Young Dems still hope for change

By Alexia Pursley Print

Clarion, Pa. – With the passing of the General election, the Clarion Young Democrats were disappointed with the failure of Mike Pipe to gain a House seat over Republican Glenn Thompson.

The group had many positive things to say about the Democratic candidate, mentioning their hope for a recognition award for young politicians who inspire, as they say Mike Pipe does.

Any ideas for such an award can be brought to the Young Democrats meetings in Room 118 in Founders Hall on Thursdays at 6 p.m.
The Young Democrats discussed the impending closure of the Pet Adoption and Welfare Society Store in the Clarion Mall.

The space must be cleared out before the end of this month.

The group urges students with free time to lend a helping hand to the organization and assist them with moving the business out of the mall.

“Personal Rights When In The Public Eye” was the “Issue of the Week” for the Young Dems.

This topic came up in light of MSNBC’s political pundit Keith Olbermann’s suspension for contributing personal money to the Democratic campaign.

Olbermann was suspended for violating company policy on the matter.

Young Democrats members had comments ranging from, “any journalist is supposed to remain as objective as possible,” to, “my job should not be affected by my views.”

One lasting point was the matter of the role of a journalist and the role of a pundit.

Some journalists, one member argued, do not vote to remain unbiased.

Another member added to this by saying that “political pundits are known for certain views and shouldn’t be [classified as] journalists.”

When asked for final thoughts on the election, one member said that all she did was cry.

Young Democrats president Brittany Concilus said, “We were all expecting to see a loss across the board.”

The members agreed that the most disappointing aspect of the election was the low voter turnout.

The Young Democrats had “Runaway Jury,” “October Sky” and “Pride and Prejudice,” among many others, to pick from for their next movie night. Members said these movies don’t
mess around.

Other matters discussed at the meeting included the new bumper stickers reading “Change That Matters” that arrived from the Democratic National Committee, Relay for Life
participation,and “Face the Campus,” a weekly political talk show that the Young Democrats participate in.

“Face the Campus” was a talking point for the group, as members discussed the non-intimidating nature of political conversation on the show.

One member said that during the show, “everybody’s really nice and there’s no cross-fire.”

The show airs Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. on WCUB-TV.

The group is looking forward to Relay For Life, and members are even looking to host an activity to be scheduled after the fund raising event.

There are many student groups to check out for insight into national politics, including the Clarion Young Democrats, College Republicans, College Conservatives and Political
Science Association.

All groups are welcome to interested students.

Posted on November 18 2010 in News Clarion Young Democrats, democrats