Brian+K+SE

 The Oregon Bus Project  Direct Link: 

PAC: an organization that raises money privately and employs lobbyists to influence legislation, particularly at the federal level. "Not left, Not Right, but Forward." 501(c)(3): an organization with an exempt from federal income tax 501(c)(4): an organization with a tax-exempt (non-profit organization) Canvass: Gained Votes from electors
 * Words to know before reading:**

 **The 6 E's... ** 
 * 1) Education
 * 2) Equal Rights
 * 3) Economic Strength and Fairness
 * 4) Election Reform
 * 5) Environment
 * 6) 'ealth Care (health care)

"We drive votes. We drive leaders. We drive change." (They also drive a bus...)


 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0a/Busproject.png width="195" height="96" align="right" caption="Bus Project"]]

What is it?** The Oregon Bus Project, also just called as the Bus Project, is a non profit organization, which is volunteer-driven, that aims for young adults/young people to contribute in political activities such as voting. It was first founded in 2001, and so far has mobilized more than thousands of young volunteers and has brought upon more activists for the state of Oregon.

1. **Father of Labor Day:** Labor Day was first recognized in Oregon (Also, Minimum Wage, the Bottle Bill, Land Use Planning, Public Beaches, Death with Dignity, the Oregon Health Plan, and Vote by Mail – all born in Oregon) 2. **Hotly Contested Election Environment: I**n Oregon, due to it having close votes, it has high possibilities in affecting the presidential elections, etc 3. **Money:** Oregon is first of all, 10 times as cheaper than places like New Jersey. Oregon is a cheap place to start a non-profit business. 4. **Portland:** Portland is known to be a very active country, involving in many events. Also, it is one of the most educated city in America. Last but not least, Oregon is known and ranked by the //Money Magazine// and //Bike Magazine// as the number 1 city in America to live in.
 * Why in Oregon?**


 * Current Legal Status: (ALL of these status's are what the Oregon Bus Project have available) **
 * 1) The Bus Project is a 501(c)(4) organization, is mainly focused in education and to spread and denounce the current day important issues. For the US, and due to it's tax laws, the bus project can engage in lobbying for change but they are not allowed to bother/contact in political campaigns for opposing or supporting any candidate.
 * 2) BusPAC (Bus Political Action Committee), an Oregon state PAC, helps members to elect candidates who the members believe that is the right choice/that the candidate they choose is the person who will show positive progress. The BusPAC works to elect the best progressive candidates in the state. PAC's are allowed to support candidates!
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">The Oregon Progress Forum, a 501(c)(3) organization, registers young voters.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17.16px; line-height: 16px;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 132%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 118.8%;">

Do the colors have a meaning? Of course, Yes. The Oregon Bus Project urges to help/make youth volunteers to take a role in voting, aka in politics. The Oregon Bus Project create ingenious slogans, quotes, parties, etc to drive and help turn a "RED" state into a "BLUE" one. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 132%;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Bus Project, Oregon Student Vote Coalition Closes Huge Youth Turnout Gap
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,fantasy; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;"> //"In 2004, Oregon saw the second largest gap in turnout between older and younger votes in the nation. In 2008, Oregon's youth took Oregon from the back of the pack to near the front. Just one presidential election ago, Oregon's 18 to 29-year-olds turned out at a 25 point lower rate than those 30 and over. In 2008, we shrunk that gap to just over 10 points."// //(Example Quote written by// **//Ian//** //from Oregon Bus Project)//

This quote was said by Ian, who works as a member of the Oregon Bus Project. What Ian is right now saying is, that in 2004, in Oregon, the youth has took very small amounts of action, and there was a huge gap between the Older and the Younger votes in the nation (ranked as second largest gap in U.S.). But, after the Oregon Bus Project has taken action for four more years, the gap has reduced so much that it was amazing. (18~29 year olds started to take more responsibility in action towards the subject: politics) <span style="font-family: Times,Times,-webkit-fantasy; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: large;">**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Actions Taken By the Oregon Bus Project ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: large;">**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">that showed positive effects: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Building Votes **
The main goal/aim of the Building Votes is to assist youth (age under 30) to register and vote. Also, not just registration, but what the Bus project also aims for in the Building Votes is to educate the youth about politics itself. Positive result: There were 20,000 new voters in Oregon after the act, with an increasing voting rate by 6%, for the people under the age of 30.

Trick or Treat. Smell my feet. Give me something good to vote? Trick or Vote, the Halloween canvass, was an act done by the Oregon Bus Project that has been successful, once again. Trick-Or-Vote has made 800 people in the country Oregon to show up and volunteer in helping for half a day in 2004. As a result, there were over 500 more people who have elected in the mid-term elections in 2006. What the Trick-Or-Vote has done is, by throwing a party, costume parties at clubs, with entertainment and music, etc, has brought the attention of young adults in taking the action in voting. (This act has influenced other minor organizations to follow the act)
 * Trick-Or-Vote**

This act has occurred in the year of 2005, as a fellowship program. During the PolitiCorps, the Bus Project was providing opportunities for 13 college students and graduates throughout the summer and has educated them with 50 speakers! Of course, the project was voluntary, and the years after, they have shown progress because in 2007 there were 24 people that have volunteered in participating (About a 90% Increase!). The goal of the program is the provide students to become future leaders with skill, knowledge, training, etc in the field of politics.
 * PolitiCorps**

**"Vote, F*cker" (Sorry for the language but this is important!)** Yes, very much inappropriate, but to gained the attention of the big crowd, you've got to use bid vocabulary. The infamous "Vote, F*cker" is a new and different approach that this ingenious non-profit entrepreneurs have taken. This is an act to sell t-shirts, receiving national media's (such as newspapers and magazines) attention to it. The key factor that has stimulated this t-shirt selling was the t-shirt that was made by others that said "Voting is for Old People."

<span style="font-family: Times,Times,fantasy; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">Many people misunderstand the concept of politics. A random that was merged as time has progressed, "Politics is for Old People." This is said because of some components such as, Imminent Dangers, Stress, Unattractiveness, Anxiety, and Burden. Due to these misconceptions, there were and are many young people out there in the world who do not like/want to support in voting for the right person. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 19px;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17.16px; line-height: 19px;">
 * A Key Factor that has made the Oregon Bus Project come become a major role:**
 * Voting is for the Old?**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15.6px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: 19px;"> <span style="font-family: Baskerville,Times,fantasy; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;">**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">The affect of the Bus Project on Alex Aronson ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: normal;"> Alex Aronson was once just a normal civilian in town and was living a normal life as a twenty-six year old young adult. One day, he has decided to help out in the Bus Project in some way. His first thought when he first arrived was "It was Crazy," with all the new/people around him that were not all serious like politicians are, but were actually enthusiastic while being there. The Bus Project was able to allow/help Aronson understand more about politics, and gain more confidence. According to Aronson, the most effective way the Bus project has influenced him was "The Positive Energy in people." "It was pretty clear that this event helped them see that there were ways to get involved that weren't boring," he says, calling the event "One of the highlights of my life." This was a quote directly said from Aronson in 2008, talking about how enjoying and helping this event was. What the Bus Project did to change and affect Aronson was to allow Aronson to engage in the project himself too while not being a dull politician. The Bus Project has influenced many people who were under 30 years old, and in the wide scale, has made 5 other nations begin a bus project!

(It may look like a statue, but it's true. This young man wore a golden attire in his first ride on the bus)

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> DONATION? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px;">"Donate = Fueling the Bus." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">As the majority of organizations have, of course, the Bus Project has a way to earn money to support their fuel line. This is by, as shown in the picture above, selling pins, or even t-shirts to many people. When selling the materials, of course, people will need to want to buy it; the hook to these are, "Help fuel the Bus's effort to make substantial, long-term progressive change in Oregon."

1. The Oregon Bus Project are non-government organizations, and they are non-profit social entrepreneurs. Where does the Bus Project get their money from? 2. Why is it so crucial to gain the attention of young adults to vote? Aren't adults better in making wiser decisions? 3. Where did the idea come from?Aren't the presidential elections are decent at this point right now? 4. Were there any social entrepreneur's like the Oregon Bus Project? If so, did the others fail to be effective? Why? 5. What are the travel patterns that the Oregon Bus Project uses? Is there a main focus/target? If so, give some examples.
 * 5 Questions:**

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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,fantasy; font-size: 17px;">__**Video References:**__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,-webkit-fantasy; line-height: normal;">**:(Youtube Videos that help gain more knowledge about the Bus Project)**

**//Bibliography//** **//: Websites used for Information//**