The 2010 electorate: Old, white, rich and Republican

[Kennah]

Source: Miami Herald

The 2010 elections turned into a rout of the Democrats because the elderly and wealthy surged to the polls to help sweep the Republicans back into power, and the balance of women's votes shifted to the GOP as well, according to a new report.

The study released Monday by Project Vote, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group, also found that turnout by pro-Democratic blocs such as African-Americans, young people and Latinos dropped sharply from 2008 levels, leaving a lopsided pro-Republican electorate to dominate the national landscape.
...
Perhaps the most significant point about voter turnout in 2010 is how many voters didn't vote. Some 38 percent of eligible voters didn't vote in 2008, and this November, another 33 percent didn't show up, which means that "nonvoters were the majority in 2010," the report said.
...
"It is fair to say that 2010 was the year of older, rich people," the study said.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/22/1938400/the-2010-electorate-old-white.html

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Remember in November 2012, one must show up and vote if one wants to effect or further change.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. in mid terms the turnout is low

however, the greedy old rich don't want the Dems to steal their money.

[FiveGoodMen]

2. "one must show up and vote if one wants to effect or further change"

Yes, but one must do a whole lot more than that...

One must have a worthwhile candidate to vote for...

And that candidate must win (which doesn't automatically happen just because ONE voted for them)...

And that candidate must stick to their principles once in office.

Fail on any of these points and the whole game is lost.

[Demeter]

5. Amen, Brother

Preaching to the choir!

[Iowa]

8. Well said.

[tomm2thumbs]

3. really is going to screw up redistricting in many many states

guess that was a bad time to ignore the mid-terms

[sofa king]

4. If they get what they want, they'll be...

....dead, white trash, penniless schmucks.

[Chemical Bill]

6. Maybe the machines stopped counting in Democratic precincts. n/t

[creon]

7. Did not vote

Basically, the people who would have voted Democrat did not vote.


Why? That is the question.

[tpsbmam]

10. I can only tell you what I saw around me.....

Young who were enthused and energized in 2008 were discouraged and beyond disappointed in 2010. Those I know were disgusted with what Obama has done since taking office. They voted for change, they believed that they would see change. They didn't see it -- they saw more of the same and a lot of that same was carried over from Bush, a president that horrified most of the young I know.

They had altruistic hopes in 2008 -- they hoped that people in this country would be helped, that all Bush horrific Bush policies like American torture & rendition would be stopped, and had visions (maybe naive but refreshing for this old cynic) of a brigher America at least beginning under Obama and the Democrats. And they had more selfish hopes that their futures would get a little brighter.

What they've seen instead is a continuation of the policies that horrified them and, from their own perspectives, their futures clouded by the U.S. plutocracy that has not been challenged by Obama but has been enhanced by Obama. The young I know are angry and feel deceived. Their first involvement with the political system has been, for most I know, a resounding failure.

As much as I disagree with so much of what Obama has done, I have been able to successfully argue some points with them. Among other things, he's a lot for college aid and jump starts for the young (e.g., staying on parents' health insurance). And I think he's trying to bring jobs back to the U.S. but has been fought every step of the way by traitorous Republicans and enough traitorous Democrats to block his initiatives. But the "kids" do have points that I can't disagree with, issues that we're all familiar with.

So, for what it's worth, that's my impression of the young I know. Most that I know did vote in 2010, though I do know a couple who didn't. And frankly, some of those who voted did so because I badgered them -- their hearts certainly weren't in it.

[creon]

16. more of the same

More of the same is what mostly occured. I voted from civic duty. I can easily see why they did not.

[pocoloco]

12. "Promose, and then follow through" would have helped!

[creon]

17. It would have.

Unfortunately, Congress and the WH did a very poor job.

[bluestateguy]

9. People who don't vote are losers who I will have nothing to do wtih

nt

[Thor_MN]

11. GOP correctly predicted 2 years of "No" would discourage the instant gratification crowd

All they had to do was keep anything from happening.

[naaman fletcher]

13. stories like these are misleading..

They try to turn it into a technical issue of who voted. However, there is an underlying "why" behind it. The issue is "why" did the young turnout in 08 and not in 10. "why" did the wealthy turn out more in 10 than in 08, etc.

It's not a technical issue, its a leadership issue.

[Hawkowl]

15. No leadership or infrastructure!

Howard Dean had set up a tremendous get out the vote infrastructure in all 50 states. Obama dismantled that by making Kaine party chair. So Obama's failed leadership lead to the dismantling of the local party infrastructures which directly lead to a severe ass kicking. Combine that with his less than inspiring record and you can imagine the ass kicking that is coming in 2012.

[Skittles]

14. hopefully it is their last gasp

[PassingFair]

18. See how MOTIVATED Democrats are by "centrism"! Wow!

We need to not only STAND for something, we
need to visibly FIGHT for the working class.