Obama supporters regroup to campaign for health care

Since its formation last semester, NYU Students Organizing For America has hit the ground running this fall, building off the momentum of the 2008 presidential election to help make President Obama's political agenda a reality.

The development of NYU SOFA was inspired by Obama's Organizing for America initiative, which aims to continue the grassroots advocacy he began during his presidential campaign to meet the challenges facing the nation.

This fall, SOFA has focused on advocating for health care reform on campus. Each Saturday the group canvasses Union Square, Washington Square Park and NYU residence halls. On Sundays SOFA sponsors phone banks, during which members call targeted congressional districts in New York and urge them to personally contact their representative in support of health care reform.

In addition to its on-campus advocacy, the group will travel to Washington, D.C., on Oct. 13 with the Young Invincibles, a group of 18- to 34-year-olds across the country who are working to ensure that young people are heard in the health care debate.

But the group's efforts are not only to advance the health care issue: SOFA also aims to teach students how to be good citizens and pursue a progressive agenda in their community, said Jordan Budd, a Gallatin junior and SOFA campus coordinator.

"We'd like to get NYU students more involved in their local communities, not only politically, but also with community service endeavors," Budd said.

SOFA campus coordinator and NYU senior Mika Rothman said working as a field organizer for the Obama campaign, where she learned to organize canvasses, phone banks and community events, gave her valuable experience to help make SOFA successful.

"We don't want to just talk about what we're going to do," Rothman said. "Every time we meet, we actually want to accomplish something and do something."

However, Patrick Egan, an NYU assistant professor of politics and public policy, questions whether SOFA can achieve the impact it strives for.

"While I would never want to dissuade anyone from getting involved in the political process, [SOFA is] organizing in a place that is solidly democratic," Egan said. "It is unclear what an organizing effort in Greenwich Village is going to do to change votes in Congress."

But health care remains an important and controversial issue for many students at NYU.

"Our health care system is completely flawed," Tisch freshman Milo Shucavage said. "Everyone has a right to health care."

Although LSP freshman Amanda Dallas agrees that universal health care is a good idea on paper, she fears that in practice it will limit competition in the medical field.

"I don't think the system will be as good as it is if everyone is on the same level," Dallas said. "There will be no room to grow."

Both Rothman and Budd are optimistic that SOFA's efforts will have a positive effect on the political process.

"We are the future leaders of America," Rothman said. "We can really show that we care, that we are informed and we're going to get stuff done."