Post-election, political groups keep pace on campus

The red and blue balloons are gone, voter registration stands have evaporated and the posters labeled “Vote for Change” are no longer plastered in every hallway corner.

Though it’s been about two months since President Barack Obama entered office, groups both around the country and at IU have not stopped working for their respective democratic and republican causes.

In February, Students for Barack Obama co-coordinator Kaitlin Addison, junior, said, “I think he’s already accomplished so much more than our last presidents (have) accomplished in that short of a time span.”

Addison specifically addressed how Obama is working to build up his grassroots organization and his program, Organizing for America, an initiative to keep citizens involved with the government and future plans.

“It’s really important for a successful president to be able to stay in touch with the people he’s representing,” Addison said.

However, College Republicans President Justin P. Hill said he believes Obama has not followed the principles he promised to follow during candidacy. He said Obama promised and failed to retain earmarks on bills and keeping lobbyists out of his administration, while deeming the spending bailout bill “completely irresponsible in our free market principles.”

For Students for Barack Obama, this means joining together with the IU College Democrats to work toward promoting state and local goals while also following plans under the direction of the national government.

Addison said the group is sending postcards to Rep. Baron Hill because of his recent support of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program in Indiana, a bill Obama signed extending health care coverage to an additional 4 million underprivileged children. They are also working to get early voting passed on IU’s campus for 30 days, since IU had the highest increase of voter registrations on a college campus, with an increase of 28 percent.

The group is also under the direction of the Democratic National Committee through “Organizing for America,” to gain support with Obama’s new budget proposal. Under this “Pledge Project,” each state has a leader in charge of conferences between Washington and the various supporters of the organization, connecting the local areas to the national plans.

Students for Barack Obama is setting up phone banks, calling legislators and looking to set up stands in the Indiana Memorial Union. They are also going door-to-door to gain support. Addison remains the contact between the state director and IU students in gaining national-level support.

The College Republicans are still focusing on fundraising to support future Republican candidates in hopes of raising $25,000 by November. The group is also outlining the seven principles of the American Republic, which include a free market economy and limited government, by holding presentations for each principle every Monday.

With current goals keeping the Students for Barack Obama busy, long-term goals are also a concern.

Senior Jim Snaza, former voter registration coordinator for the Students for Barack Obama, said he would like to see more infrastructure to help create more green jobs and to become more energy efficient with the use of wind and solar power.

With critics on Wall Street preparing to blame Obama for a failed stimulus package, Addison said it may take about five years to determine the success of the bill.

“I think we need to make sure that we hold President Obama to those values that he was elected by the people,” Addison said, “and I think sometimes President Bush forgot that.”

With the Web site www.recovery.org, Americans can see how each dollar of the stimulus package is spent. Snaza said Americans will be able to argue the facts with the government, instead of theories of misrepresented ideas.

Change.gov also allows citizens to send in their concerns and issues they have with the future plans for the government. 

“I’m not saying he’s going to change everything in Washington,” Snaza said, “but he’s going to change everything that’s happened in the last eight years.”

But both Addison and Chelsea Kane, former president of IU College Republicans and current Indiana Daily Student opinion columnist, agree support is needed for the new president of the United States.

“You still have to support the country and the president ...the face of our country,” Addison said.

Kane said she feels Obama is under the most scrutiny and hopes for pragmatic spending among funds, while allowing him some time to grow into his role and figure out how to best suit the country.

“I don’t have any interest in criticizing him at this point,” Kane said. “That’s just not my focus. I’m not going to bash the president of the United States.”