Join us in Albany this May 19 and 20 as we meet for training, networking, elections and to help determine the future of the New York State Young Democrats. The following details will explain the upcoming State Convention.

Convention Chair
The Convention Chair will be Michael Gilberg. The Convention Secretary will be Seamus Campbell.

Chartering or Rechartering
Rechartering packets will be distributed and made available over the Internet on or before January 15, 2012 and and due by electronic mail by 11:59 PM on March 1, 2012. Each Chapter must also submit these packets by registered mail postmarked by the due date with a roster listing of all members including: name, voter registration address, date of birth, and optionally phone number and electronic mail address in accordance with Article II Section 1.1 and Article III, Section 5 of the NYSYD Constitution.

Anyone interested in starting a chapter or serving on the credentials committee should contact the Convention Chair, Michael Gilberg at michael.gilberg@gmail.com.

Delegates to Convention
Rechartered and Newly Chartered Chapters must submit their list of Delegates to the NYSYD Secretary, Tedd Collins at tedd.collins@gmail.com by 11:59PM on March 1, 2012. Each chartered or rechartered County Chapter shall receive two (2) delegates for the initial 25 members required for chartering, plus one more delegate per additional 10 registered County Chapter members, in accordance with Article III, Section 6 of our Constitution. The Chartering fee is $65 plus 50 cents per member, so that the minimum fee for the 25 required members is $77.50, in accordance with Article IV, Section 1. The Credentials Committee shall determine the method in which Delegates are counted per chapter. Delegate and Alternate Delegates must be members in good standing of the club they represent, in accordance with Article III, Section 3 of our Constitution. The Delegate lists must include names, gender, date of birth, electronic mail address, voter registration address and their status as Delegate or Alternate. Proxies are permitted, and individuals may be empowered to act as proxies on behalf of delegates, so long as such individual's names are submitted prior to voting to the Secretary. No one person may hold more than 3 proxies, in accordance with Article III, Section 4 of our Constitution. All delegations are subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 6.1 of our Constitution.

New York State Young Democrats Executive Board Positions
All New York State Young Democrats are invited to consider running for an Officer position on the State Executive board. Applications will be distributed on or before January 15, 2012 by electronic mail as well as on our website, www.nysyd.org, and are due by 11:59 pm on March 15, 2012 to NYSYD Secretary Tedd Collins at Secretary@nysyd.net.

Positions you may consider running for are:
All Candidates: President, Executive Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, National Committeeman, National Committeewoman.
Regional Vice Presidents, Elected by a Vote of the Region: Downstate, Capital, Upstate, Central, and Western.
Caucuses, Elected by a Vote of the Caucus: Caucus of Color, Disability, Jewish, Labor, LGBT, Rural, Women
New York Attorneys in Good Standing: Legal Director

Executive Board Election Procedures
The following rules shall be used for the conduct of the New York State Young Democrats Elections. To be eligible to apply all candidates must be registered Democrats of at least 16 years of age who have not yet reached the age of 34. All candidates must submit their applications by 11:59PM on March 15, 2012 to NYSYD Secretary Tedd Collins at Secretary@nysyd.net. All Candidates shall have an opportunity to be heard and debated upon prior to their election. All elections must be conducted by roll call vote by County name in alphabetical order alternating between ascending and descending order. Each candidate may only run for one position. In an election for a position involving one candidate, one must receive a majority of the votes cast otherwise the position will remain vacant. In an election for two candidates one candidate must receive a majority of votes cast, a failure for either candidate to achieve a majority will result, in a further round of debate and voting until a majority is reached. In an election for a position involving more than two candidates, one candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast, and if no candidate received a majority then the candidate with the lowest number of votes shall be dropped from the ballot and the election run again with the remaining candidates until one candidate received a majority of the votes cast.

Write-in votes will not be accepted. Nominations from the floor will not be accepted unless there is an Amendment to the Constitution on that day and only for a position that was newly created or for which the nominee was not previously eligible for candidacy. Following the conclusion of elections, the newly elected officers will assume their positions. In the event of a vacancy after the application due date or following elections, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with our Constitution and By-laws.

Special Executive Board Election Procedures
Each region elects a Regional Vice President pursuant to the Constitution, Article 3 Section 3. Only individuals who are registered voters in the region shall be eligible to run for a Regional Vice President position. The elections for Regional Vice Presidents will occur in a manner and time identical to all other Executive Board positions, except only votes from the respective region will be counted for each regional election.

Constitutional Amendment Procedures
All amendments to the Constitution must be received by 11:59 pm on March 1, 2012. All amendments shall be submitted to the Convention Rules Committee pursuant to the NYSYD Bylaws Article V. All proponents for a Constitutional Amendment shall be entitled to be heard by the Convention Rules Committee. Proposed amendments to the constitution must both arrticulate the specific provisions amended and the rationale for the amendment. Amendments should be subcommitted to NYSYD Secretary Tedd Collins at Secretary@nysyd.net.

Agenda and Programming
The agenda and program of the Convention will be determined by the Convention Programs committee, pursuant to the NYSYD Bylaws Article V.

Lodging
The State Committee will have a block of rooms at the location of the convention and NYSYD will be organizing hosts for attendees. If you are interested in a hotel room, staying with another Young Democrat or would like to host other Young Democrats who are attending the convention please contact Convention Chair Michael Gilberg at michael.gilberg@gmail.com.

Volunteers
The State Committee and NYSYD will need volunteers throughout the convention, to assist with everything from organizing delegates, troubleshooting, staffing sign-in tables and checking delegate credentials. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Convention Chair Michael Gilberg at michael.gilberg@gmail.com. Registration fees will be waived for non-delegate registrants who volunteer enough hours. Be sure to indicate availability, electronic mail address, and a mobile phone number.

Speaking/Scheduling
If you have ideas for speakers or entertainment or any matter regarding scheduling at the convention or convention related events, please contact Convention Chair Michael Gilberg at michael.gilberg@gmail.com

Registration
The NYSYD convention is open to registered Democrats from all over our State and Country. If you are not a delegate or alternate and wish to attend you may reserve your registration for the convention by contacting Convention Chair Michael Gilberg at michael.gilberg@gmail.com.

Key Dates
All Items Are Due by 11:59PM on the Applicable Date and must be Registered Mail Postmarked or submitted to the relevant individual.

January 15, 2012

• Recharting packets distributed
• Executive Board applications distributed

March 1, 2012

• Rechartering packets due
• Delegate list due
• Constitutional amendments due

March 15, 2012

• Executive Board applications due

We look forward to seeing you in May and ensuring the future of our organization.

The New York State Young Democrats

Yesterday, YDA DNC Woman and New York native Stephanie Hausner appeared on Fox News to give commentary to the Republican Presidential Debate as a young Democratic voter.

All participants and spectators will make a $10 donation to the 9/11 Widows Foundation. Mama Johnson’s Field is located at the corner of 4th Street and Jackson Street in Hoboken. First pitch is scheduled for 3PM.

Saturday, September 10th
1:00pm -4:00pm
David Weprin Campaign HQ: 72-50 Austin Street
Phone Bank: 10am, 1pm, 4pm
Phone Bank 10am, 1pm, 5pm
Thank you all for your help and support!

1. Al Benninghoff
2. Mara Blumenthal
3. Seamus Campbell
4. Christina Chang
5. Tedd Collins
6. Joseph Coe
7. Michael Corbett
8. St. Jermaine Endeley
9. Michael Gilberg
10. Andrew Goldston
11. Dustin Hausner
12. Stephanie Hausner
13. Heather James
14. Sophia James
15. Chelsea Kadish
16. Liz Kanter
17. Eric Katz
18. Amy Lavelle
19. Kevin Lawrie
20. Andy Marte
21. Kim Moscaritolo
22. Glenn Oldhoff
23. Matt Peter
24. Juan Carlos Pineiro
25. Taylor Pineiro
26. Amanda Pizzuti
27. Amanda Roman
28. Jenni Royer
29. John Salka
30. Jugba Santi
31. Jessica Scarcella
32. Amelia Shister
33. Matt Silverstein
34. Chris Smith
35. Julienne Verdi
36. Josh Waters
37. Ben Yee

1. Robin Brown
2. Alicia Criss
3. Kevin Davis
4. Brian Hegt
5. Sam Hudis
6. Carolyn Schultz

Nearly a decade ago, our world both as Americans and more specifically New Yorkers changed drastically.  At the time it seemed like a change for the worst; a change in the balance of power throughout the global community that left the future of America vulnerable.  As all Americans know, change is not easy; more so when it comes with the tears that were shed over the destruction at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.   

With the heightened security throughout the nation, our armed forces began the crusade to rid the world of terrorism, starting with the international figurehead of terrorism and the head of Al Qaeda; Osama Bin Laden.  During the last 10 years, the men and women of our armed services have combed the mountains and deserts of the Middle East eliminating threat after threat to the human race although still eluded by Bin Laden.  

As our country’s citizens continued to grieve and seek justice, the improvements we saw in the war on terror were beginning to become outweighed by the loss of American life and the responsibility for inspiration and closure shifted to the American people.  Never once were our principles open for compromise and never once was there any doubt that we would rebuild and our country would be even stronger than it was and nowhere better would that confidence be displayed than New York.

Many young New Yorkers lost siblings, parents, relatives and friends on 9/11, taking the brunt of the destruction, both physically and emotionally.  As America carried the struggle alongside those in New York, many of these losses, over time, yielded the tremendous sense of patriotism that our country saw, which inspired a new wave of public service and an appreciation for those who lost their lives for us.  As lower Manhattan began to rebuild, the surge for justice began to build on its foundation, achieving greater and more prominent victories that would undoubtedly lead to a joyous pinnacle.  

The death of Osama Bin Laden is not the joyous pinnacle or finale of the war on terrorism.  This is simply another step forward for our country and is a testament to the bond that was forged between every New Yorker, every American and every man and every woman who served our country and even more with those who lost their lives defending freedom and liberty.  This new victory would not have happened without those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country; those are celebrated with every victory like this and will always be in memories.

Healing the wounds inflicted after 9/11 is not about the reconstruction at ground zero or the death of one man; it is about how we advance and learn from these experiences as one nation. As a result, Americans became more vigilant and were accepting of the changes that were necessary to protect our country.  The improvements made in our country will be cemented as we continue to work together to see that America never experiences another day like September 11, 2001.     

Before 9/11, the World Trade Center Towers were a symbol of the American way.  10 years later the antithesis of the American way was captured and killed.  With a continued trust in our leaders, all Americans' should have renewed faith in our countries capacity to maintain security within our borders and defend our interests around the globe.

Kevin Lawrie
President
New York State Young Democrats

As a native Staten Islander, a young woman, and former patient of Planned Parenthood of NYC, I am deeply saddened by Congressman Grimm’s vote to defund Planned Parenthood. For years, as a young adult, I traveled from Staten Island to Manhattan to Planned Parenthood’s Margaret Sanger Center for my annual reproductive health screenings and low-cost birth control. I am not alone; countless Staten Islanders turn to Planned Parenthood for reproductive health services every year. Read more...

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Matthew Silverstein has been serving “the only place he has ever lived in” since he graduated college. Silverstein calls civic associations “the backbone of our communities.” In addition to serving as a volunteer at his local civic association, Silverstein volunteers for a political group as well. From 2005-08, he served as president of Queens County Young Democrats, for whom he worked for five years to gain recognition of his chapter as a major contributor to the political scene. Now as the new NYS Young Democrats president, he encourages youth involvement in the Democratic Party and instills young people with the values that the Democratic Party stands for.

PERSONAL: The 28-year-old graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from City University of New York (CUNY) Baruch, and in 2007 with a Masters in Urban Affairs from CUNY Hunter. He is unmarried and has lived in Bay Terrace since he was five.

Yesterday's events in Arizona are obviously terrifying, tragic and truly deplorable.  Violent actions against those who are bold enough to step out in front of our Nation's most difficult issues are unbecoming of the American way.
All of our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and our best wishes for a speedy and full recovery are with Congresswoman Giffords.

Our Nation has seen tragedy before and as only Americans can, we overcame.  We work together to support one another during trying times through comforting advice and often spiritual guidance seeking the power to mend and heal, ultimately making us stronger as a people and as a country.

We have seen an increase in emotional and passionate rhetoric regarding elected officials and policies at every level of government.  Our taxes are too high, our government costs too much and our economy is slow to rebuild.  We all know these things to be true and our elected officials are overwhelmingly capable of righting this country and I have tremendous faith in the people that have put them there.

Yesterday's events have scarred our Nation's public and has demonstrated the necessity to understand one another and sometimes settle and agree to disagree. Democrats nor Republicans should stand for this and we must do our part to lead this effort by example, not rhetoric.

As young adults we must continue to engage in politics and public governance, undeterred by this instance, remembering that anger and violence are NOT governing strategies.  We must understand that rhetoric, as it may often be empty, can spiral out of control as it clearly did in Arizona.

The next generation of leaders must be thoughtful enough to understand that one day soon, we will have the opportunities to lead our communities from coast to coast and we can only succeed as one country based on freedom and liberty.


Sincerely, 

President
New York State Young Democrats

 

The New York State Young Democrats have made it very clear that the people of New York must be represented by individuals who seek to serve the people for the good of their community, not for their own personal advancement.  Today’s meeting was a productive first step towards electing Democrats throughout county and municipal government to ensure that the people of the Hudson Valley are appropriately represented at the most communal level. 

The Hudson Valley area Young Democrats identified specific elections in Putnam and Westchester Counties including the Mayoral election in Yonkers and a potential special election to fill the vacancy in the Putnam County Executive’s Office.  Republicans that are ensnared in scandal; Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone and Former State Senator and “Never Actually” County Executive Vincent Leibell, who recently plead guilty to federal corruption charges, currently hold both of these offices. 

New York State Young Democrats President Kevin Lawrie said, “Today’s meeting is exactly how our organization is designed to function.  Our regional vice presidents are the people on the ground with the ties to the individual communities throughout our state and they will only see greater results as resources and ideas come together for one unified goal.  I’d like to thank the leaders in the Hudson Valley for taking this initiative and coming together to make sure that we solidify New York as the base for the Democratic Party.”

"It's really encouraging that we have such an engaged group of young people working to advance the goals of the Democratic Party in the Hudson Valley,” said Hudson Valley Vice President and Dutchess County resident, Ira Margulies.  “The Young Democrats are looking forward to 2011 when we will be aggressively promoting our progressive agenda and working to elect qualified Democrats to the hundreds of local offices in our region."
 

Many opponents of the policy hid behind the excuse of enforcing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell for national security reasons, the Pentagon review proved this to be false. The review states that 70% of the active service members, who participated in the poll, felt that repealing the policy and affording ALL soldiers the same rights would have a positive, mixed or no effect on their units. Secretary of Defense Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mullen both echoed this sentiment with a full endorsement of the repeal.

We saw in the last century that there were some in political leadership as well as within the military and society in general, who believed that skin color defined your level of citizenry and therefore your civil rights. As a nation and society, we stood up and demanded equality; this time and this fight are no different. There were some within Congress who declared that racial integration of the armed services would somehow compromise our national security. Once again we watched those barriers fall as President Truman ordered the de-segregation of our armed services. As only America could, we adjusted. Our servicemen continued defending our nation without any notable disruption as an even larger, united, patriotic front.

Even more concerning than the policy itself, is that in this day and age, as military leaders and service members vociferously voice their support of a repeal, the hate and fear of change still runs deep through those who deter us from perfect justice without a justified reason. They will attempt to deny those willing to sacrifice their lives for us, basic civil rights. It is for this reason we must repeal the antiquated policy of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, not just because the Pentagon has indicated its support, but because, it’s next.

The culture of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell must be changed. We must work for a day when the concept of the closet is no longer in existence and, where we celebrate and affirm LGBT people. The next stop on the journey towards achieving a more perfect union will be the repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy.

Copy and paste the text above and send a message to our Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to tell them to ensure that the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is voted on and adopted.

New York is fortunate enough to have two Senators who have been tremendous leaders during this fight; let them know how many of us stand with them.

In observance of World AIDS Day, the Women’s Caucus, LGBT Caucus and the Caucus of Color, are joining together to ask all New York State Young Democrats to take a moment to remember the countless individuals and families who have been effected by HIV/AIDS and to be a leader in the struggle to cure and stop the spread of this disease.

Started in 1988 by the World Health Organization, December 1st marks a day each year when the world stops to reflect on the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in our local communities and throughout the world.  This year, the World Health Organization is stressing the importance of “Universal Access and Human Rights,” a theme that the New York State Young Democrats enthusiastically support.

In 2006, a United Nations Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS stated that, “the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is an essential element in the global response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.”  The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative said in its 2009 Global Community Health Statement, “Stigma, discrimination and human rights violations against people living with HIV and AIDS and other marginalized populations continue to be some of the greatest barriers to effectively addressing the epidemic.”

More recently, the global community has made tremendous strides.  Thanks to anti-viral drugs  individuals with HIV/AIDS are living longer, fuller lives.  However, HIV/AIDS is still a serious disease. 

Did You Know?

• Everyday 7,397 people contract HIV.  That’s 308 people per hour.
• In 2007, 2.0 million people died from AIDS.
• A total of 33 million people now live with HIV/AIDS. Two million of them are under the age of 15.
• Worldwide, women make up half of all people living with HIV.  The number of women living with HIV in the U.S. has tripled in the last two decades; by 2005, 26% of people living with HIV were women.
• There are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S.
• African Americans accounted for 46% of new HIV infections diagnosed in 2006, although they comprise only 12% of the population.
• HIV can be spread through blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
• Consistent and correct use of latex condoms is highly effective in preventing sexual transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

• As of December 2008, nearly 40,000 individuals were living with HIV/AIDS in New York City.
• 15,000 of those NYC residents are under the age of 40. 
• In 2008, over 125,000 people were effected by HIV/AIDS
• County by county (not including NYC), the highest populations of individuals with HIV/AIDS were Westchester, Suffolk, Nassau, Erie and Albany Counties.  All of these counties either have or are very close in proximity to urban centers. 

Today is World AIDS Day.  “The full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is an essential element in the global response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.” –2006 UN Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.  Get tested, know your status, help fund HIV/AIDS research, and make a promise to protect the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world.

For more information regarding World AIDS Day and to locate events around the world, check out:
http://www.worldaidsday.org/

NYC Department of Health Free Clinics

Planned Parenthood of NYC

Community Health Action of Staten Island

GMHC

Light for Rights New York City Event
Washington Square Park, New York, NY
For more information about the Lights for Rights campaign, check out:
http://lightforrights.org/events.php


GMHC’s Calendar of Community Events

NYS Division of Human Rights

Find out where you can pick up free condoms from the New York City Department of Health

NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence on the Correlation Between Domestic Violence and a Greater Risk for contracting HIV/AIDS

We hope you’ll join us in taking a moment to get tested, protect the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, and help fund research for a cure.  Knowledge is power in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS. 

In Solidarity,

Julienne Verdi
Women's Caucus   

Ben Murphy
LGBT Caucus

Joshua Waters
Caucus of Color

(NEW YORK)--In observance of October being designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Women's Caucus of the New York State Young Democrats applauds legislation recently passed in both houses of the legislature and signed by the governor, in support of domestic violence victims and survivors.  The NYSYD Women's Caucus also praises Assemblywoman Janele Hyer-Spencer for introducing her domestic violence legislative package that will further expand critical protections that every woman needs and deserves.  The Women's Caucus is looking forward to partnering and working with Assemblywoman Hyer-Spencer to combat the severity of domestic violence.

Assemblywoman Janele Hyer-Spencer's domestic violence package includes Danielle DiMedici and Jessica Tush's Law, which creates a registry of domestic violence offenders (A.10265-A). The registry will allow victims to know the location of their abusers and inform women if someone they are dating has a history of dangerous behavior.

Other measures in the Assemblywoman's package provide unemployment insurance for domestic violence victims (A.4903); require that victims be automatically notified when an order of protection has been served (A.10663); require that high schools provide incoming freshman with information on domestic violence and stalking (A.9940); and authorize closed-circuit television testimony for domestic violence witnesses (A.4338).

"The Women's Caucus has been a great partner in advocating for stronger laws and improved outreach on domestic violence," Hyer-Spencer said. "To combat this crime, New York State must take the lead in protecting and educating young women."

"Intimate partner violence is the most prevalent cause of homicides for women 16 years of age and older in New York State. Assemblywoman Janele Hyer-Spencer's legislation would take the next steps to provide essential resources to victims and educate women about this heinous crime," said Women's Caucus Chairwoman Julienne Verdi.

Recently enacted by the Governor is also a set of protections for victims of domestic violence which includes a provision to create a separate voter registration file, immune from FOIL requests, to hide the locations and information of violence victims.  This package also provides domestic violence survivors with the option to request an unlisted telephone number at no charge or use an altered name for the directory listing.

"The bills that were passed and signed into law are excellent first steps to providing resources for victims of domestic violence," said Kevin Lawrie, President of the New York State Young Democrats.  "NYSYD's Women's Caucus approached Assemblywoman Hyer-Spencer and identified her legislation as a priority for our organization so that women all over New York can achieve the quality of life that everyone is entitled to.  Along with Julienne and the Women's Caucus and Assemblywoman Hyer-Spencer, the members of NYSYD will always be committed to ensuring the health and well being of so many people in the young adult community."

In the spirit of the start of the new school year, the New York State Young Democrats applaud the signing of the “Dignity for All Students Act (DASA),” into law yesterday by Governor Paterson.  DASA aims to eliminate harassment and discrimination based on race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex, demonstrating the Governor’s and Legislature’s commitment to ensuring that all students have a safe environment in which to learn.   

NYSYD most specifically salutes the provisions of this new law that will prohibit harassment or discrimination against students or employees while on school property and codifying the definition of “harassment” as the creation of a hostile environment by conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that would interfere with academic performance.  

A survey conducted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) stated that 52% of students who describe themselves as the victims of bullying say they were harassed because they were perceived to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual.  Only 5% of these students actually identified themselves as such.  

NYSYD President Kevin Lawrie said, “As an organization that seeks to help develop leaders of the future, our mission is not all that different than that of most of our educators.  It has always been the goal of NYSYD to ensure that the leadership of the next generation is perfectly equipped to serve the people of our Country and State.  The signing of DASA is a monumental occasion moving towards true equal rights for members of the LGBT community and will also allow students and teachers alike to focus on the tasks at hand inside the classroom. On behalf of all of the members of the New York State Young Democrats, I commend the Governor and Legislature on taking this unique and inclusive approach to improving the quality of education for our students and raising the quality of life for young members of the LGBT community.”

Even though this law does not take effect until 2012, NYSYD would like to see that this law be used as a model for school teachers and administrators all over New York for how to address one of our education systems most prominent problems until DASA’s protections are fully effective.  Every student must be afforded the same opportunity to learn the required material and our students should not have to wait until the 2012 school year to be fully protected from discrimination.  

Tough economic conditions create additional burdens for companies and workers alike. But, while the Rochester area workers are continuing to fight for good paying jobs and struggling to make ends meet, Dr. Pepper Snapple recorded $555 million in profits and over $1 billion in revenues.  Dr. Pepper Snapple, like many other prominent corporations in America, is in a position to lead our country towards economic recovery. We maintain the position of RWDSU that Dr. Pepper Snapple must reciprocate the support that the members of the local community have shown to Motts interests for years.   

We understand that the vehicle to recovery needs to be fueled by the private sector and we know that every job counts in every community, this bold action from Dr. Pepper Snapple will quickly spread throughout communities around America.  We need to halt this type of corporate action right here, in this upstate community and work together with employers to encourage them to maintain and even expand New York’s talented workforce.  If we can help our middle class keep more dollars in their paychecks and pockets, those dollars will quickly multiply as they work their way through the economy at gas stations, restaurants, department stores and even Snapple vending machines.

Over 30 Young Democratic Enthusiasts in Attendance

 

BUFFALO, NY—Yesterday evening, August 25th, over 30 young Democratic enthusiasts came out to the first ever Erie County Young Democrats meeting. Along with the Chairman of the Erie County Democratic Party, Len Lenihan, members of various communities came out to welcome the Erie County Young Democrats and show their support for the Democratic agenda in 2010.

 

 

The well-attended meeting fostered discussion of volunteer opportunities with the various local and statewide campaigns that were represented as well as how to effectively organize and allocate resources for important local races that could change the balance of power throughout the entire state. In addition to Lenihan, members of ECYD were joined by Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul and the County's Comptroller, Mark Poloncarz.

 

 

Also addressing the group was Niagara Falls resident and President of the NYS Young Democrats Kevin Lawrie. "The turnout at the first meeting tonight is a great signal for the future of this chapter. Since becoming President of NYSYD in April, it has been my priority to increase the number of chapters in every corner of New York. The creation of the chapter here in Erie County is excellent news and I look forward to working with them in conjunction with both the statewide organization and my hometown chapter in Niagara County."

 

ECYD President Melissa Bochenski said, "I am extremely pleased by the amount of loyal young Democrats that came out to be a part of this new group. It is encouraging to see the increasing level of enthusiasm and the number of individuals there are in this area who all share the goal of advocating on behalf of young adults. There are several critical races in Western New York and while a number of individuals are already involved in campaigns, we are looking forward to coming together to make an impact in November"

 

 

Check out the "Photos" section on our website for more from the ECYD meeting.

•  As many as 7.2 million Americans under age 20 are lesbian or gay.
• 45% of gay males and 20% of lesbians experience physical or verbal assault in high school; 28% of these young people feel forced to drop out of school due to harassment based on sexual orientation.
• 28% of boys and 17% of girls have one or more same-sex experiences before age 20.
• Statistics from "Gay and Lesbian Stats" Edited by Bennet L. Singer and David Deschamps

She was re-elected at the YDA Summer Meeting in Washington, D.C., along with a new president of the national youth outreach arm of the Democratic National Committee.

Hausner will continue to be responsible for helping shape the direction of the Young Democrats of America.  In her position as DNC Woman, she is one of nine national officers elected every two years.  These officers include, president, three vice presidents, treasurer, secretary and YDA DNC man and woman.

During her time as the YDA DNC Woman, Hausner has been able to advocate for youth in New York and has been a leading voice at the national level on behalf of her home state.

"I am incredibly thankful to YDA for once again trusting me to represent young Americans on the DNC," Hausner said. "I'm excited to continue to work with leaders from across our country so that together we can maintain the momentum that the young Democrats started in 2004, which reached record heights in 2008, and will continue to soar in 2010."

Early this morning the United States of America lost a giant. Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia succumbed to effects of a heat stroke that manifested itself with additional symptoms. Senator Byrd was a model representative for the voters of West Virginia since his election to the House of Representatives in 1952. Since then Byrd’s voice has transcended generations of members in the upper chamber articulating arguments that straddled partisan lines, regardless of popular and political pressures. 

 

Byrd’s recognition for his stances on issues is what helped him lead the Senate as Majority Leader and all of his other leadership roles. Byrd’s leadership allowed the country to experience substantive debate that helped shape our nation for half of a century, even if you disagreed with what he had to say. 

 

Senator Byrd’s relationships developed over his time in the Senate along with many of his stances on issues. Byrd’s open-mindedness, especially regarding his stances on Civil Rights, changed as the views of his constituents and pulse of America changed, ensuring that West Virginia would always have its voice accurately heard in the United States Senate. 

 

Byrd was present for all of the critical votes during the recent health care debate and upon his final affirmative vote exclaimed, “Mr. President, this is for my friend Ted Kennedy! Aye!”

 

NEW YORK CITY—The New York State Young Democrats applaud a court ruling that came down Tuesday, June 22nd, requiring more equitable guidelines for the distribution of handicapped parking passes in New York City.  Previously, only individuals who live, work, or attend school in New York City could apply for specific parking permits. 

 
Kevin Lawrie, President of the NYS Young Democrats stated, “This is a significant improvement to the quality of access to resources for disabled individuals.  I commend the plaintiff for standing up to help change an unjust and antiquated policy.  At a time when the budget deficits are forcing cuts to services, there must be new and innovative ways for the government to continue to help individuals that often need the most.” 

 
NYSYD Disabilities Issues Caucus Chair Marcia Grippen said, “This is an important step forward for disabled individuals, New York City, the state of New York, and the country as a whole. Handicapped parking is an invaluable resource for many disabled individuals. I applaud the plaintiff for fighting for the equal rights that all disabled deserve, as well as court for realizing that New York City's previous policy was in violation of the law. The news of this ruling is a reminder that we must continue to fight for equal rights for all disabled and that change is, indeed, possible.”

 
To find more information on how to obtain one of the permits visit www.nyc.gov/dot/permits and follow the link to “Application Instructions for NYC Parking Permit for People with Disabilities (PPPD).”

 

 

ALBANY, NY—In this month’s edition of “The Capitol” Newspaper, NYS Young Democrats Vice President and Albany County Young Democrats (ACYD) President, Matthew Peter was selected to the “Top 40 Under 40” list. Peter is one of the youngest politicos selected to this list at just twenty-four years old. Matthew is a Fiscal Budget Analyst, specializing in education and tax for the Senate Majority’s Finance Committee.   

 

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                              New York State Young Democrats Biennial Convention
 
                                                            May 22-23 2010 
 
                                                       RENEW AND REBUILD. 
 
                                              OFFICIAL CALL TO CONVENTION
 
Join us in New York City this May 22 and 23rd as we meet along side the New York State Democratic Committee for training, networking, elections and to help determine the future of Young Democrats, Congress and ultimately, our Nation.  Further details will become available as they are released by the New York State Democratic Committee.
 
Chartering and Rechartering:
Rechartering packets will be distributed and made available over the Internet on or after February 1, 2010 and due by 11:59PM on April 23, 2010.  Each Chapter must submit these packets by registered mail postmarked by the due date with a roster listing of all members including: name, residence and/or voter registration address, date of birth, and optionally phone number and electronic mail address in accordance with Article III, Section 5 of our Constitution.  Anyone interested in starting a chapter or serving on the credentials committee should contact the Chair Michael Gilberg at michael.gilberg@gmail.com.
 
Delegates to Convention:
Rechartered and Newly Chartered Chapters must submit their list of Delegates to the Credentials Committee Chair at michael.gilberg@gmail.com, by 11:59PM on April 23, 2010.  Each chartered or rechartered County Chapter shall receive two (2) delegates for the initial 25 members required for chartering, plus one more delegate per additional 10 registered County Chapter members, in accordance with Article III, Section 6 of our Constitution.  The Chartering fee is $65 plus 50 cents per member, so that the minimum fee for the 25 required members is $77.50, in accordance with Article IV, Section 1.  In determining the number of Delegates and Alternates the Credentials Committee shall only count the number of members submitted for registration who reside in the County for which they are a member of a Chapter.  Delegate and Alternates must be members in good standing of the club they represent and residents of the County in which their club is located, in accordance with Article III, Section 3 of our Constitution.  The Delegate lists must include names, gender, date of birth, electronic mail address, residence addresses, voter registration address and their status as Delegate or Alternate.  Proxies are permitted but must be submitted to the Secretary prior to voting, and no one person may hold more than 3 proxies, in accordance with Article III, Section 4 of our Constitution.
 
New York State State Young Democrats Executive Board Elections:
 
Positions:
We call upon our Young Democrat leaders throughout New York who are currently leading their own chapters or are serving on political campaigns or in government positions with distinction to consider joining the New York State Young Democrats Executive Board.  Applications will be distributed on or before March 15, 2010 by electronic mail as well as on our website and are due by 11:59PM on April 23, 2010 Credentials Committee Chair Michael Gilberg at michael.gilberg@gmail.com
 
Positions you may consider running for are:
 
Executives: President, Executive Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Legal Director.*
 
Regional Vice Presidents: Downstate Vice President, Capital Vice President, Upstate Vice President, Central Vice President, and Western Vice President.
 
National Committee: National Committeeman and National Committeewoman.
 
Caucuses: Caucus of Color; Disability Issues; Jewish; Labor; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT); Rural Conference (YDRC); and Women.**
 
Committees: Communications and Finance.
 
*Please note that the Legal Director is a non-voting member of the Executive Board and must be an attorney in good standing admitted to practice in the State of New York.
 
**Please note that the Caucus Chairs are elected by the membership of their respective Caucuses.
 
Election Procedures:

 

The following rules shall be used for the conduct of the New York State Young Democrats Elections.  The Constitution and By-Laws are available on the NYSYD website and all amendments must be received by 11:59PM on April 23, 2010 by Credentials Committee Chair Michael Gilberg at michael.gilberg@gmail.com.
 
To be eligible to apply all candidates must be registered Democrats of at least 16 years of age who have not yet reached the age of 34.  All candidates must submit their applications by 11:59PM on April 23, 2010 to Credentials Committee Chair at michael.gilberg@gmail.com .  All Candidates and Amendments shall have an opportunity to be heard and debated upon prior to their election.  All elections must be conducted by roll call vote by County name in alphabetical order alternating between ascending and descending order.  Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws shall be voted upon prior to candidates for the New York Young Democrats Executive Board.  Each candidate may only run for one position.  In an election for a position involving one propositions or candidate, one must receive a majority of the votes cast otherwise the proposition will fail or the position will remain vacant.  In an election for two candidates one candidate must receive a majority of votes cast, a failure for either candidate to achieve a majority will result, in a further round of debate and voting until a majority is reached.  In an election for a position involving more than two candidates the election shall be conducted as an instant runoff vote, where each candidate shall be ranked by the voters.  Write-in votes will not be accepted.  Nominations from the floor will not be accepted unless there is an Amendment to the Constitution on that day and the nomination is from a Delegate and then only for a position that was newly created or for which the nominee was not previously eligible for candidacy.  Following the conclusion of elections, the newly elected officers will assume their positions.  In the event of a vacancy after the application due date or following elections, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with our Constitution and By-laws.

Convention Details:

Lodging:

The State Committee will have a block of rooms at the location of the convention and NYSYD will be organizing hosts for attendees.  If you are interested in a hotel room, staying with another Young Democrat or would like to host other Young Democrats who are attending the convention please contact Convention Planning Committee Chair Michael Corbett at mcorbett@nysyd.net

 
Volunteers:
The State Committee and NYSYD will need volunteers throughout the convention, to assist with everything from organizing delegates, troubleshooting, staffing sign-in tables and checking delegate credentials.  If you would like to volunteer, please contact Convention Planning Committee Chair Michael Corbett at mcorbett@nysyd.net  Registration fees will be waived for non-delegate registrants who volunteer enough hours.  Be sure to indicate availability, electronic mail address, and a mobile phone number.  

Speaking/Scheduling:

If you have ideas for speakers or entertainment or any matter regarding scheduling at the convention or convention related events, please contact Convention Planning Committee Chair Michael Corbett at mcorbett@nysyd.net.
 
Registration:
The NYSYD convention is open to registered Democrats from all over our State and Country.  If you are not a delegate or alternate and wish to attend you may reserve your registration for the convention by contacting Convention Planning Committee Chair Michael Corbett at mcorbett@nysyd.net

Key Dates:
All Items Are Due by 11:59PM on the Applicable Date and
Must Be Registered Mail Postmarked or Submitted to Credentials Committee Chair at michael.gilberg@gmail.com

February 1, 2010
-Chartering Packets Available

March 15, 2010
-Candidate Applications Available

April 23, 2010
-Amendments Due
-Candidates Applications Due
-Chartering Packets (Registered Mail) Due
-Delegate Lists

We look forward to seeing you in May.

Democratically Yours,

New York State Young Democrats

Proposed Election Application Draft for Circulation on March 15, 2010:

2010 New York State Young Democrats Applications:
Due 11:59PM on April 23, 2010
First Name:
Last Name:
Birth Date:
Gender:
Occupation:
Email Address:
Residential Address:
Voter Registration Address (if not the same as above):
 
Are you registered Democrat in New York State?
1. Position Sought:
 
2. Please list all of the National, New York State or local county Young Democrat events that you have attended in the past year.
3. What relevant experiences would you be able to draw from, and what strengths would you, given your particular background, bring to position you are running for?
 
4a. Why are you seeking this position?
4b. What is your vision for the New York State Young Democrats in the coming two years?
4c. Give some concrete examples of initiatives within your position you would undertake if elected.

5. Serving on the New York State Young Democrats Executive Board is a significant time commitment.
How committed will you be as an Executive Board member:
5a. Please list any relevant past leadership positions.
5b. Please list all current leadership positions.
5c. How would you be able to fit your leadership responsibilities within your current schedule and given your current commitments?

6. Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony?  If yes, please explain. 

ON MARCH 16, 2010 PLEASE VOTE FOR JOSE PERALTA FOR NY STATE SENATE

January 18, 2010

By NYSYD Communications Director Jenni Royer

Former New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson released a report in 2007 that showed that same sex marriage would bring in new revenue through taxes and fees of around 200 million dollars.  Since the state already recognizes same sex marriages performed in other states by Executive Order of the Governor – the state stands only to gain from allowing same sex marriage.  See the following figure from Former Comptroller Thompson’s report: