The truth is that a lot of those first time voters from 08 just jumped on the bandwagon. Plain and

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

simple. I've been voting since I moved to this country to go to college. I know how apathetic people are. Many people that I know who either voted or said the would register to vote for Obama were voting for him because it seemed cool. The truth is many people especially younger people can't be bothered with this whole "voting shit".

I've been pissed at things the administration did or did not do. But I also pay attention. I'm not an idiot (although many would disagree with that). I have something called a memory. Ands sometimes I use that hing to take me all the way back to 2000, 2004. Hell I even remember the 80s and where that got us. The 90s are mostly a blurr but I digress. How can anything get done by either voting a bunch of psychopaths in or not voting for the only people who at least have a chance to do something for the country?

All I know is that if the economy suddenly starts taking off "magically" after these fucking gangsters get their permanent tax cuts and their lackeys are sworn in. We'll know that all along the owners of our country were playing with our livelihoods in order to kill any chance have might have had to set things right.

[polichick]

1. Just posted this elsewhere - what I learned today...

I was speaking to a politically active and informed young man (25 years old) and he said how discouraged he felt because most in his generation only voted last time because the Obama phenomenon was a fad to them - they didn't follow what he did once in office, have no idea who was running in the midterms, and don't know much about who won. They are completely disengaged. He thinks things will have to get a lot worse for them personally before they wake up.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

2. I don't know what it will take. Maybe if the Repukes manage to legislate mandatory anal probes

for everyone. Maybe that'll finally get their attention.

[sally cat]

3. The newness of a female POTUS candidate would get them out again, if it's a Democrat female.

[SunsetDreams]

4. The truth is, you can't compare a general and a midterm

There are never as many voters in the midterm, as the general election.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

5. That may be (and pretty much everyone knows that) but this was not a regular midterm.

Just look at the numbers. When the man goes out there and tells you our agenda is at stake. It should mean something to the people that voted for him for the first time. We are still in crisis and an attentive informed electorate would not have blown it off.

[besdayz]

6. no doubt

the youth vote who were caught up in the hype was big.....

but the real reason he won was he woke up the real sleeping giant in america. the generations of people who had given up on politics and checked out......these people finally believed again that this guy would change things fundamentally.........

sadly i don't think we can count on them again........fool me once yada yada yada...

[Jennicut]

7. Younger people never turn out huge in a midterm. I voted for my first midterm in 2006 at the age of

30. The over 65's came out really big this year at 23%. Bigger then 2008 and 1994. Why? They are clinging onto what is their's, or so they think. They have no idea what is coming to them by the Repubs.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

8. I guess I'm making the mistake of thinking that since we are in crisis people

would actually pay attention this time. I've pretty much voted on all federal elections since i moved to this country. But that's my geeky side I guess.

[Jennicut]

9. In the United States, the midterm turnout is never much above 40%, crisis or not.

It just is what it is. Many people my age don't vote and I am 34. Younger then that and they may vote in the general election but midterms is just not on their radar screen as much. It is sadly normal.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

10. Sure that's common knowledge but weren't the overall turnout numbers higher for this election? Also

Obama's direct appeals for people to come out and vote should have made a difference. I don't know, after watching the way he's been treated by his opponents one would think that if people really supported this so called movement from 2008 would have come out. In the last election I kept hearing about this movement inspired by candidate Obama. So I guess it was just a regular ass election and not this movement many hoped for.

[Jennicut]

11. It was about 42%. It was sadly actually up from 2006.

People just don't turnout huge in midterms and usually it is an older crowd.