Tonight sucked big time, but get your silver lining in this thread.

[DrToast]

One of the major factors tonight was how many old people turned out to vote and how many of them voted Republican. The younger people are still overwhelmingly going Dem. The problem is that there aren't enough of them yet and not enough voted. We know that as people get older, they tend to vote more frequently. We also know that most people don't change their political leanings over their life. Some do, but most people don't.

The bottom line is that the Republican voter pool is shrinking and the Democratic voter pool is growing. Tonight was a tough pill to swallow, but the future still looks bright.

[FrenchieCat]

1. Will I live to see it, though? That's what I want to know!

[Jennicut]

5. Well, in twenty years from now all the Millenials will be in their 40's.

Will they vote Dems still? I hope so.

[DrToast]

13. Research suggests they will

It's a myth that as people grow older they become more conservative. Most people don't change their political views once they are established.

[fugop]

2. This is what I keep telling myself, too

The voter pool is going to get more liberal (I think) as the older, whiter, more easily scared voters ... you know ... fade away. Even though there are certainly young conservatives, I do think the younger demographic (not to mention non-white demographic)is going to start pushing out the older, socially conservative crowd.

So I'm taking this thread and signing off, because if I don't go now, I'll find something else to depress me. So thanks, DrToast. I needed this!

[budkin]

3. Young people will be back in force to reelect Obama... and Dems will ride the wave

[Jade Fox]

4. Progress happens whether or not you want it to.......

The reactionary racism we've seen in the last couple of years will not change the fact this country is becoming less white, to use one example. All the flag-waving patriotism won't change the increasingly global world we live in, to give another example.

I believe the older people you speak of were easily swayed by all the talk of Socialism etc. (this from people who've benefited from the New Deal all their lives!) because of their fear at the shock of seeing a "colored" man as President. Younger people are just more used to seeing people of color in positions of authority.

Still, it's depressing how ignorant this nation seems to be becoming, and how well the Republicans are learning to manipulate that ignorance.

[krawhitham]

6. So if enough old people die in the next 2 years we have it made?

[DrToast]

7. Did we not win in 2008?

[bullwinkle428]

8. Exit poll report : only half the 18-29 year olds voted (in %) when compared

to 2008. :(

[Chan790]

10. I expected that...

and its a good thing. Anybody who expected youth turnout in a midterm election to mirror that of a Presidential election was deluding themselves. (These are my peers and I love them, but they are inconsistently motivated. They only care about the big show.) The good thing is they'll be back in 2012 :D (But not 2014 :() and 2016 :D (and maybe 2018 :shrug:, but at that point they'll be my age and kvetching on the internet about why won't the 18 year olds show up and vote during a midterm election.)

Learn to enjoy the roller coaster or else it'll drive you batty.

[AzNick]

9. Yup it is a small republican bump on the road to progress

2012!!!!!!!

[wisteria]

11. We kept the Senate and our Majority leader. n/t

[oswaldactedalone]

12. One thing this election established

is that the pollsters, except for Gallup, are damn good at what they do. For all the complaining that went on about not trusting the polls etc, they were accurate. Secondly, while you still have to work hard to GOTV, MoveOn and OFA didn't make that much difference. One thing that's good though is that the virtual phone bank tools that are out there can be very effective.

I made quite a few calls over the past three days after not being sure I wanted to use it at first. We need lots and lots of people using that tool in '12. I certainly will be.

[Jade Fox]

14. So, if young people had voted yesterday......

the Repubs would have been toast.

We've got to get young people to vote in mid-terms. Damned if I know how.