The former Libyan leader, or to put it more accurately, the former brutal, oppressive dictator, Moammar Gadhafi, was killed Thursday. Gadhafi died following a NATO air strike, which for some justifies President Obama’s decision to initiate the airwar. Libyan rebels fighting for a democratic nation celebrated in the streets when they heard the news, but of course, things aren’t so simple. Nobody quite knows what’s next, and Libyans loyal to the collapsed government aren’t giving up yet.  The country could descend into Civil War, or it could be on the road to becoming a successful democracy. Let’s hope for the latter, and America will have a new friend!

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Last week while ellipticizing at my university’s gym, The Rachel Maddow Show played on one of the large TVs facing the cardio section. (Yeah, that’s what happens when you go to school in D.C.) The hot topic of the day: Christine O’Donnell.

In the recent 2010 Republican primary, O’Donnell beat 9-time U.S. Rep and former governor Mike Castle for the spot as the Republican bid in the upcoming election for Senate. O’Donnell’s win shocked many Americans, most of them uttering a resounding “WTF?” Despite her bizarre past and surfacing videos warning all about the spiritual dangers of masturbation, O’Donnell still managed to garner enough support in the state of Delaware to become a definite force, and a legitimate threat to Democrats, in the upcoming election.

Her recent success may be due to some sort of inexplicable star-power she seems to possess, much like that of Sarah Palin (who is a big supporter of O’Donnell). Or, more plausibly, it may be due to the Tea Party movement’s overwhelming backing of this Delaware Republican.

Beyond O’Donnell, the Tea Party has gained copious amounts of press in recent years. They’ve been everywhere from the news to the Capitol. Notwithstanding their newfound fame, though, a lot of people are still confused about their origin, their members, and their platform.

Why is it important to know the answers to these questions? Because the movement is quickly becoming a huge factor in American politics and, being that we will soon be out in the real world living under the laws and policies being made now, it is imperative to understand who it is that will be making said laws and policies.

So I’m gonna break it all down for ya. Below: CollegeCandy’s very own (and hopefully not too boring) Guide To The Tea Party Movement, America’s newest controversial political group.

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Although some of us – cough cough, College Candy, cough cough – are more accepting than others, I think most of us can agree that Kanye West is a jackass. And leave it to President Obama to tell it like it is in an off-the-record comment in a CNBC interview yesterday. Who knew Obama had such a potty-mouth!

But while Kanye has apologized not once, but twice to America’s sweetheart, Taylor Swift, there is another heckler in our midst who has been flying under the radar and is seemingly un-remorseful.

Republican representative Joe Wilson channeled his inner 5^th-grade bully when he shouted out “You lie!” to Obama during his speech on health care reform to Congress last week. (Which isn’t being discussed 1/3rd as much as Taylor-gate.) I guess it’s asking too much to expect a little maturity from our lawmakers these days. Read More »

There are a few universal truths that everyone who has left their house in the last thirty years are aware of. One is that airplane travel will never be known for the stellar in-flight snacks. Another is that Paris Hilton will never be a productive member of society. A third truth is that nobody will ever be able to agree about Ann Coulter, and her shock-jock style of being a political pundit.

Personally, while I don’t agree with all of her views, I am a fan of Ann Coulter. I admire her courage to speak her mind without fear of consequence, and her strength to continue putting forth her opinion boldly even when a vast majority of Americans absolutely cannot stand her. I disagree with her on some of her stances, and my views tend to be less extreme than hers, but overall I support her whole-heartedly. So, with that in mind, I’m putting forth an opposing argument to the accusation that Ann Coulter is the anti-feminist.

In the early 1900s, when suffragettes were working tirelessly to grant women the right to vote, they were often treated horrendously by the male-dominated world around them. They were jailed for their protests, and force-fed when they went on hunger strikes to protest their treatment. The suffragettes were treated as deviants by society, and derided as being radical lunatics trying to usurp male authority. While they had a base of support from women, they were despised by male authority figures, and other women turned against them. Read More »

There are only two things I didn’t do enough in 2008: read about Barack Obama, and drink. And, like any two problems, it turns out you can fix those with a simple drinking game. But I don’t this to be some namby-pamby Johnny-come-lately one-night drinking game. For better or worse, I want this drinking game to last as long as Barack Obama is the president. For the next four years, I want Obama streamed directly into my life. And I want to be really, really drunk.And unless our national situation shapes up soon, you probably will, too. So:

The 2009-2013 Barack Obama Presidential Term Drinking Game. Read More »

January 20th, 2009 will mark the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one.

It marks the end of an era when American politics were plagued with apathetic citizens, who found nothing in the candidates inspiring enough to take a passionate interest in.

It marks the end of an era when race was an invisible barrier over politics, the end of affirmative action being a weapon against the status quo, and the end of divisions in America over race. Barack Obama has attained the highest office of the American political system, and to some people, the free world. There is no reason anymore why any good citizen of America should not be able to succeed in their goals and dreams through diligence and perseverance, because it has been proven that the highest goal can be accomplished by normal people.

Finally, it marks the end of an era when the media was an impartial observer in the American Political system, and when committed voters were educated properly about their candidates. During the 2008 election, there was an enthusiasm towards our democracy that has not been seen in years. There was also, however, a vast prevalence of ignorance on both sides, and it was spurred by a media that displayed ruthless bias not seen in years. Mainstream news magazine Newsweek published six issues with covers devoted exclusively to Barack Obama, five of them issues in this year alone. 2008 was a year in which public opinion was ruled by media portrayal of political affairs.

The wedding is overshadowing the marriage. The Inauguration has magnified into something bordering on a spectacle, with commemorative trinkets being hawked in every possible commercial medium, and huge celebrations being planned across the country. Happiness and joy at an inauguration are not bad things. Blind euphoria and an unwillingness to accept shortcomings in the president-elect are. Read More »

Today is Election Day, and your only real responsibility is to vote. Whether you’re affixing a stamp to an absentee ballot or pulling the lever in a voting booth, get out there and make your opinon heard!

But, we in the youngest (and perhaps extremely influential) voting demographic also reserve our right to party! And after all the ballots are cast, tonight is shaping up to be the biggest party night in America. So after you’ve done your civic duty, grab your friends and get ready to watch the returns with these creative suggestions:

The Setting:

Make sure you have the essentials: a television and ample seating room. But why not spruce up the space for the occasion? If you’re lucky to have the day off from classes today (as we do at my school– thank you, Fordham!), take a few minutes to make some posters! Rasterbator is an online application that will make any image you choose into a poster up to 20 meters in size. (The image will be blown up and printed out in pieces on regular 8 1/2 x 11″ sheets of paper, so you just assemble the sheets like a grid.) It’s really quick, extremely simple, and only requires the internet and a printer.

The Games

Take it a step further by printing two posters (one of Obama and one of McCain) and grabbing some construction paper. Cut out 50 squares from construction paper and label them with the names of each state. Have your guests tack each respective state onto the poster of the candidate who wins it, to keep track of election returns. Read More »

With politics boiling over all around us people are becoming quite polarized. I know that I have had many a fight with my right-leaning sister-in-law (whom I normally LOVE) that would have turned to blows had my brother not jumped in (literally) to break them up. It wasn’t like I planned to fight with her; I just couldn’t believe the things she was saying and, before I knew it, I was biting off her head and spitting at her.

What can I say? I’m very passionate.

Which made things a bit difficult for me recently when I met a wonderful guy…whom I soon found out was a Republican (ew). I wanted to like him – really I did – but was it really possible to be with someone who votes for the other party? I mean, it may be just a vote, but doesn’t it all tie back to someone’s beliefs, morals and passion?

I tried to stick it out, but I couldn’t get myself past the fact that he declared his love for Fox News within the first 5 minutes of my arrival.

Don’t get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with Fox News. And there is nothing wrong with Republicans. But someone who makes a bold statement about his love for Fox News is not someone I want to be with. It is one thing to date someone who votes for the other team; it is quite another to date someone who votes for the other team and then declares his love for said team from every pedestal/mountain/tall chair he can find. Read More »

Seriously, this is what John McCain used to look like? Politics aside, he’s not the sexiest old man. But – DAMN – he used to look like this? I can see how he wooed that lovely wife of his.

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An historic election is only 19 days away. No matter which candidate you support, it is more important than ever to get involved and assist in electing our next president. Students and young people across the country are taking their role in this election and the political process very seriously. From volunteering for the party of their choice to registering voters, and everything in between, our generation is getting involved like never before.

And some are going even further.

David Modigliani, a Harvard grad with an MFA from University of Texas, is an ordinary 20-something who went to extraordinary lengths to involve himself in the political process. Modigliani saw an issue in the Bush administration and politics in general and wanted to get the real story. Read More »