Dem Summers: Simon Thompson’s Maine Mayoral Managing
Posted 8/09/11 by Christine Hurd
The Dems have been busy over the summer: interning, working, volunteering, traveling, and of course, indulging in some leisure time not oft found in Cambridge (leave it to a Harvard student to be busy spending leisure time.) This is part III of an indefinite series. If you’re a Harvard Dem (or rising pre-frosh with interest), we’d love to hear what you’ve been up to. | E-mail communications@harvarddems.com.
Simon Thomposon’s Maine Mayor Managing
My summer has consisted of an eclectic mix of political activities. Although I had originally planned for a somewhat laid-back summer with my efforts focused on a full-time internship with the OFA finance team in Boston, I was asked in late May to manage a mayoral candidate’s campaign in Portland, Maine- an offer I couldn’t refuse.
So, I’ve had a balanced mix of national politics and local politics.
The mayoral campaign, however, has proven to be the most interesting and intensive political experience I’ve had yet. This is the first time voters in my hometown are electing their mayor in 90 years (it used to be a ceremonial position passed between councilors), and the race has attracted a dozen and a half candidates- quite an impressive number for a city of 60,000.
The candidate whose campaign I’m managing, Jed Rathband (www.jedformayor.com), ran the campaign to create the elected mayor position but had not ever before run for elected office himself. Thus, boosting his name recognition in a crowded field of former state legislators and current councilors has proven to be the primary objective. But we’re doing good, and I’m optimistic about his chances.
Though I don’t plan on spending much time coaxing Harvard Dems into volunteering with the mayoral campaign, I do look forward to working on a variety of other campaigns this fall. With an array of municipal elections occurring in the greater Boston region this fall, at least two monumental elections next year, and a variety of issues-focused campaigns attracting the attention of the Harvard campus, we have plenty of democratic (small and large “d”) work ahead of us, and I look forward to getting started!
Dem Summers: Jonathan Padilla’s jobs are cooler than yours.
Posted 8/03/11 by Christine Hurd
The Dems have been busy over the summer: interning, working, volunteering, traveling, and of course, indulging in some leisure time not oft found in Cambridge (leave it to a Harvard student to be busy spending leisure time.) This is part II of an indefinite series. If you’re a Harvard Dem (or rising pre-frosh with interest), we’d love to hear what you’ve been up to. | E-mail communications@harvarddems.com.
I’ve been working at Google on green energy advocacy since June.
I was just elected Treasurer of the Young Democrats of America in Louisville, KY. It makes me the youngest board member in the 79 year old history of YDA and the only time in history where two Latinos concurrently serve on the Board of Directors.
Other than that I’ve been studying for the LSAT and doing thesis research on how California’s governors use statewide referenda to set public agenda.
Dem Summers: Gary Gerbrandt’s Government Gauntlet
Posted 8/01/11 by Christine Hurd
The Dems have been busy over the summer: interning, working, volunteering, traveling, and of course, indulging in some leisure time not oft found in Cambridge (leave it to a Harvard student to be busy spending leisure time.) This is part I of an indefinite series. If you’re a Harvard Dem (or rising pre-frosh with interest), we’d love to hear what you’ve been up to. | E-mail communications@harvarddems.com.
Gary Gerbrandt’s Government Gauntlet
Gary Gerbrandt: Service Director extraordinaire
This summer has been quite the experience — I’ve been working in the
marketing department of a massive professional service form,
copy-editing and project-managing and email-writing my way to
“success”. Fun fact: I’m actively helping to privatize various parts
of progressive governments thanks to the department I work in. (This
wasn’t what I planned.) But I’m enjoying the experience. Mostly, I’ve
been sleeping on commuter trains, wandering around an underground
mall, and looking dreamily out at Toronto from my (boss’s) office
window. As you can see from the attached company photo, I have
forgotten how to smile, keep both eyes open, and, yes, brush my teeth.
In my spare time, I have been injecting television, the New York
Times, Twitter, and, lately, the remarkably addictive game Dwarf
Fortress directly into my brain. I have been in a hyperventilatory
state for the past few weeks about the debt nightmare-shitfest-crisis,
but I know that by the time we’re all back on campus, it will be a bad
dream. A bad dream without any revenue increases for absolutely no
reason. A bad dream with a disgusting disregard for the worst-off in
America (a category which arguably now stretches from the poor to the
“middle class”). A bad dream which shows no signs of ending.
What can progressives and Democrats and the fiscally sane among us do?
I’ve been wondering that constantly since the deal was reached and
America barely squeaked by its largest fiduciary crisis in memory. How
can we possibly address the gaping holes in the social fabric which
are sure to grow faster with these cuts?
Then, I’m reminded of what I do with the Dems. Service. Service is the
one inviolable way which we can serve the causes that the modern
Democratic Party adheres to — ones which every person depends upon.
Equality, freedom, activism, communities, anything and everything. We
need to give of ourselves to bridge the fundamental gaps in society,
no matter what happens in Washington.
Despite this nightmare — and its powerful ability to shake a
Democrat’s faith in their party leaders — we must all remember that
we’re on the good side, fighting the good fight. I’ll remember that.
And I hope that everyone else will show their progressive stripes this
fall and spring by volunteering at Service’s events.
I can’t wait to see you all there. Enjoy the rest of your summers, and
keep your ears to the ground about upcoming events!
Environmental Advocacy Summer Opportunity
Posted 7/13/11 by Jon Newmark
Just passing along this opportunity for those of you in Cambridge during the summer!
MASSPIRG is hiring motivated and passionate people with good communication
skills to help us protect our environment this summer.
Every year, we burn and bury over 6 million tons of trash in Massachusetts,
which is polluting and unsustainable for our state. The good news is that we
have one of the most effective recycling programs in the country, the Bottle
Bill – the 5-cent deposit on soda and beer bottles. So MASSPIRG is working
to pass a bill that will update the Bottle Bill to include more containers,
like bottled water and juice bottles.
To pass this bill, we’re building up a groundswell of public support.
That’s where you come in!
MASSPIRG is hiring talented people to jump right in and join our campaign
staff this summer. We have full-time summer job opportunities earning
$9-$15/hour. Give us a call at 617-661-0916 to find out more, or fill out an
application at www.jobsthatmatter.org.
Learn valuable grassroots campaign skills and make a difference this
summer!
