After U.S. Sen. Scott Brown’s comments yesterday about how he paid for college and law school, Massachusetts college students took aim at some of the junior senator’s votes against making college more affordable and accessible in a conference call with reporters today.

Andrew Slade, a junior at Boston College and Vice President of the College Democrats of Massachusetts, encouraged Scott Brown to work with other members of Congress to make college more affordable.

“As an undergrad at one of the two fine private institutions that Scott Brown attended, I think it’s ridiculous that he who was presented with incredible educational opportunities at these two wonderful, private schools as a result of support from the government is now, as my United States Senator, voting to deny my generation the very same opportunities he was afforded. “We all know that college is expensive, so we should be working together to make it more affordable and Massachusetts needs to be represented in Congress by people who understand that,” Slade said.

Taylor J. Barnard is a junior at Tufts and a member of Tufts Democrats noted that Brown voted for a Republican budget plan that would have slashed the average Massachusetts Pell Grant award by $700.

“I have student loans, a full Pell Grant and work two jobs just to be able to pay for my college education. The nature of my family’s financial situation is such that if I didn’t have the assistance of Pell Grants and loans I wouldn’t be able to for college. I don’t know that Tufts is necessarily a school of “hard-knocks” but I know plenty of people here who are in the same situation as me. I’m glad that schools like Tufts recognize that there are students out there who have the talent and brains to succeed but just need some help paying for college. It upsets me that Senator Brown has voted against measures in Congress that would increase or maintain financial support for student aid. His vote against the Health care reconciliation is of particular concern to me. This increased Pell Grants and directed savings from government student loan programs to other education programs including Pell Grants,” Barnard said.

Bronwen Raff, also a Tufts junior who serves as Vice President of Tufts Democrats criticized Brown for not looking out for students who need to same kind of help he did.

“I can say with all certainty that I would not be at this amazing institution without Pell Grants. It is hurtful to know that Scott Brown has not looked out for the students who have followed behind him at his alma mater. By supporting cuts for Pell Grants, Scott Brown is disallowing students like me from learning at the same institution where he too received a first-class education,” Raff said.

College Democrats of Massachusetts President Kate Moore, a student at Smith College, warned that college students in the Commonwealth will not stand with Scott Brown in 2012.

“Throughout his time in the Senate as well as in the State Senate here in Massachusetts, Scott Brown has proven that he does not stand on the side of students, but on the side of special interests. For example, earlier this year, Senator Brown voted for the Tea Party Republican-controlled House of Representatives budget plan, which would have slashed the average Pell Grant awarded to Massachusetts college students by $700. Just as Scott Brown has made it clear that he does not stand with students, college students will make it clear that they stand with Democrats in 2012,” Moore said.

This year, Senator Brown voted for the Tea Party Republican-controlled House of Representatives budget plan, which would have slashed the average Pell Grant awarded to Massachusetts college students by $700.

• 1 Comment

The DREAM Act failed in the Senate after Republicans and five Democrats, Pryor (Ark) Tester (Mont.), Nelson (Neb.), Hagan (NC), and Baucus (Mont.), voted no.

Campus Progress issued the following statement:

Statement of Angela Peoples, Policy and Advocacy Manager at Campus Progress (the youth division of the Center for American Progress), on the Senate’s failure to pass the DREAM Act today:

“Campus Progress is extremely disappointed in the Senate’s failure to pass the DREAM Act today. The fact that common sense, fiscally responsible legislation like the DREAM Act cannot pass in the Senate says a great deal about how deeply cynical our political process has become. It is a travesty that the futures of thousands of talented young people have become casualties of political posturing and misleading, xenophobic rhetoric.

We are grateful to Senators Reid, Durbin, Levin, Leahy and others who have consistently and courageously stood with us to fight for the DREAM Act. We want them to know that we will continue to fight until the thousands of young people who want nothing more than to give back to the only country they call home have the opportunity to do so.

We watched the vote carefully today, and rest assured, we will remember who chose to stand up in support of fairness and expanding opportunity, and those who stood in the way.”

USSA issued the following statement:

Today, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act failed in a Senate procedural vote. This legislation would have created a pathway to citizenship for undocumented students who go to college or enter the military. The United States Student Association (USSA), the country’s oldest and largest student association, has supported the DREAM Act since it was first introduced in 2001.

“Students nationwide, both with and without proper documentation, were extremely disappointed in yet another failure of Congress to summon the political courage to pass the DREAM Act,” said USSA President Lindsay McCluskey. “This bill would strengthen the moral, educational, economic, and military foundation of the U.S., yet too many members of the Senate chose to put politics over country today.”

Recently, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) announced the DREAM Act would have raised over $2 billion in revenue for the U.S. and cut the deficit by over $1 billion over the next ten years. Additionally, several members of President Obama’s cabinet, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, had come out very supportive of the DREAM Act because of its benefits to national security.

Undeterred by the vote, young people will continue fighting for immigrant youth justice by gearing up for what will most likely be a difficult 112th Congress.

• 0 Comments

In an effort to start a real national push for green jobs, U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman today joined the newly minted EnergizeUS coalition, comprised of candidates running for office across the country — each committed to pursuing policies to expand alternative energy jobs and keep America secure.

The EnergizeUS coalition pledges not just to run on green jobs, but to form a caucus in the U.S. House and Senate to create a push for jobs in a new green economy.

John McCain has taken all sides of this issue but is best remembered for an energy plan reduced to three words: Drill baby, drill. He’s spending millions of Big Oil dollars in an effort to hold onto his seat, despite ignoring Arizona’s needs for 28 years in Washington.

“Arizona is perfectly positioned to cash in on the coming revolution in clean industry and needs a U.S. Senator committed to putting our state on the cutting edge of the new economy,” Glassman said.

Arizona receives fewer federal solar dollars than the city of Portland, Ore., in part because McCain has refused to fight to bring our tax dollars back to our state.

“I’m proud to to be part of this coalition of candidates committed to creating jobs and sending fewer dollars to oil-rich countries that bankroll America’s enemies,” Glassman said. “We should spend less money subsidizing Big Oil and invest more in alternative energy, like solar power, to the benefit of Arizona and America.”

Like the EnergizeUS Coalition on Facebook

• 0 Comments

U.S. Sen. John McCain just sent an unmistakable message that he will stand up for Wall Street hedge fund managers and stand against those knocked out of work by the recession Wall Street caused.

McCain voted against H.R. 4213, the unemployment insurance, jobs and tax extenders bill, legislation that would extend unemployment benefits at a time when jobs are scarce. Meanwhile, banks are afraid to lend under threat from hedge fund managers, who are happy with the status quo because they benefit from a 15 percent tax rate on their income. That’s a little more than half what middle class wage earners pay on their taxes.

McCain’s top five 2008 campaign contributors were Wall Street banks and he suspended that campaign to race back to Washington, D.C. to help bail out these banks.

Meanwhile, Arizona voters have overwhelmingly agreed to raise their own taxes to protect schools, public safety and health care services.

“I’ll stand up for Arizona workers and businesses who pull their own weight. I’ll stand up for those who lost their jobs because far-off financiers’ risky schemes collapsed,” said U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman. “John McCain seems happy to stand up for his friends who caused this mess.”

• 0 Comments

U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman is calling on John McCain to prove his independence and donate to Gulf Coast communities the $2.4 million he has taken from Big Oil.

McCain has taken $2.4 million in campaign cash from Big Oil companies and $36,000 from British Petroleum since 2006. McCain’s most well-known presidential campaign slogan was “Drill Baby, Drill!”

Friends of the Earth has identified McCain as the top fundraiser from Big Oil, headlining a bi-partisan list of the “BP 10.” The environmental group is calling on each Washington insider to show their own energy independence by giving the money to help the families of shrimpers, restaurant owners and roughnecks who have been financially devastated by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“Arizona’s thoughts and prayers go out to our fellow Americans coping with a disaster created by Big Oil,” said U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman. “John McCain should show he stands with the people on the gulf coast and show Arizona he is not beholden to Big Oil’s special interests by giving his Big Oil contributions to relief efforts.”

McCain once sponsored climate change legislation and supported energy independence. The United States has three percent of the world’s oil reserves and consumes 20 percent of the supply.

“McCain was once a voice for the environment, now he has become an agent of the companies that take hard earned tax dollars, fight against safety regulations and ensure America remains addicted to oil. The people of Arizona need a U.S. Senator who will look to a sustainable future and invest in renewable energy and innovative green technologies. For Arizona this includes solar.” Glassman said. “We can create thousands of Arizona jobs and improve our national security by not borrowing money from China to send to Saudi Arabia.”

• 0 Comments

The Rodney Glassman campaign is building the grassroots power to elect a U.S. Senator who will put Arizona first. Arizona is a diverse and dynamic state, and we are building an empowered organization that is dedicated to creating game-changing results in 2010.

Three great reasons to work for Rodney Glassman in 2010:

• Help beat Senator John McCain, again.
• Lay the foundation for President Obama in 2012.
• Put Arizona back on track by impacting Democratic turn-out in down-ballot races.

Overview
A Field Organizer (FO) will be responsible for successfully executing the field program in their region. This includes recruiting and training volunteers, managing political relationships, holding organizational meetings, house parties, and soliciting donations when necessary.

Requirements:

• At least 1 cycle campaign experience or 2 years related experience (non-profit, government, or consulting firm).
• Reliable transportation.
• Voter Activation Network (VAN) experience preferred.

Successful applicants will:

• Respect, empower, and include everyone, and anyone, who wants to be involved in the Rodney Glassman campaign.
• Be self-motivated and willing to work long hours (including nights and weekends).
• Be able to motivate others.
• Have the desire and demonstrated ability to exceed expectations.
• Have the ability to communicate with diverse communities and leaders. Bilingual Spanish skills a plus.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Recruit, train, and manage a team of volunteer leaders to meet or exceed established field goals.
• Establish and maintain relationships with local Democratic and like-minded organizations and coalition groups.
• Represent the Glassman campaign with professionalism, & enthusiasm.
• Provide daily reports, including volunteer recruitment and voter contacts.
• Schedule, prepare, and execute outreach presentations at local schools, colleges, universities, Democratic clubs and other community meetings to recruit volunteers.
• Maintain lists of canvass staging locations, phone banks, and special event locations.
• Prepare call lists, including scripts, instructions and other important documents.

To Apply:
 Please send resume and cover letter to kristing@rodneyglassman.com. Selected applicants may be asked to participate in phone/in-person interviews.

• 0 Comments

Although the Armed Forces is one of the few institutions in which women receive equal pay for equal work, when women veterans return to civilian life, they face unequal pay and disproportionately high rates of unemployment and homelessness. U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman is calling for the creation of a Veteran Employment Discrimination Prevention (VEDP) office and various training and support programs targeted toward women service members and veterans.

“Women are an increasing segment of our Armed Forces,” said Glassman. “It is unconscionable that we allow them to return to civilian life only to face unfair wages and discrimination.”

“Despite his admirable military service, McCain has repeatedly and vocally opposed expanding health benefits for veterans and the 2008 GI Bill, which provided much-needed educational opportunities for our troops. McCain’s record protecting women’s rights has been hallmarked by his adamant objections to the Fair Pay Act, which advanced women’s rights to take legal action when employers are caught discriminating against women.”

Both men and women veterans face frequent employment discrimination after returning to civilian life, and women earn an average of $10,000 less per year than their male counterparts.

Over the last year, the unemployment rate for women veterans has nearly doubled to about 11 percent, and women veterans are about four times more likely to be homeless than male veterans.

“As a woman and a veteran, I truly appreciate Rodney’s focus on preventing veteran employment discrimination,” said Major Susan Parker-Hotchkiss (USAF, ret.). “This is exactly the type of leadership we need in Washington to ensure our service members have the opportunities they deserve when they return to civilian life.”

As part of a broader effort to address discrimination against all veterans and military service members, the proposed Veteran Employment Discrimination Prevention (VEDP) office would be housed within the Veterans’ Employment and Training Services (VETS) agency of the U.S. Department of Labor.

The VEDP would provide the following services:

• Operate a central hotline for veterans to report and seek information regarding veteran employment discrimination;
• Proactively inform veterans and service members of their legal rights to fair and equitable employment;
• Allow attorneys to register in a database, so veterans and service members can access proper legal resources within their communities; and
• Offer a specialized course on identifying and reporting veteran employment discrimination through the Transition Assistance Program (TAP).

Glassman is also seeking to broaden the range of services provided to service members and veterans by establishing the following:

• Expand counseling and services to veterans and transitioning service members that focus on managing family life while seeking work;
• Provide temporary child support for veterans re-entering the civilian workforce who are single parents; and
• Early outreach to women preparing to leave the service (12-24 months before leaving the service) and longer support after they return to civilian life (12-18 months).

“I’ve been encouraged by the recent progress made in Congress toward supporting our troops’ health and employment opportunities,” said Glassman. “But I hope we can cast a national spotlight on veteran employment discrimination as something we need to immediately address.”

The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 was recently signed into law and provides a wide range of programs that support veterans’ health, including programs specifically targeted toward women’s health and homeless veterans. A bipartisan Veterans Employment Act of 2010 is currently moving through the Senate and would provide funding for training and small business support for veterans. Neither of these pieces of legislation specifically address veteran employment discrimination.

Learn more at RodneyGlassman.com.

• 0 Comments