Table of Contents

• SFYD Important Dates
• President Owen Stephen's Column: "A Month of Young Democrat Succuss!"
• Reese's World:
• Republican Administration Plans to Pay for Tax Breaks to Wealthy by Making Working Families Pay More for College
• The Local Beat
• Nursery Rhyme: Texas Tommy Two-Tone
• On the Mark in Sacramento with Assemblyman Mark Leno
• SFYD Needs You: Recruitment for Committee Assistance
• Political Classifieds

SFYD Important Dates

'06 Primary Candidates Youth & Young Adult Forum - Part II Location: State Building 455 Golden Gate Ave, San Francisco, CA When: Wednesday, February 8, 6:30pm to 9:00pm Phone: 415-342-3373 HEAD COUNT NEEDED, PLEASE RSVP IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND Join us for the second half of the SFYD Candidates Forum on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 to hear from yet more leaders of the Democratic Party who are seeking the party nod for state office in the June 2006 Primary Election. We are proud and honored to have these candidates coming to SFYD and it is an incredible opportunity to educate ourselves as we enter an important election year: Preliminary speakers include: Attorney General Candidate: Hon. Jerry Brown State Controller Candidate: Hon. John Chiang & Sen. Joe Dunn State Board of Equalization Candidate: Hon. Betty Yee State Senate Candidates: Hon. Mike Nevin & Hon. Leland Yee The June 2006 Primary Endorsement has been divided into two parts, with candidates speaking both at the January meeting and the Wednesday, Febraury 8th SFYD Meetings. The club will vote to endorse at the end of the February 8th meeting. Vote Wednesday, February 8th! Make your voice heard! Candidate questionnaires are available at http://www.sfyd.org For more information contact SFYD President Owen Stephens (prez@sfyoungdems.org) Click here to to join SFYD, renew your membership or pay dues!

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President's Column
A Month of Young Democrat Succuss!
by SFYD President Owen Stephens

The New Year has started out fast and furious for the San Francisco Young Democrats and I am proud to report two massive successes that have come to light in the month of December. Our dedication to defending human rights for all people has resulted in a resolution consist ant with San Francisco law at the Badlands, and SFYD led the charge toward the 2006 Primary Elections with our first Young Democrats Candidate Forum on January 11.

After nearly a year and a half of boycott, five months of protest and four months of mediation the provocative human rights struggle between the owner of the Badlands in the Castro, and And Castro For All has been resolved. The tireless volunteer hours sacrificed on Saturday nights through out the summer by SFYD members paid off, and achieved the goal of dragging the Badlands to the mediation table. A notable moment in August, the day the protest was to end, Badlands did not show at mediation, and both the GLBT Caucus and the Minorities Caucus at the Young Democrats of America Convention showed up that night in force to protest. One month later the Badlands sat down with mediators.

Thank you everyone who stood up for the rights of our San Francisco community.

In other news, SFYD hosted Part 1 of our 2006 Primary Candidates Young Democrats Forum in January. This event holds the distinction of being the first and only time all three Lt. Governor Candidates have appeared together so far in this campaign.

The evening was a huge success and we heard from candidates all over the state. It is only the beginning, more candidates will be speaking with SFYD on Wednesday, Febraury 8, 2006 followed by an endorsement vote. DO YOUR HOMEWORK, read the candidate questionnaires and renew your memberships. Make sure you don't miss your chance to be heard by VOTING so the SFYD voice will be heard strong and clear this June. Details on the forum and membership are at www.sfyd.org.

Register as a member of SFYD today by linking to http://www.sfyoungdems.org/SFYDSite/membership.htm.

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Reese's World: Perspectives from the Editor
Permanence in Blue
by SFYD Newsletter Editor Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.

I have a blue frog tattooed on my right shoulder. It is my first and, so far, only tattoo. I got this tattoo in early 2005, shoring in a new period in my life. For me, it symbolized that I knew more of who I was and what I wanted in my life. It signaled permanence in self-identification and a marking for the future.

As Democrats, we had a year in 2005 of finding ourselves too. After the great disappointment of the 2004 presidential 'election' and the beginning of the second Bush Administration, we wandered and wondered and seemed to be at a loss for what do to next. For a brief time at the beginning of the year, we seemed incredibly lost.

Then something remarkable happened. We began to take shape. We quit wallowing in our own misery and began to fight back anew. While still disappointed about the past, we were energized about the future. And we knew we had nothing to lose with going full throttle ahead.

Nationally, under the strident leadership of our very own Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, and our new DNC Chairman Howard Dean, we took the Republicans head-on and fought against their disastrous proposals and ugly tactics. The year of 2005 ended with their signature piece of legislation (the destruction of Social Security) end the trashcan, the Bush Administration in the doldrums, and many of their leaders in jail.

Stateside, our Democratic leaders took on the incredibly-popular Arnold. This was dangerous at the time, but we hit and kept hitting and shaped our own political winds, and by the time the year was over, we had a knock-out punch in the form of his 'special election' going down to defeat and his poll numbers in the doldrums.

Yes, 2005 was a year of finding ourselves and staking out our core values. And 2006 will be a new year full of continuing that drive, leading by example and on principle, and remembering who we are at all times. Much like a tattoo, we have permanently defined who we are. And as we head to the elections of 2006, the voters will know what being a true-Blue-Democrat means and why a Blue state is a state of the future. As we fight for a Blue 2006 throughout the nation, let our self-awareness and permanent intrinsic values lead us forward.

Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.
Newsletter Editor

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Republican Administration Plans to Pay for Tax Breaks to Wealthy by Making Working Families Pay More for College
by SFYD Board Member Nicole Sarabia-Rivera

With tuition sky rocketing out of reach for American students and families, this year's Republican budget is going to cut $12.7 billion in funding for student loan programs.

The cuts eliminate all government spending to administer the loan programs, charge students higher loan fees, and raise the interest rate on parent loans from 7.9 to 8.5 percent. The Bush Administration is the first to cut Department of Education funding since 1988. The bill passed by a vote of 216-214, largely along party lines. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) proved to be the decisive 215th vote.

This is the largest cut to student aid in the history of the programs and is a symptom of reckless Republican support for special interest tax cuts at expense of parents and students struggling to pay for college. Currently, almost 200,000 high school graduates forego higher education each year due to financial constraints.

This bill will increase Stafford loans to a fixed rate of 6.8% starting in July 2006. The current interest rate for students while in-school is 4.7% and when out of school is 5.3%. It will also increase Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) to a fixed interest rate of 8.5% starting in July 2006. The current interest rate for PLUS loans is 6.1%.

Here's what the President had to say about the cuts:

Q Hi, I just want to get your comments about education. Recently, $12.7 billion was cut from education, and I was just wondering how that's supposed to help our futures?
(Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Education budget was cut -- say it again. What was cut? Q Twelve point seven billion dollars was cut from education, and I was just wondering how is that supposed to help our --

THE PRESIDENT: At the federal level?
Q Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: I don't think that -- I don't think we've actually -- for higher education? Student loans?
Q Yes, student loans.

Call to Action

ExxonMobil the world's largest oil company is netting the largest profit in the history of corporate America. They have announced a record-breaking annual profit of roughly $36 billion for 2005.

This budget is going to the White House for the President's signature. Call the President today at the White House comments line 202-456-1111 and tell him that cuts to education are not acceptable.

To find out who else needs to be targeted in 2006 go here http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll004.xml

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The Local Beat
by SFYD Board Treasurer Luke Klipp

After a successful Democratic push back against the "Governator" in November of 2005, all local eyes are turning toward the 2006 election and coming races for Supervisor and other local races. This year the even-numbered Supervisor Districts will be seeing elections, which means Michela Alioto-Pier in D-2, Fiona Ma in D-4, Chris Daly in D-6, Bevan Dufty in D-8, and Sophie Maxwell in D-10.

It looks like all the Supervisors, save Fiona Ma, will be seeking re-election in their respective Districts, and it is possible there'll be some tough races. As for Fiona Ma, she is running for the State Assembly District 12 against Janet Reilly, and both Ma and Reilly have been to SFYD to speak about their respective campaigns for the Assembly. AD-12's seat is being vacated by Leland Yee, who is off to run for Jackie' Speier's State Senate Seat. And Jackie Speier has been to SFYD to talk about her run for Lieutenant Governor, along with State Senator Liz Figueroa and Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi.

If you're having a hard time keeping track of who's running for whose former seat, that's partly due to term limits, which are now forcing Assemblymembers out after 3, 2-year terms, and State Senators (and other State officers) out after 2, 4-year terms. We're witnessing what looks to be the first of many rounds of musical chairs in our State government.

Meanwhile, back in the City, the effort to partially finance campaigns for Mayor with public dollars looks to be on its way, as proponents now count 8 members of the Board of Supervisors to be in favor of the legislation on this matter before the Board. SFYD endorsed this effort, and it looks to be well on its way to becoming law in time for the 2007 Mayoral election. Also, Chris Daly made an effort to cut down on the number of Ellis Act evictions through legislation that would have made it more difficult for 2-4 unit buildings to be converted from TIC's to condominiums. While it passed the Board on a 6-5 vote, the Mayor subsequently vetoed the legislation, and that effort by Supervisor Daly has been silenced for the time being, although this columnist thinks it's a logical guess that Daly will be back soon, and louder than before.

So what else is news?

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Nursery Rhyme: Texas Tommy Two-Tone
by SFYD Board Member Brian Gardner

What does Texas Tommy make?
He bakes two-tone funnel cakes
in the district carnival.

And how does he get his pay?
Promptly Sunday without delay
from elephants one and all.

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