Montgomery County Youth Slate

Hucker Campaign Needs Help!

2010-08-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

The Hucker campaign is looking for help! Please come out and help the team drop literature in the last weeks before the Primary. We are flexible and would be happy to drop you off materials if you can make the time to assist us.

Tom Hucker was one of the lead sponsors on the bill for more voting rights for our SMOB and has been a leading voice for youth rights in Annalpolis.

Tom and the team are also looking for volunteers to serve as poll workers for shifts on September 14th. If you would like to get involved with us here in Silver Spring or Takoma Park, please e-mail Dave Kunes at dlkunes@gmail.com, or call 585-474-2614. Thanks for your help!

Here We Go Again: Civility in District 39

2010-08-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

Last December, amidst a horrible budget crisis, I asked the citizens and leaders of Montgomery County to “keep the tone civil” (http://bit.ly/a0y31S) and to reexamine the way in which politics was done in Montgomery County in regards to public education. I had sincerely believed that an honest plea from a student would be enough to make our elected officials reevaluate the way they were handling their candidacies and transcend “politics as usual” that seems to plague the rest of the country. Yet, regardless of such attempts, our elected officials continue to be a poor reflection of the community that has elected them to lead.

As a student, everyday I bear witness to the atrocities of cyber-bullying and what seems like petty debate and argument on blogs, Facebook, twitter, and even in real life. Middle school students squabble about what this celebrity did and what that pop-star said, and high school students wrestle with issues of relationships and high school drama on a daily basis. It has only been months since there was a public outcry over the slanderous site called peoplesdirt.com, where high school students traded and exchanged gossip and slander about other students over the internet.

Yet, our elected officials, who are elected to be bastions of respect and role models in the community, cannot seem to throw off the very same shackles that their very own children face. They tell us that we should respect the golden rule, but fail to adhere to it themselves. The hypocrisy must stop. If the very people we look up to, slander and ridicule, what values are we teaching our children about the necessity to respect one another and treat others as they would like to be treated? Will we continue to perpetuate, generation after generation, a type of politics that is rooted in ruthless attacks and destructive criticism to win at the expense of a person’s credibility and character? Let me ask you a simple question: if you were child now, watching the way politics was unfolding in front of them, would you be inspired; would you want to become a public servant in the future? One would think that after thousands of years of human history, human nature would have evolved to a more civil attitude toward others, especially in the fragile nature that is politics. What makes us better than the power-hungry emperors that killed, poisoned, and stabbed each other to death in a reckless search for the throne thousands of years ago if the character of the debate and the people are still the same? Herein lie the problems with “politics as usual” and the seemingly perpetual problem of destructive politics that continue to plague our nation generation after generation.

I have grown up in North Potomac since 1993. This is where I have grown up essentially my entire life, and for almost two decades, I have observed politicians scrape and claw at each other for their seats. Consequently, I was excited to see the development of the internet over my lifetime because I believed that the internet would usher in a new era of transparency and collaboration with one another and a newfound ability for elected officials to connect with the voters. Recent events have shown quite the opposite.

Recently, incumbent Senator Nancy King created a website for the sole purpose of defaming Del. Saqib Ali in his attempt to run for State Senator. The site contains very little about policy objectives that Delegate Ali has proposed; rather it instead chooses to systematically attack his attendance, provide sensational photographs that seem to discredit his credibility, cites two promises that are not at all documented or substantiated, and attacks his use of social media in connecting with his constituents. This is the same kind senseless and ruthless attack on candidates that perpetuates the uncivil attitude in federal politics and the gridlock that seems to plague Congress and state legislatures around the country.

As for the specific issue of social media, as the student member of the board (SMOB), I have seen year after year the SMOB’s inability to connect with their constituents. This year was the first time students were able to truly interact with their elected officials thanks in part to the new and innovative tools that have developed over the past couple of years. Students on a great magnitude were able to come out and get involved in their own education. For the first time, they were empowered and felt a real connection to their Student Member. Consequently, Saqib Ali has done the same with his constituents by connecting them to the issues, while providing a personal “human” touch to politics and legislation, which many citizens fail to get. What many people fail to realize is that legislation is so much more than numbers, institutions, and statutes; rather it’s about improving human lives and dealing with the everyday problems that we face. Behind all the legal jargon and formal regulations, at the heart of it, our government was designed to reflect and correct the fallacies of our society and to serve the collective burdens of all the individual lives that make it up. Yet, when the majority of citizens in the district do not know who their State Senator is, there is clearly a disconnect between the legislature and the body politic. The electoral process was designed to be a collaborative process between the candidates and the people, where candidates expressed their platforms and solicited feedback from their constituents. And Delegate Ali has done just that. As such, Saqib Ali should be applauded for his use of social media in making the process a lot more bearable, a lot more efficient, and a lot more personal.

Furthermore, the Maryland General Assembly, according to its own constitution is a “citizen legislature”. The individuals elected to the General Assembly serve part-time as legislators and part-time as regular citizens and as such are entitled to the same family and social lives that regular citizens are entitled to. This was an attempt for the founders of Maryland to have our legislature be closer to the people. In a country where over 100 million people or just under 50% of the adult population use Facebook actively, it is absolutely ludicrous for Senator King to attack Delegate Ali over his personal use of Facebook and Twitter. Delegate Ali’s use of social media reaffirms our Founding Fathers’ mission in attempting to keep and maintain a citizen legislature that is deeply rooted in the community. In fact, Senator King’s inability to effectively leverage social media and build personal relationships not only reflects her trend towards acting against the interests of her constituents; but also reflects how out of touch her policies and interests are with their needs and lives, especially when the majority of her constituents are on Facebook.

Every official who is elected to office is asked to take an oath to protect the Constitution and the people of Maryland and to act with their best “skill and judgment” while in office. Was it too much to ask that our elected officials use their judgment to rise above the slander and cyber-bullying that our middle school students engage in? Was it too much to ask that our elected officials use their skills to engage in a policy-oriented discussion about what is best for the citizens of District 39 and the state of Maryland? Was it too much to ask that our elected officials act civil and set an example for the rest of America of how politics should really be conducted?

Meanwhile, in Florida, on Tuesday, voters will select their GOP candidate for Governor in their primaries to advance to the General Election. Contenders Bill McCollum and Rick Scott have been at each other’s throats for months now, attacking each other’s character and credibility and dragging each other's families and personal lives into the public eye, while the Democrats have been snickering and capitalizing on the GOP’s inability to provide real policy proposals. In the end, Alex Sink, the Democrat, seems to act like the only adult in the race, reprimanding the two candidates for acting like children. Is this really the kind of politics we want in Maryland? Do we really need politicians stuffing down their beliefs down the throats of their constituents? As Democrats, is it right to resort to GOP tactics and personally tear down a fellow Democrat's character?

Let me say this: I am not against constructive criticism and collaboration. While I applaud Senator King’s service and her attempt to engage her constituents and display her platform, the ends do not always justify the means. I urge Nancy King to take down the slanderous site and issue a public apology. I also urge both candidates, Saqib Ali and Nancy King, to keep the tone civil and policy-oriented for the sake of the residents of District 39 and the State of Maryland.

Our Founding Fathers built a nation that was rooted in democratic ideals; a society that was free to express their ideas about how government should run and elect a body that represented those views. They did not build a nation rooted in ad hominem, personal attacks targeted towards one another filled with slander and libel. Ultimately, this race is about who is able best fight on behalf of the residents of District 39 and not on who is able to best fight against their opponent. Changing the tone of the debate to one of policy will truly allow the residents to have the ability to have a fair shot at evaluating their candidates without the shadows, mirrors, and tricks of negative campaigning. Keep in mind the youth that are watching the character of the debate and are carefully learning. So, let’s rise above the petty and the slanderous. Let’s rise above the personal politics that the rest of the country engages in. Let's show the rest of the country how politics should REALLY work in this country. And let’s give the citizens of District 39 a real chance to make up their own minds about who to select as their next State Senator.

- Tim Hwang

Marc Elrich Campaign Activities

2010-07-08T16:23:00.001-07:00

Marc, his staff, and mighty band of volunteers and community activists have been parading, house partying, canvassing, mailing, meeting, tabling, holding a kick off, and upgrading the campaign's tech and communications. Many, many thanks to all that have been involved and helping--with your efforts we are raising our visibility and the resources we need.

Now, with just a little over two months to go until the Democratic Primary on Sept. 14, we need to shift into high gear. Please let me know which of these activities you can do!

Now- Saturday, July 10: Make phone calls for an hour or two. We'll give you a list, script, and instructions. You can choose--call people who want to volunteer and get them scheduled for an activity or follow up on a mailing invitation to Karen Goozner's House Party on Sunday July 11. (Karen is very active in Save Sligo Creek Golf.)

Saturday July 10: Canvass in Bethesda--meet at 9:30 a.m., get assignment, and door knock until 11:30/12:00. OR Join the team that's passing out literature at a Marc table at the Leisure World Giant in Silver Spring. Sign up for a 2 hour shift starting between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Thursday July 15: Mark's Kitchen Benefit Day for Marc. Sign up for a 2 hour shift at Mark's Kitchen in Takoma Park, starting between 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. We need people to talk to customers, hand out literature, and staff a table at the venue.

Please encourage your friends and family to go to Mark's Kitchen for lunch or dinner on July 15 to help support Marc. Part of proceeds from that day will be donated to the campaign.

We have campaign tee shirts, yard signs, bumper stickers, and buttons. Please let me know if you would like any of these items.

THANK YOU!!

Call or email Patty--301 655-5682. pattysnee@gmail.com

4th of July for Roger Manno

2010-07-02T10:22:00.001-07:00

Pease join us July 5th for Leisure World's Fourth of July Parade!

We will be meeting at Leisure World at 9 am next Monday. It is a short parade and the festivities should end by 11pm. This is a great opportunity to show the Leisure World Community the huge support Roger has from the youth of Montgomery County.

If you can join us, please contact Barbara for more details at 301.598.4063 or barbara@rogermanno.com

Campaign for Hans Riemer this Weekend

2010-07-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

Are you in town this July 4th weekend? We need your help!

Below is a list of Independence Day celebrations happening all over the county. We would love to have your help at any or all of these celebrations, as we are really looking to increase our visibility as the election draws nearer. Please take a look at the schedule and let us know if you can join us in supporting Hans.

If you have any questions, feel free to call the campaign office at (240) 389-4267.

To RSVP, contact Sarah at sarah@hansriemer.com or by phone (240) 389-4268.

On behalf of Team Hans, thank you for your support and have a safe and happy 4th of July!

>>Independence Day Weekend Events<<

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Takoma Park Canvass

Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Where: Meet at 10:45 am at Hans Riemer's house

Address: 634 Ritchie Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910-5239

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Takoma Park Independence Day Parade and Celebration
Time: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Where: Meet at 9:30 am at Karen Czapanskiy's home

Address: 7310 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912-4318

Free in the evening on July 4th? We will also be present at the following events. Let us know if you're nearby any of them and can help out!

Rockville Independence Day Celebration

Time: 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Where: Montgomery County Community College (Rockville Campus)

Address: 51 Mannakee Street, Rockville, MD 20850

Wheaton Independence Day Celebration

Time: 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm

Where: Albert Einstein High School

Address: 11135 Newport Mill Road, Kensington, MD 20895

Gaithersburg Fairgrounds Independence Day Celebration

Time: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Where: Montgomery County Fairgrounds

Address: 16 Chestnut Street, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Monday, July 5, 2010

Town of Kensington Bike Parade

Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Where: Town of Kensington -- St. Paul Park
Address: St. Paul Street between Metropolitan Avenue and Plyers Mill Road

Will you help us?

To RSVP, contact Sarah at sarah@hansriemer.com

or by phone at (240) 389-4268

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Call the Hans Riemer Campaign Headquarters at (240) 389-4267

More SSL Opportunities while Walking for Change!

2010-06-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

Join us as we talk to District 19 (Silver Spring, Olney, Wheaton, Aspen Hill, etc) residents about Roger’s plans for bringing positive and effective change to our community this Sunday, June 27th from Noon to 4PM. Then, join us for a family-style BBQ with Roger and the rest of the campaign team back at the house.

A brief informational session will take place at The Manno home (2138 Merrifields Dr. Silver Spring) at noon, and then the walking begins!

Please be sure to invite your family, friends, and neighbors! We will be providing everyone with Roger Manno for State Senate t-shirts! Rides to and from the Glenmont Metro Station will be provided.

Please R.S.V.P. to Arie@rogermanno.com or 301.598.4063 by 8:00 p.m. on Friday June, 25.

Thank you for your continued dedication and support!

Earn SSL Hours and Campaign for a Middle School Teacher!

2010-06-21T13:16:00.000-07:00

WHAT: Door-Knocking and Campaigning

WHEN: JUNE 26 and JUNE 27

WHERE: UPCOUNTY

WHY: To get Eric Luedtke, a Middle School Teacher, elected as a Delegate

How: Email info@ericformaryland.com to sign up!

You can devote as much time as you need to fit your schedule.

Help Elect a Teacher in 2010!

2010-06-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

Are you frustrated that you have to take and pass the HSAs in order to graduate? Or what about waiting outside in portable classrooms year after year for your school to get renovated? These are issues that the Maryland General Assembly helps decide for hundreds of thousands of students.

Most legislators in Annapolis don't know what this is like, but you and I do. My name is Bonnie Cullison, and I've been a teacher in MCPS for almost 30 years. I'm running for the House of Delegates to bring the perspective of an educator to the state legislature, and to be a leader in the fight to get our schools the resources they need.

But I can't get there alone. I could really use your help on my campaign in the following areas: door knocking, staffing campaign events and fundraisers, researching policy and political issues, making phone calls, reaching out to voters with social networking tools and new media, and much more.

If you're interested in helping a teacher get elected this September (particularly a teacher who listens to student perspectives) and are looking for exciting and fulfilling volunteer or internship opportunities, please contact my campaign at FriendsofBonnieCullison@gmail.com, or visit my website at www.CullisonForMaryland.com.

I hope to see you on the campaign trail!

Bonnie Cullison
Candidate for House of Delegates, District 19

Volunteer for the Sam Arora Campaign

2010-06-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

The Sam Arora for Delegate campaign is looking for smart, energetic individuals to join his fast-paced grassroots campaign to change the way business is done in Annapolis. The Arora campaign is looking for interns and volunteers* to work on:
Voter Engagement
Operations Management
Community Outreach
Communications and New Media
Precinct Captaining
Business Outreach
Youth Leadership Coordination
Get Out The Vote Strategy
and much more!

Send an email to amit@SamArora.com with your contact information, the positions that most interest you, and a few details about yourself. Please include your availability and when you could start so we can get to work and send someone to Annapolis to shake things up.
*We can help high school volunteers receive SSL credits for working on the Arora for Delegate campaign.

:: ABOUT SAM ::
Sam Arora, a native of Derwood and resident of Glenmont, is a social justice activist with over a decade of experience organizing for Democrats and progressive causes. He has served as an aide to Hillary Clinton, a volunteer for Barack Obama, an organizer for the Democratic National Committee. His experience in public service includes positions in the U.S. Senate and clerkships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler. He is an advocate for student rights and strongly supports full SMOB voting rights.

Hans Riemer Organizing Fellows and Canvassing

2010-06-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

Canvassing Schedule

This is a great opportunity for you to get SSL Hours, meet new people, and make an impact in your community!

Where: 11262 Georgia Avenue, Second FloorWheaton, MD 20902

When:

Monday-Thursday: 4 PM - 8 PM

Saturday-Sunday: 12 PM - 4 PM

Organizing Fellow/Intern Position

If you're looking for a more committed program for Hans Riemer, feel free to check out the Organizing Fellow Program!

Learn the political campaign trade as an Organizing Fellow on an exciting grassroots campaign in Montgomery County. Candidate Hans Riemer is a progressive champion who served as the National Youth Vote Director for Obama for America, political director of Rock the Vote, and led the effort to fight the Bush Social Security privatization plan. A policy advocate with expertise on issues including budget priorities, transportation, smart growth, retirement security and voting reform, Hans brings a fresh perspective to Montgomery County's changing economy and community life.

Montgomery County, with a population of nearly one million in cities such as Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville, Gaithersburg and more, is an economic engine for the Washington region and the state of Maryland.

This campaign is for an At-large/county-wide seat. Primary election day is September 14. There are four At-large seats and the top four vote-getters win.

Responsibilities for Organizing Fellows may include:

Recruitment: Build a team of organizers across the county by recruiting local activists to knock on doors, host events, pass out flyers, make phone calls
Data management: Building the voter database, cutting lists, improving the campaign database
Voter contact: Door knocking, phone banking
New media: Organizing on Facebook, twitter, blog outreach
Operations: Managing billing, vendors, etc
Finance: Manage logistics, track contributions, execute follow up for donors
Events: House parties, fundraisers, friend raisers
Get Out The Vote: Building a ground game to turn out voters in nearly 250 precincts
Communications: Preparing press releases, other writing
Policy: Research for preparing candidate questionnaires and voter inquiries

The positions are unpaid, but hours are flexible and can be tailored to individual schedules. A limited number of stipends may be available for the best and brightest fellows, on a full-time basis, starting around August. Additionally, the campaign can assist high school students with earning service learning hours, or college students with earning credit for their work on this effort.

To Apply: Please send a resume and brief cover letter to david@hansriemer.com. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Saqib Ali (D-39) Door-Knocking This Weekend!

2010-06-10T16:45:00.001-07:00

Help Saqib Ali fight against negative smears on his campaign this weekend! Sign up here!

District 39 (Gaithersburg, North Potomac) voters were recently subject to a "push poll" that relayed false information about Saqib in the hopes of tarnishing his progressive reputation.

A push poll is a time-honored dirty political tactic in which a phone survey masquerades as a legitimate poll, but in reality serves to smear a political opponent. The fact that our opponent and her allies are already engaging in such Karl Rove-style politics demonstrates that they are afraid of promoting an issue-oriented debate and believe they can only win by using these nasty tactics.

Saqib was instrumental in passing full voting rights for the State SMOB! Join us this weekend to fight against this negative campaigning and fight for a great advocate for students!

Saturday 10AM-5PM

Sunday 12PM-5PM

12504 Degas Court

N. Potomac, MD 20878

Montgomery County Youth Slate

2010-06-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

The youth of Montgomery County account for close to 20% of the population, yet they have the least representation within the political process. Late in the spring of 2010, student leaders from across Montgomery County came together and analyzed the decisions of their elected officials and decided to take action. After reviewing the legislative and community contributions and achievements of most of the candidates for office, the youth of Montgomery County have decided to endorse the following people for their respective offices. The following signers represent the top echelon of student leadership in Montgomery County and further represent a cross-section of the different types of leaders within a diverse county ranging from Student Government, to Academia, to Music, to Science/Technology scholars, to even Athletics. They come from 8 different legislative districts and almost every high school in the County.

We are the future leaders, innovators, and changers of society and as such we have decided to vocally state our opinion of who we support to be trustworthy stewards of the society and government we will inherit. Consequently, we place our full trust and support for these candidates and will work to organize students for each of the campaigns as needed.

County Executive: Isiah Leggett

County Council (At-Large): Hans Riemer

County Council (At-Large): Nancy Floreen

County Council (At-Large): Marc Elrich

County Council (At-Large): George Leventhal

County Council 1: Roger Berliner

County Council 2: Craig Rice

County Council 3: Phil Andrews

County Council 4: Nancy Navarro

County Council 5: Valerie Ervin

District 14: Karen Montgomery, State Senate

District 14: Eric Luedtke, State Delegate

District 14: Anne Kaiser, State Delegate

District 15: Brian Feldman, State Delegate

District 15: Kathleen Dumais, State Delegate

District 15: Aruna Miller, State Delegate

District 16: Susan Lee, State Delegate

District 16: William Frick, State Delegate

District 16: Scott Goldberg, State Delegate

District 17: Cheryl Kagan, State Senate

District 17: Kumar Barve, State Delegate

District 18: Richard Madaleno, State Senate

District 18: Jeff Waldstreicher, State Delegate

District 18: Anna Sol Guttierez, State Delegate

District 18: Alfred Carr, State Delegate

District 19: Roger Manno, State Senate

District 19: Sam Arora, State Delegate

District 19: Bonnie Cullison, State Delegate

District 19: Ben Kramer, State Delegate

District 20: Jamie Raskin, State Senate

District 20: Tom Hucker, State Delegate

District 20: Sheila Hixon, State Delegate

District 20: Heather Mizeur, State Delegate

District 39: Saqib Ali, State Senate

District 39: Kirill Reznik, State Delegate

District 39: Charles Barkley, State Delegate

District 39: Shane Robinson, State Delegate

Board of Education: Shirley Brandman, At Large

Board of Education: Judy Docca, District 1

Board of Education: Patricia O'Neill, District 3

Board of Education: Michael Durso, District 5

We, the undersigned, endorse the candidates above:

Tim Hwang, Student Member Montgomery County Board of Education, President of the Maryland High School Democrats
Michael Hagan, Maryland Association of Student Councils (State SGA) President, Damascus High School School SGA President
Richard Yarrow, President, Montgomery County Juniors Council, Eastern Middle School SGA; Vice President, EMS-PTSA
Alexander Bae, Student Government President Montgomery Blair High School, Captain of the Blair Debate Team
Jennifer Lien, Montgomery County Regional Treasurer, Student Government President James H. Blake High School
Raynell Cooper, Co-chair of the County Executive's Youth Advisory Committee, Captain of RM's It's Academic team, RM SGA Vice President
Meenu Singh, Student Government President Winston Churchill High School
Russie Tran, Student Government President Wheaton High School
Bianca Padilla, Student Government President Magruder High School
Daniel Myung, Student Government President Springbrook High School
Kendra Nguyen, Student Government President Northwood High School
Michael Washington, Richard Montgomery High School Student Government President, MCR Chief of Staff Deputy, RMHS Community Service Club President/Founder
Samir Devalaraja, Montgomery County Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Representative
Peggy Li, Friends of the Library of Montgomery County Student Representative, Winston Churchill High School Math Team President
Sam Motamedi, Student Member of the Maryland Commission on Civic Literacy
Haines Sy, Wootton OHA President
Bianca Datta, Captain of the Wootton Debate Team
Caleb Hamilton, MCR Chief of Staff
Nick Maggio, Montgomery County Regional State Lobbying Coordinator, Damascus High School SGA Vice President
Hal Zeitlin, Montgomery County Regional Events Manager, Winston Churchill High School SGA Vice President
Anthony Trinh, Montgomery County Regional Student Advocacy Coordinator, Richard Montgomery MCR Liaison, RM SGA Treasurer
Melissa Yang, Montgomery County Regional County Lobbying Coordinator, Captain of the RM Debate Team
Jonathan Frankle, Technical Director of the Maryland High School Democrats
Catherine Liu, Montgomery County Regional State Public Affairs Director, President and Co-Founder of The Pillar Project
Meenhee Shon, Quince Orchard High School Best Buddies Vice President
Daniel Moon, CEO/President Operation Fly, Inc.
Kevin Ma, Chief of Staff SMOB 2.0
Jeffrey He, Class President Richard Montgomery High School
Long Nguyen, Albert Einstein High School MCR Liaison
Leanna Moron, Clarksburg High School Student Council Historian
Derek Mong, Winston Churchill High School Alumnus, Duke University TC '13
Lawrence Yen, Winston Churchill High School Class of 2010 Vice-President

Organizations and affiliations are used only for identification purposes and do not reflect the views of their specific organizations.

For more information please contact: Tim Hwang, timothy.t.hwang@gmail.com.