"Some of the idealism has been drained out of [students] and they need to get that back.’
1.V MARvt' <■ • V iPHDMftW At ctw t r» VV" . ’AM AV' MARv AND M! MW » Of UNO* it .Vt MAN’.' AMf RICA
cuts. I lnni Millennium w.is started to
"provide .1 viiRc for the post Bain
Boom generation (Amerh.ms horn m
the I ‘)A.(K .mil I *J-()s|,' aeeording in
their mission statement
The founders .ire .1 group of activists,
lourn.ihsts and other professionals,
main of whom met last spring to dis
iiiss generational issues " I here’s
alw.ns a lot of interest groups out there
to argue for more spending.” s.ns co
founder Jonathan Karl, a human rights
activist and a -5 vear-olp graduate of
\ a s s a r ( . o 11 e g e in New York "But
there’s never am group out there that
Mill sa\ We re willing to make a saert
fiee.’ ”
1 )cliiR*r.itt*l\ putting .isim* uivimvc
issues like .ilmmiin and the death
penalty, this self dubbed “post parti
sail" group comprises liberals and ton
sinames, I )emocrats ami Kepuhluans
I (lev’se advocated legislation hkt the
Pen in kasicli S' 'I) billion tie tit it red lit
tion amendment to the federal budget,
and condemned Clinton's health care
plan tor being "fiscally irresponsible
and generationalh unfair I ike I cad
or l eave, thev advocate tuts m Social
Set untv and Medicare, and thev ilso
sav the government can reduce the
deficit and still spend more on certain
domesiit programs
I hud Millennium, howcvci, hasn't
really done anything to act on their
beliefs aside from generating huge
amounts id publicity I hen biggest
achievement so tar has been a sell
dubbed "powwow" with about H)
( ongression.il members and staffers
last September
W hile I hint Millennium is a bit
more civilized than, sav. I ead or
I rave, they’re sometimes a bit too
|m.111e \t then meeting with members
of Congress, tor instance, thev agreed
to voue their concerns in the future In
phoning the representatives offices
an arrangement that am \mcrican has
w ith ( apitnl I till
Karl says the group has a chapter in
W ashington, composed largely ot
< apitol Hill aides, which provides an
information pipeline to Congress, lie
also says ot most members, "We re
political amateurs Most ot the people
involved in I lord Millennium had
never even worked til (Militiis before."
1 hev're poorly organized, however,
and thev haven’t done much vet, even
allowing for inexperience. It's a grim
outlook tor any political group, post
jurusan or not
What you'll be doing If you join:
(ioing to ,i tew meetings, maylx- lis
tening to a tew lectures, tentative
plans include holding volunteer tairs
lor community service and sponsoring
speakers series.
Grade: C- Right now, they’ve accom
plished remarkably little except preach
mg. But they are newer than any other
group featured here.
f t more tn for ma11 n ah ut I bird
\liUrnnium. »all (212) ^ 7 V 201/1 f mail
aiblr i-i> ijrw.v *4012*l>nol. art
Paul \a\hatt. I hr ( icnrgc t«»w i\ \ oict
(K'ar^ct1 n l and \lii-. P and, I he
|\»M, Ohio l . tout* ihuhd t ' thh rrpaf
College Republicans
Focus: "Sealing !>.u k government
and the Imreancraex, rcu rsim; the
welfare state, and educating the
next generation of voung people
tor the next centurx " National
( hairman Hill Spadca
Founded: I
Membership: i hapters I hex
estimate Hft.IMM) tnemhers
Funding: “0 to so |>cn cm through
tmul r.itsmi'events, ^0 to vOper
i cnt throug'h the ( 0>1’ No dues
In this .life when cvcrvotu- tre.tts
“partv" like a dim word, it’s .1 nice
change ot pate. lo see the ( ollegc
Keptihlu .in n.Hion.tl leadership emhr.it
me ik h id old fashioned partisanship
National < h.nrinan Hill Spadca. 1 .'4
oar old gradual! -4 Itosfon l and for
mcr vouth duet tor hx (ieorge Hush’s
|WJ 1 amp.ugn makes no Imiiics alhml
11 m an open letter In new memhers
"I111 looking forward lo working with
voii in the light against ( I11H011
I iht ralisin and i’olitteal ( orreetness
Third Millennium |#
College Republicans Q
College Democrats
U S Student Assoc Q
United We Stand Q
Lead or Leave Q
u u u w
B D n/a B
A D n/a B-t
A A B B
A A C B
C B C C+
THE METHOD BEHIND THE GPA
Information was gathered from national
headquarters and five or more campus
chapters of each group The groups were
graded in six categories
Laval of Activity, in the past year have they
done lobbying and/or campaign work at the
national and grassroots levels'? Have they
conducted educational/civic awareness
efforts (debates demonstrations voter reg
istrations) at the national and grassroots
levels?
■•mfccrthip: Groups were graded on a
"curve. " those with more than 500 chapters
A 150 500 chapters B 50-150 chapters. C,
fewer than 50 chapters. 0 Since individual
members can t organize tor action as well as
chapters, only chapter memberships were
evaluated
HiprriT~tT*‘— Are members and/or con
stituents adequately represented at the
national level? Do delegates from schools
and/or regions vote on all platforms? Do all
members elect delegates to national and/or
statewide conventions?
OrianliatlM: Do they have a lull time
national stall regional/state directors and
national/state conventions7 Does the nation
al headquarters communicate at least twice
a month with surveyed chapters7
tocaasibHttr Two college students made at
least two phone calls to each organization
requesting more information Did represen
tatives answer the phone or return the calls7
Did they provide information about their
activities and how to get involved7 Did they
provide the names of regional contacts? Did
they send information through the mail?
hmHag; This applies only to groups claim
ing to be nonpartisan Groups "lost points"
lor accepting money from politicians and/or
political groups how many points they lost
depended on how much money they accept
Mlh< Iil){h tin- ( Rs live the ( it )l* pl.it
turin, tbes also pass resolutions to sup
picment it it their bieiini.ar'i.'bis cn
turns, iisu.ilK taking i inure ei insert a
ini it.ime til .in the t it )|’ nn such
issues .is gull r i 'lit 1111 .lllil .1 In it tH ill
\snle Irnin r.»1111i.tini11 tr tor Ke'puli
In. ill v .imliil.ites (Spadca estmi.ites ili.it
the < Iss registered MOO.000 nuns in
!•>*>:), tln-\ se rcsctitls taken steps like
these in tight lilieralism .uni I't
\l the l nl < nlutailn list \u
veinlier, f Rs suhrttitteil a petltlun In
the Hoard nt Regents which i ited that
unit percent nt t.u ult\ were tegis
tired Republicans .uni demanded
greater Republican reptesentatmn nn
administrator ami lacults sean It entn
tmttres " i sen some hher.il stuiletits
base sanl that tiles hasen't been dial
lengeil |bs prnlessiirs} besausc tbes
agree too much with tile (.units sass
( bairman Br.nl Dempses, a |iminr
\t tile l nt ( alltnrill.l, Beikeles.
I us lit is e Director I ric I >a s is a senior,
eltes the group's most siucesstul ulisi
H last settiestei as "disrupt j mg tile!
entire rally” nt Demnrr.ils ss bn
npjHiseil ProiHisitinn I 1 (a prnpnsal tn
Itirnl parents choices to semi their dill
siren tn private schools nt allow them to
dimise a public ss hool).
When it entiles tn lighting hbrtals,
ills* ( Rs iln a gnoii |iib But tins seems
(n lie the Ins us nt their as tis its
In then sleteuss. the < Rs ilnn't base a
presnlent nr a ma|nrit\ lit ( niigrcss tn
support, anil this mas be ssbs tbes
hasen't orgam/csl aus tiatinnal lobby
mg tnr legislation nr demonstrations nn
issues since the |0OJ elections
Right nnss, sass Spailea, they're inst
“innbill/ltig” bir the IW ( .migres
sinnal ami Senate electiniis, ami they re
planning on targeting certain states Inr
sntet registration ibises this sear 'My
oh|citise is to bmlil a large oigam/ation
betnre sse gn into battle allil take nil a
major issue,” Spailea sass
I lies'll also be taking nn (Minton's
health s are plan “M e ss ill absolutely be
insnlseil as the health care debacle
unbilds bebire mir eses.’ Spailea sass
wnat you n oe oomg n you join:
Dt'lmmg with lilui.ils [lusting
speakers and registering s liters.
Volunteering lur i ampaigns
Grade: B Maybe it’s because the
Republn an Part) is tile mmurit) in
( nngress, but so tar the ( Ks seem
mure interested in blaming the
I )c lime rats/libcrals fur problems than
working tor solutions
lor mure information, cull (202) t>f>2
/{Hi I mail address
Wt irrnpusen e
College Democrats
Focus: fleeting Democrats, sup
portmg Democratic legislation
and “furthering the student
rowttn—< wit pajt