mission l about us l proposal l letters of support l YA Bill of Rights l donate l register to vote
press releases l river journals l Yahoo! discussion group
Why a Mississippi River Trip?
From its source in Lake Itasca, Minnesota, the Mississippi River passes through or adjacent to 10 states on its 2,300 mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. According to predictions made by the Swing State Project, seven of these ten states are likely to be among the most influential electoral voters in the upcoming election. In Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, the presidential winner received between 45% and 55% of votes in the 2000 election. In other words, it was a close race and every vote, cast or not, had an enormous impact. While we believe it is important that youth vote no matter what state they live in, we want to target youth who are most likely to really feel the power of their vote. The Mighty
Mississippi will take us to them.
The Mississippi is the defining feature of the heartland, bridging the east and west and flowing from north to south. Since its European discovery by Hernando DeSoto in 1541, the river has become an American icon, a symbolic gateway to the great American West and a metaphor for the American spirit that endeavored to tame her. From the early days of keelboat travel to the present, the river has remained a place of innovation, commerce and spirit. Dredged, channeled, dammed and locked, the river remains a powerful force, at times spilling its banks and wreaking havoc upon Midwestern communities and at others calmly flowing to the sea.
The Mississippi is integral to the politics and economics of the Midwest and the South, flowing through capitals and county seats, farmland and forests; its serenity and severity affects the lives of everyone in the region.
This area’s unharnessed political potential should not be underestimated. From Minneapolis to Rock Island, St Louis, Cairo, and Baton Rouge, the banks of the river are the perfect place to spread our message.
S |
|
S |
Our Proposal |
S |
The Youth Vote: Why Youth Voter Apathy is Strangling America |
pat.jpg)
