Republicans created a doughnut hole in assistance for medical treatment of newborns with congenital illness, with children whose families’s incomes fall into that hole at risk of dying.

Republicans severely cut K-12 education and included a number of screw you provisions in revenge against teachers associations for being audacious enough to advocate for education.

Democrats were not included in the negotiations about the budget, silencing the voices of the millions of Arizona Democrats.

And when the session rolled on past the midnight mark, they just turned off the clocks (literally) and pretended it was still June. If Arizona Republicans did not wait until the last minute and worked on the budget earlier instead of spending all their time coming up with new places people can bring loaded guns this would not have been an issue.

The whole process was shameful, and I hope Arizona voters remember what the Republicans have done to our state in 2010.

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links for 2009-06-30

30 Jun

Posted by Kevin Bondelli as Links

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links for 2009-06-29

29 Jun

Posted by Kevin Bondelli as Links

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links for 2009-06-28

28 Jun

Posted by Kevin Bondelli as Links

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Sunday Photo: Green Caterpillar

28 Jun

Posted by Kevin Bondelli as Sunday Photo

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links for 2009-06-27

27 Jun

Posted by Kevin Bondelli as Links

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I Won a DFA Netroots Nation Scholarship

27 Jun

Posted by Kevin Bondelli as Netroots Nation

Thanks to the help of many of you that supported me, I was chosen by Democracy for America to receive a 2009 Netroots Nation Scholarship.

I want to specifically thank Sarah Burris, Hillary Hunt, Maritza Lopez, and Michael Connery who all went above and beyond in recruiting supporters and helping me during the application process.

Speaking of Michael Connery, he is competing for one of the round 3 scholarships, and your support would be very much appreciated. For those that don’t know Michael is the founder of Future Majority who literally wrote the book on the youth vote. I along with many others would not be where we are today without him.

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IFLRY Statement: Solidarity With Iranian Youth

27 Jun

Posted by Kevin Bondelli as IFLRY, Issues

The International Federation of Liberal Youth (in which the Young Democrats of America represent the United States) have issued the following statement on the situation in Iran:

After the much contested presidential elections on May 9th, 2009 in Iran, violence broke out as young Iranians were protesting on the streets of Tehran, their natural rights to peaceful assemble were disregarded. The protesters were harassed, beaten and forcibly ejected by the police and members of the Basij. Now, weeks after the elections, riots, brutal murders, torture, and detention of innocent civilians without due process of law continues to be at play.

The International federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) expresses our solidarity with the Iranian youth and their people in their right to expresses their grievances towards the establishments of Iranian society through peaceful and non-violent means. We vehemently condemn the on-going violence and suppression of independence through infiltration of communications and the internet by the government.

Taking into account of Iran’s unique and sensitive situation where elections are farcical and there is no genuine right of political participation: we view the current riots as the natural result of built-up frustration by young people within a system that does not take their voice into account.

IFLRY believes in the freedom of expression and individualism. While we recognize that religion can be important part of people’s lives, a certain life style cannot and should not be enforced upon a person by state and much more with the use of coercion. We adhere to the ideal that each generation needs to define its own paths of life: the young Iranians should have a chance to decide upon theirs. We are in full support of all Iranian citizens especially the youth who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties and rule of law. IFLRY continues to affirm the importance of democratic and fair elections. No government should rule without a clear and clean mandate from its people.

We also recognize the invaluable contribution of Iranian women, who bravely take a lead in the struggle for their native Iran as shown by Neda Agha Soltan’s sacrifice, she is now Iran’s iconic symbol for greater freedom and justice.

In conclusion, the International Federation of Liberal Youth calls upon the Iranian government and its leaders to be magnanimous in accepting the people’s clamor for a clean, honest and manipulation-free election. We urge the Iranian government to veer away from their violent and brutal treatment of young people peaceful protesting to express their view and exercise their universal human rights.

While it is not for us to determine the fate of Iran and its people, IFLRY reaffirms its strong conviction that the Iranian people should enjoy the right to express their views about the future of their country freely, without intimidation and fear.