What issues will activate a new generation of Democrats?

[DeepModem Mom]

I've noticed an underlying theme to several threads at DU in the past few days, having to do with generational differences (re. Social Security, for example), returning to the Sixties or not, the success of conservative and evangelical groups on college campuses, the threat of a Nader run next year. I think thoughtful, socially-aware Gen Yers -- and Gen Xers, to an extent -- are not as interested in party politics as their elders. How can the Democratic Party, which has to reach some of these kids to survive, appeal to them, and activate them, at least, to vote?

The issue of war in Iraq activated a large number of young people, and our candidates are rightly putting that issue front and center. Beyond that, from my experience with thoughtful Gen Yers, I would suggest that Democrats put more emphasis on environtalism; consumerism; poverty, here and abroad ("Nickel and Dimed" is on a huge number of college course reading lists); and low wages/sweatshop labor, here and abroad. And, I would encourage the Party to put more emphasis, and some funds, into recruiting Young Democrats.

[Onward]

1. Great Question

For a single issue I would go for making the U.S. into a country worthy of being a "world leader." Which means turning down our greed and arrogance, and turning up our support for people who aren't as well off. In other words, worry about taking care of the world, rather than beating it up.

Think nyone cares about this?

[DeepModem Mom]

3. I think kids do care about the issue of haves and have-nots --

[Cocoa]

2. trade

For whatever reason, the kids seemed fired up by it, as strange as it may see, based on the WTO protests.

[leftofthedial]

4. small-unit tactics

secret handshakes?

cell organization

[htuttle]

5. Starvation, death in the sands of Iraq

Living in a refrigerator box at home, watching your parents die of pneumonia for lack of health insurance.

You know -- the typical youth issues...

[mikehiggins]

6. I think younger voters are angry because

us older guys used up all the free sex, good drugs and real rock and roll.

Just my opinion, of course.

[htuttle]

13. Naw, that was what Gen-X was angry about

I know that I was. I graduated High School in '81, and couldn't believe the mess that the Boomers had left for us...

[HFishbine]

7. The Draft

That should do it.

[eleny]

10. A draft is my first guess, too

No doubt - that will bring them and their parents out in droves.

[tritsofme]

11. But did the Vietnam era draft

really make our generation fundementally more liberal than our parents?

If anything we are more conservative now than we were 30 years ago.

Repub pResident
Repub Senate
Repub House

[HFishbine]

19. Yes

It made your generation more liberal until the late 70's when you discovered cocaine and disco and got all materialistic. ;)

[eleny]

25. I just can't see younger people these days

putting up with a draft to feed the needs of the neocons. What with the advances in communications, it would be so much easier to mobilize or even fan flames of anger and activism.

Remember the threads about Tweety's programs when he would ask the Monday night college audience if they supported the war - response was always loud applause. Then he'd ask who would volunteer to go into the army to fight - and you could hear the sound of one hand clapping.

Btw, I watched his Dean interview last night and didn't catch him ask the audience those questions. Maybe I missed it. But it would be interesting if he's dropped it altogether.

[DeepModem Mom]

14. I think the draft was part of the anti-war feeling...

that brought so many kids to demonstations before the Iraq war started. It was the first time I've seen campuses activated on that scale in a long time. Not that they thought nothing was worth fighting for, but this war did not meet the test.

[Zero Gravitas]

8. George W. Bush

and his failed, reckless policies will be a great motivator for a new generation.

[eyesroll]

9. I hope it will not be that pandering crap that poses as "outreach" on MTV

and elsewhere.

I'm on the young end of Gen X (28), which means I'm in the "under-30" demographic and am therefore supposed to be swayed by hip-hop beats, 30-second videos, and fake-zine-looking Web sites (a la www.declareyourself.com). Insulting the intelligence of younger voters isn't going to help.

On the other hand, I do think a lot of younger people stay away from party politics because, well, the parties seem old and stodgy. I don't know where you live, but the Democratic Party of Waukesha County, Wis., where I live, tends to be a bit mature. There are few people under 50, let alone under 30.

So what's the happy medium? I'm glad you've brought up issues , DMM. I think it'll be issues that will drive younger people into politics of any stripe. I think stirrings of a draft might drive younger people into the Democratic Party (assuming it's the Republicans who bring it up). Social justice might be another.

I also think the younger people we have running for political office will be a big help.

[DeepModem Mom]

12. You're right about "fake" appeals --

kids see through them a mile away. In supporting and funding efforts, I'd let students and younger people formulate whatever outreach they do completely on their own.

[eyesroll]

15. That's a good idea, actually...

People tend to respond better to their peers, than to a bunch of "experts" sitting around a table in a marketing firm's conference room.

[DPG]

16. I know what will turn many young people off....

If the Democrats nominate Lieberman, Kerry, or Gephart, it won't matter what they say or do.

[newyawker99]

28. Hi DPG!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Julien Sorel]

17. To ask the question a little differently,

what issues will concern a new generation of Americans? Being a Democrat should be about a philosophy, a vision for the country, first, and the issues should then be hashed out based on where they fit in to the Democratic vision for the future. The Republicans clearly have such a vision, as repugnant as it is in many respects; the Democrats have lost theirs, but don't seem to realize it yet. If we go through the next decade thinking politics is a battle fought from the issues up, we are going to lose, because such an approach lacks strategic depth, and doesn't allow for very much flexibility, and so we fight everything on an issue-by-issue basis, with no broad-based plan to either guide us or to sell to the public. The Republicans are for God, country, old-fashioned values, hard work, and the American way. Ask them -- they'll tell you, and the chances are, they won't have to think too hard. Ask a Democrat, and the Dem will say they are 'against free trade,' or 'pro-choice,' or, 'pro-affirmative action,' or 'pro-healthcare' (the Republicans aren't???)or any number of answers that revolve around issues not ideology. Ideology is easy to sell; selling a basket of issues necessitates long policy discussions that glaze over peoples' eyes.

We are the party of Joe Lieberman and Dennis Kucinich; Arnold Schwarzenegger, on the other hand, had to buy his way into Republican graces with his star power because he's too liberal for them. The Republicans know what they are about, and they don't waste a whole lot of time worrying about issues except as a means of attacking easily baited Democrats with them.

[DeepModem Mom]

20. You make a great point....

We might think in terms of making a broad leap into becoming the party of social justice, war as a last resort, and protecting the planet.

[Julien Sorel]

22. Broader.

The party of opportunity (social justice sounds like 60s speak, and the 60s, I keep saying, are dead). The party of the common man. The party of progress. The real party of the American dream. And some of these knuckleheads are going to have to get over their aversion to patriotism, because unless you can replace it with something else, people need it. (Did I notice Whoreard Dean is now wearing a little American flag lapel pin?). It has to be bigger, and it has to be something that can sell. It takes time, and it's a painful process. Perhaps after a severe beating some of the stuck-in-the-60s die hards will weed themselves out and the party can begin refashioning itself.

[HFishbine]

24. It's happening

before your very eyes.

[Julien Sorel]

26. Sure it is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And how do we overcome that as a nation?
DEAN: We talk very directly to both white working-class people and African-Americans about their common interests, which are jobs, education and health care.
We have got to stop having the campaigns run in this country based on abortion, guns, God and gays, and start talking about education, jobs and health care.

Put the Kool-aid down.

[DeepModem Mom]

27. You're right, "social justice" is probably old-speak...

but maybe "common man" is, too. And I'm not sure if "global" doesn't trump "patriotic" with a lot of GenY kids. But you're also right that most core values are cross-generational, and we need to find a way to reflect them in a broad sense, and find a message that people can identify with.

[Julien Sorel]

18. dupe

[ACK]

21. List of issues I posted on another thread

Here we go people flame away.

We have to come up with the vision. Remember the contract on America that the Repubs used during the Republican Revolution? We need our own manifesto for the future.

Kuicinch may feel too much like Dukakis for my tastes. However, he has something right when he states that some libertarians, reform party, greens and other outside forces in American politics can be wooed to a Dem candidate with a unified vision of America and its future.

Here are set of my core political beliefs. I propose that a platform of change around these ideals could appeal to all of America. The real key is to reclaim the language of debate and find a new progressive populist voice forged around our beliefs.

1. I believe the Government has a duty to regulate the power of corporations when the corporate interests conflict with public interests. In a capitalist society you have to work with business interests but you cannot be whores to them. When the rubber meets the road and the public interest is at stake then the citizen's interests much be preserved.

2. I believe that the full protection of the Bill of Rights outlined in the Constitution should not be curtailed. Repeal the Patriot's Act and keep government out of the bedrooms and out of the business of trying to dictate behavior and speech.

3. I believe in a woman's right to choose. It is not the government's place to regulate procreation.

4. I believe that universal healthcare is a moral imperitive and can benefit both the public and the corporate structure of this country. This can be a great benefit to both the public and business interests in America. Free up the HR departments from having to worry over healthcare and you free up an incredible amount of money into the economy. With that kind of money back into the economy insuring the uninsured with pay huge dividends in increased productivity in the end. I see a single-payer system with plenty of options much like what is available to the feds right now. However, I am open to all options that meet the requirements of universal healthcare.

5. I believe in the seperation of church and state and that public money should not go to fund religious organizations.

6. I believe in the social safety net. I believe that government can give a hand up and not just a hand out. The real issue is connecting people with jobs in the private sector. The real issue is retraining and getting people to the available jobs in their areas. Moreover, the biggest issue is figuring out how to prevent single moms from having to choose between providing for their families and abandoning their children. A workfare system with a system of available childcare, retraining programs that work with local businesses and job networking systems that focus on the local employeement needs.

7. I believe in proper education funding. Focusing on the schools in the most need is crucial and accountability for performance is important as well. There can be no more unfunded mandates. We must have the guts to put our money where our mouth is. The money has to be connected to results but the idea of results without proper funding is a self-fullfilling prophecy of doom.

8. I believe in morality in foreign policy. Too often, being pragmatic has turned to being opportunistic and bullying. In the end, we always pay for it. We have to frame our actions within the insititution of the UN and embrace our allies. We do not have to take a weak hats in our hand approach but that is not the same as being arrogant and unilateral in our actions. We have to have a policy that understand the role of diplomacy and action.

9. I believe in protecting the environment and this can be done without being proxies for industry and without destroying industry. Any progress toward a cleaner environment has to involve business interests as well as environmental groups. A balanced well thought out approach is the answer here. When the business interests work with government and play fair -- praise them (this is tough for some of us) but you have to give them the chance. This is the noose of a chance that every polluter will have the opportunity to hang themselves on. Play the game or pay big. Enforce the laws on the books with a vengence. Come up with a list of the best companies and the worst and make it a huge public affair. Take down the punks and praise those who try to do right.

10. Fiscal responsibility is key. We have to balance the budget. The borrow and spend Republicans are giving away the future for short term economic gains. We have to repeal the giveaways to the rich. We have to move the country forward toward the goal of a balanced budget. The tax cuts for the working and middle class were warranted but they were a smoke screen for other people in the highest tax brackets who did NOT want to pay their fair share. A total reform of the tax structure, simplification of the rules and the cutting of loopholes for the wealthy are needed immediately.

11. Gun safety laws need to be strengthened but a ban on firearms is not practical or workable. This is the kind of talk that soothes the hunters and brings out the harsh nuts and exposes them for the idiots they are.

12. Corporate welfare should end. It is not the government's job in a capitalist society to bail out or give aid to failing corporations. Target the worst of the pork belley giveaways to the richest corporations and make it a reform based media event. Plug this constantly along with the next point.

13. Small business initiatives that promote competition in a free market society is not the same thing as corporate welfare and should endure to promote the ideals of small business owners.

14. I believe in a military strong enough to defend the nation. A two-pronged approach to the military is needed. Weed out waste and give over better benefits to the men in the ranks. We all know there is waste in the current defense budget. This is the only way to cut down defense spending without looking weak. You highlight the cuts as unpatriotic wastes of the taxpayer dollars. You give back at least 50% of all the cuts back to the common soldiers and the vets that have given so much.

15. Independence from non-renewable energy sources should be a national goal with a set of real deadlines. A real energy policy that focuses on getting America away from the dependency on foreign oil and onto the path of using renewable resources is an idea who's time as come. We cannot simply give away more money to energy companies and destroy our national wildlife heritage. That is not the way. Initiatives and grants aimed at promoting new ideas and technologies is the real winning plan. These are the technologies that can put America businesses on top in the long term and preserve our nation's treasured resources.

16. I believe in a worker's right to organize and collectively bargain. Any law that would take away over-time benefits or prevent the rights of workers to collectively bargain must be stopped. The minimum wage must be expanded. Illegal union busting tactics must be stopped. The business of America is business but the core of business is built on the initiative, work, sweat and pride of the American worker.

You have to take this to the people through multiple media outlets.

1. Grassroots efforts

2. coffee shop talks

3. Town Hall Meetings

4. Organized punkd ambush attacks on right wing radio hosts

5. blogs

6. Internet noise to the highest degree

7. First the local and then national tv outlets

Wake the world the new Progressive movement is everywhere.

A new progressive movement based around a real agenda. Use humor in not only busting the Repukes and their claims and framing them as backwards tight-wads but also in self-defacing way as well. You have to bring together all the groups into the big tent and the Dems have to stop pissing on their base. We have to embrace the unions and teachers and the peace protesters and others that can help get the message out. Most of all we have to stop framing ourselves as the schmucks talking smack about popular culture that we do not understand (Lieberman or Tipper anyone). Look at the Clark ad for the Rock the Vote stuff in his media section. That was great. It got the point across and it was humorous.

[AP]

23. The 2nd Great Depression? Watching your parent's live in degredation

and poverty in their old age?

Crushing consumer debt?

Crappy jobs with no future?