New group focuses on politics

The Democracy for IU group held its first ever meeting Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Indiana Memorial Union State Room East. The four people in attendance discussed various goals, political views and how they could influence the community.\nGroup creator and senior Ben Brodsky said the organization is based on Howard Dean's Democracy for America, a group Dean created after the 2004 presidential election. \n"I want the group to help advance progressive causes and take up issues that others aren't (addressing)," he said. "I think we could really help by finding common issues between Democrats and Republicans, like taxes, the health care issue and other issues they agree on but nothing gets done because they just argue."\nThe four agreed their first project would be registering voters on campus. Brodsky said he thinks it's important to get Baron Hill elected.\nHe said the group is mostly liberal; he formed the group by inviting all the students on the social networking site Facebook.com who said they were "very liberal" to join.\n"I don't want this to be a staunch one-way group," junior Rachel Medina said. "If it's democracy, it should be (for) everyone."\nThe four decided to split up the list of members who registered with the group and ask everyone about their interests and hopes for the organization. While the group is still in the planning stages, attendees were in agreement that the group should be a forum for open discussion.\n"I think Bloomington is a great place with a lot of potential," Medina said. "That's why I think groups like this are important. Bloomington is a real catalyst for change."\nThe Democracy for IU group will hold its next meeting Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. in the IMU.