The Voters Voice

History was made this week. Barack Obama’s metoric rise to the Presidency has already been compared to Kennedy’s election 48 years ago. Much like Kennedy, Obama’s youth and message of hope resonated with voters between the ages of 18-25. Obama is also the first Senator elected to our nation’s highest office since Kennedy was elected in 1960.

Student participants in our online poll chose the Illinois Senator as well. With a greater margin than their parents, students chose Obama 57-43. Students in our mock election mirrored their adult counterparts in all the statewide issues. Students defeated the constitutional amendment allowing a casino here in Ohio by a great margin as their parents and other voters did. The students in Dayton City schools passed their levy by a huge margin as well.

Thank you to all the students that participated in this historic election.

I leave you with this quote from President Bush’s 2004 victory speech:

“We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us. And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America.”

From Obama’s victory speech last night:

…tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals — democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

Both men understand that America is great. America is greater than the individual statesman. That there is no power greater than that of democracy.

Admittedly, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank isn’t really a major political news topic. Still, it is an important issue in U.S. foreign relations (as evidenced by President Bush’s increased interest in brokering a peace deal in the region - though this isn’t an unusual goal of outgoing, lame-duck presidents), and it is an issue that will no doubt come up more and more as the campaigns go on, and as the violence in the region gets worse.

Yet, for such an important topic, it feels like the big thing lacking from media coverage of the conflict is objectivity, or at least an attempt at it. While this isn’t entirely true, I’ve often wondered what actual people on the ground thought about the conflict - people who live with the bombings, rockets, and so on day in and day out.

It’s from that mindset that I was recently surprised to find the BBC publishing several interviews and articles about the Palistinian conflict that are entirely from the viewpoint of the people on the ground.

The most recent story is a series of letters written between Anav Silverman, who works at the Media Centre in Sderot, Israel, and Mona Yousef, a freelance translator who works and lives in the northern Gaza Strip, gives a great view (I think) of the mindset that many Palestinians and Israelis have about the entire situation.

In many ways, the two sides ARE dinametrically opposed: the Israelis take the stance that everything is Hamas’ fault, and if they would just be reasonable none of this would be a problem; and the Palestinians feel that they are under constant threat and attack from an aggressor who cannot be placated, that they have no protection, and that the ‘terrorist’ fighters are really defenders. Both views have some validity to them - Hamas’ attacking Israel does force them to act defensively towards Palestinians, but at the same time, their measures often violate the basic rights of Palestinians, and cross the line between defense and collective punishment.

But as the older of the two stores shows, everyone (or so we hope) involved in the conflict has one desire -peace. While for some people, that peace can come only with power, many people on the ground are willing to give and take a little in order to attain it. One the heels of a poll published in the Israeli Newspaper Haaretz that indicated a majority of Israelis wanted to open real peace talks with Hamas, the BBC’s Editors Blog featured two bloggers - one Palestinian, one Israeli - that met and now run a joint blog. The bloggers focus on the struggles of life in Gaza and Sderot, providing an often absent viewpoint on the conflict. They were recently interviewed on BBC Radio 4 (Listen to the interview here), and you can find the blog here.

What do I think? Personally, I think the fault for the conflict is on both sides. Ignoring the fact that the creation of Israel itself was a risky move that was asking for trouble, Palestinians (and the entire Arab world) need to realize that Israel is here to stay. Hamas needs to stop firing rockets into Israel for no good reason (defense against a military force is one thing, shooting rockets at schools is another, and ‘revenge’ is never a good reason), recognize Israel as a legitimate nation, and sit down to peace talks along with the West Bank’s PLA.

At the same time, Israel must start respecting the basic rights of Palistinians - stop invading people’s homes without warrent or probable cause, stop military incursions into Palistinian territories, stop killing civilians (accidents happen, yes, but in Israels case, they seem to happen alot), end what is effectively a siege of Gaza, and provide humanitarian assistance to the people.

Ultimately, what Israel needs to focus on is the people. If Israel wasn’t so deeply hated and resented by the Palestinian people, Hamas and other extremist groups wouldn’t have the support they do. It may be painful, it may cause a few more attacks at first, but there is a way to bring about peace and security without turning Gaza into an open prison, without causing so much suffering.

What do you think?

It’s the end of my first week at Kids Voting sans Anna.  I have to say it is bittersweet.  As much as I love being here at Kids Voting, I keep expecting Anna to walk through the door with her big smile, funny disposition and a plate of cookies!  Alas, I know that is not going to happen as she has departed for her next big adventure at Wright State (Go Raiders!  I am an alum).  Anna left Kids Voting in great shape; her tireless efforts are evident in our public profile, our financials and our growing support.  She is to be commended for that.  Further, please know that we did wrangle her into doing committee work for us so she will still be contributing to our success.

I am honored to take the reigns as the Interim Executive Director as we search for a new leader.  This was an easy decision for me when Anna asked me to step-in (the peach pancakes helped too).  You see, I have been a supporter of Kids Voting Dayton for a decade now – it’s hard to believe.  I have been an intermittent Board member over those years and have watched the organization blossom to what it is today.  So, I felt confident my learning curve would be minimal. 

My first two weeks have been great – we’ve been busy – which is good. 

Day two for me was March 4 – Primary Day.  What a way to start a new job!  I was able to see workers at Montgomery County Board of Elections scrambling about in the morning – they really do a tremendous job.  I then transported some of our Youth @ the Booth workers to several precincts.  I watched Justin do an interview with Jamie Jarosik from WDTN and then visited several more polls – it was a great day and a wonderful way to see our democratic process in action.

I have been an external supporter of Kids Voting for a long time, I am glad to be in a position where now I am on the inside looking out…and the view is great from here!

What is success?  For me, success was defined by a note from my father before I took the ACT college entrance exam.   The morning of test day, I found a note among the scattered study notes and crushed pop cans on my desk.  In physician-like scrawl my father left me a life-changing message on a large yellow post-it note. My father wrote: “Remember your test score does not measure your value as a human being.  You will find ways to make a difference in this world no matter the grade, test, or task.”

To this day, the thought of that note brings a lump to my throat.  I give my parents credit for introducing my siblings and me to the nonprofit world.  Both worked or volunteered for the nonprofit community, and it was an unspoken expectation that we would help seal envelopes, make phone calls, and support the myriad other miscellaneous tasks to assist underpaid and overworked nonprofit staff members.  As young volunteers, our internal drives were shaped by these early experiences and resulted in our lifelong connection to service.

As the outgoing executive director of Kids Voting, I am connected to an organization that will forever have a special place in my heart.  It was Denise Rehg (President & CEO of Culture Works) who introduced me to this nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that inspires and educates the next generation of voters and community leaders. There was instantaneous interest as it linked together my passion for politics, education, and community involvement. This, combined with an extraordinary Board of Directors, made it impossible to not be excited about this opportunity.

Kids Voting works with teachers, administrators, parents, businesses, elected officials, and volunteers to provide the most valuable civics lesson – the opportunity to vote.  My job was to help facilitate moments that brought together Republicans and Democrats; Dayton Business Journal and Dayton Daily News reporters; elected officials and citizens; and voters and nonvoters for our students.  Programs like Youth at the Booth, Kids Voting Council, and the annual high school conference created teachable moments for all participants. Warning Shameless Promotion Ahead: Visit our web site at www.kidsvotingdayton.org for more details!

It has truly been an honor to serve this organization and have my name associated with those like Max Jennings, Doris Ponitz, Dona Vella, Mitchell Bailey, Justin Collins, and the prestigious Kids Voting Board of Directors. There were many individuals who were instrumental to the success of this worthy organization.  The founders, executive directors, Board of Directors, volunteers and staff members, create a network of individuals devoted to creating an informed and engaged electorate.

As our community discusses how to market our region, I can testify that the Miami Valley has incredibly talented, passionate, and dedicated leaders.  As the leader of a small nonprofit with a meager budget, Kids Voting has made a big impact because of companies like DP&L, foundations like the Dayton Foundation, educators like Terry Riley (Centerville School District), and leaders like Toni Perry Gillispie (2006-08 Kids Voting Board Chair).

Kids Voting’s business is education.  Our organization’s mission is to secure the future of democracy by preparing young people to be educated, engaged voters.  It is from our very own youth, that I have learned the most.  Students like Baxter, Giles, Annelise, Marie, Liz, Becca, Esther, Julie, Bill, and the other Kids Voting Council members have made my time at Kids Voting the most rewarding.  These talented young people are committed to making an impact now!  They do not want to wait until tomorrow to make their contributions as adults  -they have the talent, drive, and passion to make their voices heard today!  There is much to learn from these young voices.

It has always been about the “kids” – these future leaders that will determine our collective fate – they were the driving force for a lifelong passion for Kids Voting.  As I transition to Wright State University as the Assistant Director of Annual Giving, I fully expect to interact with these student-leaders.  I expect my future role at Wright State University will afford me the opportunity to continue working with inspired youth that want to make a difference in our world. Regardless of my role, I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to serve Kids Voting and look forward to continued engagement with young leaders of our region at Wright State University.  As my father said, no matter the title or job, we are to make a difference in this world – and I am happy to contribute to this organization and our community as a new volunteer at Kids Voting.

Earlier this week Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney suspended his campaign for President - which in lamens terms means he’s out. With Romney’s exit, the GOP race essentially done, with Senator John McCain holding a clear lead with 697 pledged delegates and 17 unpledged RNC delegates, for a total of 714 delegates of the 1191 needed to win the nomination, to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s 181 delegates. Oh ya, Congressman Ron Paul has 16 behind him.Now, you’re probably wondering how a candidate gets all of these pledged and unpledged delegates.Well, the pledged delegates are awarded win you win a primary. Most states in the Republican primaries hold a winner-take-all primary, which means that the candidate who wins the state gets all of that states delegates pledged to them, hence “pledged delegates.” Some states hold primaries which are based upon the percentage of the vote a candidate receives, which means that the percentage of the vote a candidate wins equals the percentage of that states delegates pledged to them. (Allmost all of the GOP primaries and caucuses are winner-take-all, as the party bylaws state, in an attempt to have a nominee quicker.)Now unpledged delegates are a different story. Each state has two elected members to the Republican National Committee. (All 100 state members, along with numerous “honorary” and “territorial” members make up the legislative body of the party.) Each of these RNC members receives a vote at the national convention in September, also delegates representing the state party chairs and other state party “powerhouses” receives delegates under this classification. These “unpledged” delegates do not have to pledge themselves to one particular candidate, but are added in with the totals that a candidate wins from that member’s home state. So when you see, as on CNN or FOX News, the listing for a candidates delegates as, “Senator McCain has 714 convention delegates, with 17 of those being unpledged,” you now know that he really only has 697 real delegates.But back to the original reason I was writing. With Romney’s exit from the race today, Senator John McCain is all but guaranteed the GOP nomination. Though Governor Huckabee and Congressman Paul remain in the race, Huckabee would need almost 1000 delegates, about the number left to be awarded, to win the nod, and Paul has no earthly chance anymore.Now it comes down to two things, 1) Who is McCain going to name to be his running mate (my money is going on Huckabee, as that would balance the ticket, not only west and south, but for the evangelicals whom call him they’re man and 2) Who will come out as the Democratic Nominee (I would bet on Hillary, but her and Obama have very close delegate total, and many more states still have to vote.)So, after all this, the only thing that has changed from yesterday is, we have one less candidate in the race to become the most powerful man (or, god forbid, woman) in the world. Enjoy, and happy politics.(Ed. Note: Now would probably be a good time to note that, in line with our disclaimer - see the bottom of the main website page for that - this article does not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, or positions of Kids Voting Dayton, it’s staff, or affiliates.) 

It’s that most wonderful time of the year! With Politicians campaigning, and voters complaining that the line is too long… Ok, enough of that. Happy Super Tuesday, everyone! Today’s the day when 24 states (and American Samoa) hold their US Presidential Primaries. It’ll take 2,025 delegates to secure the Democratic Nomination, 1,191 for the Republican, and Super Tuesday is when most of those delegates are handed out. For the candidates, it’s a critically important day - not just because of the delegates, but because the last two Presidential Elections had their candidates decided on Super Tuesday.Most of the states involved are holding both Democratic and Republican primaries, though some states are only holding primaries for one party. On the Republican side, you have Montana and West Virginia, while the Democrats are battling it out in Idaho, New Mexico, and Kansas.And it’s going to be quite the battle on the Democratic side of things.While the latest Gallup poll is showing John McCain with a huge lead amongst the republicans (we’ll get to that in a bit), the Democratic Race is much, much more contested. The latest Gallup Poll (see above), and pretty much every other poll out there, shows a tight race between candidates Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama. Realistically, either candidate could win the the race at this point, and we won’t know until the polls close tonight.When those polls close, the winner of the Democratic Nomination will be all but set in stone, and America could well be on it’s way to the first Black or Female President in U.S. History. The Republican side of things is a bit less contested, though as we’ve seen in the past, it could still go either way. The latest Gallup Poll (see below) shows third time Presidential Candidate John McCain in the lead, 19 Percentage Points ahead of Mitt Romney. Many opinion polls are showing that this patter will continue: McCain in the lead, and Romney a distant second. Opinion Polls aren’t perfect, though, and they very well could be proven wrong.From Romney onwards, it race is much less clear. Since Florida, both Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson have dropped out, both having suffered defeating losses. Thompson was never really able to get off of the ground, and Giuliani - long the forerunner in the race - suffered a run of defeat late in the race ultimately leading to a loss in Florida, where he bowed out of the race.That leaves Mike Huckabee, the surprising winner of the Iowa Caucus. A former Baptist Minister, may believe that his only hope of winning lies in the “Bible Belt” states of the South and Mid-West. I think that belies how likable the man is, and we very well could see him bounce back today. His chances of capturing a strong majority of the vote, however, still look slim.So, that’s Super Tuesday. While Ohio doesn’t have a primary today, that’s not until March, it’ll be interesting to see how this turns out. Still, don’t let that lack of participation on Ohio’s part fool you: Ohio is probably the most balanced state in the Union, providing an excellent cross-section of the U.S. population and opinion in one state. As such, Ohio is often seen as the ultimate Decider - whoever wins here, has a much, much stronger chance of winning the nomination and, ultimately, The White House.

Once in a blue moon, quality television programs air and I do not feel as convinced about spending time in front of the tube.  HBO is promoting a new miniseries about John Adams, which is based on the bestselling and award winning biography by David McCullough that will air from March 16 to April 27.  I am extremely excited about it.  The series is produced by  Tom Hanks and the rest of the award winning team who brought you Band of Brothers, so John Adams should not disappoint.   I hope this mini-series will be endorsed by teachers and parents for their students and children to watch with them together.  We are living in such a visual culture that most Millennials receive their information through various media outlets like television.  I actually do not have HBO at home, so I will probably wait for the DVD.  The cast of John Adams is pretty impressive.  Paul Giamatti is John Adams, Laura Linney is Abagail Adams, David Morse is George Washington, and Tom Wilkinson is Benjamin Franklin.  To learn more about this exciting mini series, you can check out the website.

History has a funny way of repeating itself.  The famous quote explains that “we must learn from history or we are doomed to repeat it.”  The late Richard Neustadt and Ernest May, professors at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School, explained in their book Thinking In Time: The Uses of History for Decision Makers that “there is symmetry to human behavior that can be useful in understanding matters of state.” Many political pundits are beginning to make the argument that Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadineja resembles many of the characteristics of a pre-WWII Adolf Hitler.  Analogies include the similarities between the two men and their anti-semitic beliefs, and they both had visions of changing the world.  The world is not the same as it was back in the early 1930s.  Americans back in the 1930s were not worried by Nazi Germany’s threats because Americans felt protected by the Atlantic Ocean.  Now, in the age of nuclear warfare, the United States government keeps a much closer watch on Iran and other countries with nuclear weapons.  Similarities from the past are still relevant today.

Similarities are not only visible in international relations but also in our nation’s Presidential Primary.  “Change” elections are nothing new to American voters.  Americans are currently experiencing a historic presidential election.  I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at American political history and revisit the beginning of Presidential Primaries.  CQ Politics created a compressive series on the History of U.S. Presidential Primaries that I would like to share with you over the coming week.  Part One of the eight part series begins by looking at the Presidential Primaries from 1912-1964.  Please read the CQ Politics report on the Presidential Primaries from 1912-1964.  I find it fascinating to look back at America’s beginnings like the long standing tradition of New Hampshire’s Primary first in the Presidential Election Primary process that began in 1920.  I hope you enjoy this series that will premiere every Sunday.

As Congress begins it’s next session (lean more about that here), some political commentators are beginning to notice, namely Bill Amend, author of the FoxTrot comic.

On April 26, 1943, Time Magazine published an article titled “How to Become President,” and it is very amusing to me how relevant that article is still today. The Constitution requires a native born United States citizens running for President to be thirty-five years of age, but we all know there is so much more to the job description than that.

The article points to Ohio as the “Mother of Presidents” and a barometer standing where all U.S. political currents converge. I believe Ohio will again be in the spotlight once the two party nominees are decided. I believe the saying “As goes Ohio, so goes the Nation” is still true in 2008.

I find it interesting how somethings change while others stay the same. Sadly, I believe the Ten Presidential Commandments that are stated in this article are just as true now as they were back in 1943. This presidential campaign season is characterized by the word “change,” but I wonder if our presidential candidates will always follow the rules of the Presidential Commandments. Take a look at the article, and let me know what you think.