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Last weekend Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli sent a letter to VA public colleges and universities encouraging them to drop discrimination bans against gays and lesbians.

In the wake of Cuccinelli’s homophobic actions, Virginia students have been using Facebook to take a stand against this attempt at discrimination and the Virginia Young Democrats are mobilizing against the repeal.

Here is VAYD President Sean Holihan addressing the situation:

The Virginia Young Democrats are taking part in a Facebook Day of Action using Facebook statuses to show opposition to the discrimination repeal and encouraging members to contact Governor McDonnell about the issue.

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Young Democrats of America Vice-President Colmon Elridge of Kentucky issued the following statement regarding the actions of Senator Jim Bunning:

It is unfortunate that Senator Jim Bunning has been away from Kentucky so long that he has forgotten the values that have shaped our Commonwealth and the spirit of commitment to the common good that is present in communities from Pikeville to Paducah and everywhere in between.

Because of the actions of the Junior Senator from Kentucky, one million Americans stand to lose their unemployment insurance. One million Americans, their families, and their communities will suffer because one person has put politics above people and partisanship above compassion for his fellow man.

The people of Kentucky deserve a Senator who shares our values. “United We Stand, Divided We Fall” are more than just words on our state flag. They are a reminder that how we survive as Kentuckians – and Americans – is to offer a helping hand to those in need and to work in a spirit of good-faith to shape America into that more perfect union.

Senator Bunning’s actions prove that a strong Democratic presence is needed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This incident stresses the importance of wining in November and returning a Kentuckian to Washington that shares our values and speaks to the common decency. Young Democrats are dedicated to shaping a Kentucky and an America that rise above these petty political maneuvers and put people first. My only wish is that, as so many Kentuckians who have served us in our nation’s capitol have done before, Senator Bunning would have retired a statesman and not a tyrant.

Colmon Elridge III
Vice-President
Young Democrats of America

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If you want to see an example of a great online video by a youth organization, look no further than the Manhattan Young Democrats year in review. The only thing I would have added is the gomyd.com url at the end of the video.

Great work.

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The Young Democrats of America (YDA), the official youth arm of the Democratic Party representing Democrats age 14-36, held its fall conference in Orlando, Florida the weekend of November 20-22. At the conference, the YDA Women’s Caucus convened to discuss business for the upcoming year.

Members voted to add a new paragraph to the by-laws to specify that voting members include women “who self identify as female regardless of the gender assigned at birth.”

Women’s Caucus Chair Elena Weiss, of Georgia, said that the language was added “to express the feelings of the membership that all women, including transgender women, should feel welcome to be a part of the mission of empowering young women in the political process.”

The Young Democrats of America will meet again in February in New Orleans for their spring conference.

About the Young Democrats of America Women’s Caucus:
The Women’s Caucus of the Young Democrats of America is a grassroots youth and young professional women’s organization that has produced many of the current leading women activists and elected officials in all levels of the Democratic Party. It is the only official Democratic group that serves young women age 14-36. For more information, please visit: http://womensyda.ning.com

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The campaign in Virginia is in its final two weeks and YDA is working hard to turn out volunteers between now and Election Day. We are organizing a special campaign invasion on the weekend of October 24 – 25 in Loudon and Prince William Counties. Our efforts will not only benefit Creigh Deeds gubernatorial bid but also John Bell for House of Delegates, a key legislative race that could help tip the balance of power in Richmond.

What’s different about this YDA campaign invasion is that we’ve scheduled some “fall fun” activities for Saturday night in Virginia and neighboring West Virginia. After canvassing and phone banking throughout the day, we will head over to a corn maze, ghost tour and bonfire to round out the night. Overnight accommodations for volunteers are available. We will resume canvassing in Virginia on Sunday.

To RSVP for this event, please visit the following link and respond to which activities during the weekend you plan to attend:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dERHeG0wQlRCdHFuak9vaERHcTBnT1E6MA

If you can’t make the trip to Virginia but would like to phone bank remotely, we are also making that option available. Please visit the RSVP link and indicate your willingness to phone bank from the comfort of your own home, and we will send you a voter contact list with instructions.

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The Young Democrats of America are holding their 2009 Fall National Conference at the Doubletree Hotel in Orlando, Florida the weekend of November 20-22.

The Fall National Conference, the first after the August’s 2009 National Convention, will involve strategic planning for the next two years, great trainings, and opportunities to network with other young Democrats from across the country.

There is an Early Bird registration rate until October 15th, and people interested in attending can register here.

If you or your organization is interested in sponsoring the conference or purchasing an advertisement in the program book, check out the sponsorships page.

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Last night, President Obama answered the call from young Americans and took a strong stance on health insurance reform in his address to Congress. The President came armed with details and a clearly outlined plan for health insurance reform, and he is now counting on us to make sure that plan turns into action.

Well over a thousand of you have signed the pledge and taken several actions in support of reform-contacting Senators, sending letters to local papers, attending town halls, and donating to keep the effort moving forward-and we must continue this fight. As the President said last night, “The time for games has passed, now is the season to act.”

Stand with President Obama and pledge to take action

Real health insurance reform must accomplish three goals:

President Obama has now asked us all to contact our elected officials in the House of Representatives. We have added this as a new action in our pledge with a tool that will let you easily contact your Representative.

Take action and help make our generation is the last to have to take up this cause

The President needs our help to improve the lives of millions of Americans. Young Americans have the power to make the dream a reality and fight to pass real health insurance reform. Thank you for the work you have already done and continue to do.

Best,

Crystal Strait
President
Young Democrats of America

P.S. If you have already signed the pledge you can take our new action here.

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Last week Rod Snyder, YDA Executive Vice President, and Hailey Snow, YDA Political Director, participated in a meeting at the White House about health care and young Americans.

Two things became clear. First, our generation is at the most risk of being uninsured without health insurance reform, and second, that passing a bill that provides quality affordable health care to all Americans will require Millennials to take action supporting it.

The Young Democrats of America launched yda.org/healthpledge, where young Americans from across the country can pledge to take action in support of health insurance reform. Once someone signs the pledge, they are redirected to a page where they can take one or more of the following actions:

• Write a letter to a local paper
• Write to your Senators
• Call your Senators
• Attend a town hall meeting
• Call in to talk radio
• Make a donation

Everyone that signs the pledge by Wednesday night will be invited to participate on YDA’s Health Insurance Reform update conference call with Democratic leaders and elected officials.

YDA Blog – Our Visit to the White House to Talk About Health Care
YDA Blog – Pledge to Fight for Health Insurance Reform

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Yesterday, in the wake of losing our biggest health insurance reform advocate, Senator Ted Kennedy, YDA Executive Vice President Rod Snyder and Political Director Hailey Snow met at the White House with the Administration to learn about the impact the health care epidemic is having on young Americans. YDA pledged to take action to fight for health insurance reform.

During the meeting Rod texted me: “White House staffer just said November 4th was just the election day. Our victories meant nothing unless we are able to mobilize young people around meaningful reform that will help all Americans.”

It’s as simple as that. We can’t afford to wait on health reform. The question is, what are you doing to make sure Congress hears that young Americans are demanding health insurance reform now? We need to be at the Congressional town hall meetings, writing our legislators, sending letters to our local papers and talking to anyone that will listen about the importance of quality affordable health care. Can you pledge to take at least one action to help fight for health care?

The White House explained today that health insurance reform is the building block to obtain momentum for all future issues on the President’s agenda. This is the first major test of our ability to bring about real change.

Will you do your part by taking the pledge?

14,000 Americans lose their health insurance on a daily basis and those fortunate enough to have health insurance have seen their premiums double. President Obama has asked for our help. So, the question is: What are you doing to make sure Congress hears that young Americans are demanding health insurance reform now?

We need to be writing our legislators, sending letters to our local papers, showing our presence at the town hall meetings, and talking to anyone that will listen about the importance of quality affordable health care. Can you pledge to take at least one action to help fight for health care?

This is our first major test. Let’s not fail President Obama, the Americans that voted for change, and most importantly let’s not let ourselves down. Don’t sit idly by and live the rest of your life knowing that you didn’t take the time to do something important for yourself and your entire generation.

Help pass health insurance reform today. Take the pledge.

Best,

Crystal Strait
YDA President

P.S. Please encourage your friends and family to visit yda.org/healthpledge and join you in taking this important action.

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