http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/ This is the official website of the Bowdoin College Democrats. en-us 2007-11-04T18:06:26-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000448 November 3, 2007The Maine College Democrats' released their Convention video this week. It has generated a lot of buzz on the blogs. Here it is:... News democrats 2007-11-04T18:06:26-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000447 October 22, 2007 The Bowdoin College Democrats are thrilled to announce that they will be hosting the 4th annual Maine College Democrats Convention at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine on the afternoon of Saturday, November 3, 2007. The Convention, which is titled “One Year to Victory,” will feature a keynote speech by Congressman and US Senate Candidate Tom Allen and a debate between all five candidates for the Democratic Nomination in the first Congressional District including Former State Senate Majority Leader Mike Brennan, Iraq War Veteran Adam Cote, Former State Senate President Mark Lawrence, Former State Senate Majority Leader Chellie Pingree, and State Senator Ethan Strimling. The Convention will also feature in-depth campaign workshops on topics such as fundraising, voter file training, crafting a message, leading a chapter, and communicating with the press. “We are thrilled to be hosting the convention at Bowdoin this year,” said Clark Gascoigne, Co-President of the Bowdoin College Democrats. “College students across Maine have an amazing opportunity to help elect a Senator who actually shares Maine values. This convention will act as a catalyst to empower Maine youths to take back our country.” For more information on the convention, visit http://www.mainecollegedems.com.... News democrats 2007-10-22T20:42:34-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000446 September 27, 2007 BRUNSWICK, ME – The Bowdoin College Democrats are thrilled to announce that they are partnering with a number of student organizations on campus to take part in a five week conscious consumer campaign. Aimed at making Bowdoin students more aware about the everyday purchases they make and the impact they can have on the world, the campaign will launch on Monday, October 15th with a week focused on the impact of beer. The following four weeks will focus on the impact of gasoline, clothing, cleaning products, and pizza, respectively. Uniting the Bowdoin College Democrats, Bowdoin Cycling, Bowdoin Organic Garden, the Bowdoin Queer-Straight Alliance, Bowdoin Students for Peace, the Bowdoin Women’s Association, the Democratic Left, Evergreens, Global Justice, Sustainable Bowdoin, VDay, and the Yellow Bike Cooperative, the campaign will feature multiple events each week including movie screenings, teach-ins, lectures, dinners, etc. “We are thrilled to be partnering with so many active groups on this project,” said Darren Fishell, Co-President of the Bowdoin College Democrats. “We believe that it is not just important to focus on the politics of our beliefs, but to also understand the implications of the choices that we make on a daily basis.”... News democrats 2007-09-27T16:00:09-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000443 September 18, 2007 BRUNSWICK, ME – Three Bowdoin Students were selected to serve as national officers of the College Democrats of America this summer at the National Convention in South Carolina. Frank Chi ’07 was elected National Communications Director, Alex Cornell du Houx ’06 was elected National Council Chair, and Clark Gascoigne ’08 was appointed by the National Executive Board to serve as the National New Media Director. Chi, who graduated this past May with a degree in Government and Legal Studies, now works at GMMB, a political media consulting firm in Washington, DC. A veteran of numerous Democratic campaigns, Chi previously served as the President of the Bowdoin College Democrats, the Communications Director of the Maine College Democrats, and has also served as Internet Communications Director of two gubernatorial campaigns. Chi served as the organization’s New Media Director last year. Cornell du Houx, who will receive his degree in History and Government and Legal Studies this December, previously served as the National Development Director of the College Democrats of America before serving a tour of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Marines last year. Cornell du Houx also previously served as the President of the Bowdoin College Democrats and Maine College Democrats – eventually leading the Maine College Democrats to win state federation of the year in 2005. Cornell du Houx’s reflections on Iraq were recently published on the homepage of the Huffington Post. Gascoigne, who intends to graduate with a degree in Government and Legal Studies next May, currently serves as the President of the Bowdoin College Democrats. Gascoigne worked at the Democratic National Committee over the past summer and currently works as an intern on the Tom Allen for Senate Campaign. He served on last year’s CDA New Media Team. “We are thrilled that so many Bowdoin students are involved in affecting change on the national level,” said Darren Fishell, Co-President of the Bowdoin College Democrats. “It is exciting to see Alex, Clark, and Frank take the experience and dedication for their country that they have shown on the local and state levels and apply that to the rest of the country. The coming election is going to be one of the most pivotal of our lifetimes; I can’t think of anyone better to take our message of hope and change to the rest of the country.”... News democrats 2007-09-18T11:58:38-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000444 September 18, 2007 WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Tom Allen ’67 and Democrats in Congress fulfilled their promise to lower college costs by sending President Bush the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 to bring real help to Maine and Bowdoin students despite attempts by Congressional Republicans to obstruct the bill. With the cost of attending college soaring and family incomes remaining stagnant, the bill would mean Maine students will be eligible for an additional $7.2 million in need-based grant aid next year, and an additional $78 million over the next five years. [Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, September, 2007] As students take on more debt to pay for college, the bill will cap federal student loan payments at 15 percent of a borrower's discretionary income, bringing needed relief to students with excessive loan burdens. In Maine, 68% of students graduating from four-year institutions in the 2004-2005 school year graduated with an average debt of $20,239. Additionally, the College Reduction and Access Act will forgive the debt of borrowers who serve in public service careers such as nursing, teaching or law enforcement for 10 years. [Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, September, 2007] "Young people are the future of our country. Ensuring that we have access to college is critical to the economic security of Maine and our nation," said Bowdoin College Democrats Co-President, Clark Gascoigne. "With this bill, Congressman Allen and Democrats in Congress are delivering on their promise to make college more affordable and accessible for all qualified students. President Bush should sign this bill, which will invest more than $20 billion in college financial aid, and provide real student and borrower benefits that will not only help make college more affordable, but will help expand access to the American Dream for countless Bowdoin Students, thousands of Mainers, and millions of Americans."... News democrats 2007-09-18T10:17:25-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000442 September 13, 2007 PORTLAND, ME - This year members of the Bowdoin College Democrats are thrilled to be participating in the statewide television show titled ‘Youth in Politics.’ Produced by Youth News and Entertainment Television (YNE TV), the show, which airs weekly on WPFO - Fox 23 Portland, features members of the Maine College Democrats and Maine College Republicans debating the critical issues facing our state and country today. Entering its third full season, ‘Youth in Politics’ airs every Saturday afternoon at 12:00pm on Fox 23. The show is shot biweekly at the YNE TV studios in Portland and will feature regular appearances from Bowdoin students Alex Cornell du Houx ’06 and Clark Gascoigne ’08, as well as College Democrats from Bates, Colby, and USM. “We are thrilled to be involved in this exciting project,” said Bowdoin College Democrats Co-President Clark Gascoigne, “As always, the Bowdoin College Democrats are committed to raising the level of discourse on campus and in the community. Our hope is to engage thousands of Maine youths in a discussion about important issues addressing the community.” “The 2008 election will be one of the most important of our lifetime, and Mainers will have to decide whether we want change or more of the same. We look forward to putting our message of hope and change to the test.”... News democrats 2007-09-16T15:51:40-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000441 September, 2007 Welcome back! This year will be an exciting one for the Bowdoin College Democrats. Most prominently, we will be hosting the Maine College Democrats Convention, which will include speeches by Governor John Baldacci, Rep. Tom Allen, Rep. Mike Michaud, and politicians all around the state. The convention will give students around Maine the chance to share ideas about how to build stronger community relationships and how to handle our responsibility to take back the country and begin the process of rebuilding trust in government.. It's a panoramic view, but it all begins at the local level. We hope that a greater focus on local issues will help us create a model for bandaging the ideological divides that are supposedly tearing our country apart. Coming up, we will be delivering an informational presentation on the policy stances and records of the Democratic candidates open to the Bowdoin community and the public. Date and time TBA. This year, meetings will be held weekly in Ladd House at 7:30 p.m. We look forward to hearing your ideas and working for change.... News democrats 2007-09-08T16:26:57-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000438 Bowdoin Democrats in Fall '06 The Bowdoin College Democrats are focused on a number of key initiatives for the upcoming 2006 election. The Bowdoin Democrats are canvassing the campus to register students and inform them about the vital issues that are at stake in this election. Students are also assisting with the Governor Baldacci's re-election bid and Charlie Priest's campaign to become state representative in district 63, as well as other campaigns. The campaign to reject the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, TABOR, will be coordinated with the Maine People's Alliance and the Bowdoin TABOR coalition and it is a central issue this year. "I'm excited about this semester and we will do all we can to help Democrats and defeat TABOR," Bowdoin Democrats co-president Charlie Ticotsky said. Bowdoin had a sizable showing at the Maine College Democrats Convention on Sept. 30 at Bates College. Governor John Baldacci stressed the importance of continuing progress in Maine; progress that would be reversed with the election of a Republican candidate. Baldacci cited Dirigo Health and the Maine Community College System as products of this progress, and spoke of solar- and wind-power initiatives that would put Maine on the pathway to energy independence over the next four years. Other notable speakers included Senate President Beth Edmunds, Portland Representative Herb Adams, Maine Democratic Party Chairman Ben Dudley, and Leader of John Baldacci's Re-election Campaign, Jesse Connolly. "We want 2006 to be the year of the Democrat in Brunswick, in Maine, and in the country as a whole," said co-president Thomas Rodrigues.... News democrats 2006-10-29T04:35:39-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/_home.shtml#000436 Welcome to our on-line home! Here you will find updates on our exciting projects, recent news, downloads, and our new College Dems blog. We meet every Wednesday at 7:00pm in the Ladd Common Room for 30 minutes Also, feel free to stop by for dinner every Tuesday at 6:30pm in Mitchell North (on the second floor of Thorne) If you can’t make the meetings but want to become involved, please e-mail the Co-Presidents since most of our work happens outside the regular meeting times.... home democrats 2006-10-09T00:37:22-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/newsindex.shtml#000416 Welcome to our index of News Articles. Feel free to browse our collection, and if you have any question or comments: please don't hesitate to contact us. Articles: 2005 MAINE COLLEGE DEMOCRATS CONVENTION A BIG SUCCESS (10/7/2005) Award Winning Maine College Democrats Hold Second Annual Convention (8/18/2005) Maine College Democrats Rise to National Prominence (8/4/2005)... newsindex democrats 2005-11-19T21:44:11-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000415 by Alex Reed '07 Oct. 7th, 2005 The Bowdoin College Democrats are proud to have planned and hosted the second annual Maine College Democrats convention - an event which electrified the Bowdoin campus and Brunswick community this past October weekend. As the only college Democrats convention of its kind, the political event drew upon the support of the entire Bowdoin student body, as well as loyal Democrats from all over New England. Maine Governor John Baldacci, Representatives Tom Allen and Mike Michaud, and political satirist Al Franken gave keynote speeches praising the work Democrats have done throughout the many years of the party’s history from its roots in the Jeffersonian era all the way through the present-day struggle to promote civil liberties, equal rights, and social justice. Yet their message was clear: young, politicized students such as the Maine College Democrats are the future leaders of the American liberal movement. “We wanted to promote dialogue on campus about the impact of young people on politics, and at the end of this weekend I think we really did achieve that.” says Bowdoin College Democrats co-President Frank Chi. Nowhere was this more evident than after the much-anticipated performance by comedian Al Franken, whose speech drew a crowd of over a thousand people at Bowdoin’s Morrell Gymnasium. He urged the audience to “celebrate Democratic family values” by supporting equal rights for gays and to stay well-informed by marginalizing the right-wing media. Similarly, Franken called on young Democrats to “stay connected” so as to remain an organized, cohesive force capable of leading the United States to new horizons. Such enthusiasm was especially apparent when Maine Governor Baldacci proclaimed October 1st as Maine College Democrats Day, for which he urged statewide observance. With the support and passion of so many Democrats, future conventions will be sure to make even more of an impact on young voters who support Democratic ideals. Thanks are due to all those who attended the convention from all the Maine College Democrats chapters, as well as all those who made the convention possible through their financial and organizational support. We look forward to an even bigger convention next year.... News democrat-user 2005-11-06T21:24:46-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/.shtml#000414 The Al Franken Event was a great success. Thanks to the 1700 people who came to see Al and the Governor Speak. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding the event, we'd love to hear them at democrat@bowdoin.edu. Check out our article on the event. Also, you can see all of the images from the show here.... democrat-user 2005-11-04T23:12:58-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000413 Tuesday, November 8th was ELECTION DAY, and the Bowdoin College Democrats, in cooperation with the Maine Won't Discriminate Campaign, helped keep discrimination illegal in Maine. Final Results: Question 1 Statewide: Yes: 45% - No 55% In Brunswick: Yes: 30% - No 70%... News democrat-user 2005-11-04T22:31:52-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000388 ___ Renowned comedian Al Franken and Governor John Baldacci will give key-note speeches August 16th, 2005 BRUNSWICK, ME - The Maine College Democrats (MCDs) will hold their second annual state convention at Bowdoin College from September 30 to October 2. A total of 19 colleges and universities in Maine will be represented. These politically enthused college students will convene in Brunswick for four days of training, community service, speeches and other events to stress the power of young voters in politics and engage in active dialogue about Maine’s Democratic future. Maine Democratic Party Chairman Pat Colwell and state politicians will also participate in the workshops and social events during the convention. “We are very excited to have Governor Baldacci and Mr. Franken participate in our events. They will offer statewide and national insight into the importance of youth in our democracy,” says Maine College Democrats Co-President Alex Cornell du Houx. On October 1, Governor John Baldacci and renowned political columnist Al Franken will join in, what should prove to be, a lively discussion with College Democrats from across the state. They will both address what college students can do to promote and translate their ideas into political action. The MCD’s were recently awarded State of the Year by the College Democrats of America. This prestigious position is given to the state where the students exceed expectations of their goals. In the past year the Maine College Democrats expanded their presence on Maine’s college campuses exponentially by incorporating 20 new chapters; held their first-ever state convention, and launched the publication of their newspaper, Blueprint, which has the distinction of being the nation’s only College Democratic statewide newspaper. Recently in Washington D.C., the MCD’s Co-President, Alex Cornell du Houx, was elected as the Development Director for the College Democrats of America. During the convention students will highlight the successes of the MCD’s past and offer a vision for youth participation in Maine politics. Anyone is welcome to attend the convention. To become a delegate please register on line at www.mainecollegedems.com/convention or contact one of the convention chairs. For more information please contact the Convention Chairs Dan Herzberg 612-850-0078 and Anya Trundy, 207-522-4068 or convention@mainecollegedems.com. Tenative Convention Schedule... News democrat-user 2005-08-21T03:14:06-05:00 http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/democrats/news.shtml#000387 by Anya Trundy August 4th, 2005 BRUNSWICK, ME – The Maine College Democrats were recently honored as “State Federation of the Year” by the College Democrats of America Executive Board at the College Democrats National Convention in Washington, DC. Maine College Democrats’ President, Alex Cornell du Houx (Bowdoin ’06), who ran unopposed, was also elected as the College Democrats of America Director of Development. College Democrats of America President Grant Woodard affirms, “The Maine College Democrats are an example after which all other state federations should model themselves. When the Democratic Party issued a challenge to America’s new generation of voters during the 2004 Presidential Campaign, the Maine College Democrats rose to meet that challenge; organizing a statewide network of campaign volunteers who propelled Kerry to victory in Maine.” In the past year the Maine College Democrats expanded their presence on Maine’s college campuses exponentially by incorporating 20 new chapters; held their first-ever state convention, and launched the publication of their newspaper The Blueprint, which has the distinction of being the nation’s only College Democratic statewide newspaper. Cornell du Houx explained that, “This award is a testament to the passion, hard work, and dedication we’ve all invested in the pursuit of our Democratic ideals over the course of the last year. We remain deeply concerned for our collective future and are committed to another successful year.” Cornell du Houx has been instrumental in building the Maine College Democrats, elevating them to their current level of national standing. “Undoubtedly, Alex will bring the same vision and work ethic to the national organization as he has contributed to the success the Maine College Democrats,” said Maine College Democrats Political Affairs Director Dan Herzberg (Bowdoin ’06). Maine’s delegates, representing Bates, Bowdoin and Colby Colleges as well as the University of Southern Maine joined over 700 of their fellow campus progressives hailing from blue and red states alike in converging upon the nation’s capital for the convention’s four days of events. Attendees were addressed by such prominent Democrats as Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and past and present Democratic National Committee Chairmen Terry McAuliffe and Howard Dean, respectively. State Co-President Alex Cornell du Houx can be contacted for further comment regarding the College Democrats commendation as “State Federation of the Year” and/or his election as National Director of Development by phone at (207)-319-4511 or by e-mail at cornella@collegedems.com... News democrat-user 2005-08-21T03:06:32-05:00