Kansas Senate Candidate Does Youth tour

Jim Slattery, candidate for the U.S. Senate in Kansas, unveiled a new $5,000 college tuition tax cut last week.

"Few investments are more important than ensuring every young person who aspires to attend college has the opportunity," Slattery said.

Slattery said the cost of attending college has skyrocketed.

"Tuition at Pittsburg State has increased 75 percent in the last five years," Slattery said.

In order to pay the increased tuition rates, more students are taking out student loans that are difficult to pay back in the current economy.

"Students are becoming increasingly burdened by student loan debt," Slattery said. "On average, a student owes nearly $20,000 when they graduate."

I was honored to receive unvetted access to follow Slattery along on his tour talking with him as well as other students interested in his plan as well as other important issues this election. Slattery spent time answering questions in townhall style meetings as well as a special candidate forum hosted by the popular site 18 in 08.

Human Rights Campaign Rock to Win

One event I was able to attend while at the Democratic National Convention was the HRC Concert Rock to Win featuring many performers including Kansas's own Melissa Etheridge, Cindy Lauper, frequent Kansas visitor Rufus Wainwright, Thelma Houston, and Margaret Cho.

The concert began with a short press conference where all agreed that young voters were essential to the election in November. Cindy Lauper said it was important for all people to vote, and that was a key component for her concert with the HRC as well as her national True Colors tour.

"Hopelessness comes out of helplessness. We put the tour together to give information to the people, because information is power, and I strongly believe that this nation was built on the power of the people."

Lauper's endorsement for Barack Obama was announced officially a few days prior to the Democratic National Convention.

"I believe we are at a crossroads and the next ten years will determine the future of this country. . . In particular, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is closer than ever to gaining full equality. We are teetering back and forth right now, and we need to act together to push us in the right direction. What we are asking for is only fair and right. We as a society, LGBT or straight, can show that civil rights are important and discrimination is wrong across the board through our vote. I believe by voting for Barack Obama we will do just that."

Melissa Etheridge agrees, and is frustrated by the mainstream media's focus on what she deems an imaginary rift in her party with regard to LGBT rights. Etheridge had previously asked Senator Hillary Clinton a tough question at the HRC's candidate forum this time last year. Etheridge said she felt "thrown under the bus" in the 1990's during the Clinton administration because of policies such as Don't Ask Don't Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act both supported by the Clinton White House.

When asked about the rift Etheridge adamantly disagreed any existed with regard to the old Clinton administration or any rift from the primary candidates.

"I think it is a dangerous thing that the media has been focusing on 'The Divided Democratic Party: Hillary/Obama' I think that is not true. . . We had an awesome woman and an awesome man to pick from . . .and we came up with Barack Obama and we are all united behind that. And its a fallacy, its a lie, to put out there that we are not."

Lauper agreed encouraging people not to vote "insane."

"I would say, if you want to vote for your pocketbook, which maybe you might. Think of if it's been picked already."

The Human Rights Campaign also spoke briefly about their program that trains young activists, giving them organizing skills that can build a movement of LGBT sensitive political and non-profit workers across the country.

"Generation Equality (GenEQ) is the current crop of high school and college aged Americans. GenEQ is more supportive of queer equality than any generation ever - from widely supported issues like hospital visitation for same-sex couples and workplace fairness, all the way to full marriage equality. But achieving full equality takes action. HRC's GenEQ helps queer youth go from being out to being active by providing the skills, tools and knowledge to make full GLBT equality a reality.

I also caught Melissa Etheridge's performance on the DNC stage Thursday evening.

Keepin' it Rural

What is up world! You've met me before - now hear me when I tell you I'm going to bring you some hot blogging action right here at Rock the Vote!

This election season I'm covering some of the hottest issues from rural America. That's right, I'm keepin' it rural, baby! Everything from the coolness of food and cows to things like broadband and wifi in the sticks. Not to mention some great info about the environment and how folks are "greening" our world with green jobs, alternative fuels and energy, and the efforts implemented by our own generation to save the planet our parents have totally screwed up. That's right, ya'll, its up to us!

Specifically I'm excited to look at why there is no broadband internet access in rural areas. Another highlight for me is that I will get to report from the first ever green city in Greensberg, Kansas! I also hope to speak with young people living on Native American reservations about their involvement in their communities. Most kids want to get out of town as soon as they graduate from high school. I'd like to talk to young Native Americans about how they manage to push away that common urge to fly from the nest and instead choose to stick around and make their community stronger and better.

I'm also addressing the serious concerns we all have about our economy. Times are tough and our generation is getting hit hard with soaring gas prices, student loans, home foreclosures and you don't even want to get me started on the price of coffee.

Other important issues are the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'll be talking specifically with soldiers coming back home, some folks who are headed that way, soldiers from the first Iraq War and their perspectives, as well as taking a serious look at the ways in which we can step up to take care of our troops. We hear a lot of stories about what is happening, but we don't ever get any kind of follow up on what has been done, how people are organizing around specific issues, or the end result. I hope to bring you that information and comments from the troops themselves.

This is a great upcoming election for us! Not only do we have a multitude of issues that our generation is becoming involved in, but we are standing up to take action on those issues. We also have a number of folks our age running for office to make a difference that way. I will strive to bring you all the information on young candidates that I can find and perhaps even help you see how their perspectives are different from the older candidates'. Who knows, maybe my stories will inspire you to run some day, too!

Hit me up with ideas and questions - but comment and keep the convo going. Its all about the conversation!