We are tomorrow’s leaders. The future is going to be formed by the values, productivity, and creativity of today’s college students. Those values are aligned with the Democratic Party, the party that looks to the future with a progressive vision. Because of this, we as an organization of college students embrace the Democratic platform.

We believe that health care is a human right. In the United States, our system is inconsistent with that value. Too many go without care. Too many go with inadequate care. That this country does not have a system that ensures health coverage for all citizens is unacceptable. It is our belief that universal health care is an essential goal to strive towards tirelessly. Health care is something that every American deserves, and something that Democrats have worked relentlessly to provide.

In order to be the leaders of the next generation, our education is something that we consider vitally important. While we are lucky enough to benefit from higher education, for all to many, the promise of a college education is still out of reach. The Democratic Party’s record as an advocate for young people seeking education is untarnished. Many of us already benefit from Democratic initiatives, be it Pell Grants, Perkins Loans, the Direct Student Loans Program, or even the G.I. Bill. Even now, Democrats in Washington are working to deliver the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibilities Act to make higher education more accessible to even more young people. The productivity of this nation hinges upon our educational system, an ally of which has always been the Democratic Party.

Recently, the College Democrats at UCF attended a meeting with the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Tim Kaine. Among the many things he discussed, the most salient was the way he embraced the philosophy that we are the ‘big tent party.’ We embrace diversity as a source of creativity and progress. Further, under no circumstances should our differences be an impediment to the American Dream.

Further, when it comes to fairness and equality, we believe that the government has a mandate to ensure to prosperity and continuity of the middle class. Democrats stand vigilant by the interests of middle America. We strive to ensure that the opportunities that existed in the past will be available for this generation and the generations to come. In times of economic difficulty, we believe that a safety net should to catch those adversely affected by hardship. In addition, such a system should exist to empower individuals to improve their condition.

America needs to lead the world in the green energy revolution, both to make safe the world against global warming and to reaffirm the United States’ position as global leader. The College Democrats at UCF recently heard President Obama state, ‘We know that China isn't waiting and India isn't waiting and Germany isn't waiting to seize that future, and America can't afford to wait, either.’ Sustainable green energy is central to American success in the 21st century, and President Obama and the Democrats in Washington have embraced this fact.

But most of all, we believe that college students have an undeniable social responsibility for shaping the future for the better. We believe in working for our future now, so that we do not have to leave the burden on the next generation. We take up the responsibilities placed upon us to move our community, state, nation, and world in a positive direction. The politics of the Democratic Party represent the future we want to see for ourselves and those that will come after us. This is why we are Democrats.