Fewer Young Voters See Themselves as Democrats

[Beacool]

By KIRK JOHNSON
Published: September 2, 2010


FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The college vote is up for grabs this year — to an extent that would have seemed unlikely two years ago, when a generation of young people seemed to swoon over Barack Obama.

Though many students are liberals on social issues, the economic reality of a weak job market has taken a toll on their loyalties: far fewer 18- to 29-year-olds now identify themselves as Democrats compared with 2008.

“Is the recession, which is hitting young people very hard, doing lasting or permanent damage to what looked like a good Democratic advantage with this age group?” asked Scott Keeter, the director of survey research at the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan group. “The jury is still out.”

How and whether millions of college students vote will help determine if Republicans win enough seats to retake the House or Senate, overturning the balance of power on Capitol Hill, and with it, Mr. Obama’s agenda. If students tune out and stay home it will also carry a profound message for American society about a generation that seemed so ready, so recently, to grab national politics by the lapels and shake.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/us/politics/03students.html?_r=4&ref=us

It'll be a shame to lose them this November, but unemployment rates among the young are the second highest (AA men are the highest).

[LiberalFighter]

1. There are some stories I don't put stock in. This is one of them.

When it involves the NYT and a writer without credentials.

[Beacool]

2. Well, we'll find out one way or another in 2 months.

The youth vote has never been very reliable.

[dionysus]

3. haven't seen you for a while! c'mere, i got something for ya....

BANKY!!

:hi:

[Beacool]

4. Thank you, sweetie.

How are you?

I've been lurking, but I've had my fill of politics for a while. I'm tired of both sides. People are suffering, millions are without jobs and one side doesn't seem to know what to do about it and the other side is too busy gloating over their opponents' weak polling to give a damn about it. I'm worried sick about the state of this country.

Next Friday I'm going overseas for 2 weeks. Maybe I'll come back in a better mood.

Take care, I'm off for the weekend. I hope that you have a good one as well.

:hug:

[dionysus]

5. have fun on your trip!

:hi:

[Beacool]

8. Thank you!!

:pals:

[dionysus]

11. (banky is great for the plane)

:D

[Fire1]

21. If I were you, I'd see about dual citizenship! LOL!!! n/t

[golfguru]

6. My 17 year old teenager never found a summer job

after applying at every conceivable employer within
commuting distance. It is very bad this year for teen jobs.

[Beacool]

28. Yes, it is.

It's a bad year for adults too.

:hug:

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Beacool]

9. Where to look is the question.

:(

[pocoloco]

15. And the best answer was in an earlier post.....

http://www.pdamerica.org/

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[suzie]

36. Yessirree, maybe we can bring back the "welfare cadillac" imagery. Certainly seemed "liberal" to me.

Did I miss the part where any of our Democrats went to Philadelphia, Mississippi to talk about "states rights"?

Yeah, that was some liberal stuff right there. Whoopee!

[Jennicut]

10. I doubt they are going to the Rethugs. I think some of them may not vote.

[Beacool]

12. Yes, I think that many of them will simply stay home.

:(



:hi:

[Jennicut]

14. hey Beacool!

I wonder if people my age (in their early 30's) will even go out as much as they did in 2008. I really think this will be an older person's election.

[Beacool]

29. Midterms usually are.

Expectations were so high for Obama, that many of the young people who worked so hard to get him elected are disappointed and will probably stay home.

:pals:

[pstokely]

33. They will probably stay home no matter what

sorry

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ChiciB1]

20. My Grandson, Who Was The One Who Pushed Me Hard To Get Out

and campaign for Obama says... NO WAY NOW!! He and many of his friends are TOTALLY turned off! Won't vote Repuke, just won't vote!

They say they don't "BELIEVE THE BULL-SHIT" anymore! Not my words... theirs! Hand writing is PROBABLY on the wall! Squandered by reaching across the aisle to get Repukes on board was a very bad idea!

Wanted a Democratic leader, NOT an appeaser!!

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Skittles]

13. not surprising, considering what they are witnessing now

[jenmito]

17. Yes-their Dem. identity "plummeted" 5% points from July '08. I suggest you read THIS thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x429977

[Aramchek]

19. Kirk Johnson is a Repig Hack.

But I'm sure he really appreciates how you and others jump at the chance to spread his lies.

[Awsi Dooger]

22. Directly related to presidential approval rating

I didn't need this survey. The impact of 50/50 or below is obvious. I posted before the election many times that by far the biggest potential benefit of an Obama presidency was to lock up another 8 years of the youth vote, and the trump card benefit decades down the road.

We received a lion's share of new young voters with Bush stuck in low 30s approval for several years. Young voters tend to align based on presidential approval during their college years.

We won't lose with this block, merely another wasted opportunity, tied to the reality of economic conditions.

[pstokely]

23. But they don't vote regularly when they've young

they might be loyal Dems in 20 years

[smalll]

24. Honestly, who fucking cares right now. They don't vote in midterms either way.

They may be back in 2012, if some new shiny object catches their attention.

[pstokely]

25. They wouldn't be voting even if Obama lived up to the hype

These aren't the base

[ClarkUSA]

30. What "hype" are you referring to?

:shrug:

[pstokely]

32. The "change" nt

[ClarkUSA]

34. No hype there.

"Credit Card Reform Makes It Easier To Pay Down Your Balance: Center For Responsible Lending"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/06/credit-card-reform-makes_n_566617.html

"CBO: Health-care reform bill cuts deficit by $1.3 trillion over 20 years, covers 95%"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x43338

"Senate Passes Massive Wall Street Regulation Bill"
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10696150

[craigmatic]

26. This shows a lack of engagement of them at the top of the party.

The only thing Obama aimed at them is loan reform and more pell grants. This is a group that also cares about the environment and the economy. He hasn't made them feel that he gets their concerns on both issues.

[Beacool]

31. That and no jobs is the probable the cause of their apathy.

;(

[ClarkUSA]

35. Bush II's recession will take at least a couple of more years to fix

Actually, it will take longer with the know-nothing/do-nothing republican tea baggers constantly trying to set President Obama up to fail.

Here's hoping his $50B business plan for infrastructure improvement makes it through congress with at least a couple of votes from the "party of nope".

Young people have never been reliable midterm voters, anyway.

[Cherchez la Femme]

37. Reaping the whirlwind

I expected to see 'so what' here, but the 'fuck them, they don't vote regularly'
--said about our fellow U.S. citizens,
and those who will probably become regular voters someday--

is highly upsetting.


They see what their worth is reduced to. They will remember.
For God's sake, is our party FULL of Rahm's?