Help Me Undertand What Makes A YOUNG Republican?

[HornBuckler]

I Just Don't Get It - I Went Out For Some Drinks With A Large Group Of People (Some I Knew Some I Didn't - Aprrox 21-32 Years Old) And After A Few Stiff Drinks It Went Political. Wouldn't You Know? Out Of 15 (I Counted) There Were 3 Dems/Liberal/Green - 2 I Dont Give A Shits And 10! Republican/Conservative - This Happend In Portland OR -
I Was Greatly Outnumbered, Drunk And Was Wearing My DU Vote Count T-Shirt (The Blue Long Sleeve - I Like That Shirt BTW) So Whatever Reasons They Gave Me At The Time Didn't Make Any Sense - All I Could Gather Is They Seemed To Have Money (But I Refuse To Believe That Is The Reason)

Any Insight? If You Would Have Asked Me What Party They Would Most Likely Vote For I Would Have Said Dem/Liberal (And Be Dead Wrong)

Makes Me Want To Shit :hurts:

[thebigidea]

1. Well Your Capitalization Scheme Is Novel

Doctor Strangephrasing: Or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Start Writing As If Everything I Wrote Were Part Of One Very Long Title

And As To Your Question Hmmm Dunno But It Does Get Discouraging At Times.

[NJCher]

2. yeah, that was weird

I had to give up reading it.


Cher

[HornBuckler]

4. Yeah, Helps Me Think

Picked Up The Habit From The C64 - I Was So Stoked That There Were Actually Lower And Upper Case Letters - I Never Stopped

But Yeah, What The Hell Is With Young, Halfway Intelligent Folks Thinking Bush Is Cool?

[thebigidea]

8. "I'm more alive than ever before - and I owe it to my Commodore 64"

fun and all, but man - its incredibly hard to read. Almost as bad as IRC FOLKS WHO TALK IN ALL CAPS.

[izzie]

10. their families and you do not need to think to be one.

:crazy:

[liberalmuse]

17. I had no problem reading it...

But I'm not anal about posts on message boards, either--except those from people who think they're fucking English teachers or something. Christ...

[thebigidea]

19. that's right, because I'm known for my nitpicky anal english teacher ways

CHRIST!

Geez, sorry for getting a little silly.

[liberalmuse]

22. Sorry for having a bug up my ass...

I didn't know you were joking. I go nuts over perceived rudeness, but I suppose I'd better look at my own self, first. Again, I apologize.

[Oberst Klink]

3. Rebellion against the current dominant paradigm

I think that, since the 1980's, there has been a growth of cons among the youth given that the dominant paradigm they see in their institutions (high school / college / most media) is somewhat liberal.

The dominant paradigm, be it cons or lib or whatever, is always oppressive to some degree.

They are simply in rebellion against what they see as heavy handed and unjust.

[HornBuckler]

5. I Think Yer On To Something

I Think We All Rebel To Some Degree, But Doesn't The Theory Go "You Get More Conservative As You Get Older" I Mean, Shit Man, Where Did Compassion Go?

[el_gato]

23. if you think the media is liberal you are brainwashed

it's all corporate propaganda and as far as rebelling against
something I have no idea what they are rebelling against.
They may think they are rebelling but only because they
are fooled by the propaganda.

[Oberst Klink]

34. True, BUT (there's that word again)......

.... Fox News does not the media make.

Why do cons dominate the internet? I think because it's an alternative to the print and video media, which is certainly not historically that friendly to conservatives.

The media, which is controled by individuals who live in large urban areas on the west and east coasts, reflect their values, which are not the values of individuals who live rural, more independant life-styles. The urban dwellers tend to see a stronger central gov as the solution for a multitude of problems. The rural dwellers tend to see a strong central gov as the cause of a multitude of problems (unless they are getting money for farm subs or welfare).

[el_gato]

37. wake up

This isn't just about fox news.

Take a look at what NYT did leading up to this invasion
with all the bullshit Judith Miller printed about wmd's etc.
all fear and hype from the supposed liberal NYT (which never
has been liberal by the way it's just a facade)

Cons don't dominate the internet either, what a joke.
The internet is the only place truth seekers have left.

Print and video media, as you say, is not even interested in
reporting the truth. There are a few papers in the country
that actually do a little investigative reporting but by and large
those mediums are used to propagandize the public rather than
inform. If the case were otherwise more people in this country
would understand the role of the elites in terms of how
policy is shaped and how consent for those policies such as the occupation of iraq are then manufactured in the general public.

[Cat Atomic]

38. Maybe.

"The media, which is controled by individuals who live in large urban areas on the west and east coasts, reflect their values"

I think that happens on issues like abortion and gun rights at times. I wouldn't say it's pronounced, but that's a judgement call.

The bias I see most often in the media (and the real damaging bias) is a pro-corporate, pro-Republican, pro-establishment bias. That's how we get such softball coverage of the Iraq war, for instnace. It's why dangerous GM vehicles aren't reported about on media outlets owned by GM.

The media doesn't always have a conservative bias, and it certainly doesn't always have a liberal bias. It has an establishment bias.

[el_gato]

42. i agree

the liberal / conservative debate is phoney

[Stupdworld]

26. i agree

good point. when i was in hs/college i was easily influenced by my surroundings. kids at that age generally dont know jack about politics.

[JHB]

6. Woim Syndrome

Remember the Little Rascals/Our Gang shorts? Butch the bully always had a toady he called "Woim" (or, cuttn' tru 'is accent, "Worm") hanging around, who could push other kids around because he was backed up by Butch's general aura of menace?

That's Woim Syndrome: the vicarious power trip gotten by being on the side that has the "aura of power", even if it will screw you without a second thought. It's also a class issue: "us" the dynamic, no-nonsense proactive people vs. "them", the envious, grasping, whining losers.

[thebigidea]

9. ooo, great idea

That'd be a great kernel for an article.

Reminds me of Ivan Stang's theory:

"There are three kinds of people -- I call them Larrys, Curlys, and Moes. The Larrys don't even know that there are three types; if they're told, it's an abstraction, because they cannot imagine anything beyond Larry-ness. The Curlys know about it, and recognize the pecking order, but find ways of living with it cheerfully...for they are the imaginative, creative ones. The Moes not only know about it, but exploit and perpetuate it.

The naive, pleasant believers of all kinds are Larrys -- ineffectual, well-meaning do-gooders destined always to be victims, often without once guessing their status. Like sheep, they don't want to hear the unpleasant legends about "the slaughterhouse"; they trust the strange two-legged beings who feed them. The artists, unsung scientific geniuses, political writers, and earnest disciples of the stranger cults are Curlys -- engaging, original, accident-prone but full of life, intuitively aware of the Moe forces plotting against them and trying to fight back. They can never defeat the Moes, however, without BECOMING Moes, which is impossible for a true Curly.

The Moes, then, are the fanatics, the ranters, the cult gurus, the Uri Gellers AND the Debunkers; they are the Resistance Leaders and the Ruling Class Bankers. They hate each other, but only because they want to control ALL the Larrys and Curlys themselves. They don't actually enjoy their dominance; it's simply part of their nature. Nor are they less foolish for the fact that they make the decisions. They suffer a chronic paranoia that is unknown to their less demanding underlings. Larrys and Curlys die in wars started by rival Moes -- the Larrys willingly, the Curlys with great regret. Concepts like "Hell" and "Sin" were invented by Moes to keep Larrys in line; the Larrys in turn, being far more numerous, exert social pressures on the Curly minority to also obey...mainly so the Larrys won't feel like suckers.

The Moes also invent myths, like that of the "Grouchos, Harpos, Chicos, and Zeppos," to throw the more rebellious Curlys off their trail and keep them unsure of the real situations. "

[HornBuckler]

11. That's Beautiful thebigidea

I Love That Idea - Thanks!

[liberalmuse]

21. Forget what I posted...

I have to go with this theory. I have to agree that a lot of people want to be on the 'winning' side. Maybe it's the self-preservation instinct kicking in. That's why I love reading DU--there are so many insightful perspectives shared here that help me realize how narrow my own is.

Also, I loved the 'Hitler Youth' poster someone else put up. For some reason, I associate 'Young Republican' with 'Hitler Youth'. The clean-cut, 'good' kid who could one day turn you in, torture you or blow you away over his/her ideals.

[CWebster]

7. The dominance of the "greed is good" mentality.

and dominant influence of the reptilian brain. ;-)

[Drifter]

12. Tax Cuts ...

A very good friend in college gave me a taste of what fuels the Young Republican. I think it was around the 1988 election. We were discussing who to vote for. His only comment was, "Of course you should vote for Bush, what do you want ? Higher Taxes ?". At the time, I was not a professed Democrat, but considered myself an anti-Republican. This was a turning point for me, as it was the moment that I realized that Republican support was based on misleading sound bites. Essentially getting elected by telling the people what they want to hear, without regard to the consequences.

I believe this notion was planted in his head by his father. Once again a case of analysing a very complex issue with a Black and White camera. He believed cut and dry that Republicans lowered taxes, and Democrats raised taxes. This without much consideration about what they do with the taxes.

I am sure there is a whole new generation of non-thinkers who are aligning themselves with the Republicans, because the Bush tax cuts are a big issue. Most peoeple believe that when Bush cuts taxes, it helps them (this is the same as the Reagan era). What they don't realize is that they are moving the tax burden from the few rich people, to the many middle class, creating more poor. Wasn't it Reagan who gave birth to the term Homeless Families ?

Cutting taxes is easy (balencing the budget is not). Going to war is easy (finding a diplomtic solution is not). Both Reagan and Bush took the easy way out (at the expense of America).

I can thank my friend for the fact that I question the actions of our politicians, and not buying into the things that you hear when they are trying to get elected.

Cheers
Drifter

[quaker bill]

13. Youthful indiscretion

They just haven't figured it out yet. Folks of the ages you state need to be liberal and start taxing the "F" out of older bastards like me.

1. It would pay for their education / training and other public infrastructure while I am still making enough income to pay for it.

2. It would start to cover some of the 25 trillion dollar unfunded demand my generation (the boomers) will lay on them when we retire.

Once the boomers retire, they will become fiscal liberals. My generation will not cut taxes to ease their burden if it means our SS and Medicare benefits will get cut. Better yet, we will still be a massive voting block, retired, and will vote in huge numbers, just as retired people do now. Trust me on this, as much as we have been into cutting our own taxes since the 80's, we will be into raising their taxes for our benefits.

If they have any instinct for self-preservation, they had better get on the ball and start taxing the "F" out of us right now, time's a-wastin'.

[HornBuckler]

15. Makes Perfect Sense!

Not That I Want To "Tax The Hell Out Of You" But We All Want/Need Services - And I Think Most "Thinking" People Agree We Could Use A Few Less Missiles.....

[Patriot_Spear]

14. Hate, fear and ignorance...

In that order.

[Gman]

16. You mean these guys?

[liberalmuse]

18. They haven't gotten down and dirty with life, yet...

would be my take. Or they can't see the world beyond their own noses, or their parents raised them to be conservative, or they don't really keep up on current affairs and are lucky enough to exist in that 'America is the greatest country in the world' bubble--I suppose there are a lot of reasons. We in America are probably the most propoganda-barraged people in the world. At least the Russians were both intelligent and cynical enough to know their government was lying to them. This is not the case here in America.

[laura888]

20. it's family influence and then FOX news

I work with a guy who's a smart, 30-year-old musician who's staunchly republican. He thinks FOX is the best thing around.

To me, tho, his thinking is more in the line of liberals vs. republicans being a football game. He's more aware of how the 2 talk badly about each other. For example, he's clueless on NAFTA and the deficit.

[chemenger]

24. Poor Parenting?

eom

[kodi]

25. equal parts ignorance & arrogance mixed with a stunning lack of empathy

all of us can see this.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

27. Pre-frontal lobotomy

n/t

[LSK]

28. they think they are rich - yuppieness

In their minds they are millionaires waiting to happen. They think they are elite/rich, well to do or someday they will be. They are yuppies. They all get new cars, have to have a new house, the bigscreen tv, new clothes, etc etc etc. But in reality they are running up massive debt and barely making it. They live the yuppie/upper class lifestyle on credit and being a republican is part of it.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

29. Stop hanging out with yuppies?

maybe?

[Octafish]

30. Raised on Reagan

One of the worst things Pruneface Reagan did was to demonize Liberalism. The "L" word. The guy then proceeded to bankrupt the country, sending tax rebates (and interest payments on the national debt) to the richest, while cutting money for the schools and social programs. A real swell guy. We will continue to see the fruits of all his satanic work in the bars and young people who espouse the flatulance of Rush Limbaugh and the other neo-NAZIs of the right.

Here's the answer for your YOUNG rethuglian pals, the "C" word:

Cthulhu for President. Why vote for a lesser evil?

http://www.cthulhu.org/

Good luck! May they survive longer than average.

[Art_from_Ark]

32. You're right-- Pruneface was the pits

The SOB turned America on a terrible course.

[StopThief]

31. The same reason that the country as a whole. . . .

is more conservative than people's circumstances would seem to warrant. People buy into the American Dream that there is ample opportunity to be successful.

Young people that believe they are going to be successful don't want to turn around and give much of their earnings back to the government. Chalk it up to overconfidence.

[soothsayer]

33. Old money (eom)

[zls44]

35. This is how they think.

This is from today's school paper. Its written by my randomly assigned roomate. Other than being wrong politically and constantly farting, hes not too bad...

http://www.dailycampus.com/news/525384.html

[leesa]

36. Controlled media. They are told 24hours a day that conservatives

handle money better, conservatives are more moral, conservatives are better patriots. None of this is true, of course, and ALL of it can easily be disproved, but they believe what they are told by the media. They are unable to think for themselves so they follow the lead. Their eyes are not open.

[davidinalameda]

39. 2 old republicans?

:shrug:

[KayLaw]

40. Reminds me of something

Did you ever see the movie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. At the very end, some high school students are giving interviews after being attacked by vampires at their prom. It goes something like: They had fangs...they were biting everyone...they had cold, dead eyes...I think they were Young Republicans. I just loved that!!

[MissB]

41. I confess, I was once a registered Republican

I turned 18 halfway through my senior year of high school. My dad was a Republican. My civics class apparently didn't teach me the difference. I had no passion for politics at 18. My passions were math and science, in that order.

Dad was a Republican therefore I registered as a Republican. Now, I knew that one benefit to turning 18 was that I was able to register and vote. The one political thought that I had was that I was supposed to help democracy by voting. I moved to Portland less than a year later. I have been a registered Democrat since then.

So I think one answer to your question is that they are influenced by their parents and have not yet begun to think for themselves.



As an aside, I now live in a part of Pdx that is staunchly Repug territory. I haven't decided yet whether we'll be planting political signs in the yard.