Biography
What's up, guys? My name's Tony Montgomery; and as you may have espied from the previous page; I am indeed the Secretary for this year's Cornell Democrats Executive Board. That means I record stuff and take minutes and whatnot. If you see me typing furiously during a meeting, I am either taking notes on the current proceedings or arguing with someone over the Internet - the only way to find out is to ask.
A little bit about myself, first: I'm a native of Fort Worth, Texas; which is a straight shot across Interstate 20 from Dallas, Texas. I've lived in the area my entire life (well, excepting college of course!). I graduated from Fort Worth Country Day in 2009. I'm currently a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences; and I am majoring in both History and English. Over the past summer I taught SAT/ACT prep for a company called IvyInsiders (sounds fun, no?).
Now to the good stuff: as far as my political leanings are concerned, I consider myself to be sufficiently progressive. You will find that I will hold some outlandish views on certain issues (read: gun control) and I will not hold it against you for very long if you disagree with me on these points. However, I am a man of rational thinking and I am completely open to new ideas and thoughts, as long as they agree with mine in some capacity. I also participate on the Cornell Democrats debate team, and I am especially fond of employing sports analogies to describe complex economic phenomena. I insult Republican ideology and demagoguery on a regular basis as well. Being from Texas, I have had intimate experience with every strain of right-wing that the GOP has to offer, and because of this I've heard pretty much every right-wing argument there is on any issue of relative political importance (sorry, BCS Playoff system).
On a more casual note, I'm a rabid Dallas Cowboys fan (insert Tony Romo joke here) and a general sports geek; if you want to talk football, soccer, hockey, basketball, or college sports then I'm your guy. Plus, I give free fantasy advice to members of Cornell Democrats (I give free advice to Republicans too, but it's always bad advice). As far as music is concerned, I enjoy techno, electronica, electro (there's a difference, if you must know then you may ask), punk rock (preferrably 80's), alternative rock, grunge, and of course hip-hop (as if you didn't see that one coming). Yes, I have an Xbox, and I will give you my gamertag if you ask politely. I play football, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, and ultimate frisbee. In short, I'm athletic. I also play Starcraft and watch anime frequently. Feel free to curse your genetic makeup at any time.
I'm a loose, easygoing and free-wheeling guy who sees humor as a solution to many of life's problems. Except for healthcare - humor isn't too great at fixing healthcare...yet.
2010-2011 Candidacy Statement
Hey there guys, I’m Tony Montgomery and I am declaring my intention to run for the office of Secretary for the Cornell Democrats. I’m a freshman, but I’ve been really involved in the planning and execution of a majority of the club’s activities this year. I’ve attended CDNY and participated in a financial debate, in addition to blogging and regular attendance.
Secretaries are really just in charge of organizing stuff, being punctual and keeping track of things. I take copious notes when necessary, and I have a penchant for details. I’m also very quick to respond to emails and what have you. I believe that as a freshman, I’m not quite ready for the responsibilities that come with a higher-level position. However, I want to be involved on the executive level because I want to acquire the experience necessary to facilitate a future run for higher office within the organization all while helping our group to grow stronger and more efficient in the upcoming year of midterm elections. My senior year will be the year of Obama’s re-election (knock on wood), and I want to be fully prepared to handle the responsibilities of President or Vice President should the opportunity present itself.
I like the way things are being run right now, with the transparency and everything. I’d just try to get more members in by having rec events and stuff. I think that in addition to (or in conjunction with) our Drinking Liberallys, we should have stuff like Cornell Dems 3-on-3 Hoop Showcase or Obama’s Waterloo Texas Hold ‘Em. People like that kind of stuff.