Well, while there is a chance we aren’t functioning in our right minds, we think political diversity on this campus has been underestimated. Once people become moderately secure in the sanity of the College Democrats’ leadership, the purpose of our organization tends to become the next question.

College Democrats is devoted to an increase in student activity as well as education. Involvement in organizations like the College Democrats helps foster a feeling of belonging for all students.

In 2004, 47 percent of 18-24 year olds voted, compared with 66 percent of citizens 25 and older. In College Democrats, we believe these numbers are unacceptable. In our age group, decisions are made by the minority. Political apathy now seems to be the norm at universities across the nation. College Democrats is out to change that.

In addition to monthly service projects, we are involved in several Idaho election campaigns, including Jerry Brady for governor and Jana Jones for superintendent of Public Instruction.

Education is crucial to the purpose of College Democrats. Weekly, members of our organization lead discussions on the Constitution and the news. As per education across campus, we’ve already had a flier campaign this semester.

Though it may seem downright weird at first to have College Democrats at BYU-I, it is important to remember our purposes of education and activity. It might be odd, but College Democrats is here to stay.

Are you tired of foreign thugs who can’t think of anything but how to hurt us? Tired of the government taxing anything and everything?

Are you tired of the trash being taught in our public schools? Tired of dirty hippies who protest everything good and decent? Are you tired of gay cowboy movies? So are we.

That’s why we got together and decided to do something about it. We’re the College Republicans. We’re a group made up of students and run by students. You’ve probably heard of us.

When you hear about us or see a poster, most of you think, “Well, I voted for Bush. Haven’t I done enough?” The answer is yes. If you took the effort to go out and vote, you’re doing fine, better than most people even.

But some of you want to do more. Some are tired enough that they want to get up and do something. That’s what we’re here for. We teach, preach, promote and love conservative government and conservative values.

Are you conservative? If you were nodding your head to the questions above, then yeah, you are a conservative.

The College Republicans is an outlet for students who want to do more. And that’s just what we do — more.

We love conservative values enough that we do all we can to teach our fellow students, preach what is going on and what needs to be done and promote these values to anyone and everyone.

In addition, 2,057 students at this university are education majors. The changes President Bush is proposing with regards to education are really going to impact the next generation of teachers in the United States. Health care will also be an issue for almost all of BYU-Idaho’s student body, sooner or later. Probably sooner for the around 3,000 married students at this institution.

The accomplishments of modern medicine are extraordinary and all Americans (yes, even John Kerry) should be able to access help when they need it.

Why? Because when you are out in the world and need to be involved in decisions about these things, you need to know what needs to be done — doubly so if you are a Latter-day Saint college student. Many of us want to change the country’s laws on abortion and gay marriage. Will these things go away by themselves? No. Can we vote for leaders who will change the laws? Yes, but who will be the leaders?

Also, the application of No Child Left Behind has the potential to cripple the learning abilities of this entire generation. It encourages teachers to teach to the test. Basically, this means students might know the answers to the tests, but they won’t understand the application.

We aren’t saying the education system is perfect. However, this doesn’t mean we think we should sell it out through the voucher program. Instead, we need to focus on fixing education so every child in the United States can get a quality education.

On the other hand, Democrats controlled the House and Senate of this country for 30 plus years. Of those teaching at American universities and colleges, 72 percent are liberal, while a miniscule 15 percent are conservative. If Democrats had such a monopoly on education and the law making body of the government, why was no major action taken until Bush was in office?

To me, it is clear that not all options were exhausted before the invasion of Iraq. Now that we are there, we must endeavor to make the best out of a bad situation.

However, our being there does not mean the door is closed on why we went in. Put another way, even though the decision to go to Iraq is in the distant past, Americans deserve to know what led us into Iraq in the first place.

Leaders need to be held accountable if decisions were made incorrectly. If there were massive intelligence errors, reforms need to be made.

We can learn a lot and improve from our mistakes.

As for losing this war, it took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. It took less time to find chemical weapons in Iraq than it took Sen. Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records. It took less time for the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Teddy Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sunk at Chappaquiddick. Saddam is on trial. Al-Quaeda is on the run. How exactly are we losing? The men and women of our Armed Forces deserve our gratitude and respect.

We look to the Church for guidelines on moral issues and follow every stance the Church makes concerning them. Also, the national party seems to be a little more into mud slinging. This isn’t a good way to communicate. We want to work with the Republican Party to build a better America. After all, we all live here!

Even among ourselves we have differences of opinion on what exactly needs to be done. This is all in good fun for us. Since we, as an organization, do not independently take a stance on any issue, there is no difference between our stance and the national party.

People in general tend to group Democrats with abortion and gay marriage and simply leave it at that. There is a lot more to the Democratic party than those two issues!

The other big misconception with our group is the old argument that good members of the Church can’t be Democrats.

The Church doesn’t take a political stance. It allows members to choose whichever political affiliation we please. Also, LDS Democrats can succeed politically. Harry Reid, the Senate minority leader, is a great example of an LDS Democrat.

We aren’t self-righteous, we aren’t fanatics and we aren’t exclusive. Anyone may join us and anyone may come to the meetings. We don’t look down on anyone for “not being conservative enough,” and we love nothing more than intelligent discussion.

Some may accuse us of being narrow-minded, but it is difficult to have serious discussions about things like abortion or gay marriage.

I know you’re probably laughing, but hear me out. What I mean is that a person can easily be both a good Latter-day Saint and a good Democrat.

We follow all moral stances the Church has made. Democrats don’t have to be pro-choice or pro-gay marriage. Beginning in 1996, the Democratic Party’s platform specifically said people who disagree with its support for legal abortion were welcome.

When President Gordon B. Hinckley was asked by the National Press Club if it is possible to be a good Church member and a Democrat, he replied, “Yes, I think so. I don’t know why you couldn’t.”

Should an irreconcilable difference between the Church and the Democratic Party appear, we are sure to follow the Church.

Democrats and Republicans simply have different beliefs, ideals and means to achieve their goals. No party has a monopoly on truth or morality.

For us, as members of College Democrats, the Democratic Party is a better fit because of the way problems are approached and which problems are deemed priorities.

Conservatism believes that your national government should only do what a state government cannot do. State government should only do what city government cannot do. And city government should only do what people cannot do by themselves. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

We also tend to be more traditionally moral than liberals. Gay marriage, abortion, pornography; Republicans are usually the ones trying to get rid of these, while liberals spend their time trying to defend those who spread them. We don’t like that either.

I’m sure the College Republicans agree with us that the United States is a wonderful place, a place where anyone can succeed. Both of our groups believe in America. We clearly both feel that political activity is crucial in college students.

Also, both our groups are in complete compliance with any moral stances the Church has made.

We both believe BYU-I is a great school, filled with inspiring people. The Spirit of Ricks is important to this campus, and we believe in preserving it.

Part of the purpose of both groups is to help students become more involved on campus and to give students a voice. As I am sure is the case with the College Republicans, anyone with any view is welcome at our meetings.

We just have very different opinions as to what makes a great country, what is efficient government and how the citizens of this country can be safe, healthy and happy.