Students for Seals

Lots of Energy at the Seals Campaign

2010-01-13T12:41:00.001-06:00

I have had such a great experience meeting everyone in
the office and learning about how a campaign gets things done. The
staff here constantly amazes me by their amount of dedication to the
campaign, their level of enthusiasm and friendliness never seems to
waver. Everyone seems to always be doing four things at once and the field organizers are
so patient with explaining everything to the volunteers and answering
endless questions. The volunteers too are a great group of people,
they know how to get a lot done while having fun and joking around at
the same time. Even Dan himself is waving at everyone as he walks by
and stops to chat with people as he is leaving the office. It is
clear that Dan has inspired many people to want to help him bring
change to Washington and make an impact!

Even at the environmental event on Saturday in Winnetka about reducing
your carbon footprint with Dan and a guest speaker from
ecohatchery.com, I saw lots of familiar faces. At this event I
learned some new tips on how to help the environment, like cleaning
the coils on the back of your refrigerator to lower your energy bill
and that the amount of mercury in Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
(CFLs, which use much less energy) is only the equivalent of eating
two pounds of swordfish. I was impressed by what Dan Seals knew about
the topic, I believe Dan Seals working with the City of Chicago on
Green Projects is one of his biggest assets, because in the coming
years the environment will become any only more prevalent issue. Going
to a Dan event or an event with all of the candidates is really the
best way to learn what Dan is all about, since I saw him answering
lots of individual questions before and after. I look forward to
coming into the office Monday through Thursdays and I am even more
excited to see him win on February 2nd!

Anna Richmond
Marquette University
Intern

College Affordability

2010-01-05T22:42:00.005-06:00

“Thank you, have a nice evening,” I said with an automatic smile, clearing the dishes from the table and stuffing a few soggy bills in my pocket. And then it hit me: how many more times would I have to say those words? How many dirty dishes would I have to clear? Could I do this for the rest of my life?

Last year, while my peers came to school swathed in the colors of their university of choice and debated between Dartmouth and Cornell, I struggled to come to terms with the possibility that I might not be able to go to college at all. While my friends waited for acceptance letters, I waited tables and prayed that something, somehow, would come through.

I need more tips like this...

I am the oldest daughter of a single mother, and while we had been struggling to make ends meet for years, this was the first time that I felt money was a real and tangible obstacle to my happiness. Though I received the maximum amount of federal aid and a few scholarships from my school, it still wasn’t enough. I entered over fifty essay contests and thankfully, I won a scholarship that has allowed me to complete an amazing first semester at Loyola University in Chicago.

But most students aren’t so lucky. Many families in the 10th District also struggle to finance a college education, and some do not even have the money to struggle. There is nothing more painful than telling your child you cannot help them achieve their dreams.

I believe that education is everything, that it is the most powerful tool for social improvement in the human canon, and that any American who has the talent, drive and desire to go to college should be secure in the knowledge that their government will support them. One of the many reasons I support Dan Seals is because as a teacher, he understands firsthand the value of a college education and the enormous impact it has on the life of an individual. Education is one of his top priorities and I truly believe that he will fight for students and teachers when he is elected.

Furthermore, Dan is the only candidate in the race, Democratic or Republican, who has addressed the problem of student debt. By the time I graduate I will owe the government over $30,000, a debt that will take years to pay back and will be a major hurdle to jump when starting my career. Dan has a viable and effective plan to help ease student debt by transferring federal resources from loans to Pell Grants, which are government grants that don’t have to be repaid. Instead of overhauling or dramatically increasing federal student aid, this is a simple way to use an existing system to achieve the same end.

While I still waitress, I now do so knowing that it won’t be forever, and that every soggy dollar in my pocket is a step towards success. As a student, I support Dan because he shares my belief that education is the bridge between reality and ambition, and that a better future is always worth working for, worth sacrificing for, worth fighting for.

Liz Mannebach
Loyola University
Students for Seals Intern

My First Day

2009-12-20T23:42:00.003-06:00

Hello, this is Shao-Hai Guo with my first blog post of the year. Today, was my first day interning at the Dan Seals for Congress Campaign! Dan was in the office today and I actually got to shake his hand! I’m very happy right now about working for him and making a difference. Anyway, I am going to be doing this until Dan Seals wins the election. I think he is a really great guy and his policies are sound and effective. I look forward to having Dan Seals in as my Congressman and fighting for me.

This is Shao signing off!

Shao-Hai Guo
New Trier High School
Students for Seals, Intern

Walk, Talk, Motivate

2009-12-15T14:01:00.000-06:00

To most people, students especially, the election might seem pretty far away. After all, that’s over a semester away, but now is the time to really get enthusiastic so that when February and next November comes around we can be sure that we have helped put Dan in the best possible position we can.

One way we can all help Dan get elected is something we’re all really good at: talking. By just talking to your friends about Dan more accomplishes more than you might think. By just telling people why you support him, you’re getting the word out.

Volunteers will help Dan win this election, so the more the merrier. Just talking to people will make a difference too. Go up to Democrats you know, tell them about Dan, and try and get them to come out and volunteer for Dan. Right now, it’s not hard, it’s not painful, in fact ask the current interns and they’ll tell you it’s actually pretty fun (I know I would). With the new Winter of Action it’s easy too. Just sign up online as a volunteer or apply as an intern and you’ll be making a difference in no time.

Campaigns don’t just run on support though, in order to make our dream of putting a Democrat back in the 10th district we need to work for it. Students and young people have a lot more at stake then they sometimes realize. The decisions that we make today will most surely affect us tomorrow. So, let’s make sure that our children have every opportunity we have and many more. Let’s make sure that the decisions our leaders make will help bring the change we need.

Decisions are made by those who show up, so make sure you and your friends do on February 2nd to make sure Dan is on the ticket in November, and come out to an event sometime and have some fun!

Dan S.
John Hersey High School

A Young Jewish Perspective on Beth El

2009-12-15T13:48:00.002-06:00

Besides the obvious of getting to skip my AP stats homework, the reason why I decided to spend the time to write this post for all of the visitors was to share my views on the recent Men's Club of North Suburban Synagogue Beth El candidate forum.

I attended the event last week and it was awesome. They managed to get seven of the eight candidates for Congress to come and gave them each five minutes to talk about whatever they wanted. Being that it was held a Synagogue, it was imminent that most of the candidates took their time to talk about Israel. As a person who has religious and close family ties to Israel, I was excited to hear what the candidates had to say. Instead what happened, at least in my opinion, was candidate by candidate using cheesy slogans to try to one up each other on how strong they supported Israel, without giving initiative on how they would do so.

But then the last candidate, Dan Seals, went up to speak. He grabbed the mic, moved away from the podium and into the crowd and just rocked it. I pride myself on being able to detect when people are full of it, especially politicians, but when Dan talked about Israel he spoke reasonably and didn't sugarcoat what he had to say with talking points on his dedication to Israel. When he said "Israel’s gain is our gain, and Israel’s struggles are our struggles,” I believed him. His passion is one of the primary reasons why I plan on voting for Dan in February.

Max R.
New Trier High School
Students for Seals, NT High School Recruitment Captain

Activate!

2009-12-09T18:39:00.007-06:00

We are the future and we have to start acting like it. Not only do we have to get to the polls on Election Day, we have to start talking about the issues we care about and trying to make a difference. We are students. We are consumers. We are employees. We get sick. What we think and do matters. Unfortunately, many people in our generation don’t care or don’t think that we count.

Let me tell you though, last year is proof that when we put our minds to something—we get the job done. Young people came out in droves last year and worked for changed. It paid off and we helped elect Barack Obama.

We can start right here. Express your views. Talk about health care, college affordability, or getting out of school and finding a job. Dan Seals cares what we think and is a strong advocate for getting everyone involved in the political and legislative process.

There is also a great group out there called SAVE advocating for issues we all care about. The Student Association for Voter Empowerment (SAVE) is a national non-profit organization founded and run by young people. At SAVE, they work to bring young Americans into the political process by breaking down barriers to electoral participation and encouraging youth-led policy solutions. In less than two years since their inception, they have expanded from a small group of six committed college students to a network exceeding 10,000 members with over 30 college chapters in 15 different states.

Have your voice heard, continue the movement: http://www.savevoting.org/chapters/start-a-chapter. Get involved with Students for Seals and join the conversation!

Marcus C.
Loyola Academy
Students for Seals, Intern

A Minor Consolation

2009-12-08T17:03:00.005-06:00

The New York State Senate voted 38-24 Wednesday against a bill to legalize gay marriage. The Huffington Post picked up the story as it was happening, and their summary reported the NY Democrats believed they finally had enough votes to pass the measure.

I joined more than 10,000 others in watching the live stream of the debate. I was entranced by State Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson’s story of her search for an estranged brother, who was born in 1930 and fled to France as a gay adult. And I watched as State Sen. Thomas Duane rambled on for what seemed like hours, possibly allowing party members to strong-arm undecided Republicans into voting for the bill. Duane was funny, weird and sympathetic...

In the end, it wasn’t even close. I finished my lunch, scrubbed off the plate, and went on my way. For half of an hour, I had given myself away to hope. It was time to move one.

The story has something of a happy ending, a minor consolation. I went into the Seals office yesterday and knew I wanted to write about the vote in New York. I had never seen a full brief of Dan’s stance on LGBT issues.

Dan backs same-sex marriage, full legal rights and the repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. He supported the Matthew Shepard Act and will continue to fight for passage of the Employee Non-Discrimination Act. He’s also on board with some of America’s top generals and officials in supporting a congressional repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which never should have existed in the first place and has probably kept thousands of soldiers from serving our country overseas.

I’m proud of Dan’s progressive platform. As a gay man, the creeping kudzu of intolerance and discomfort grows in my own backyard. Don’t tell me it’s not personal. Marriage is a civil institution in this country. Nuptials require court validation. Civil unions don’t cut it. I am no second-rate citizen.

To paraphrase Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption, homosexuals are, first and foremost, human. Under the U.S. constitution, all Americans deserve the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. On Wednesday, thirty-eight members of the NY State Senate didn’t agree. It was a bitter reminder of my disappointment earlier this year when I learned even the great Barack Obama couldn’t publicly agree.

But in Dan Seals, I’ve found a leader brave enough to fight for the precepts upon which this country was founded. I’ve found a leader brave enough to fight for me.

Gus Wezerek
Northwestern University 2012
Students for Seals, Chairman

Students for Seals Inaugural Post

2009-12-07T20:09:00.005-06:00

No purple tunnels of doom or sub-zero temperatures here. No wacky bow hats, either. Rather, let me extend a warm welcome to all liberal, conservative and independent students. Here is a forum where we can come together and share our thoughts on the future of the 10th congressional district.

When I started working for the Dan Seals campaign, we had about 10 student interns. Since then that number has tripled, at least. Walking into the office, I’m guaranteed to see a new face or two, not to mention scads of old friends. To be honest, many of us didn’t know much about politics when we walked in the door. Working on the campaign has been a crash-course of the best kind. We wanted a place where everyone could share that experience by bouncing questions and ideas off each other. So we started the Students for Seals blog.

An active democracy participates, so please: read, enjoy, comment. We want to hear what you have to say, and so does Dan Seals. We helped make 2008 the greatest election of our lives. Let’s keep the Force strong with this generation.

Gus Wezerek
Northwestern University 2012
Students for Seals, Chairman