Conservative Youth Invade CPAC

From February 9-11, CPAC – the oldest and largest American gathering of conservative activists – attracted the big guns and droves of energized college kids.

And the stats are on the youngsters’ side: from 2007 to 2012, there was a 233% increase in youth attendance at CPAC (The Daily Beast). Now that is saying something, with the consideration that the White House incumbent absolutely dominated the teen and twenty-something demographic not too long ago. This means, then, that there is ‘hope’ for a significant ‘change’ in the near-future voting patterns of millennials.

While there en masse, ripe and hungry students attended seminars on topics ranging from economic policies to border security, sustainable Natural Gas to the Constitution and its timeless principles. Group members met prominent leaders like businessman Herman Cain, U. S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Member of the European Parliament Daniel Hannan. They also had the opportunity to network with close to 5,000 fellow collegians from across the United States and around the world.

Of the three Republican presidential candidates whom addressed the convention – Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich – two appeared to have a noticeable youth presence. To varying extents, the trio each had a contingency of followers throughout the weekend; however, the former Massachusetts Governor and former U. S. Senator from Pennsylvania  garnered the healthiest support amongst youngsters. Romney, for one, attracted a vocal bunch, consisting mostly of college students, whom chanted “Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!” – a seemingly organic cause – in the halls of the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. On the contrary, Santorum was featured at a Students for Life of America (SFLA) morning rally where he defended the sanctity of human life. The pair will continue their duel and opportunity to court young voters in the string of crucial primaries to follow.

This time, Libertarian-minded candidate Ron Paul, a college student favorite, opted against speaking to the 10,500-member strong committed conservative clan. Instead, the Texas Congressman campaigned in Maine where he finished second in their February 11 caucuses behind Romney.

A decent-sized crowd gathered outside the venue near the Metro transit entrance in support of more government programs. On-site reports indicate that individuals, sadly including youthful folks, were compensated $60 for their efforts. Protesters displayed mass-produced signs that read “We are the 99%” and “Occupy CPAC.”

The American Conservative Union, host of CPAC, conducted a straw poll amongst Conference attendees. Romney won the much anticipated vote with 38% of ballots cast, while Santorum finished in second, former U. S. House Speaker Gingrich third, Paul – the victor of the 2010 and 2011 surveys – a distant fourth.

The next set of presidential primaries occurs February 28 in Arizona and Michigan. Romney, who was born and raised in the Great Lakes State, won in his backyard four years prior. The margin of victory was around 8%. Although the upcoming election is expected to be closer, the Detroit native seeks to springboard into Super Tuesday with an impressive outcome.

Nicholas Kowalski writes for The College Conservative and The Other Side Blog. Follow him, @NKowalski, on Twitter for the latest scoop. If you wish to schedule an interview, visit the “About The Blogger” page.

Eagle Forum Collegians 2011

Washington, D. C.

DC Blog – Entry #8: Week in Review

Another jam-packed week in the District of Columbia! Apparently, there are an endless amount of things to do, from sporting events to educational forums to free museums. After spending a quiet weekend relaxing and attending my first Major League Soccer match, an eventful five-day forecast stared me down. This is what it looked like:

Beginning on Monday, when the work day ended at 5:30 pm I headed over to a Reagan Youth Political Action Committee (RYPAC) meeting with a group of youthful, like-minded politicos interested in advancing the conservative movement. We discussed our ‘plan of action’ in moving forward, focused on what our individual duties would be in gearing up for the fall elections. Essentially, the make-up of RYPAC is a motivated cluster of college students from across the nation. To find out more about RYPAC, and to contribute to our cause, visit http://www.reaganyouth.org/RYPAC/Home.html. (*When making a financial donation, make sure to note that Nick Kowalski gave you the suggestion – Thanks!)

Tuesday brought with it an opportunity for quite an informative evening. Once I had put in my due time at the office, I made a beeline for The Heritage Foundation located near Union Station. The reason being: a free showing of “Nine Days that Changed the World,” a documentary hosted by Newt and Callista Gingrich. As depicted by the cinematic production, Pope John Paul II’s nine-day visit to then-Communist Poland helped drastically ignite the future democratic uprising in the tiny Eastern bloc country. This story is indicative of the struggle that plagues the non-democratic part of the world, even still today. I was grateful for opting to spend my evening learning about an often overlooked part of recent history. Here is a link to the documentary’s website: http://www.ninedaysthatchangedtheworld.com/. At the conclusion of the screening, there was a reception with snacks and soft drinks (hard drinks for those of age). I mingled with a few people while bumping into a couple of friends that I had not seen in nearly two years – it was great!

On “Hump Day,” against all self-projected odds, I achieved greatness – in the form of completing a tedious scanning task at work. To put the grand achievement into perspective, I placed a commemorative sticky note on the wall in front of my desk which reads “At 3:17 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2010 Nick Kowalski completed scanning documents!” But words could not do justice to the relief that I felt upon crossing the figurative finish line. I could hardly contain my feelings regarding the matter of prime importance (no joke: the documents needed to be uploaded and electronically saved in order to save space, simplify the filing system). But before I accomplished that impressive duty only an unpaid intern could handle, the weekly “Fire Pelosi” afternoon speaker series event was held. Recently elected Congressman Charles Djou (R-HI 1) stopped by to address the youngsters. The Hawaiian was a breath of fresh air, having been thrown into the Beltway swamp just this past spring after an unlikely special election victory. (Note: Look for a post containing Djou’s comments soon.) When the clock struck five o’clock, I went to grab dinner at Subway prior to returning for a three-hour phone bank session which began at 6. The people of the midwestern State of Iowa were our targets for the evening, with the objective being to identify the projected voting pattern of potential voters. For the most part, the Iowans I spoke with were friendly and willing to take a phone survey. For those that did not comply, I can understand wholeheartedly, given that the citizenry is plastered every four years with endless calls – from both parties – in the run up to the Iowa Caucuses.

 

The fourth twenty-four hour module of the week, also known as the day-before-Friday to weekend fanatics and the overworked, was tainted with an all-business schedule. (By the way, nothing is wrong with that type of schedule, at least for those that have an embedded code that is equipped with ‘motivation.’) Normally, Thursday was my slated phone bank date but I had it switched due to a plan for the evening. So instead of having a phone attached to my ear for one hundred-eighty minutes (remember: I took my turn on Wednesday), I made the short walk to Longworth HOB for a 6 pm GOP Youth Convention planning meeting. I anticipated attending the meeting as soon as I was made aware since it would be the last prior to Saturday’s event. To add to the mix, two adult supervisors were present to offer their insight into logistical and organizational matters. A handful of students and I met with the two experienced K Street professionals for over an hour. I came away with constructive information to build off regarding the organization of conservative-minded students to talk politics. On the way back to the Metro station, one of the advisors and I chatted about the Lansing area, as he had previously worked there and I attend school nearby, and current political affairs.

 

To wrap up the week, I scurried over to a last-minute RYPAC meeting to discuss the direction of the youth-led organization for the upcoming election cycle. Each seat in the office boardroom was filled by original members and interested others. Much was debated and discussed, including the issue of how many Congressional endorsements should be issued – and how many we can actually fund with a legitimate financial contribution. In rounding out the pre-weekend formality, flexible roles were assigned to a select few, the “leadership team.” A productive way to cap a busy third week in Washington!

 

Over the weekend, a trip to the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum was on the docket. It was at the National Portrait Gallery that I experienced one of the best parts of my time in our nation’s capital city: the Presidential portrait collection, one of only two in the world (The White House is home to the other). From George Washington to George W. Bush, I caught a glimpse of most of the Presidents. The historical significance of the first few national leaders caused me to rush through the more recent ones. Though I only spent a couple of hours enjoying a look at some of the finest pieces of American artwork in existence, plenty of exhibits were ignored. A follow-up visit would be wholly appropriate when time allows.

DC Blog – Entry #6: A Morning Chat with Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN 7)

This morning the GOP Youth Convention hosted a breakfast as apart of their weekly speaker series at the NRA Building on Capitol Hill. U. S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN 7), a four-term member of Congress, addressed an audience of about thirty college-aged DC interns, discussing fiscal responsibility, health care, and “net neutrality.” I had the pleasure of asking the Congresswoman a question after her talk. Here’s the query I posed followed by Rep. Blackburn’s response:

The Other Side: In your opinion, should the Republican Party adopt Representative Paul Ryan’s “Roadmap” or one like it for the 2010 election cycle, or should the GOP just run on the platform of jobs, the economy, and anti-Obama?

Rep. Blackburn: We will have a ‘to do’ list, an action list that we will take. Ryan’s “Roadmap” is a great concept. Americans are frustrated with inaction; they want ideas. We will agressively talk about ideas in moving forward.

As you can tell, the Congresswoman embraced her fellow Representative’s vision for the future, but did not commit to a specific directive agenda for the upcoming mid-term elections. Nevertheless, my pursuit for a clear-cut answer for the future of the GOP will continue.

I bumped into Mrs. Blackburn, a nice and cordial woman, as I was exiting the venue. I first thanked her for taking my question and formally introduced myself. We chatted about the state of Michigan’s economy – in fact, the Tennessean is acutely aware of the situation, stating that she is friends with Congresswoman Candice Miller (R-MI 10) – in addition to talking about the prospect for reclaiming control of two Congressional seats: MI-7 and MI-9 (I brought this up).

Naturally, I asked Mrs. Blackburn if I could have my picture taken with her. She said that I could; we stopped into the RNC (great idea) in order to have my request fulfilled. I thanked the Congresswoman once more and we parted ways: I headed upstairs and she was likely off to a House session or the like.

For more information on the GOP Youth Convention, please visit http://www.gopyouthconvention.org/.