles

Let the Haters Hate, and the Players Play...

The draft subject has definitely been a touchy one for many of you – resulting in a blog inbox full of all sorts of new curse words. (Thanks Drudge and Free Republic!!) But we much prefer people who want to take the time out of their schedule to come by and share their thoughts with us. On Friday, the California College Republicans attempted to do just that. However, in this case, they chose to gather outside MTV’s LA office – which was a mistake.

And did you know—ROCK THE VOTE IS NOT OWNED BY MTV! (Pssssst! We’re across town!) That’s some good fact-checkin’ there guys…

We’ve mentioned this before. MTV’s voter initiative is called “Choose or Lose.” We’re sure you’ve seen the nifty commercials. We’re big fans of MTV, and we watch it constantly (that Gideon is sooooooo cute!). Heck, they even let us park our bus in their lot sometimes. But we are responsible for our own content. Not them. So if you’re gonna hate us, make sure you hate the right people. At the right address.

And then vote!

In all seriousness, the problem of falling military recruitment and retention will face whoever is elected president. We’d just like both campaigns to move past the campaign rhetoric and discuss some specifics of how they could prevent a draft from happening in the event of a national crisis or future military conflict. Anyone can promise there won’t be a draft (and both sides do!) but no one has adequately addressed the problem. So we’ll continue to harp on the subject until they do. But we harp with love…
-Aaron Coles

Pick your poison

We’ve seen it all—270 minutes of toe-to-toe showdown, barrages of slimy advertising, and campaign pledges galore … there are undecided voters left?!? Well, if you’re one of them, or if you just want some impressive political knowledge to throw around, we’ve rounded up of some of the easiest places to see President Bush and Senator Kerry’s positions clearly laid out; no blinking lights or stump speeches, we promise:

- One of the most impressive and informative collections of information has got to be The Washington Post’s Election Survival Kit. Check it out. Survive the next few weeks.
- CNN breaks down the platforms of Bush, Kerry, and Ralph Nader into eight major arenas, allowing you to read bare-bones stances within each category in very visually appealing chart form. You can either take in one whole candidate’s agenda, or line up the three candidates’ opinions on one topic side-by-side.
- MSNBC presents a more in-depth side-by-side comparison of Bush and Kerry’s platforms. You can click on the position that you most agree with as you read them, and the site will tally it all up for you—insta-opinion!
- This site’s sole purpose in life is to help match you with your soul-mate presidential candidate. Their side-by-side chart simplifies things with a simple “Strongly Opposes” to “Strongly Favors” scale on each topic. And there’s a fun pick-your-candidate quiz for all those Cosmo fans.
- Those looking for a meatier site will find it here, where voting records and candidates’ quotes (not just Bush and Kerry—most of the most prominent politicians this season) are neatly organized by person and topic. And another quiz!
- It’s true, money matters, and this site lays out not just a side-by-side review of Bush and Kerry on some of the issues, but a chart of how much money they’ve raised and spent and where it came from.
- Say it ain’t so, another quiz! No time to study …

And if you want it straight from the horses’ mouths, there’s always the Bush and Kerry websites to check out. Happy choosing!
- Anna Deknatel

And the envelope please…

The award for most outrageous voter fraud story of the weekend goes to the good canvassers of Pittsburgh who used a petition to legalize marijuana to snare students and secretly change their polling stations. You faced tough competition, but your sneaky scam was both creative and effective-- we haven’t even figured out who you are yet! Congratulations. Seriously, this is not the first example, and surely not the last, of voting fraud tactics targeting students. So be on the lookout, and let us know if you come across anything suspicious.

Instances of potential voter fraud and disenfranchisement are accumulating at an alarming rate all over the country. GOP operatives in multiple states have been accused over the past week of destroying Democratic registration forms. For their part, Republicans accuse Democrats both of “crying wolf” about non-existent voter fraud for media attention and of voter fraud of their own, especially in fiercely contested Ohio. To combat allegedly ineligible people from voting in these counties, Republicans have recruited volunteers to challenge voters at their polling station, reported the New York Times.

Provisional ballots in particular have really put themselves in the race to be the new hanging chad, getting a head-start on their national name recognition with scandal even before the election begins. In Michigan, whether and how they’ll count is still being decided in various courts throughout the state. And the issue is already getting national media attention, including in a Time magazine article on potential problems this election.

Any partisan solutions, even much-needed monitoring, seem like they may just lead to even greater suspicion and animosity between the warring halves of our political world. Thankfully, some impartial parties have been making their influence heard. Better late than never, the New York Times has weighed in on the reforms that should have happened for this election, but instead will have another four years until they are effectively put in place. And some states, most notably Florida, have set up objective task forces to monitor Election Day and combat voter fraud.

The only sure thing is that all this could cause more than just dubious and drawn-out election results. If voters this year, energized in a way the electorate hasn’t been in far too long, doubt that their votes have even been counted, you can be sure that apathy will be back in full-swing next time around.

So, if you’ve just recently registered, make sure that you call your local board of elections to check that your registration went through. And, you can use the Rock The Vote website to find out where your polling station is. Check out this voting advice if you’re really gung-ho and want to make sure you’re prepared to do it right.
- Anna Deknatel

Party chairmen debate the draft

From the political show MEET THE PRESS on NBC, a dialogue with the Democratic Party Chairman and Republican Party Chairman:




MR. RUSSERT: Let me show you something that John Kerry said about George Bush's future plans. Let's listen.

(Videotape, September 24, 2004):

SEN. KERRY: The young students wondering whether they are going to be finding a world in which there's a draft when they get out of college.

(End videotape)

MR. RUSSERT: A military draft: George Bush is against it; John Kerry is against it. The vast majority of both houses of Congress are on the record against it. The military is against it. Why is John Kerry raising it as an issue?

MR. McAULIFFE: Because you know today we have nine out of our 10 active service folks are committed over in Iraq today. If we had an issue in North Korea, the generals say themselves today that we don't have enough troops to handle another conflict somewhere else in the world. Generals, Tony McPeak, four-star general in the Air Force, ran Gulf War I, says we don't have enough troops today. So it is an issue that should be discussed out there. It is a very active--and I say to young people across the country, this possibly could happen because George Bush has made us less safe. And because George Bush says that we're not going to have a draft, George Bush also said there were weapons of mass destruction. He said he'd create jobs, he'd fund education, fund health care. George Bush has no credibility, and that's why he's going to lose.

MR. RUSSERT: Not a scare tactic in order to whip up the college vote?

MR. McAULIFFE: If we had a conflict somewhere else in the world today, we don't have enough troops. Now, why did the Pentagon on last Thursday, Tim, say that may have to have a draft for doctors? That is George Bush's Pentagon. Go check the facts. They say we may have to have a draft for doctors.

MR. GILLESPIE: Tim, it is long-standing military doctrine in the United States that a volunteer army is the best army, that they--not only do George Bush and Dick Cheney oppose a military draft, but the Pentagon is opposed to it because cost of conscription is higher, the turnover is higher. You don't develop an officer corps. People don't choose to stay for a career. Morale is lower. They're opposed to it.

We're not going to have a draft. This is a scare tactic, just like the notion that president's going to privatize Social Security, just like these charges of voter suppression, because you know why? The latest poll shows that 18 percent of African-Americans are voting for George W. Bush, double what it was in 2000, so they're resorting to scare tactics. And the same thing with blue-collar workers. If the president's re-elected, then we're not going to have overtime pay. It's the worst kind of politics of fear.

Tuition is on the march.

Since 2000, college tuition has increased a staggering 50%, the College Board reports. While a new study tries to tout that the rates rose less than last year, as a New York Times article points out, the 10.5% rise in public university tuition is still the second largest increase in over a decade, behind only last year’s enormous 13% increase.

The study attempts to emphasize that few students bear the brunt of the full college price tag by claiming that after grants and loans, the average net tuition cost for in-state students ends up at only $1,800. This distracts from the increasing inability of grants to reduce these huge costs as the system of grants and loans deteriorates. From 1998 to 2002, grant aid grew more rapidly than loans, but that trend has ended, says Sandy Baum of the College Board. Instead, students rely more and more on deferring the cost to loans. That’s peachy, except it means that graduates leave school with a diploma in one hand and an average student loan debt of an astonishing $20,000 in the other, according to Baum.

The survey dodges all political hot-potato attempts to explain these trends, but the New York Times says that reasons given elsewhere include “shrinking endowments, big increases in health insurance costs for campus employees and anemic higher education spending by states” that have led to an increased reliance on students shouldering schools’ costs. In other words, unless the frightening government trend of reducing college funding changes, students’ bills and debts are going to keep getting bigger.

On a more hopeful note, earlier this week, Congress passed a bill to close a billion-dollar loophole in the Higher Education Act that had been guaranteeing a 9.5% interest rate to private lenders of student loans. The bill will last for one year until the entire act is renewed next year. Both sides of the aisle are promising to find a way to extend it, although they’re bickering over how exactly to do so. Let’s cross our fingers and hope they keep students’ interests in mind. Strike that. Let’s vote and make our voices heard on these absurd trends in education costs.
- Anna Deknatel

10/25, an update: At least someone is being critical of the current solutions and attempting to suggest creative alternatives. Maybe our politicians will take some hints.
- Anna

More than meets the eye with draft denials: Behind-the-scenes discussions discovered

In a story picked up by papers all around the country, the New York Times today revealed that the Selective Service has been working to update its “contingency plans” for a potential draft of medical professionals. The article discusses a confidential report by the contractor for the Selective Service that includes how the draft might work, particularly if the military's medical corps is overwhelmed, and how to influence public opinion on the subject.

The report emphasized a need for discretion on the part of military planners, fearing that the plans could be perceived as “precursors to a draft.” However, Army National Guard physician Col. Roger A. Lalich cited the Defense Department as saying that a “special skills draft,” including health care workers, is “most likely.” A special skills draft would plan on bringing about 36,000 health care specialists to the military.

If nothing else, this reinforces the fact that politicians have some more leveling to do with not just young people, but all the people who would be affected by the need for a draft.

The good news is that the draft has grabbed the attention of our entire country in the last stretch of the campaign—both Bush and Kerry are now using the subject to court young voters. That means both candidates are at least starting to wake up and realize that young voters might very well swing this election in their favor and are, in turn, taking steps towards discussing the realities and implications of the War on Terror with the generation that will be fighting in it. It’s about time.
- Anna Deknatel

Our opinion on the draft

Time to talk candidly about draft

By BOBBY MULLER AND JEHMU GREENE

"The draft is becoming a political hot potato. Last week, Congress even took the extraordinary step of hastily scheduling a phony vote against legislation to restore the draft. But an empty vote in Congress will not end the debate.

Both presidential candidates have asserted that they oppose a draft. But what draft-age Americans should be asking is how the presidential hopefuls will either increase troop numbers and/or change our foreign policy to reduce force requirements and ensure that a draft does not become necessary.

Just because politicians and military leaders don't want to deal with the substance of this issue doesn't mean that momentum behind it won't be propelled by increasing anxiety about troop commitments, prolonged instability in Iraq and concern about another terrorist attack on U.S. soil.

It's time for a candid national dialogue about a possible return to conscription. The generation that would be called must know how the candidates will address the issue before - not after - the election."

Read the rest of the editorial, including where we debunk the myths about the draft, here.

Military expert O'Hanlon on the draft issue

Brookings scholar Michael O'Hanlon recently wrote a column about the draft issue titled, "Nobody wants a draft, but what if we need one?"

That's our question exactly.

Read it here. (Reg. Req'd)

An excerpt:

"So what's the truth? Unless we wind up in yet another war, the draft will remain clearly unnecessary in the near future, but a draft is not totally out of the question in the years ahead.

The reason is simple. Under some circumstances, we might have no choice. In particular, if ongoing overseas operations remain so onerous, people could start leaving the military in droves and the number of those joining could become insufficient to replace them. Alternatively, if another big war breaks out, and particularly if it requires a long stabilization mission after major combat ends, today's military could prove far too small for the job."

So, at Rock the Vote, our point is this: if you are young, you need to make a showing at the polls in November, however you come down on this issue, so that when the military planners and politicians get down to planning, they have to take YOUR position into account.

Attention Readers ...

To all the readers who came to us via the Drudge Report, please know that we are not part of MTV. We love them dearly, but we are a separate organization.

Thanks.

Republican Party Chairman Tells Us To Stop Talking About The Draft

Yesterday, Rock the Vote received a very startling letter from Ed Gillespie, Chairman of the Republican National Committee. He demanded that we stop talking about the issue of the military draft.

The letter leaked out on the Internet and a lot of people wondered whether it was even real. Yes, it is real.

The letter from Chairman Gillespie is here. Our response is here and below.

---------------------




October 14, 2004


Mr. Ed Gillespie, Chairman
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

VIA FASCIMILE: (202) 863-8774

Dear Chairman Gillespie,

The letter I received from you yesterday was quite a surprise. It struck us as just the sort of "malicious political deception" that is likely to increase voter cynicism and decrease the youth vote. In fact, it is a textbook case of attempted censorship, very much in line with those that triggered our organization's founding some fifteen years ago.

I am stunned that you would say that the issue of the military draft is an "urban myth"that has been "thoroughly debunked by no less than the President of the United States."

I have some news for you. Just because President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and Secretary Rumsfeld, and for that matter Senator Kerry, say that there is not going to be a draft does not make it so. Just because Congress holds a transparently phony vote against the draft does not mean there isn't going to be one. Anyone who thinks that the youth of America are going to take a politician's word on this topic is living on another planet.

By your logic, there should be no debate about anything that you disagree with. There's a place for that kind of sentiment (and your threats), but its not here in our country.

There are questions that the politicians are running away from. How long can we keep 138,000 U.S. troops or more on the ground in Iraq? What if full-scale civil war erupts there, as the CIA has warned is a realistic possibility? Would the next President be faced with a choice of pulling out of Iraq rather than institute a draft? Would women be drafted? What exactly would the draft-age be?

According to the Pentagon's own internal assessment, there are "inadequate total numbers" of troops to meet U.S. security interests. The current issue of Time magazine reports that, "General John Keane, who retired last year as the Army's No. 2 officer, says the continued success of the all-volunteer military is not guaranteed" Keane has told Congress that adding more than 50,000 troops to the Army would require thinking about a return to the draft."

But you want young people to believe that the draft is just an "urban myth." I was expecting that you were going to present some facts to back up your assertion. But, instead, you have demanded that we stop talking about it.

Although the draft may not be a discussion topic for someone of your age, we have found that young people - Republicans, Democrats and Independents - are very interested in this issue. We believe in the capacity of young Americans to make their own judgments when fairly presented with the facts. That is why we are actively promoting an informed, educated dialogue. I urge you to review the "Debunking the Myths" section on our website where we address misperceptions about the draft.

Mr. Gillespie, this is a generational issue. Nothing cuts closer to the core of the very reason Rock the Vote exists. We think young people deserve to know where the politicians stand on this issue - and that a generation that could be called to service deserves more than the phony debate they are getting. We believe that it is only by asking questions - not by censoring debate - that our democracy can remain strong and vital.

Issues such as jobs, health care, Iraq, taxes, and education have energized the electorate, and the draft issue deserves the same serious treatment and candor. Blanket denials do not square with the facts and do not level with the electorate.

As far as the possibility that Rock the Vote's efforts might "decrease the youth vote," we are feeling very confident at this point that the opposite is true. More than 1.1 million people have used our website to fill out voter registration forms this election cycle. Our street teams and ground partners have registered hundreds of thousands more. Young voters are going to surge at the polls on Election Day and make the difference for whichever candidate does the best job reaching out to them.

Despite the strong and often strident tone of your letter, I would hope that we could both agree that honest and open debate is the surest guarantor of our democracy and liberty.

Sincerely,

Jehmu S. Greene
President

Draft Issue Gains Momentum

The draft issue is more than rumors on the Internet(s).

As the media begins to actually dig into an issue that it has largely ignored throughout the year, awareness is growing that, regardless of political unpopularity, the draft deserves more attention.

Check out this new Time magazine piece for a very comprehensive overview of the draft issue from all sides. Everyone from draft-age young men and women to experienced military experts see, at the very least, that a draft is indeed a possibility.

The article brings up a Pentagon fallback plan to increase the financial incentives for enlisting, with some rewards reaching as high as $40,000 for special-op fighters. Realistically, that seems like where we are headed.

This is a good example of something that we think needs public discussion in this presidential race. How long could we keep up incentive-based recruiting? And at what point does fairness come into play? To put it bluntly, are these really “volunteers” in the sense of the word that both candidates use on the stump, that the military leaders use in the press conferences?

Do yourself a favor and read the Time magazine article.

Rock the Vote Draft Campaign Garners National Attention

Check out this great LA Times article about our campaign to make sure all young voters are educated about the possibility of a draft. Looks like the right people are starting to take notice ...

THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE

Rumor of a Draft Touches a Nerve. Bush and Kerry deny conscription plans, but Rock the Vote raises the specter.

By Kathleen Hennessey Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — An army of new voters received a startling call to serve recently, when one of the largest nonpartisan groups trying to increase voting by young people sent fake draft cards to nearly 640,000 e-mail addresses.

"You've been drafted" was the subject line of the message sent by Rock the Vote. The message contained an image of a draft card addressed to the recipient and warned, "real cards may be in the mail soon if the situation doesn't improve."

President Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry both have rejected suggestions that they would move to reinstitute the draft, positions they reiterated in their debate Friday night in St. Louis.

But by raising the threat of the draft, Rock the Vote has staked its claim as the edgiest of the multimillion-dollar campaigns trying to push young people to the polls. The effort has also caught the attention of Republicans, who said the group misled voters and crossed into partisan politics. "

It has the face of a nonpartisan group, yet it's promoting the agenda of the liberal left," said Alison Aikele, spokeswoman for the College Republican National Committee. Aikele said has she received complaints from local chapters about draft rumors on campus.

Rock the Vote political director Hans Riemer said the group was trying to inform its members about the limits of U.S. military forces, not persuade them to vote for a particular candidate.

"It would be crazy if young people went to the polls and didn't factor this into their votes, however they come down on it. It's very real," said Riemer. "We're one major military conflict away from the draft. I don't see why candidates get to talk about war all day long and we can't talk about a draft."

Despite the stated opposition by Bush and Kerry to reinstating the draft, a recent survey found that only a quarter of young people knew this, compared with 42% of older people.

About half of 18- to 29-year-olds believe that Bush wants to reinstate the draft, according the poll conducted by the Annenberg National Election Survey this month.

Last week, House Republicans sought to dispel suggestions that the war in Iraq could lead to a new draft by hastily bringing the idea to a vote and defeating it in a 402-2 vote.

But that move is unlikely to end the talk on college campuses.

"If there is a draft, I would still be eligible," said University of Michigan student Paul Indyck, explaining why he was leaning toward Kerry.

Bush and Kerry Debate Idea of Military Draft

We have done a lot of work recently to get the candidates to confront the issue of the draft, an issue that has sparked interest from so many of you. It was gratifying to see a young man pose the question directly to the candidates at last night's debate. We felt like that was the Rock the Vote question! And now, for you, we have the answers -- straight from the men who will ultimately decide.

For those who missed it or want a more careful read, here’s the transcript of what they had to say last night:


Question 6 : President Bush, how will you maintain our military strength without a draft?

GIBSON: We're going to move on, Mr. President, with a question for you. And it comes from Daniel Farley.

Mr. Farley?

QUESTIONER: Mr. President, since we continue to police the world, how do you intend to maintain our military presence without reinstituting a draft?

BUSH: Yes, that's a great question. Thanks.

I hear there's rumors on the Internets that we're going to have a draft. We're not going to have a draft, period. The all- volunteer army works. It works particularly when we pay our troops well. It works when we make sure they've got housing, like we have done in the last military budgets.

An all-volunteer army is best suited to fight the new wars of the 21st century, which is to be specialized and to find these people as they hide around the world. We don't need mass armies anymore. One of the things we've done is we've taken the -- we're beginning to transform our military.

And by that I mean we're moving troops out of Korea and replacing them with more effective weapons. We don't need as much manpower on the Korean Peninsula to keep a deterrent.

In Europe, we have massed troops as if the Soviet Union existed and was going to invade into Europe, but those days are over with. And so we're moving troops out of Europe and replacing it with more effective equipment.

So to answer your question is, we're withdrawing, not from the world, we're withdrawing manpower so they can be stationed here in America, so there's less rotation, so life is easier on their families and therefore more likely to be -- we'll be more likely to be able to keep people in the all-volunteer army.

One of the more important things we're doing in this administration is transformation. There are some really interesting technologies. For instance, we're flying unmanned vehicles that can send real-time messages back to stations in the United States. That saves manpower, and it saves equipment.

It also means that we can target things easier and move more quickly, which means we need to be lighter and quicker and more facile and highly trained.

Now, forget all this talk about a draft. We're not going to have a draft so long as I am the president.

GIBSON: Sen. Kerry, a minute and a half.

KERRY: Daniel, I don't support a draft.

But let me tell you where the president's policies have put us.

The president -- and this is one of the reasons why I am very proud in this race to have the support of Gen. John Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Adm. William Crowe, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Tony McPeak, who ran the air war for the president's father and did a brilliant job, supporting me; Gen. Wes Clark, who won the war in Kosovo, supporting me; because they all -- and Gen. Baca, who was the head of the National Guard, supporting me. Why? Because they understand that our military is overextended under the president.

Our Guard and Reserves have been turned into almost active duty. You've got people doing two and three rotations. You've got stop-loss policies, so people can't get out when they were supposed to. You've got a back-door draft right now.

And a lot of our military are underpaid. These are families that get hurt. It hurts the middle class. It hurts communities, because these are our first responders. And they're called up. And they're over there, not over here.

Now, I'm going to add 40,000 active duty forces to the military, and I'm going to make people feel good about being safe in our military, and not overextended, because I'm going to run a foreign policy that actually does what President Reagan did, President Eisenhower did, and others.

We're going to build alliances. We're not going to go unilaterally. We're not going to go alone like this president did.

GIBSON: Mr. President, let's extend for a minute...

BUSH : Let me just -- I've got to answer this.

GIBSON: Exactly. And with Reservists being held on duty...

(CROSSTALK)

BUSH: Let me answer what he just said, about around the world.

GIBSON: Well, I want to get into the issue of the back-door draft...

BUSH: You tell Tony Blair we're going alone. Tell Tony Blair we're going alone. Tell Silvio Berlusconi we're going alone. Tell Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland we're going alone.

There are 30 countries there. It denigrates an alliance to say we're going alone, to discount their sacrifices. You cannot lead an alliance if you say, you know, you're going alone. And people listen. They're sacrificing with us.

GIBSON: Senator?

KERRY: Mr. President, countries are leaving the coalition, not joining. Eight countries have left it.

If Missouri, just given the number of people from Missouri who are in the military over there today, were a country, it would be the third largest country in the coalition, behind Great Britain and the United States. That's not a grand coalition.

Ninety percent of the casualties are American. Ninety percent of the costs are coming out of your pockets.

I could do a better job. My plan does a better job. And that's why I'll be a better commander in chief.

Pentagon memo shows the government has considered a new draft

On Tuesday, Congress voted 402-02 against reinstating a new draft. In so doing, Members of Congress said they were doing this to dispel a hoax that the government was considering a draft. According to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, "It is absolutely false that anyone in this administration is considering reinstating the draft."

The reality is more complex. In February of 2003, high level Pentagon and Selective Service System officials sat down to begin formulating a new draft policy.

We have the agenda and issue paper prepared for this meeting. You can see it here.

Some of their ideas:
- Raise the draft age to 34
- Include women
- Refocus on homeland security

Their proposition: "Restructure the SSS and shift its peacetime focus to accommodate DoD's most likely requirements in a crisis. Plan for conducting a more likely draft of individuals with special and critical needs."

QUESTIONS MUST BE ASKED. These are some of the planning ideas that went up the ladder in the Pentagon. So were there more meetings? Who was involved? What is the current status of the planning process?

Now let us be clear. We are not saying that this is proof that the Pentagon or the Selective Service are getting ready to institute a draft. What we are saying is that they are talking about it, going through a planning process, and evaluating options as they should. Indeed, it would be a dereliction of duty if they were not going through this exercise.

The reason we are releasing this memo and making this statement is that by acting so harshly with its rushed vote the other day, Congress has sought to convince the public that there is no conversation about this whatsoever.

We think a generation that could indeed be called to service deserves more. We can take the facts. What we don't want are empty promises.

We don't believe that the President or the military wants a draft. Or that Congress wants a draft. But that's not really the point. The point is, When would a draft become necessary? That's the debate we want to see: an honest debate, based on facts.

Keep Your Feet on the Ground

Forget the polls for a moment. Forget the TV ads, the media coverage, and the blogs. The determining factor in this election is likely on the ground. Voter registration efforts are just about done, so most political groups are shifting into get-out-the-vote (or GOTV…for those of you who are ITK…) mode. So, even though you’ve been bombarded by political ads and heard enough “expert” opinions on this election that you’re practically a pundit yourself by now, it may be that person with a clipboard who gets you to vote . The premise of the ground game is that sometimes a knock on your door, a phone call, or a free ride to the polls ultimately determines whether - or even how - you vote. The object of the game: whichever team (party) puts out the most knocks, phone calls, and poll shuttles - wins. Check out these play-by-play reports on the game in Ohio and Wisconsin. You’re likely to hear more about this as we get closer to Election Day, so stay tuned…
-Aaron Coles

Why We Really Need Health Care

Hey, everyone, we’re privileged again to have Andy Stern, president of SEIU, contributing a guest blog about the growing health care gap for young people. Here’s what Andy has to say:

“I feel and know in my heart that my daughter Janelle would still be alive today if only she had had health insurance.” That’s how SEIU’s contact began with Lisa Scott almost one year ago. Lisa is a mom from western Iowa, and she lost her 18-year-old-daughter Janelle from a chest condition that was never diagnosed.

At the age of 18, Janelle never expected to face a health care crisis, never thought she would have to challenge a system to get health care. She was working two jobs and engaged to be married. But she and her fiancée didn’t make enough to afford health insurance. Shortly before she died, Janelle needed a chest x-ray, but she couldn't afford it without insurance.

Under “Cause of Death,” Janelle’s death certificate reads only “Unknown,” since her condition was never diagnosed. What we do know, however, is that our health care system failed her.

And she is most certainly not the first one or the last. We’ve reached the point where the health care we receive is determined solely by our ability to pay for it. This is a full-blown crisis, and young people like Janelle are more likely to fall victim to its dramatic effects.

Nearly 13 million young adults age 19-29 have no health insurance. Between 2000 and 2002, more than two million Americans age 19-29 lost their health coverage. The bottom line: If you are young, you are twice as likely to have no insurance.

There are a number of forces driving the health care crisis for young people. For example:

The "Family Plan Gap": Young people are frequently dumped as dependents from their family plans and government plans after age 19 or on graduation day.

The "School Gap": Many part-time students cannot remain on family plans and are not eligible for school plans, or their schools do not offer insurance.

The "Work Gap": Young workers are more likely to have temporary or part-time jobs, which are less likely to offer health coverage. And they are more often jobless.

The "Cost Gap": Young workers cannot afford premiums even when they are available because they earn too little income.

Despite these dramatic problems, young people have really been absent from the national debate about health care. Policymakers and politicians have overlooked them. No more. I’m pledging to do my part to bring young people into the national dialogue about health care: I need you to do yours! Help us build momentum for real change. Get out and vote!

Janelle Scott should be with us still. We need to win quality, affordable health care for all young Americans and put an end to this needless crisis. That's going to mean supporting candidates who make health care a real priority. Be an educated voter! It’s essential that you check out the candidates' positions, understand the differences, and then get out and vote.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ALERT

The Senate is now considering a renewed push to include fines of up to $500,000 against individual performers, announcers, and broadcast journalists for indecency. No doubt that a potential $500,000 fine would chill freedom of speech and make artists and entertainers more reluctant to speak their minds. And, moreover, the artists don’t make the programming decisions. This is a clear threat to artistic freedom. The slope gets especially slippery when you take into account that the definition of indecency is vague, at best.

The ultimate decision as to whether or not to add this provision to the DOD bill is up to Senators Warner (R-VA), McCain (R-AZ), and Levin (D-MI). Let these Senators know that that fining individuals for programming decisions controlled by broadcast licensees is the wrong approach to combating indecency over the airwaves:

Sen. Warner

Sen. McCain

Sen. Levin

Alert! Congress Votes on Draft Legislation Tonight!

This is not a hoax. Congress is voting tonight on the military draft.

The majority in Congress is clearly scared that the draft issue is heating up. So they have decided to schedule a vote on Rep. Charles Rangel’s legislation to restore the draft. Everyone will vote against it (including Rangel).

A generation that may indeed be called to service deserves more than this. Any Member of Congress who votes against this bill should be able to explain how they would avoid a draft if a full-scale civil war erupts in Iraq or if we must take military action against Iran, North Korea, or another identified threat.

By no means should young people leave the dialogue to politicians, military experts and public intellectuals – people much farther removed from the implications of the draft. Fundamentally, the question about a draft speaks to what role young people will have in fighting the war on terror. A military draft transcends boundaries of race, class, religion, and, in this case, even gender and sexual orientation. As such, a draft would have a profound effect on an entire generation of young people. It is now up to that generation’s members to spark debate among themselves and demand that the candidates discuss their views on such a pivotal issue.

Rock the Vote Voices Your Concerns to Congress!

Broke after college, unemployed, and living in your parents’ basement? Don’t worry, Rock the Vote is trying to help you out.

On September 13th, Hans Riemer, the Director of Rock the Vote’s Washington Office, spoke at the House Budget Committee’s Democratic Hearing, “Reality Bites: Why Younger Generations Should Be Concerned About the Deficit.” Hans told politicians how young people are having a harder time finding jobs and how more and more jobs are temporary positions or don’t provide acceptable benefits. He explained how this leads to young people taking on more financial debt and often leaves them without health coverage. He didn’t mention, however, that you sometimes dance around the basement in your underwear.

For more info on these issues and how voting can make a difference, click here.

To read the full text of Hans’ testimony, click here.

One Million Strong Rocking the Vote

It's official! Over 1 million people have registered through Rock the Vote's Internet and on-the-street voter drives.

One million.

I don't have to say much. That number speaks for Itself.

More details on the milestone early next week, but, for now, we just want to thank all of you who registered and all of you who pushed everyone you know to join you. This is a testament to you guys and to your determination to make your generation's voice heard -- and heard loud and clear -- in this election. And don't stop now. We're not even close to done yet.

Congrats to all of you. You deserve it.

Hey, it's your world; we're just blogging it.

When Culture Gets Political

At Rock the Vote, our view is that culture is how you really move people, especially young people. When culture gets political, it makes for a powerful combination. Check out this story on the topic from the Arizona Republic:

This pop culture/political convergence is a byproduct of a kooky 2000 election that grabbed America's attention: Votes really do count. And the nation's trendsetters, hoping to turn around the dismal 36 percent turnout of 18- to 24-year-old voters that year, are working up a mainly nonpartisan voting frenzy, inspiring youths tthe polls in part by appealing to that junior-high instinct in so many Americans: The popular people are doing it, and so should you.

In an election where issues directly affect young voters, from the rising cost of college to the war in Iraq being fought mainly by their peers, the plan seems to be working. Buoyed by hype and a tool that helps people register to vote using the Internet, the Rock the Vote program and its affiliates have registered more than 900,000 voters over the past year, compared with 3 million total voters registered since its 1990 inception. Over the past weeks, as registration deadlines loom, Rock the Vote and its partner sites are reporting 20,000 downloads of voting forms each day.

Popular culture is one method to enhance voter participation, but it is simply not the only one. It doesn't matter why we decide to vote. We each have our own reasons. The important thing is to realize that the vote you will cast come November does mean something. And, of course, it doesn't hurt to have a group of over 900,000 of your closest friends joining you.

Registration Deadlines Approaching

Hey guys, make sure to check the dates of your state’s voter registration deadlines. In the next week (Oct. 2-Oct. 8), 32 states will have their deadlines, after which you can no longer register to vote. While we don’t agree with early registration, those are the rules, and you don’t want to get shut out come November.

So, if you haven’t registered, make sure you do it before your state’s deadline. Actually, just go ahead and do it now.

And make sure everyone you know (and we mean everyone) is registered too.

If you’re unsure of your registration status, give your state election board a call to make sure you’re good to go.

We’re almost at a million registered through our site. Let’s make sure we get there in time to make our votes count.