SAVE

Written By: Katie Dean

Crosspost with 80 Million Strong

The unemployment rate for young Americans aged 16-24 rose to 17.3% in May and now stands a staggering 7.9 points higher than the national average.  Young people in America are facing the highest unemployment rates of any demographic, while at the same time accruing, on average, $27,000 worth of student loans by college graduation.  And these numbers do not reflect the negative effects of growing credit card debt and a lack of health insurance that continue to plague young Americans.

The statistics are clear: young people have been affected disproportionately by the nation’s economic recession, and yet the American public is largely unaware of the plight of the youngest members of its workforce.

Media coverage of the national unemployment crisis is abundant, but it overlooks the economic woes of the Millennial Generation.  Less than a year ago the nation’s news outlets were clamoring for stories about this now seemingly forgotten age bracket; feel-good pieces about the increased level of youth participation in the presidential election were published daily, and it appeared as though the media, and consequentially, the public, finally respected the contributions of our generation to the political realm. 

However, once the Obama-mania of election season died down and America came out of its bliss-induced haze, the media refocused its attention on the problems ahead, namely the faltering economy.  Essentially absent from this coverage has been the Millennial Generation; in a few short months our age demographic went from being the subject of front page feature stories to the occasional, and almost certainly brief, acknowledgment in an article on some larger economic issue.

While there are some exceptions, the media attention being paid to young Americans is inarguably disproportionate to the burden the recession has put on this cohort.  It seems as though the media had use for young Americans when we provided inspirational material for human interest pieces, but now that we need publicity to ensure our financial future, too many news outlets have abandoned our cause.

Let me be clear, young Americans are certainly not the only group suffering in today’s abysmal job market.  I understand that unemployment is devastating for an adult who must support his or her entire family; however, young people have financial responsibilities to their families as well, and the face of today’s caretaker is not exclusively a middle-aged man.  We do not want to replace the current image of the unemployed and struggling, we simply wish to augment it to accurately reflect the current situation.

Increased media coverage of the economic hardships of young Americans is essential to the wellbeing of our economic futures.  In the absence of a strong media narrative, the challenges of uniting young people to play an active role in shaping our economic destinies may be too great.  While the inspirational spirit of our generation may be a good storyline, it is no more important than the reality that is our precarious economic outlook.  In fact, just as the media narrative of the fall election may have contributed in spreading inspiration, press coverage of the youth economic crisis may help spark action to improve it.

Written By: Ryan Erickson-Kulas

As the 2009 Virginia Democratic Gubernatorial Primary has ended and the general election campaign begins, one issue receiving dramatically increased attention is the restoration of voting rights for ex-felons in Virginia. All three Democratic primary candidates, including victor Creigh Deeds, came out in favor of restoring voting rights for nonviolent felons once they have finished their sentence and probation. Under current Virginia law, all convicted felons are permanently disenfranchised unless they receive a personal intervention from the governor. Virginia and Kentucky are the only two states that have such strict laws; however, similar measures exist in various forms throughout the nation. Only thirteen states and the District of Columbia allow convicted felons to vote upon release from prison and only two states allow felons to vote from prison.

Such disenfranchisement of an entire group of the population is staggering. The Sentencing Project, which is a national organization working for a fair and effective criminal justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing law and practice, estimates that one in forty-one adults have lost their right to vote, either currently or permanently, due to a felony conviction. This problem severely affects African Americans with 1.4 million African American men being disenfranchised. Their rate of disenfranchisement, which is 13%, is seven times higher than the national average.

            While the pledge by Virginia’s Democratic gubernatorial candidates is encouraging, there is much work to be done in returning the right to vote to felons. In the 110^th Congress, the late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones introduced The Count Every Vote Act (H.R. 1381). This bill would have restored the right to vote across the nation to those felons that completed their prison sentences and probation or parole. This initiative would return the right to vote to as many as 2.1 million Americans. By enfranchising these individuals it will give them the opportunity to more effectively integrate themselves back into society as fully productive members.

At the Student Association for Voter Empowerment (SAVE), we support efforts to restore the vote for ex-felons. We believe that those individuals should be able to express their opinions and political will through the power of the ballot. A democracy cannot run effectively without input from all members of society, and the current system in Virginia and other states does not allow for input to be heard from a large segment of the population. We believe that voting is a key to effective reintroduction to society and support efforts to give felons the voting rights that have been stripped from them.

Written by: Bobby Campbell

The week of September 22, 2008 was, perhaps, the busiest in the young history of SAVE. It included numerous meetings, phone calls, and the typical office duties, but it also included two events to distinguish it from any old day at the office.

First, on Wednesday, September 24, we hosted a press conference on Capitol Hill with the People for the American Way (PFAW), and members of Congress, including Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA), and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. It was a high profile event, set against the backdrop of the Capitol Building, and attracted dozens of journalists.

Our Executive Director, Matthew Segal, Congress, and PFAW focused solely on student voting rights. Topics included the power of 44 million young voters (18-29), the tremendous importance of the election, the failure of election officials to help young voters, and the potential for legislative action. One specific element raised was the Student VOTER Act of 2008 introduced by Congresswoman Schakowsky, which SAVE conceived, developed, and advocated.

What was the overarching message of the press conference? We want you and need you to participate in this election. We understand that there are problems with the system. We are here to help.

Wednesday’s press conference transitioned nicely into a Thursday hearing of the Committee on House Administration, titled “Ensuring the Rights of College Students to Vote.” Matthew testified on behalf of SAVE and all our members, detailing the wide range of problems that students confront when attempting to vote. Congresswoman Schakowsky testified on the Student VOTER Act, an important step to advance the legislation. The hearing was a great success for us, as we have been a constant voice in the ear of hill staffers, explaining the critical need for a hearing on this issue. Simply, it goes to show that persistence pays off.

These events position SAVE for a strong push in the months ahead; however, the work of our chapters will make the real difference. We have chapters working to register voters and provide absentee ballots. We have chapters organizing Election Day activities, including working at the polls. Most importantly, everybody’s eyes and ears are tuned to look for discriminatory election tactics targeting young voters. It’s a great start, but it isn’t over.

Let’s hope that our week of success is a sign of successes to come.

Written by: Anna Salzberg

Helping is hip these days. From eco-vacations, where even the rich and famous are roughing it, to riding your bike instead of driving your gas guzzling SUV, every day citizens are trying to make the world a better place—a trend I think we can all agree is worth sticking with.

Why is it, then, that voting isn’t culturally cool? It’s not for lack of trying. Everyone remembers the “Vote or Die” campaign of 2004, when P. Diddy turned from his usual musical and entrepreneurial endeavors to launch a large-scale registration campaign. And organizations like Rock the Vote and Declare Yourself still, somewhat successfully, turn to celebrity faces to promote their cause and reach their young constituents. In fact, Rock the Vote’s website videos of Christina Aguilera, NERD, Wale and others encouraging young people to “make a difference” and vote this year. We are asked to “Join Christina and Register to Vote” by simply pressing a button. We have seen th enormous impact that celebritizing an issue can have on involvement, and these organizations have done a terrific job honing in on this.

And yet, it would be tough to argue that the average young person would associate the words “cool,” “hip,” or “trendy” with voter turn out. Perhaps this is because it is difficult to make voting a quantifiable experience until one has gone to the polls. There is no Sigg water bottle, clean park or completed homework assignment to show a young person that they’ve made a difference. Or perhaps it is because, despite what we would like to tell ourselves among young, progressive circles, that people still think voting and political participation don’t matter, that their vote “doesn’t count.”

When voting is arguably the only social issue that can dictate the direction all of the other issues young people care about, why have we as a society been unable to deem going to the polls as culturally cool as going to South America for community service? Why is it that when young people turn sixteen they run to the DMV or at 17 run to see an R rated movie, but so many don’t go jump at the opportunity to go the polls on their first Election Day?

Please, don’t get me wrong—this post is not at all intended to bash my fellow young voters or non-profit organizations. The voting rate has risen considerably among the youth demographic since 2000, and, especially with the fervor around democratic nominee Barack Obama, youth civic participation is higher than it has been in many decades. What I am critiquing here is our countries lack of association between casting a ballot and being hip, while this correlation, fortunately, does now exist between social consciousness and coolness. Voting should be viewed as simply the hippest thing you can do, because the politicians that the American people choose to vote into office in 2008 have capability to enact legislation that will help to create the long-term, sustainable changes that our generation demands.