Answers to Questionnaire:

As a DNC  member, our work is largely political - not legislative.  So while
we  advocate for issues within the DNC the real work of reform is done through
using our role to influence other organizations, legislation, and most of
all  - shape public opinion.

Iraq: I  have opposed the occupation of Iraq and in 2007 I dropped what I was
doing and  went to work for Gov. Bill Richardson - the only candidate
advocating for a  full withdrawal from Iraq.  While we have all supported different 
candidates in this process, committing my time, my job, and essentially my 
life to a candidate who was committed to bringing the troops home was the 
biggest commitment I could make.  For nearly a year I worked as a senior  staff
member to push this issue and have it resonate throughout the entire  campaign
with all candidates.  It was hard to believe that, even in 2008,  some were
saying that this was a crazy idea.

Poverty & Healthcare: I have supported  resolutions advocating for the
improvement of health and living standards for  the poor.  During the 2006 DNC
meeting in New Orleans, I scheduled extra  days into my trip to help refurbish
homes damaged by Katrina.  Through my  work I have also offered strategic counsel
to the United Nations Foundation to  ensure that we not only end poverty and
bring healthcare to every American,  but to every citizen of the world.

Iran: One of the most significant things  Senator Obama has said in this
campaign is that we must talk to our  enemies.  If Nixon was able to sit down
China, if FDR was able to sit  down with the Russians at the end of WWII knowing
full well that the Cold War  was the next big threat, then it is logical that
we should be speaking with  our enemies now.  Through the media, in editorials
and in Democratic  circles, I have encouraged members of our Party to stand up
against the Cowboy  Diplomacy of the Bush administration and be willing to
bring intellectual  honesty back into our diplomatic processes.

Impeachment: I have called for immediate  investigations into Bush
administration incidents such as the false premise  that took us into war, and for a
release of notes from Cheney's energy policy  bill which resulted in California's
energy crisis.  While I am pleased to  see an investigation into the
disgraceful treatment towards Valerie Plame and  Joe Wilson, as well as the firing for
Alberto Gonzales for firing US  Attorneys, I also believe that there is more
we should be doing.

California resources: our prisons are way too  stacked with non-violent drug
offenders.  We need to direct money to our  schools in order to educate our
kids so that they don't end up in jail in the  first place!  I have also
proposed the idea of a "Prop. 13" for college  tuition, which means that when a
student and a college enter into an  agreement, that the terms of the tuition
remain the same for the first four  years.  In other words, the state shouldn't be
allowed to change the  rules in the middle of the game after students and
families have made picked a  college in part based on their family budget
capabilities.  The state  needs to help - this is the kind of thing that government is
intended  for!

LGBT rights: I am strong supporter of Gay Rights and have  participated in
many issues supporting gay marriage, and working to defeat  right-wing ballot
initiatives in California (1998 - the Knight Initiative),  Oregon (2004) and in
Arizona (2006).  I have donated money to gay  candidates and have a good
relationship with the national Human Rights  Campaign office.

Insurgent  candidates: Well, Bill Richardson was definitely and
unconventional  horse to hitch my trailer to!  But in the end my commitment was to
the  man
AND his issues which is something I'm proud to have done.  I also  supported
Rep. Hidla Solis when she ran against incumbent Marty Martinez, as  well as
local candidates in my hometown of Long Beach (Dan Baker, who was a  gay city
councilmember and took on the incumbent mayor).  And I helped  organize district
level caucuses for a guy named Howard Dean in  2004!

Committees: As a political and not a legislative body, there are  actually
very few committees within the DNC.  However, upon my arrival in  2004 - I was
the rare freshman member who scheduled time to go to the DNC  office in
Washington and sit down and ask to be on a committee, to be  involved, to help out in
some way.  There was one vacant seat on the  Committee to Study Presidential
Scheduling and Timing, and I was denied.   But I didn't let that stop me - in
other words, I did not take "no" for an  answer.  I continued to follow the
issue attend the meetings and  advocated for pushing western states up in the
calendar.  Shortly after  that, maybe it was because he saw my determination,
Gov. Dean asked me to  Chair the DNC Youth Council.  For two years I helped
build a program to  bring more young people into the Party.

In the next term, I will use my  experience to continue advocating for
changing the presidential primary  process and I will seek a position on the Rules
committee.

Fair Elections: The DNC has a Vice Chair for  Voting Rights, and each time I
was alerted to a voting rights issue I made  sure to also alert the Voting
Rights center.  In addition, I have worked  with campaigns in 10 states to ensure
that their voting systems are fair,  accurate and accountable.