The George Washington College Democrats

By Joseph Ward III

Howard Dean, former US presidential candidate and founder of the “Democracy for America” political action committee, spoke to George Washington University students about the future of the Democratic Party last December. His forty-five minute speech in the Jack Morton Auditorium. Attracted 150 Students, Deaniacs, press, officials, and distinguished guest. Insistant that the Republican party treated the 2004 presidential elections like it was a mandate, Dean reiterated the fact that Democrats ”allowed them to get away with it.” “Our challenge today is not to rehash what has happened, but to look forward, to make the Democratic Party a 50-state party again, and, most importantly to win,” Dean said. Dean laid out the foundation of the Democratic Party’s future focusing on the importance of reaching out to local campaign contributors as well as having heavy involvement in grassroots campaigning to get more Democrats elected to local offices. Dean also questioned Democrats by saying, “At what point did it become a radical notion to stand up for what we believe? Let me tell you something: there’s only one thing Republican power brokers want more than for Dems to lurch to the left, and that’s for us to lurch to the right.” The challenges of the democratic party to uphold and persevere in its struggle to be fiscally responsible and socially progressive are ideas that Dean feels Democrats must begin to consistently fight for. “What they fear most is that we may really begin fighting for what we believe, the fiscal responsible, socially progressive values for wich Democrats have always stood and fought,” Dean said. After his speech Dean was confronted by reporters and hundreds of anxious students. Dean took pictures, signed t-shirts, GWORLD cards and various other possessions wile answering questions from the press and students.

By Gillian McHale

Throughout the George Washington University campus, as across the country, disillusioned  Democrats have united around one man, Senator Barack Obama. It seem that, even more than Hillary Clinton or John Edwards, Democrats see potential in Obama. Many say that he possesses the skills to become the first minority President, quite a compliment for a first-time Senator. Democrats hope that, during his tenure in the Senate, the American people recognize the strength of Obama’s presence, grace, and intellect. Obama’s maturity, along with his superb political whit, makes him an unusual member of the Senate freshman class. Obama’s story represents much of the American ideal: equality, justice, and the strength of the American spirit. Although new to the Senate, he has long worked to protect the rights of ordinary citizens. Raised in a biracial family , Obama values the importance of equality of opportunity for all. Obama used his opportunities to obtain a stellar academic record, earning his B.A in Political Science from Columbia University and his law degree from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, Obama served as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduating, Obama began working on behalf of disenfranchised voters in Illinois. In 1992, he organized one of the larger voter registration drives in Chicago’s history. As a civil rights lawyer, Obama protected numerous citizens from voting and employment discrimination. Additionally, he taught at the University of Chicago Law School, and contributed to many philanthropic organizations. His career in the private sector earned Obama the reputation as an honest, hard working person, who genuinely believed in the value of each individual. Obama carried this steadfast belief to the Illinois State Senate. Obama championed initiatives that protected ordinary Illinois citizens. He co-sponsored legislation imposing limits on college tuition hikes, making higher education more accessible to lower income families. He passed laws protecting uninsured children, supported responsible tax cuts aimed at lower and middle-income Illinois families. He consistently supported abortion rights, and was the chief architect of Illinois’ first campaign finance reform in 25 years. Obama’s leadership earned him high mark throughout the State of Illinois, including the Chicago Tribune, “one of the General Assembly’s most impressive members.” Although Obama had become well known within Illinois, most Americans were introduced to him by his keynote speech at last summer’s Democratic National Convention. Within minutes of Obama’s speech, pundits on all the major news networks conjectured Obama’s future in the Democratic Party. Republicans previously unaware of Obama’s candor and poise began to launch an assault against the Democrats newest sensation. The Illinois Republican Party tried to stop Obama’s growing Popularity impending perennial presidential candidate and commentator Alan Keyes from Maryland. Forgetting that Obama’s support stretched across all ethnic and socioeconomic groups, the Republican attempt Obama won the election hands down. In a year with much sadness for the Democratic Party, Obama provides a spark His energy brings hope to a party frustrated by the sharp Political cleavages being etched into the American public. It seems likely that Senator Obama will not be intimidated by the Republican majority, and will be a vocal member of the freshman class. After gaining experience in the Senate, Obama will use his natural charm and grace for the national stage.

By Catlin Cahil

With the re-election of George W. Bush, along with Republican majorities in both the House and Senate, and an aging supreme court, the future of women’s reproductive rights is uncertain. Many pro-choice and other women’s rights activists fear an attack on a woman’s right to choose and other issues, in the next four year. Much to the delight of pro-choice opponents there are not many barriers to prevent President Bush and his conservative cohorts from overturning Roe v. Wade, and effectively ending a woman’s choice to have an abortion. Bush no longer has to be concerned with his re-election, and he is backed by a Republican majority in both houses of congress. The only thing keeping a women’s right to choose in place is the Supreme court. Having been decided by a 5-4 majority, Roe v. Wade could easily be overturned by one of the pro-choice justices on the Supreme court retire or pass away. Given the age of d the justices, both scenarios are possible. President Bush has all ready stated that he would replace any justice with one who is conservative, if such a situation allow states to put restrictions on women’s reproductive rights and even ban abortions out right, with out any thought to circumstances where it is a health related issue. There is evidence that if Roe were overturned such restrictions would occur. In 2004 alone. 714 anti-choice measures were considered in state legislatures; of those, 29 were enacted. For states with regular legislature sessions, k e was the only state not to consider anti-choice legislation. According to NARAL, the Pro- Choice America Foundation, this is a 28% increase from 2003. NARAL also predicts that if Roe v. Wade were overturned, 19 states would quickly ban abortions, with 19 other states likely to follow suit. So in this time where a woman’s reproductive rights are being chiseled away at and the right to choose an abortion is hanging in the balance, it is important for Pro- Choice believers to stand for their beliefs and made their voice heard. The least we can do is put up a fight. For more ” information on protecting women’s reproductive rights visit: www.prochoiceamerica.org and www.now.org.

By John R. Brennan

The election is long since over, and the results were not good. Republicans made considerable gains in both the House and Senate, and George W. Bush was reelected into the Oval Office with a majority of the popular vote for the first time since hs father was elected President in 1988. The Democrats are at a crossroads. Many believe that the end is near for the party. conservative commentator and former Presidential candidate Patrick Buchanan stated, ”Liberalism is dead.” He, like many others, said the party no longer has great minds and leaders of past k Roosevelt, Truman, and Kennedy. It is now up to every Democrat to work to prove that it is not so. The beginnings of the Democratic Renaissance are at hand, and the first step will be the election of a new chairman- Under Terry McAuliffe, the party made great His leadership and ability made it possible for the DNC to out fund raise the RNC in the 2004 election. One of his greatest contributions was the corporate connections that were made for the party. Without this, the Republicans may still have held a monopoly on corporate fund raising. The party now needs more than money, it needs a plan. The new chairman will play a vital role in the direction of the party. In February, a committee of 447 members of the Democratic National Committee vote to choose the new chairman. A simple majority is needed. The candidates for the position are nearly as numerous as they were for President. Similar to that campaign, the man to beat is former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean. Also running are former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, former Congressmen Tim Roemer and Martin Frost, activist Simon Rosenberg, strategst Donnie Fowler, and former Ohio Democratic chairman David Leiand. Frost who hails from Texas has received the endorsement of former DNC chairman Bob Strauss, another Texan native. Frost’s main objective is to stick to the strong base and values, such as labor, women’s, and civil rights. Roemer, of Indiana, is the only pro-life candidate for the position, and his presence has raised a lot of questions within the party. Roemer explains, the way to go about ending abortions is the same of President Bill Clinton, under whom there were II percent fewer abortions. Clinton said abortions should be “sale, legal, and rare.” In order to combat Bush’s “moral hgh-groun#, Roemer makes the point that Democrats must make it clear that they are the party that helps the poor, perhaps the most Christian of ideas. Dean has stated many goals he has for the party. He mentioned grassroots organizations as the secret to winning elections. He also says the. reason why Democrats do not win in southern states is because they do not show up. He said the party must seek the advice of Democrats who have been winning in southern stated, as well as the individual state parties who know the voters best. Dean has mentioned how the Republicans simply pander, using the issues of God, guns, and gays. He offers an insight from his governorship. After making a decision, people were often angry, and Dean said he listened to those who were angry. Dean found that it was never that particular decision that angered the people and after talking he would get to what really mattered, such as security, economic stability and health care. A major issue on everyone’s mind regarding Dean is whether or not he will seek the Presidency in 2008. For now, he has said, “If I get the position, I’m not running for President in 2008.” There is a lot for Democrats to do. We have lost six consecutive house campaigns and are facing a period in which the Republican Party controls Congress, the white house, and could possibly take a strong hold of the Supreme Court. If Democrats are to regain lost ground in the next elections, the start will be with the election of the new chairman. Then the real work begins.