(Cross posted from 21st Century Democrats)
Last Thursday, House Majority Whip James Clyburn and Congressmen Keith Ellison and Jim Himes delighted a new group of students and interns from across DC in the latest installment of 21st Century Democrats’ Youth Leadership Speaker Series!
Congressman Ellison was the first to speak. He told his young audience that we are at an historic junction and that the interns and students of today are the chiefs of staff and Members of Congress of tomorrow.
Ellison then played up the impact of past and current young progressive as an example of how the audience can engage to enact change. House Committee Chairs "wouldn’t have those gavels if it wasn’t for you," said Ellison. And "if progressive young people could get Nixon to pass the EPA, think what you could get Obama to do!"
When it comes to finding those young leaders, Ellison said, "I’m always looking for that sharp young mind to help us solve that next big problem."
Ellison also got into the nuts-and-bolts of the healthcare reform debate. "We’ve never been closer before" to reforming "the fundamental model of healthcare," he said. Yet, Ellison—a proponent of a single-payer healthcare system—believes that the public option is the moderate and clearly "bipartisan" option on the table. "I made my compromises, I’m not making any more," Ellison said, "You can’t quit just because you got Lieberman acting up."
As Congressman Ellison was answering questions, there was a vote called on the floor of the House. When Congressman Himes appeared, he apologized for what was to be an abbreviated speech.
Himes, a former banker, was excited that Congress and the American people had the opportunity to "change the way we do business in this country," in regards to both the financial and healthcare sectors.
A newly elected Congressman, Himes wasn’t interested in running for any elected office initially, because he thought politics was all kissing babies and country fairs, even though there are "not a lot of country fairs in Fairfield, Connecticut."
When Congressman Himes left, 21st Century Democrats Executive Director Ruth Cox was wrapping up the event, apologizing that it was truncated. Then Majority Whip Clyburn burst into the room to speak.
Congressman Clyburn talked about all the work he had done as an individual citizen for civil rights and disadvantaged youth in his community, and how that lead to him running for elective office. The most important work, he said, was the work for which he never got a paycheck. "If you really are interest in doing something worthwhile, look for something that is not paid," Clyburn said to the students and interns in attendance. "Someone is bound to notice" and enlist those talents to benefit the general public.