The Nation

Chilling in a coffee shop today waiting for my panel at Berkeley to begin and having serious problems with my computer (the mouse button is stuck, making typing quite difficult). CIRCLE plans on releasing their updated 2008 youth turnout numbers tomorrow. Hopefully I will have my computer issue resolved by then. In the meantime, students should check out this writing contest sponsored by The Nation.

The Nation has launched its yearly student writing contest. This year they are asking students to write about how they have been affected by the recession. Winners will receive a $1000 prize.

We're looking for original, thoughtful, provocative student voices to answer this question: How has the recession affected you, your family or someone you know? Essays should not exceed 800 words and should be original, unpublished work that demonstrates fresh, clear thinking and superior quality of expression and craftsmanship. We'll select five finalists and two winners--one from college, one from high school. Each winner will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize and a Nation subscription. The winning essays will be published and/or excerpted in the magazine and featured on our website. The five finalists will be awarded $200 each and subscriptions, and their entries will be published online. Entries (only one per student) will be accepted through May 31, 2009. A winner will be announced by September 15. Please send entries to studentprize [at] thenation [dot] com.

Some Sunday reading:

• The New York Times reports that President Obama may have to give up his blackberry. It certainly is nice to have a technologically-engaged president in the White House who is at least pushing the envelope on these issues.
• Meanwhile, Obama's not procrastinating at staffing his White House. Some more roles have been filled today.
• An examination of young voters' preoccupation with merit and what that meant in the Minnesota senate race.
• A panel discussion on "Generation We" will be held tomorrow at Noon at the First Amendment Lounge at the National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, in Washington, DC. Sponsored by Eric Greenberg, author of the book "Generation We: How Millennial Youth Are Taking Over America And Changing Our World Forever," and moderated by The Politico's Ben Adler, the panel will include the following confirmed panelists: Ruy Teixeira, Senior Fellow at both The Century Foundation and American Progress, who will present new findings on the youth vote this election cycle; Alexandra Acker, national executive director of Young Democrats of America; Michael Moschella, director of outreach at the Truman National Security Project; and Kat Barr, political outreach director at Rock the Vote.
• Bruce E. Cain, a professor at UC Berkeley, offers his thoughts on the GOP's demographics problems. He discusses youth and their current politics and nails it:
  

  Finally, there is the new generation. Even before this election, the Generation Y kids were participating in public life at higher levels than their Generation X predecessors. What strikes me as I read their resumes and talk to them at the university is that they are more service-oriented (partly because community service is a requirement at many schools), technologically oriented (they have been running computers and electronics for their parents for years) and world-savvy (they intern as a way of testing out the world). Generation X was the "me" generation; Y seems to be the "us" cohort. Republicans may want to think about what that means for them.

• An examination of the new electorate in American politics.
• The Nation has a "You Voted. Now What?" post-election guide for young voters on how to stay engaged. Check it out.
• Young Australians are also politically engaged at record levels.
• "Liberal" just isn't pejorative with young voters. Deal with it.

One of today's Quick Hits was a piece by Ari Melber in The Nation examining Obama's tech-savvy campaign and its operation. I thought Melber did a great job of penetrating behind the scenes to clarify how the toys and gadgets help Obama put together a one-of-a-kind grassroots organization. But Melber also succeeded at looking into the future and explaining why Obama's technological operation is so crucial to presidential politics.

We know McCain's thinking on technology from an article published in the San Francisco Chronicle this summer:

GOP presidential candidate John McCain, fundraising in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the nation's technology capitals, acknowledged Monday that he isn't a "tech freak" or entirely comfortable with the Internet, BlackBerrys or e-mail. But he strongly disputed criticism that he is "out of the loop" as unfair.

As former head of the U.S. Senate Commerce committee, McCain said, he has been a driving force to oversee legislation that helped the Internet flourish - even as he is still learning to get comfortable with it himself.

"Am I a tech freak? No," he said in an interview Monday with The Chronicle. "And I don't like to text message because I'd rather call somebody on the telephone."

"I do understand the importance of the computer. I understand the importance of the blogs," he said.

McCain said he is well aware that technology "does drive the news. It is changing the shape of the news. ... It's changing the information age, and I've got to stay up with it."

He added, "But I am forcing myself ... let me put it this way, I am using the computer more and more every day."

Melber's closing reminds us why having a candidate who understands technology is so important to this nation:

If his strategy succeeds, all presidential politics could change. First-time voters--both this generation of the young, black or marginalized as well as future rookie cohorts--might become a constituency that candidates pursue. The long shot, if Obama wins big, is a larger electoral universe that forces Republicans to play catch-up. The party that spent decades stifling voter turnout, from illegal suppression to court-sanctioned ploys like ID requirements, could find electoral salvation depends on the ability to register its own new voters. Couple that grassroots pressure with an economic crisis stoking intense bipartisan populism, and a "new politics" might really be on the horizon.

The vision is obvious, and frankly, kind of Rovian: strike at the heart of your opponent's strengths and force them to run on something else. I love the fact that Melber pointed out the Republicans' strategy of squashing participation, because I think that it really gets to the heart of why technological development is such a Democratic issue. With technology boosting political participation and engagement all across America, we suddenly are toeing a new political landscape, one the Republicans have worked against for years. By refusing to adapt and be -- gasp! -- progressive, the GOP created an opening for someone to supply the enthusiasm, dedication, and the message to create a self-sustaining system that is immune to most "wedge" tactics, in which society is turned against itself for partisan advantage. Obama has put this vision forward, and it's paying dividends, registering unbelievable numbers of new voters this year and flooding the campaign coffers with cash. As a result, an Obama presidency might just be the tip of the iceberg for the GOP.

A few announcements about opportunities with six great orgs:

• The annual Campus Progress national conference is just around the corner (July 8th). Check out conference info here.
• The Nation and Brave New Films are teaming up to recognize outstanding, under the radar activism by young people. You can find out more - including how to nominate someone - over here.
• Democracy for America is offering scholarships to Netroots Nation. Apply here.
• Mobilize.org is gearing up to award a number of $3 - 5k grants to Millennials working on projects supporting clean elections. If you can't make Netroots Nation, they are holding a conference on the subject in Denver in July (The Democracy 2.0 Grant Summit, Money in Politics). More info here.

Two interesting opportunities:

• The Nation is running its second annual writing contest. All high school or college students are eligible. Contestants must submit an 800 word essay on "the most important issue facing young voters in the 2008 election." 5 finalists will receive $200 and have their essays published on The Nation website. The winner will receive $1,000 and have their essay published in the magazine. Apply here.
• The New Organizing Institute is accepting applications for its summer boot camp. This is a one week, all expense paid boot camp in political campaigning. I've attended an NOI training myself. This is really something to do if you can swing it. Applications for early admission are due April 9th. Regular admission deadline is April 30th. Details here.

Future Majority got a shout out from Sam Graham-Felsen on The Notion, one of the blogs hosted by The Nation. Sam is making some great points about youth representation in the media. Check it out.

Welcome Nation readers. (Cue traffic spike).

Sam Graham-Felsen, who covers the youth movement beat for The Nation, was on the ground at yesterday's NYU protest. Watch his video report or read his thoughts on the day - which echo my own - here on The Nation's blog.