CRNC- Why finding a way to effectively use the College Republican National Committee Must Be a Priority for Steele, RNC

As a politically active college student I understand better than most why college students have been written off in the past as a force for changing the political landscape. The arguments against us were many: we don't vote, we have no interest in the political process, and some went so far as to say that we simply do not care about the future of this nation. Well the election of Barack Obama has shown the young people, specifically college-aged individuals are a crucial component to any winning volunteer ground strategy.

Comparing Senator John McCain's use of young people to that of now President Obama it is no contest as to who was the more powerful motivating force or the more effective manager. Where McCain delegated responsiblity to paid campaign staff, the Obama team gave responsibility to volunteers with no garuntee people would com through for them. This trust between political campaign and the American people truly made each and every volunteer feel as though they were a part of this historic campaign, making good on the campaign slogan "Yes We Can!"

So what lesson can the Republican National Committee take away from 2008? First they can acknowledge the importance of attracting youth to the Republican Party. Without the young people who will go door to door, make thousands of phone calls, and energize the campaign at every event. From October 31st through election day I had the opportunity to participate in a campaign trip to the 11th Congressional District of PA. This typically staunchly Democratic area was named one of the top ten most competitive Congressional races by Politico.com and cited as a race to watch by the Drudge Report. For five days myself, and a group of DC metro area College Republicans (comprised largely of students from The Catholic University of America and the University of Maryland) knocked on doors, made phone calls, went to rallies, talked to constituents, worked the polls, and even protested a speech given by former President Bill Clinton in support of the incumbent we were trying to oust. I don't thing think Northern PA has ever been so electric before, despite the fact the Scranton is known as The Electric City. Our group was on the front page of newspapers holding rallies on busy street corners, we were photographed at the Clinton-Kanjorski Rally protesting (both inside and out), and there are even videos of us on the internet at the concession speech given by our candidate for Congress, Mayor Lou Barletta of Hazelton.

The point is that we made a difference, even if the outcome does not reflect it. We fought hard for something we believed was right and the area took note. College Republican and Young Republican groups exists all across the the country and they too can have an impact like the one we enacted in PA 11. The newly elected leaders of the RNC need to make a concerted effort to coordinate and motivate these groups to see reall change in the electoral face of this nation. I sincerely beleive that "College Republicans Lead the Way" and with better administration over the the College Republican National Committee we can lead this nation back towards the conservative principles upon which it was founded.