The

Bluebonnet
The Newsletter of Texas College Democrats December 2012 Our Deepest Sympathies to the People of Newtown Analyzing the 2012 Election
Perhaps the most ironic and amusing thing about Mitt Romneys results on November 6th was his final share of the vote: 47%. Mitt, who became infamously recognized with his assertion that 47% of Americans were lazy and not worth his time, made the #1 spot on the annual Yale Book of Quotations.

Guns on Campus (Again)

If theres one thing Texas Republicans dont get its that college students are not interested in bringing guns onto their campuses. Last year, an overwhelming number of colleges from around the state rejected the idea. The student governments from University of Houston, UTA, UT Austin, UTEP and UTSA came out publicly against guns on campus. Polls at Sam Houston State University and Texas A&M have also shown staunch student opposition. Yet, Republican lawmakers remain adamant about pushing the issue onto an unsupportive public. Donna Campbell, a new Republican state senator from New Braunfels who is replacing Jeff Wentworth next year, has reaffirmed her predecessors support for guns on campus. I support the conceal and carry law that is currently in place in Texas, she states on her website, and I will fight tirelessly to ensure that the Second Amendment is protected, including on college campuses. Texas College Democrats has reiterated its position against the expansion of guns on campus. In emergency situations, Texas campus police officers are trained and ready to handle crises that may occur. The addition of multiple active shooters in an emergency could result in police officers confusing concealed carry owners with hostiles. The solution to increasing security on campus is not to give free reign to weapons at Texas universities. TCD encourages universities to open a dialogue with students to discuss ways in which it can better protect the

On December 14, 2012, our nation was shocked and appalled at the shootings that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. Most of the children who lost their lives on that day were between the ages of 5 and 10. It was a horrible act of monstrous proportions, and we still do not know all the details of the crime at this Women, who made up a majority of the electorate, gave point in time. President Obama 55% of the vote. With comments such as binders full of women haunting Romney, it was hard President Obama addressed the nation on the day of the to shake his unrelatable attitude. shootings. As a country, we have been through this too many times, he said. Whether it is an elementary 60% of young voters casted their lot with the President school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a compared to 36% who sided with Mr. Romney. Mitts temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a comments about how students should simply shop street corner in Chicago, these neighborhoods are our around for college or borrow money from their parneighborhoods and these children are our children. ents didnt gain much traction with college-bound Americans. Younger voters also tend to take more liberal The President called upon congressional leaders to come stances on a wide range of issues, such as abortion rights together to take meaningful action to prevent tragedies and marriage equality, than their older counterparts. The like this from occurring in the future. He later addressed GOPs hardline position against many social issues turned a petition on the White Houses We the People weboff their message to much of the millennial generation. site, stating that Vice President Biden will lead a taskforce whose goal it will be to give him a wide range of policies Mr. Romney also lost Latino, African-American and Asianto pursue on this issue. President Obama ensured the American votes by staggering margins. All three of these viewers that their voices had been heard. communities grew in their share of the electorate from 2008 to 2012, with Hispanic voters making up a historical Too many of these tragedies have been witnessed by the 10%. American people in recent years. While many in Congress and the Texas Legislature would rather play special interMitt Romneys loss, coupled with congressional Republiest politics than address gun violence, now is not the cans loss of the popular vote to Democrats in the House, time for partisanship. represents a problem for the GOP. While Democrats elected the most diverse congressional caucus in AmeriOur country is in need of a renewed discussion on gun can history this year, Republican politicians do not underviolence. Lets come together as a nation and work on stand why the electorate has turned away from their radsignificant policy changes to help prevent awful violence ical policies in recent years. Only time will tell if they can like this from repeating itself. adapt to the average American voter.

President Obama attends a prayer vigil for victims of the shooting

House Republicans appointed no women to be committee chairs for the upcoming session, despite the alleged binders

Campus is safety is not a one-size-fits-all solution allowing free reign with weapons. Its a multifaceted issue that cannot be dictated from the legislature.