Sep 2
Books of the Semester
This fall, we’ll all be reading two books that will be discussed during and at the end of the semester:
Aug 5
The Next Dick Cheney
A message from the Democratic National Committee:
“This could be the week that John McCain announces his running mate.
Who do the Republicans want to be the next Dick Cheney?
Check out www.TheNextCheney.com today for the truth about Republican VP candidates.
Will it be Tim Pawlenty, the man Dick Cheney handpicked to be governor of Minnesota? Or will it be Mitt Romney, always proud of his moderate record until he adopted Bush and Cheney’s extreme positions to please the far right?
No matter who McCain picks, we can count on one thing — his running mate will be just as committed to continuing the disastrous policies of the Bush administration, from the economy, to energy policy, to Iraq.
As Democrats, we need to be prepared with the truth about whoever John McCain picks. That’s why the Democratic Party has put together a new website — to shed some light on the Republicans who are vying to step into Dick Cheney’s shadow…
When that moment comes, the McCain campaign will be ready to spin a story about how their VP candidate represents change.
We want to make sure you have the real facts about each of the potential picks so you won’t be caught off guard when it counts. You can also sign up on our website for the new Rapid Response Team so you can help fight smears, spread the truth, and take positive action.
Thanks for your help,
Mike
Mike Gehrke
Research Director
Democratic National Committee
Jul 18
BYU Dems on CNN (again…)
It is our great pleasure to once again be featured in national news for being Democrats in the state of Utah. Congratulations to the members of our executive council who represented us.
Jun 10
Yay Obama!
Obama unveiled his 50 State Plan today, promising to have campaign staff in every state. It makes me wish I were back in Utah, because I have this very strong feeling that Utah is going to come out as THE surprise hub of Obama activity and fundraising. You guys will make it happen!
Apr 15
Waterboarding Fun in Provo
Don’t try this at home- Hyrum I’m talking to you.
A Provo telemarketing company, Prosper Inc., waterboarded one of its employees, Chad Hudgens, as a “team-building exercise” last May. The boss who conducted the waterboarding told his staff, “You saw how hard Chad fought for air right there. I want you to go back inside and fight that hard to make sales.” Chad sued the company for torture in January and the trial will come to court shortly. Read the Wash Post article here.
-Diane
Apr 10
A year later: Cheney Protest
I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, or revive one back from the dead, but browsing the Salt Lake City Weekly “Best of Utah 2008″, guess what was listed as BEST BYU EVENT… that’s right, they’re still talking about the change we made. You can check out the full article here, or just read the excerpt below if you don’t appreciate some recreational profanity.
Best wishes, Eric Harker
Dick Cheney Protest, April 2007
Many of us were surprised to hear that good, old-fashioned campus protests are alive and well at BYU—for a few students, anyway, during a certain time frame within the bounds of a so-called “free-speech zone.” But even the squeaky-clean Cougars couldn’t just stand by silently when Vice President Dick Cheney, party to so many of the wrong turns this country has taken over the past seven years, was invited as 2007 commencement speaker. A group of students pulled together a polite protest, which went off without a hitch until the free-speech zone disappeared at the allotted time—then, as the students tried to leave, they were hassled by campus security.
Apr 9
Awesome, Rad, Democratic Events Coming Up (aka announcements)
Dems,
As time rushes on towards finals and due dates for all those too-long-procrastinated projects, a happy thought from a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip:
Calvin: In the short run, playing instead of doing my homework will bring me greater happiness. In the long run, doing my homework now would probably bring me greater happiness. But in the really long run, I know which will make better memories.
Now, on to the stuff that REALLY does matter — BYU Democrats events!
DEMOCRATIC POLITICS IN UTAH COUNTY PANEL (and free food!) - This is a big deal and we really, really, really want all you to come if at all possible. We’ve been able to garner commitments from seven of the Democratic candidates for state office from Utah county, and they’re coming to talk to us about politics here in Utah County and the state in general and how YOU can get involved in overcoming Utah’s current one-party system. The panel will be from 7-9pm in 3104 JKB (Jesse Knight Building). You will have a chance to hear the candidates’ stances on a variety of issues, from immigration to health care to the environment to Provo issues to whatever other issues you can think to bring up. They will also share important information on their campaigns and the positions they have available for students. And if all that isn’t enough to get you there, there will be pizza, drinks, and desserts for all.
COLLEGE DEMOCRATS OF UTAH STATE CONVENTION - Another big event is going down this Saturday at the University of Utah. All the College Democrat groups from around Utah will be gathering for free lunch, keynote speaker Representative David Litvack, breakout sessions on activism and group organization, and the election of state officers. This will be a lot of fun, free food, and a chance to mix and mingle will other college dems from around the state (haven’t found your liberal sweetheart at BYU? This could be a goldmine of opportunity…). We will meeting to carpool down at 10:45am at Jamba Juice in the Wilkinson Center, this Saturday, April 12. The event should run from 12-3, so you should be back to Provo by 4-4:30. If you are planning on going, and need a ride, respond to this email and let us know.
BYU RUNNING RECYCLING PILOT PROGRAM UNTIL END OF YEAR - Ever feel like changing things at BYU is impossible? Get ready for some evidence to the contrary…BYU has provided us with nine plastic recycling bins in the Wilkinson Center, which they are allowing us to run until the end of finals. This is to see what kind of response an on-campus recycling program would generate, so we need your help! Take all your #1 and #2 (which includes any plastic bottles you would purchase on campus) plastics and put them in the bins. Encourage your friends to do the same. If this goes well, long-term plastics recycling program is very possible. If you are interested in getting involved with the project, email Macrae at macrae@byurecycles.org or just check out www.byurecycles.org.
NEW BYU DEMOCRATS PRESIDENT!! - The time has come for a changing of the guard, and so effective Wednesday, April 23, Randal Serr will be taking over as president of the BYU Democrats. I’ll continue to carry out the “presidential duties” until then. If you have questions, comments, or bribery offers for Randall, you can shoot him an email at president@byudemocrats.org,.
ACLU EVENT - LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTIVISM - The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), an organization dedicated to the protection of the civil liberties of all people, will be hosting a cool event entitled “LIghts, Camera, Activism” on Monday, April 21 from 6:30-8:00pm at Spy Hop Productions, 511 West 200 South Suite 100. Lisa Remington, who produced the ACLU’s lauded “Freedom Files” film series, which details their positions on a variety of today’s hot political issues, will be speaking on how she has used her passion for filmmaking to help promote progressive politics and protect civil liberties. The ACLU of Utah will also be giving out free copies of the “Freedom Files” videos to those in attendance. For more info, check out the website.: www.acluutah.org/lightscameraactivism.html.
Allrighty, I think that’s it for now. I’ll see you at these events…and afterwards in the library.
darren
Apr 5
10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don’t)
10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don’t):
1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has “evolved,” yet he’s continued to oppose key civil rights laws.1
2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain “will make Cheney look like Gandhi.”2
3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.3
4. McCain opposes a woman’s right to choose. He said, “I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned.”4
5. The Children’s Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children’s health care bill last year, then defended Bush’s veto of the bill.5
6. He’s one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a “second job” and skip their vacations.6
7. Many of McCain’s fellow Republican senators say he’s too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: “The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He’s erratic. He’s hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me.”7
8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.8
9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his “spiritual guide,” Rod Parsley, believes America’s founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a “false religion.” McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church “the Antichrist” and a “false cult.”9
10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.10
–Eli, Justin, Noah, Laura, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Saturday, April 5th, 2008
Sources:
1. “The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day,” ABC News, April 3, 2008
http://blogs.abcnews.com
“McCain Facts,” ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008
http://colorofchange.org
2. “McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq,” Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps
“Buchanan: John McCain ‘Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,’” ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008
3. “McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill,” ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008
4. “McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned,” MSNBC, February 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id
5. “2007 Children’s Defense Fund Action Council® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard,” February 2008
http://www.childrensdefense
“McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion,” CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007
6. “Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady,” Associated Press, April 3, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article
“McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,’” Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps
7. “Will McCain’s Temper Be a Liability?,” Associated Press, February 16, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics
“Famed McCain temper is tamed,” Boston Globe, January 27, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news
8. “Black Claims McCain’s Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: ‘I Don’t Know What The Criticism Is,’” ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008
“McCain’s Lobbyist Friends Rally ‘Round Their Man,” ABC News, January 29, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter
9. “McCain’s Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam,” Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008
http://www.motherjones.com
“Will McCain Specifically ‘Repudiate’ Hagee’s Anti-Gay Comments?,” ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008
“McCain ‘Very Honored’ By Support Of Pastor Preaching ‘End-Time Confrontation With Iran,’” ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008
10. “John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record,” Sierra Club, February 28, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/blogs
Apr 2
40th Anniversary of MLK Assasination Concert
Some great songs, especially anti-Vietnam War and civil rights songs, classic cultural critiques from the left of the 1960s.
