Help me understand this

[nadinbrzezinski]

and if you happen to be an active young person, don't take this as an insult.

When I grew up in Mexico it was drilled into us that voting is a civic duty. Granted, voting happens on a Sunday and polls are open for 12 hours.

But not even when it was so damn clear that the elections were to be stolen... yes box stuffing was like common, nobody gave up. We all just showed up, young and old. My first election I could NOT wait to vote... PERIOD... it was like important and shit. And no, it was not mandatory, average was over 80%, close to 90% for Presidential elections... (Yes those have gone down, people are staying home as protest)

But here, kids stay home in off year elections. In fact, our turn out rates are LOW. Presidential elections are all the way to the low sixties we celebrate. So help me understand, how come we really do not have this culture here? I did not go to HS here, so I don't know how things are done here. So I ask you, especially the young... why? And if this is about you... well there were plenty of things done for your demographic... so I really want to get it... why?

And yes might be a DUH question for some, but only stupid question is the one not asked. (And if this is hardening to two different electorates we are in for really interesting times)

[Turbineguy]

1. Voting is a chance

to influence the future. Your future. Of course, if you don't give a fuck about your future, then staying home is just what the doctor ordered.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. That's it, I don't think people don't care

I really don't.

It is more complex than just that. In fact, that is a cop out. I really want to understand what is going on at a DEEP level.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. That's it, I don't think people don't care

I really don't.

It is more complex than just that. In fact, that is a cop out. I really want to understand what is going on at a DEEP level.

[Naturyl]

4. Protest and pessimism are parts of it

A lot of people don't feel represented. In addition, they don't believe they CAN be represented, because it's just never going to happen.

So they figure, "to hell with it." And in some cases I don't blame them, because there are many people who aren't going to be represented even if they vote Democratic.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Yeah but in Mexico we had the same

vibe... and people still went to vote... and vote we did.

I vote these days because it is a duty... even if it will make a tinkers damn of difference most of the time.

[Speck Tater]

5. The average active young person doesn't know or care who's in charge because...

...as far as they can tell it makes no difference in their lives who is in charge. They haven't been around long enough to realize that it DOES make a difference. To them things are they way they are, and they've always been that way and they always will be that way. They have no historical perspective. They don't remember McCarthyism or Watergate, and to them politicians are just politicians, and are all irrelevant to daily life.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Yeah but here is where I am trying to wrap my head around this

back in Mexico, when I first voted at 18 I had the same lack of historic view. But we were taught from early on that it was part of our civic duty. What I am trying to figure out, this is a long term project, is how to CHANGE the civic culture to ... back where it was oh even in the 19th century. No, women could not vote, blacks could not vote, but eligible voters did go to the polls in much higher numbers... and damn it it was a whole day trip or more for some.

These days it is pretty damn easy, and people cannot be bothered. I want to know, how the hell do we change this?

(Yes it was good to grow up somewhere else, and see the world through different eyes)

[Speck Tater]

24. I honestly don't know how to answer that. :( nt

[canoeist52]

8. how i showed my kids why they should vote

I said, "Let me see your paycheck"

"Do you see that Federal and State tax taken out?"

"That's your money they're borrowing. Wouldn't you like to have a say in where it's spent?"

Kids just need to see how politics apply to their situation.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Good, how do we make this a national policy?

For the record I not only had to memorize the constitution, but we were taught how the budget is done in HS... yes I wanted to puke back then... but I thank that furiegn Civics Instructor. No, it is not that different from country to country... just what you have to spend.

And I think your approach is great, but how do we do this as a national policy?

[canoeist52]

10. just asked my 21 y-old daughter what would make young people vote

She said "Give 'em free shit?"

But then she said "they don't think it does any good" and "when you vote someone in they don't do what they promised to do anyway"

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. I know but we had the same

it don't matter anyway in Mexico... I mean voting for the non PRI candidate for the Presidency was pissing in the wind, and we still voted.

As to giving the free shit... I got a tasty I voted sticker...

:-)

I am just trying to figure out how to change the culture. Because this is part of the problem. And yes, this will take a generation at least

[JetJaguar]

26. Free stuff is an election crime that was tried this year.

Get out the Hulkamaniacs vote.


WWE was warned on intent to gift voters at voting sites...

[Thor_MN]

12. If the media shows no respect for government, why would young generations?

Objective journalism is dead. The only metric is ratings and it's been decided that scandal, rudeness, violence and gossip results in ratings. Half of TV is shows where the sole purpose seems to be able to watch people being extremely rude to others. The conservatives rail about children being indoctrinated, I say TV is training them to be rude and fearful, i.e. conservatives.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Objective journalism is an outlier in US History

a product of WW II.

And voting was much higher in the past (For eligible voters one has to clarify. there were large swaths of people, including the 18-23 iirc group) off the rolls.

Now we need an alternate press, a labor press if you will, but that is a different point.

I think actually that the message of don't vote, don;t matter, benefits the power elites, so they have done all they can to remove things like that from the curricula, along with history and the arts.

[Thor_MN]

17. Yellow journalism has existed forever, there is a different principle in operation now.

No holds barred, any aspect of life, public or private is fair game. Not only does the media no longer respect the government, the government has lost respect for itself. Chenney's "Go fuck yourself" on the House floor and the utter lack of response to it demonstrates that respect and decorum are extinct.

With that in mind, why would anyone who sees that as the norm, having only experienced the rudeness of today give a tinker's damn about it?

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. Because it is their future

and that is the part of the message not communicated very well.'

Who benefits?

And that is my point.

[Thor_MN]

20. Sorry, thought you were asking a question rather than seeking to make a point.

While I was amused to see that we independantly used the same phrase in different posts, I'll leave you to make your point to others.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Nah I am just saying that this is not being

communicated to them.

You did and I did... trying to figure out where this is lost. But thanks... it was a serious question. And pretty much it's been answered.

[kenny blankenship]

13. They're too busy making their signs for Stewart's rally for Staying Above The Fray?

Republicans don't threaten access to the stream of distracting gadgets?
They can pay back their 7 figure student loans with devalued dollars, later on?
Everyone knows Aqua Buddha is the God of Bong?

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. That particular group of young folks voted

I am betting on it. You do not go to a rally and then stay home.

Let me see though 250K from all across the country and NOT all young... how many voters per district?

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Thanks I think I get it

it is cultural.

In summation it is lack of that civic culture. If we are to change this we need to change the culture.

[canoeist52]

19. Culture comes from parents too. Kids watch their parents.

My daughter worked for Obama during the N. H. primary at college making calls ans filling out cards and got to meet an shake hands with him. She just can't believe how much he's backtracked on so many issues. She keeps saying "WTF?" an feeling disheartened. I don't know what to say to her. I am too. But I still vote because I couldn't not vote.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. I vote too, but it was drilled onto me

I wonder if we have to talk to them on the LONG view.

Things will not change overnight, and we are not patient...

Thanks, now I get it, and the next question is how to change the culture, a very long haul project.

[riderinthestorm]

23. My 23 year old is indifferent. She know about Bush V Gore.

She believes the electoral system is utterly corrupt. That there are forces that are in collusion both Dem and Rethug that transcend party politics and are all about greed, corruption and power regardless of party affiliation.

She did vote. She did actually spend 4 eight hour days canvassing in New Mexico on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Then she spent Tuesday driving people to the polls - the Dem candidates all lost.

Even beyond her Dem values though, she did work on the campaigns only because she was PAID! Because she feels so strongly that the whole process is corrupt, she is beyond volunteering.

[Naturyl]

25. Sadly, she's right.

Glad she's involved anyway, though. Even though it's all corrupt and sold-out, Dems are still better than Repukes. It's not true that there is no difference. One group of sellouts is willing to do more for us to get our votes than the other.