Final IDS Column: IU, unplugged

Enjoy the moment, but always look forward to the next step.

With the insecurities that came from high school, I tried to fuse this simple fact in my head. There will always be another journey and a new chance to change yourself once again. And as the time has come to transition to a new level in my life, the same motto will have to be in play.

In high school, I was the overly outgoing popular kid who was coming to terms with his homosexuality. This Drew, though widely accepted by his peers, feared rejection about a personal trait that’s simply uncontrollable. So I looked forward to Aug. 19, 2007, my move in day at IU, and my new chance for redefinition.

IU appealed to me because it seemed to be the most liberalized college in Indiana. When I was 13, I was awarded the 21st Century Scholarship, a program for Hoosiers who fit in the state’s lower class system. To receive this gift I had to stay in state, and for Indiana, IU is George Washington University in the east coast, preaching development and open-mindedness. IU was my ticket out of Tipton, Ind.

Initially, IU provided me everything I could have wanted from a university. The classes challenged me, the people were ambitious and my independence excelled.

But by the end of my sophomore year, I began to realize the faux bubble IU claimed to construct. Though this town does support diversity and acceptance, it’s a sort of commercialized warmth where only stereotypes could share prominence with the dominating social norm.

As long as we fit within these pre-existing conditions, all is well. When we don’t, then we’re put in our place.

If last week’s anti-Semitic attacks weren’t a clue, maybe this column will be a dead ringer. IU and the city of Bloomington are far from its embroidered liberal tag. This town is full of kids who view blackout stupidity as a indicator on how well the week went.

Also, I don’t know what drug the Advocate’s Mike Albo was on, but we are not one of the “Gayest Cities in America” either. Our parties are immediately shut down, and the nearest gay bar is by Wal-Mart. How’s that for equality?

While I will miss the memories IU provided me, I will not miss the seclusion my gay friends and I encountered each week.

I look forward to the time when women won’t harass you about this “lie” your living because you’re “too masculine and cute” to like guys, as if a cookie-cutter image of a gay men existed.

A good friend of mine in Washington, D.C. told me that for gay men, college is like our high school years and our 20s will be our collegiate ones.

He couldn’t have said it any better as it sort of complements my motto — always look forward to new adventures. I’m not going to be the guy who says “the college years were the best of my life.” I didn’t do it in high school, and I won’t do it here.

The best years of your life occur when you lose ambition for what’s to come. I’m going to miss everything about IU, but my flight is booked literally hours following my commencement. It’s time to move on.

After three and a half years, it’s time for a new ride, but on this trip, there will be no expiration date.

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To read it from the Indiana Daily Student, CLICK HERE.

IDS Column: Lame Duck Session

The hourglass is running out for House Democrats as the final congressional session, known as the lame duck period, will polish off the controversial 111th Congress.

Typically, the lame duck period has been a session many elected officials have written off. Party power shifts hands, and the public turns its interest to what the new majority might do during it’s first few weeks in office.

There will be no exception in 2011. The new Speaker of the House, John Boehner(R-Ohio), and the rest of the GOP plan to begin their “Pledge to America” by repealing the much scrutinized health care system the Obama administration passed in March 2010.

Eric Cantor, Virginia’s 7th District representative and the House’s new Republican Majority Leader, has also been said to devise a new schedule, allowing two-week congressional sessions followed by a week back in the respective district.

These strategies have barely caught the public’s eye because during the next four weeks, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid still control the Congress.

Therefore, there’s a chance to sneak in a few more bills through the system before it’s time to hand the gavel across the aisle.

What’s on the agenda? Mirroring a bitter sibling rivalry, both sides yet again find themselves at odds on what should be on the radar during the next month.

While all attention settled on the fiscally driven health care bill last year, Democrats have chosen to align their focus towards the DREAM Act.

The Act is a more socialized measure that once was tacked onto 2011’s Defense Authorization Act but stalled due to bipartisan support. Republicans, however, believe extending the Bush tax cuts should be a top priority.

There are far more issues on the congressional agenda, though, when it comes to what looks attainable for the current Congress and administration. The DREAM Act should break away from the pack because it initiates opportunities and further renews the foundations this country established years ago.

It’s hard to understand why Republican opponents express such opposition for those who have practically grown up within the country’s borders.

According to reports, their claims come down to diminishing education opportunities, scholarship funding and federal loans for current kids who earned their way by a natural birthright.

It’s an argument only extending past their political ties because if there was extensive research on the bill, voting against it would be un-American.

Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) carefully outlined the program, ensuring the bill’s credibility to both parties.

Participants must have lived in the country for five consecutive years, have entered the country before the age of 16 and have graduated from an U.S. high school or received a GED equivalent.

The question should not be why, but how, can we make this possible for new Americans.

It’s speculated that the DREAM Act will be added onto a bill providing naturalization for Haitian orphans, which should only gain political credibility and bipartisan approval — a step both parties need to take for the beginning of this new year.

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Original Source: Indiana Daily Student

IDS Column: Final rant about 2010 election

Many predicted the Democratic downfall on Election Day and yet, this reality still stings anyone who was pulling for the left.

The Republicans took the House and came five seats shy from gaining control of the Senate.  The midterm elections could have been a lot worse for Democrats.

This is not going to be a column explaining how the glory of the Democratic Party (and President Obama’s agenda) is still secured for two more years. It’s cliche and also far from the truth.

The left’s foundation has cracked, and if leadership does not change, we might as well give the Senate gavel and the White House to the GOP for 2012.

I feel compelled to respond to this election, professionally and personally. Some of you say my column has no journalistic credibility because my views don’t match yours.

But throughout this semester, I thoroughly believed in my values and pledged my support for the candidates who fit these standards.

These values still exist because the candidates who won on Nov. 2 do not accurately represent many of the Hoosiers in this state and the progressive standards America needs to hold itself to.

The consequences might be hard, but my pride will not wane. This election, similar to 2008, will define the new generation of the Democratic Party.

RESPONSE AS A JOURNALIST

Todd Young’s victory carried the perfect political formula in 2010. Indiana’s 9th District had voter distrust, a new face in the congressional race and all the funding Young could ask for from the Republican Party.

Not even President Obama could have survived this one.

Young also carried swagger as his campaign waged through the district, and it was evident if you went to one of the town hall debates. With every question, Young provided a response that criticized Congressman Baron Hill in each message.

It was subtly cocky, but it proved to gain support through the already hostile crowds of the 9th District.

The election played out similar to the childhood game of cops and robbers where Young characterized himself as the good guy trying to stop Hill from advancing Obama’s agenda. Hill was facing a tough challenge and with this scenario, he was thrown under the bus.

The campaign strategy for the 9th District only mirrored those around the nation. Republicans had the upper hand, and, as we saw on Nov. 2, the GOP took more than 60 seats in the House.

Only two districts changed hands for the Democrats, showing how lopsided an election cycle can become.

The Obama administration can do nothing but lend its ear to the other side. Likely House Speaker-to-be John Boehner and company already established their platform through their “Pledge to America,” a similar plan to 1994’s “Contract with America,” which outlined fiscal and social conservative values in this nation.

In their motives to kill health care reform, the remaining stimulus and tax regulations will be blocked. But, if Obama wants to keep his job in 2012, he must establish a neutral footing between the two parties.

RESPONSE AS A VOLUNTEER

As a political volunteer and a member of this community, the disappointment still rings everyday because, though we knew it would be a tough year, no one could see this stampede coming through Indiana’s 9th District.

The Democrats in Monroe County did all they could in this toxic campaign.

Whether it was the various fundraisers we had for Congressman Hill, the voting rallies or even the thousands of phone calls, College Democrats and community leaders didn’t join a campaign for opportunity — their support for the race was purely genuine. We believed in this man because he was the best kind of politician.

Hill voted for the good of his constituents. Some decisions might not have been popular, but he is going to be the one to thank years down the road.

Though the Democrats are proud of their hard work, regardless of the grim outcome, the continuing rivalry between the College Republicans and Democrats hit an all-time high, which made this election even more uninteresting for anyone who’s not regularly interested in politics.

To tell the small details leading up to Election Day’s end would be futile, but to anyone who walked through campus, the Republicans’ actions were absurd and questioned their moral character.

Again, they got by because they had the momentum from day one.

Momentum won this election, not candidates or political values. The GOP will be riding this wave into the middle of next year. By then, government will be stalled and more public distrust will build.

But this time, it will steer the other way.

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For original copy, CLICK HERE.

IDS Staff Ed: Hello, Evan Bayh

He votes with the blue party, but his words clearly determine his true conservative ties to Indiana.

Evan Bayh, Indiana’s former junior senator, retired from office at the beginning of the year, leaving the Democratic National Committee and Indiana’s Democratic headquarters little room to find a proper replacement for what would have been Bayh’s re-election campaign.

The Democratic Party picked Brad Ellsworth, the then 8th District congressman, and essentially threw the election to the Republican Party and Dan Coats.

Bayh’s actions were a blow to the Democratic Party, but on Nov. 2, he publicly struck the final low blow to the group, telling what went wrong for the left following Bush’s exit from the White House.

It’s a slap in the face, and the Democrats should cut all remaining ties with the man. He is far from following in his father’s footsteps; instead of becoming a respectable public figure, Bayh is taking the easy, opportunistic way out.

So what’s to come for the former senator? As everyone will be looking at Obama’s re-election, Bayh is poised to run for Indiana’s governorship again.

He has more than $10 million saved up from federal campaigning that he could simply donate, and he could then in turn have the DNC donate it to his regional race.

The general public will not know those details. Instead, they will immediately connect his last name to his father’s credibility, one that doesn’t exist for Evan Bayh himself.
The gubernatorial race in 2012 is practically set for Indiana as Bayh is sure to square off against Mike Pence, current congressman for Indiana’s 6th District.

It’s going to be a radical conservative against a moderate conservative, and essentially, it’s a GOP showdown for control of the Hoosier State.

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Original page, CLICK HERE.

Josh Kraus: Todd Young – a man of few shirts

Indiana Daily Student columnist Josh Kraus recently wrote a witty blog post, but due to bad journalism ethics complications, it was taken down by the editor-in-chief.

So here’s the article–check it out!

Todd Young....this time with a shirt.

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Why would your average college student vote for Todd Young?  He opposes all those classic liberal talking points like gay rights, abortion rights, climate-change initiatives and universal health care. He favors a limited government and an increase in second amendment rights. He goes to church, and probably believes in that Jesus guy.

But I know something about Todd Young that only a man in a food delivery position can. He is a great tipper, and looks damn good shirtless. Be jealous boys and girls.

During the summer I worked for Straight2YourDoor, a company that picks up food from delivery challenged restaurants such as Crazy Horse and Siam House, and heroically brings it to pot heads and agoraphobics all across town.

Todd Young and his family were frequent patrons of S2YD, and I delivered to them often. They had a vampiric lust for T.G.I Fridays, and a curious obsession with El Norteno.

We had a brief, but revealing relationship. I was the man with the goods, they were the ones with the cash. It was a dangerous, seductive dance – like a fiery tango done in a pit of rabid Komodo dragons.

But during these interactions I learned a few things about our potential congressman. First, the man is a generous tipper. I would normally receive less than ten percent from other customers, and was often stiffed or given chump change. But Mr. Young always managed to start the bidding at at least twenty percent. Thanks buddy.

Second, he looks good shirtless, and knows it. I’d ring the doorbell, hear the bubbly chatter of his young children, and then see a chiseled torso through the crystalline glass window. I always wondered what activity constantly rendered him shirtless – but in the end I just assumed he was trying to seduce me.

So if you don’t care about the issues, and want to add some sex-candy to our congress this year, then you might want to vote for Todd Young. I’d take attractiveness over civil-rights any day.

IDS Staff Ed: Picking between the lesser of two evils: Nevada Senate race and national politics

The Nevada Senate race between Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Tea Party-backed Republican Sharron Angle is a perfect model of races across the country: An extreme right-wing Tea Party candidate versus an lackluster establishment Democrat.

Neither are great choices to most Americans.

Here, IDS columnists make the case for both sides as the lesser of the two evils.

Sharron Angle is the lesser of two evils.

Sharron Angle would do less damage to personal freedom than Harry Reid.

The race to represent Nevada in the U.S. Senate is, similar to several other such contests, frustrating and fascinating at the same time.

As is the case with many electoral contests across the country, the race pits an insurgent Tea Party-backed candidate running as a Republican against an establishment Democrat who may actually lose to someone who wasn’t even supposed to win the GOP primary.

The Tea Party-backed Republican in this race is former state legislator Sharron Angle, who has had a narrow lead above incumbent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for much of the general election season.

What makes this race a frustrating one to watch is the same thing that has made most political races frustrating for decades: the lack of a candidate who consistently and coherently defends individual freedom on all fronts, not just in the social sphere or the marketplace.

Now, it is important to remember that not all Republicans are dedicated free marketeers who also want to regulate every aspect of our personal lives, just as not all Democrats are committed civil libertarians who want the state to control the economy from top to bottom.

Nevertheless, we can safely say that in both the Nevada Senate race and most other races around the country, voters are faced with one candidate who will do more to fight for economic freedom and less to fight for social freedom and another who will do largely the opposite.

It may be an unpalatable choice to have to make, but in a time when economic freedom is being actively curbed (while social freedoms are merely at a standstill in most cases), the less destructive choice is likely to be the Republican, who will at least help slow the slide toward tighter economic controls.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but with choices like these, it’s the most a candidate can ask for.

- Jarrod Lowery

No, Harry Reid is.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid against Tea Party nominee Sharron Angle.

You’d think this could be a shoo-in win for senator.

But because of the toxic political climate this year, polls have shown these candidates within the margin of error.

Both candidates have had their own follies throughout this year.

Harry Reid almost voted against his own health care bill (twice), he was a part of a book scandal in early 2010 and is one of the key players in the GOP’s witch hunt against the Obama administration.

Sharron Angle, on the other hand, is criticized for personal comments rather than actions in public service.

Among these quotes, Angle has said her job didn’t require a plan to create jobs, the
Federal Department of Education should be eliminated and the press was needed only to throw their agendas out to the public.

The candidates are in a neck-and-neck race and yet when it comes time to vote for the best leader, Nevada needs to select Reid.

Arguments against Reid are valid. There are times when he is out-of-touch with not just his position as Senate majority leader but also his role as a senator in general.

But to kick him out of his seat for a Sarah Palin wannabe is absurd and (somewhat) horrifying.

A seat in the U.S. Senate is too prestigious a position to let a radical right-wing Tea Party activist have.

To be a senator, you have to incorporate your state’s values into the overall goals for the entire nation’s future.

Angle does not achieve this because her credibility extends only feet away from a church’s door.

She does not represent a majority of her constituents, yet alone Americans.

Harry Reid might have seen his best days go by, but his public service is needed for at least another six years.

- Drew Anderson

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Source: CLICK HERE.

 

IDS Column: Letter to Todd Young

Dear Mr. Todd Young,

This year must be a whirlwind.

You announced your candidacy for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District and went toe-to-toe against Mike Sodrel and Travis Hankins, winning the nomination by more than 1,200 votes.

Though you went to Tea Party rallies across the 9th District (trust me, I was there for a few), you’ve managed to steer clear from the ultra right-leaning label, calling yourself more of a Republican “young gun” than a Tea Party sponsor.

Furthermore, I must give you credit. Your television ads, which have flooded this district since the semester began, are really scary. It’s no wonder FiveThirtyEight, one of the nation’s best political forecasting companies, has said this seat has a nearly 57 percent chance of switching parties.

The fear these ads convey scare all voters to support you.

But with all that aside, I want to get to know the real Todd Young — because I do know there is some good in everyone, no matter what kind of public image they choose to carry.

For instance, do you really believe Social Security and Medicare are forms of welfare? To support this argument, you did call these programs (primarily Social Security) a “Ponzi Scheme” this past summer.

This program has positively contributed to American society and benefits more than 36 million people at any given time. So how is this a “scheme?” Or maybe it isn’t. If this is the case, you might want to change your campaign website. You’re misleading your supporters, and you don’t want to be that kind of politician, now do you?

Also, do you really want to lead this district on what the Constitution exactly says, word for word? Your website says you believe in limited government, but while you’ve been on the campaign trail, you’ve said you are a social (and fiscal) conservative, claiming yourself as a ”marriage defender.”

Now fiscal conservatism is not a bad concept. Nearly all of the Democratic candidates are Blue Dogs as well, but your idea to take the Constitution word for word is unbecoming.

If this is the case, what year do you support? It has developed throughout the years. Does the original 1789 version suit you, or the one in 1865? What about the 1919 version, or even the 1992 copy? It’s unclear where you stand, and we (the voters) want to know.

Finally, why have you been avoiding the national press? It seems every news feature hitting the stands comes from traditionally right-leaning publications. Granted, it is working to your advantage, but sooner or later you’re going to have to face every side of the press.

If elected congressman, you won’t be able to choose which news organization you want to speak to. Every sentence you say will be under a microscope.

These questions are just the tip of the iceberg for me; I would love to sit down with you sometime before the election. I realize you’ve chosen not to thus far (because you’ve ignored my e-mails), but I do want to get inside that head of yours sometime.

Clearing the air for all constituents in this district will be nothing but a positive step for your efforts as a public servant.

Yours truly,
Drew Anderson

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For full article, CLICK HERE.

Joel Burns: It Gets Better

The “It Gets Better” campaign, an organization dedicated to stop the teenage suicide epidemic, is growing ten fold as we speak. The testimonies have been warming, heart-wrenching and inspirational.

Joel Burns’s testimony goes far and beyond these words. His nearly 13-minute speech is sure to bring any and every emotion in a roller-coaster fashion.

I would try to describe it, but watch it for yourself.

If you want to provide your own testimony, go to the IT GETS BETTER webpage.

Gay moment of the week – 10.10.10

Ever wonder what it look like if straight(ish) men decided to sing and dance to Lady Gaga?

Look no further.

Unfortunately, because it’s not a YouTube video, you’re gonna have to click for the jump.

None the less, it’s an experience everyone needs to see! CLICK HERE for men who love Gaga.

Why I’m voting republican this year (VIDEO)

This totally convinced me to switch my vote because I love elitist ideals.