Category: Education (Page 2 of 5)

On This 9/11, Recapture The Spirit Of Service

September 11, 2016 / MCDC

So now what? This 9/11 will see no forum on national service like the one in 2008, which is too bad. This strange and even harsher election season hasn’t sparked much public conversation regarding AmeriCorps expansion.

Hillary Clinton has offered a plan embracing the existing law’s vision for increasing enrollment to the 250,000 level. She would also boost scholarship awards for AmeriCorps participants who serve full-time for a longer stint of two years, a piece of her related plan to make college more affordable.

AmeriCorps engages more than 75,000 Americans in intensive service each year at nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country. Since the program’s founding in 1994, almost 1 million AmeriCorps members have contributed more than 1.2 billion hours in service across America while tackling pressing problems and mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.

AmeriCorps programs do more than move communities forward; they serve their members by creating jobs and providing pathways to opportunity for young people entering the workforce. AmeriCorps places thousands of young adults into intensive service positions where they learn valuable work skills, earn money for education, and develop an appreciation for citizenship.

Donald Trump has called national service “a beautiful thing” and criticized Democrats for not following through on AmeriCorps expansion. Rather than release a real plan, Mr. Trump, in typical form, conveyed his vague pledge of action (“We’re going to look at it.”) in an off-hand and somewhat garbled response to a voter’s question.

At their first televised debate on Sept. 28 the two candidates should be asked about their national service positions and how they would achieve an AmeriCorps ramp-up Congress has resisted for years.

On This 9/11, Recapture The Spirit Of Service

Cross-posted on The Huffington Post Fifteen years after the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, my thoughts keep returning to a remarkable gathering I attended at Columbia University on a prior 9/11 anniversary, in 2008, and the unfulfilled promise of that inspiring evening.

See Jane Run!

September 5, 2016 / MCDC

Get connected! http://janeforcongress.com/

Freedom's Ring: 53 Years On, So Much Work Still To Do

August 28, 2016 / MCDC

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963

Out of many, we are one: The Official 2016 Democratic Party Platform

July 22, 2016 / MCDC

In 2016, Democrats meet in Philadelphia with the same basic belief that animated the Continental Congress when they gathered here 240 years ago: Out of many, we are one.

Under President Obama’s leadership, and thanks to the hard work and determination of the American people, we have come a long way from the Great Recession and the Republican policies that triggered it. American businesses have now added 14.8 million jobs since private sector job growth turned positive in early 2010. Twenty million people have gained health insurance coverage. The American auto industry just had its best year ever. And we are getting more of our energy from the sun and wind, and importing less oil from overseas.

But too many Americans have been left out and left behind. They are working longer hours with less security. Wages have barely budged and the racial wealth gap remains wide, while the cost of everything from childcare to a college education has continued to rise. And for too many families, the dream of homeownership is out of reach. As working people struggle, the top one percent accrues more wealth and more power. Republicans in Congress have chosen gridlock and dysfunction over trying to find solutions to the real challenges we face. It’s no wonder that so many feel like the system is rigged against them.

Democrats believe that cooperation is better than conflict, unity is better than division, empowerment is better than resentment, and bridges are better than walls.

It’s a simple but powerful idea: we are stronger together.

Dittmar Campaign Celebrates Court Decision on Broadband

June 14, 2016 / MCDC

CHARLOTTESVILLE (June 14, 2016) — The United States Court of Appeals today ruled that high-speed internet service can be defined as a utility. This decision signals a shift in understanding that internet is no longer a luxury but must be accessible to all Americans.

Dittmar has been working doggedly to expand affordable and reliable internet access throughout Virginia’s 5^th District. Once elected, Dittmar plans to secure federal grants and foster public-private investment partnerships to increase internet infrastructure development in the 5^th.

“Today’s impressive legal finding will ensure that every citizen has access to the necessary tools they need to get a quality education and a good job,” Dittmar said. “The next step will be to create the basic infrastructure required to make this ruling a reality. I look forward to doing just that for all the citizens of the 5^th District. We all agree that everyone deserves the same access to the essentials such as water and electricity. Today, our country has officially acknowledged that access to the internet is no longer a luxury.”

For months, the Dittmar campaign has traveled to each of the 23 localities in the district learning about the needs of the citizens of the 5^th District. Astonishingly large portions of the district do not have access to reliable, affordable internet, and residents are eager to have the same opportunities as their fellow citizens. In our modern world, job searches, online workforce training and certifications, business expansion, tax preparation, our children’s homework, and so much more require access to the internet. Today’s ruling brings us one step closer to making sure that every person in our country has this necessary tool for job creation and growth.