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that they ’ ve given up on anyone in the older generation calling the shots in Washington or ever making sound fi scal decisions.
“ This situation is comparable to my parents incurring serious credit card debt before I was born, ” says Chrissy Hovde, 23, the northeast regional director for the Concord Coalition, “ and through my entire lifetime, and then expecting me to pay for it at some point in the future — and that ’ s insane. ” The founders are now freshmen at the University of Pennsylvania. But they
’ re building a network of stu-
dents that are interested in learning more about the United States ’ fi scal challenges and what it means for their generation down the line. Today, there are chapters of CYA on the campuses of Harvard, Yale, Duke, and the University of Pennsylvania, and they hope to spread their reach throughout the country.
In November 2007, we met and fi lmed Yoni, Mike, and another member of CYA, Caroline Matthews, while they were gearing up for two events that they, in association with the Concord Coalition, were putting on at Penn. Most of the students unconnected with the movement who attended were more interested in the promise of free pizza. Undaunted, Yoni told the Daily Pennsylvanian, who had sent a reporter to cover the event:
“ For us, it
’ s not about raw numbers. It
’ s about our
future. ”
“ Whenever you talk to someone about the federal debt, ”
Mike Tully told us, “ they ’ re always like ‘ Yeah, that ’ s really interesting, that ’ s awesome, ’ but that ’ s about it. It ’ s hard to really, really get kids inspired, but I think we ’ re starting to do that. We ’ re starting to get a lot of interest, especially with the 2008 election and the youth starting to realize that they do have a voice. Kids are now starting to take the extra step. It sort of gives you hope. ”
c02.indd 35
8/26/08 8:42:43 PM
36 The
Mission
Is Anyone Listening?
While Concerned Youth of America are throwing a lot of energy at the prospect of getting their peers in the younger set to pay attention, you have to wonder if anyone else is paying attention. In fact, while we were fi lming in New England, we captured a perfect example of why and how the story doesn ’ t get more traction among politicians.
We had followed the Fiscal Wake - Up Tour to Concord, New Hampshire, and beyond. In one day we did a radio interview; met with the editorial boards of the Manchester Union Leader and the Concord Monitor ; held a luncheon for business leaders and members of the State House of Representatives at the Capitol Arts Building in Concord; and later that evening held a Town Hall session at St. Anselm ’ s New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
Scott Spradling, the political reporter for WMUR TV, an ABC affi liate in New Hampshire, came to the luncheon in Concord with a TV crew.
“ Yankee frugality is alive and well here in New Hampshire, ” Spradling commented,
“ and when it comes
to numbers and crunching the dollar signs, this is the state where this type of dialogue makes a lot of sense. Off the top of my head, it ’ s the type of story that we ’ ll probably put into the middle of the newscast. It ’ s a red meat dialogue, something that we ’ ll try to just bring some attention to — what this effort is, what the tour is — and I ’ m sure it will get some moderate play in the news. ”
Later that evening, a major snowstorm blanketed the area. Dave and Bob just barely made their fl ights back to Washington. Spradling and his cohost opened the show with coverage of the storm. Then the “ red meat dialog ” of the program covered a man from Hollis, New Hampshire, who swal-lowed his wife ’ s diamond ring rather than handing it over to the police. The Fiscal Wake - Up Tour segment didn ’ t make the news that night.
c02.indd 36
8/26/08 8:42:44 PM
Chapter 2 The Budget Defi cit 37
Similarly, the members of the House of Representatives did not attend
“ This situation is comparable to my parents incurring serious credit card debt before I was born, ” says Chrissy Hovde, 23, the northeast regional director for the Concord Coalition, “ and through my entire lifetime, and then expecting me to pay for it at some point in the future — and that ’ s insane. ” The founders are now freshmen at the University of Pennsylvania. But they
’ re building a network of stu-
dents that are interested in learning more about the United States ’ fi scal challenges and what it means for their generation down the line. Today, there are chapters of CYA on the campuses of Harvard, Yale, Duke, and the University of Pennsylvania, and they hope to spread their reach throughout the country.
In November 2007, we met and fi lmed Yoni, Mike, and another member of CYA, Caroline Matthews, while they were gearing up for two events that they, in association with the Concord Coalition, were putting on at Penn. Most of the students unconnected with the movement who attended were more interested in the promise of free pizza. Undaunted, Yoni told the Daily Pennsylvanian, who had sent a reporter to cover the event:
“ For us, it
’ s not about raw numbers. It
’ s about our
future. ”
“ Whenever you talk to someone about the federal debt, ”
Mike Tully told us, “ they ’ re always like ‘ Yeah, that ’ s really interesting, that ’ s awesome, ’ but that ’ s about it. It ’ s hard to really, really get kids inspired, but I think we ’ re starting to do that. We ’ re starting to get a lot of interest, especially with the 2008 election and the youth starting to realize that they do have a voice. Kids are now starting to take the extra step. It sort of gives you hope. ”
c02.indd 35
8/26/08 8:42:43 PM
36 The
Mission
Is Anyone Listening?
While Concerned Youth of America are throwing a lot of energy at the prospect of getting their peers in the younger set to pay attention, you have to wonder if anyone else is paying attention. In fact, while we were fi lming in New England, we captured a perfect example of why and how the story doesn ’ t get more traction among politicians.
We had followed the Fiscal Wake - Up Tour to Concord, New Hampshire, and beyond. In one day we did a radio interview; met with the editorial boards of the Manchester Union Leader and the Concord Monitor ; held a luncheon for business leaders and members of the State House of Representatives at the Capitol Arts Building in Concord; and later that evening held a Town Hall session at St. Anselm ’ s New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
Scott Spradling, the political reporter for WMUR TV, an ABC affi liate in New Hampshire, came to the luncheon in Concord with a TV crew.
“ Yankee frugality is alive and well here in New Hampshire, ” Spradling commented,
“ and when it comes
to numbers and crunching the dollar signs, this is the state where this type of dialogue makes a lot of sense. Off the top of my head, it ’ s the type of story that we ’ ll probably put into the middle of the newscast. It ’ s a red meat dialogue, something that we ’ ll try to just bring some attention to — what this effort is, what the tour is — and I ’ m sure it will get some moderate play in the news. ”
Later that evening, a major snowstorm blanketed the area. Dave and Bob just barely made their fl ights back to Washington. Spradling and his cohost opened the show with coverage of the storm. Then the “ red meat dialog ” of the program covered a man from Hollis, New Hampshire, who swal-lowed his wife ’ s diamond ring rather than handing it over to the police. The Fiscal Wake - Up Tour segment didn ’ t make the news that night.
c02.indd 36
8/26/08 8:42:44 PM
Chapter 2 The Budget Defi cit 37
Similarly, the members of the House of Representatives did not attend
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