During the 2010 Young Democrats of Maryland (YDM) Statewide Convention YDM amended our bylaws to allow local chapters to endorse candidates in local elections. On Wednesday May 5^th 2010 the Prince George’s County Young Democrats Executive Board approved our 2010 Election Endorsement Plan. The key aspects of this plan is that it is in compliance with both the YDM and PGCYD bylaws and allows the final say on endorsements to reside with the General Membership.

The Plan

1) Any member of the Prince George’s County Executive Board shall have the ability to nominate a candidate running for office in Prince Georg’s County to be endorsed by PGCYD. That nomination should be in writing and directed to the President and copied to the remaining members of the board no less than five (5) days before the Executive Board meeting the vote will be taken. Members of PGCYD should feel free to forward their recommendations for endorsements to a member of the Executive Board.

2) The nomination should include the name of the candidate, all challengers to the candidate, a short statement why PGCYD should endorse said candidate, and any other information the nominator deems necessary.

3) The nomination MUST be voted on by the Executive Board at their next board meeting. The Executive Board must vote unanimously among those members present and voting to endorse a candidate in order for the recommendation to be forwarded to the General Body. In the event the board is voting to endorse a candidate who happens to be a member of the Executive Board, that candidate MUST recues themselves from the vote and discussion. No member of the PGCYD Executive Board shall nominate themselves to be endorsed by the organization.

4) If a nomination is supported by the Executive Board, that recommendation should be forwarded to the General Body for final consideration at the next meeting. Members should be informed no less than seven (7) days before the meeting in writing of the vote. The statement to the members should include the name of the candidate, the names of others challenging the candidate, the name of the board member who recommended the endorsement, a statement of why PGCYD should endorse the candidate, and a short bio of the candidate. An endorsement will not be approved unless it has the support of no less than 2/3rds of those members present and voting.

5) In the event a candidate is endorsed by PGCYD, the organization should continue to refrain from sharing internal organizational lists with their campaign. Any information the candidate wishes to send to PGCYD members should be sent by PGCYD.

Joseph Lynn Kitchen Jr.

Executive Vice President

On Tuesday, April 20, 2010 thousands of women from across the United States will join in a national day of action against unfair pay called Equal Pay Day. April is symbolic of the point into the new year that a woman must work in order to earn the wages paid to a man in the previous year. On a national level, women are paid only 78 cents for every dollar a man is paid, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. So, because women earn less, we must work longer for the same pay.
Help us fight for Pay Equity for Women
At a time when America’s economy is facing a downturn, every penny counts! Economist Evelyn Murphy, president and founder of The WAGE Project, estimates that the wage gap costs the average American full-time woman worker between $700,000 and $2 million over the course of her lifetime. As a working woman, I am extremely concerned about pay inequity not only for myself, but for my family.

Help us fight for Pay Equity for Women

Fair pay takes real change! And we can make a difference. As the Young Democrats of America Women’s Caucus we will join hundreds of other organizations across the nation to educate women and men about pay inequity and to offer solutions to wage discrimination. The YDA Women’s Caucus declares Tuesday, April 20, 2010 as Equal Pay Day. The proclamation will further encourage the business community to review their pay practices to ensure that women are not discriminated against by performing an Equal Pay Self-Audit provided by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau.

Help us fight for Pay Equity for Women
Sincerely,
Young Democrats of America
Women’s Caucus
http://womensyda.ning.com/

At today’s Executive Board Retreat the Prince George’s County Young Democrats decided to place a bid to host the 2011 Young Democrats of Maryland Convention next year. 2011 is a very important year for the Young Democrats of Maryland (YDM). Members will gather from all over the state for our annual convention to elect our new leadership, review our bylaws and train our members to stand on the front lines of the battlefield for President Obama’s re-election campaign. We believe that Prince George’s County is the best place in the entire state of Maryland for YDM to hold their 2011 Convention and we invite you to support the cause and join the movement by joining our Facebook Group. By standing together we will tell the YDM Executive Board that we want the YDM Convention 20 minutes from Washington DC, in a place that is accessible by Metro, MARC and Amtrak. Prince George’s is the home of the Washington Redskins, University of Maryland flagship campus College Park, National Harbor and the Young Democrats of America Local Chapter of the year – Prince George’ s County Young Democrats!!

Joseph Lynn Kitchen Jr.

Executive Vice President

Tonight, we have witnessed history. Tonight the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would provide 31 million people health insurance. Tonight a bill was passed that will prevent insurance companies from discrimination against people with a pre-existing condition. This bill will regulate insurance rates for those that currently have health insurance. One-third of all Americans between the ages of 18-36 are uninsured or underinsured. This bill helps those of our generation.

Since FDR we have been fighting for health care for all Americans. From Nixon, to Regan, to Clinton, U.S. Presidents have tried to address the need to health care reform in this country. Today, our representatives have said that today is the day that we vote for equality for all. I am so proud of our representatives from Prince George’s County, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Congressman Chris Van Hollen and Congresswomen Donna Edwards. I am thankful for their leadership and courage.

As someone whose dear friend had to file bankruptcy at the age of 22 because of extreme medical debt, this victory is for her. Thank you President Obama and the US Congress.

Sincerely,
Nicole Williams
President of the Prince George’s County Young Democrats

This weekend Joseph Kitchen our Executive Vice President and I ventured to New Orleans for the 2010 YDA Winter Convention. We are happy to get away from the snow piles that are currently all over Prince George’s County.

While here in New Orleans we attended the lunch with Lilly Ledbetter who is the woman the Lilly Ledbetter Act is named after. Ms. Ledbetter was an inspiring speaker about the importance of pay equality in the work place for all people. Pay equality is important not just while a person is working but later when they are receiving retirement income. A person’s retirement income is based on the income that one receives while they are working. Ms. Ledbetter is now living off of the retirement based on her salary that was much lower than her male counterparts. Her husband passed away in 2008, thus losing 50% of the household income and yet her bills have increased almost 50%. We need to address these issues and continue to fight for pay equality. Ms. Ledbetter was very gracious to us and after the lecture I had the pleasure to speak with her. I hope that we in Prince George’s County will continue to support our congressional leadership in fighting for pay equality.

Also while in New Orleans, our own Executive Vice President did a wonderful job at the Labor Caucus meeting in presenting the wonderful benefits that every receive thanks to the labor movement such as the 5 day work week, health care benefits, maternity leave and safety measures in the work place. We need to continue to remember the benefits that we receive whether we are a member of a union or not because of the labor movement. We also need to continue to fight for the Employee Free Choice Act and Health Care Reform which are supported by the labor movement and will benefit all residents across the country.

We are representing Gorgeous Prince George’s here in New Orleans. We cannot wait to bring back what we learned here to our county to help organize young people to become involved in politics and government.

Sincerely,
Nicole A. Williams
President of the
Prince George’s County Young Democrats

The Executive Board of the Prince George’s County Young Democrats voted unanimously on February 6, 2010 to endorse SB239, a bill to increase Maryland’s High School Dropout Age. Below is the statement supporting the legislation.

Joseph Lynn Kitchen Jr.

Executive Vice President

Prince George’s County Young Democrats

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Every year the state of Maryland loses about $193 million as a direct result of our high drop out rate. In fact according to a study by the Maryland Public Policy Institute “Each year’s class of drop outs is costing state taxpayers about $42 million per year, each and every year in increased governmental expenditures and reduced taxes. We really need to begin to get this under control.” Tackling the high school dropout rate in Maryland is a cause whose time has come and why the Prince George’s County Young Democrats are proud to announce our support for Senate Bill 239, the Age of Compulsory Attendance Bill submitted by Senator Catherine Pugh.

In November the Prince George’s County Board of Education announced they would support legislation in the 2009 General Assembly to ask for an increase in the allowable drop out age. Under current state law students are allowed to drop out of school at the age of 16 years old. However as recently reported after the announcement by both the Montgomery County and Prince George’s County school boards, this law actually costs the county more than it saves in the long run.

WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT THE INCREASE

Maryland is one of only two states in the Mid-Atlantic region that allows high school students to drop out below the age of seventeen. Here in the capitol region? Both DC and Virginia require students to attend school until their eighteenth birthday. In fact according to a recent article written in the Washington Post “studies show that one reason students drop out is because they are permitted to.”

Maryland leaders have to face the following facts on why we need to increase the drop out age:

· Drop outs make $ 1 million less over their lifetime than college graduates.

· Drop outs are more than two times more likely than high school graduates to fall into poverty in one year.

· A report by the California Research Project showed every year the wave of dropouts that state has costs taxpayers $46.4 billion over their entire lifetimes.

· High school drop outs are more likely to need public assistance all while paying no taxes in return.

The Prince George’s County Young Democrats support SB 239 not as the golden key to solve our dropout problem, but as an additional knife in the drawer. We also support the other provisions that maintain a teacher’s ability to maintain order in their classroom from disruptive students. We agree that no student’s education should be at the discretion of one of their peers, however under Senator Pugh’s legislation schools will be called on to develop alternative programs for those who the traditional classroom just doesn’t fit. In school suspension, night classes, and more are programs that have both helped maintain order in the classroom and boost graduation rates in systems all over the country.

American students are living in a time when they are not only competing with their peers across the state or even just around the country but all over the world. The Prince George’s County Young Democrats believe that we need to be proactive in ensuring our children are well educated to partake in our global society and sustain a self sufficient life as productive members of society.

On Monday, January 18, 2010, we celebrate the life of the Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. This day is a Federal Holiday and many of us have the day off from school and work. However, let us not use this day to sleep in and party the night before. Dr. King believed that we should use our lives to fight injustice and to work toward a better humanity.

On Monday, I encourage all Prince Georgians to give back to our community if they can. You can volunteer at a food pantry or help beautify an elementary school. If you are looking for a volunteer project, visit http://www.mlkday.gov/ to find a volunteer project near you.

Also, if can please, go to www.redcross.org to donate money to the Red Cross to help those devastated by the earthquake in Haiti. You can also send a $10 Donation by texting ‘Haiti’ to 90999.

Dr. King would often quote Mark 9:35, the scripture in which Jesus of Nazareth tells James and John “…whosoever will be great among you shall be your servant; and whosoever among you will be the first shall be the servant of all. Let us all be great and be a servant.

Nicole A. Williams
President of the Prince George’s County Young Democrats

On behalf of myself and the members of the Prince George’s County Young Democrats, I want to wish everyone a happy holiday. As we take this time to reflect on this past year and ponder what the future may hold, I hope that we will continue to help those who are less fortunate and assist those in need. It has been a pleasure serving as President of the Prince George’s County Young Democrats this past year. I hope that in the New Year before us that we will continue to advocate for the causes that are important to the younger residents of Prince George’s County. Happy Holidays.

Sincerely,
Nicole A. Williams

The Prince George’s County Young Democrats wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. As we sit down with our family and friends let us remember to give back to our community. Please give your time and/or money to the number of non-profit organizations in Prince George’s County who serve those less fortunate.

With warmest wishes for a happy holiday season from my family to yours,

Nicole Williams
President of the Prince George’s County Young Democrats

Last weekend the United States Senate opened debate on reforming the American health care system. Interestingly enough not one republican senator who has said they all favor reform, just not the reform President Obama is supporting, voted to open official discussion. They have no bill and now they have no intention on discussing the one that has come before their body.

Over the next few days and weeks the United States Senate will be working to pass health care reform. Now is not the time to take our attention away from the upper chamber. During Saturday’s cloture debate, Senator Stabenow highlighted one reason young people should be concerned with this issue: young man who paid the ultimate price for our broken system, Joe, from Okemos, Michigan. Joe was a recent graduate of dental school, between jobs after completing his residency. “He felt ill. He called his mother. She urged him to go to the doctor. But because Joe didn’t have insurance, he was worried about going to the doctor, and so he didn’t. And he continued to feel worse. His family finally got him to go agree to go to the hospital, but by then, it was too late. Joe died at age 27 of an aneurism. 27 years old. Because in America, he didn’t have insurance, and was afraid he couldn’t afford it if he went to a doctor.”

Everyday that we don’t fix our broken system 1,400 people lose their health care coverage. This is unacceptable in a civilized society like ours.

Joseph Kitchen

Executive Vice President