Millenials skip elections because they are young. The rest is excuses.

[geek tragedy]

Not because they have been betrayed, or because they are disillusioned, or longing for a better system, or refusing to support a corrupt system.

It's because that's what they do, and what they have done in every election since 1960.

The real fault lies in the dumb strategy of relying on young voters.

See page 2.

http://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p20-573.pdf

Their voting rate is reliably 10-15% lower than the 25-44 group, and 25-30 points behind 65+ers.


Anyone trying to blame anyone else for young people flaking out at election time is peddling bullshit.

Nothing can or will make young people vote at the rates older people do. Except them getting older and more mature.

Want to win elections? Pander to old people, and hope the kids happen to be paying attention.

[HERVEPA]

1. yup. sick of seeing all the stupid reasons people are positing.

[bravenak]

2. Both parties ALREADY pander to old people.

We are not going to change old republicans into old democrats. Young voters get older. We need to make them into democrats and likely voters. Otherwise they will be independents and libertarians and our party will die with the republican party.

[geek tragedy]

4. That's true re:party building for the future to an extent.

Honestly though, the real problem is that hating the government is deeply ingrained into American culture. Even people who want higher minimum wages and universal health care hate the government.

And that favors Republicans.

[badtoworse]

115. RR's quote "Government is the problem" resonates even today.

[BrotherIvan]

67. ^^This!^^

We KNOW how to get young people to vote in droves. Because they flocked to voter for Obama. Maybe Axelrod should run the DNC.

[Scootaloo]

78. My concern is the old democrats who vote like Republicans

The same people yowling here today about "entitled youth" were the ones yowling six years ago about how gay people "want ponies and unicorns."

[bravenak]

81. For real, though!

They want to be "tough on crime" too and keep fighting the drug war that locks young people up, then expect those kids to rush out to vote for them. Because Republicans will lock you up for longer.
Wont help with tuitions or student loans, but keep talking about small business owners and corporate tax breaks.

[Scootaloo]

82. Seriously, the mind boggles

Here on DU - Democratic Underground, not the political wilderness of "average democrats," but a strongly progressive-trending place! - there is no shortage of people who smirk and roll their eyes about the very literal war being waged against black and latino youth. Who openly mock the notion that our society has a sickness, in regards to gender equality. Who whooped and cheered at young men and women getting their asses beat during occupy, and now laugh at the protests. Who think the homeless are more of a "problem" than homelessness and that poverty is deserved (and not that bad because hey, you have a phone!)

And then when we turn out in low numbers - young people, people of color, women, the poor - these same weedy dicks scowl and rage at us, as if they are entitled to our unflinching and total support. Some even openly say they are entitled to it, that the notion that politicians need to work to earn votes is ludicrous.

With "Allies' like this, I don't think we even need the republicans anymore.

[bravenak]

84. Sometimes it's like reading a novel from the Regency era.

We have our Nobility who seem to think they are our betters. This is positively facinating to me. Progressive legislation won and weak progressives lost and the voters are to blame. Funny how the younger genxers and older millenials came out to vote in places that have progressive legislation on the ballot and skipped coming out elsewhere. That should be food for thought, but fuck no!!

I guess I should just be glad I got my Matanuska Thunderfuck legalized and minimum wage tied to inflation. Maybe Democrats will wise the hell up and start fighting hard and visibly for the things they say they care about. Young voters get older. They'll end up voting for Rand Paul over a prohibition, hard on crime/soft on corporations democrat. Hard to tell who the good guys are. Especially when they run away from progressive policies. Imma stop saying shit from now on and just watch this shit. While they're all blaming the young voters, the Koch brothers will keep cutting checks to the United Negro College Fund and Rand Paul will keep doing outreach to young black men about mass incarcerations of them and their friend and families.

[Scootaloo]

85. Mmmm, Matanuska thunderfuck

There are two good things I miss about Alaska, and for some reason I can't remember what the other one is

Me, I'm in Washington's 7th District. Here, Socialist candidates actually have potential. I'm wondering. While our Democrats are nicely liberal... would a competitor rising to the left make them more so? The republicans are a non-entity here, could Socialist Alternative push them out entirely and take up the mantle of second party, at least locally? Maybe I ought to return a few calls.

[bravenak]

87. I think that's what going to have to happen.

They moved themselves right and gave up fighting. They need to be pushed back where they belong.


We're lucky to be in two states that are doing some things right, yours more than mine. I've been stuck on this stuff called Wax lately and Sour Diesel Kush. So, this has not been as bad for me as it has for some. I can self medicate.

[Scootaloo]

88. Well like I said, the ones here are decent enough

I like Jim McDermott, he's a swell guy and he's on-board with pretty much every issue - on the one we have here, NORML gives him a +30 rating - its' best.

I just think that if the opportunity to knock out the republicans and replace them with a left-wing opposition party is there, it needs to be taken, yeah?

[bravenak]

89. Definately.

If I had to vote Green or Socialist to get rid of them I would. Maybe wouldn't talk about it here, but I know thats where I am ideologically.

[Odin2005]

114. Socialist Alternative Party, FTW!!!

[Odin2005]

113. It was the exact same in the 30s.

Only now instead of FDR in the White House we have Al Smith.

[ucrdem]

3. You have to factor in voter supression.

When we registered to vote it was easier. The GOP has been making registration and voting steadily more difficult for likely Dem voters, including college students, in every state they can get away with it, and where they can't, like in Calif, we have a Dem statehouse, Dem state senate and Dem state assembly:

http://ballotpedia.org/State_by_State_Voter_ID_Laws

[still_one]

65. Voter supression is an entirely different issue, and must be fought always and with the greatest

vigilance. In addition, election fraud needs to be prosecuted

[ucrdem]

122. The Nation: "North Carolina Republicans Escalate Attack on Student Voting"

http://www.thenation.com/blog/175837/north-carolina-republicans-escalate-attack-student-voting

[ucrdem]

123. Rachel Maddow: "War on Student Voting Next Step for NC Republicans"

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/rachel-maddow/52769481#52769481

[ucrdem]

124. Fordham Urban Law Journal: "Disenfranchisement of the College Student Vote:

When a Resident is not a Resident"

http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1203&context=ulj

[ucrdem]

125. Minneapolis Post: "College students face new voting barriers"

http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2012/08/college-students-face-new-voting-barriers

[KMOD]

5. Yes traditionally the young voters skip

But if they had actually pushed for higher minimum wage, and lower tuition costs, it may have upped the turnout.

[geek tragedy]

7. They did push for minimum wage and minimum wage increases did very well.

But voters soundly rejected politicians who supported that position.

[JI7]

6. exactly, also on DU there was not much talk about 2014 elections and much more focus on 2016

so how can we expect those who don't care to follow politics regularly to learn enough and vote. especially young people.

[Kaleva]

8. The young are just plain not interested in voting.

[JI7]

10. when i was young many friends and others my age had very little interest in politics

and some got annoyed when i would want to discuss it.

but as i get older the people who do have interest increases.

i remember many people would comment about my age if i attended some political event in my teens and 20s and how it was unusual but nice to see someone young getting involved.

[Marr]

9. They say otherwise in polls. I would think the self-described "reality-based community"

would acknowledge the data instead of just sticking their fingers in their ears and assuring themselves that everything is hunky-dory, but ok.

I mean, voters tell you why they don't vote, and your response is that they're too dumb to know why they don't vote, and the party's current direction is fine. That's not reality-based. That's soaking in comforting delusions.

[JI7]

11. if they aren't voting they aren't voters

[Marr]

13. I'm sorry, but that's just dumb.

If you want to rig the numbers like unemployment, yeah-- we had 100% turnout on Tuesday. Neat.

[JI7]

14. i meet people all the time who don't vote, they just don't have interest, people lie in polls all

time. especially when it comes to questions about how they could be percieved.

[Kaleva]

12. But the reasons the young give for not voting could be used by Baby Boomers too.

However, we still go to the polls and vote.

[JI7]

15. because baby boomers are older now. the young ones will vote when they get older

unless things like facebook, twitter and other shit destroy them.

it will be interesting to see how they will be when they get older and how the new media/tech they grew up with influence how they run the world.

[Kaleva]

20. Our volunteer fire department is made up of mostly old guys.

Not a single member younger then 40 with most of us in our 50's and 60's. At least that was how it was when I was a member until a few years ago when I went on disability and became more of a liability then a help so I dropped out.

The young are busy with other things in their lives. In time, they'll get older and some will join the fire department. Same as with voting.

[Scootaloo]

79. "However, we still go to the polls and vote."

...Mostly for republicans, judging by the results.

[bobclark86]

16. Nope, most young people I know...

Have better things to do ... like making money at Starbucks with their master's degrees so they can eat their ramen.

[geek tragedy]

26. Because they're the only generation who's ever had it tough.

I mean, they go to school and no one just handed a job and success to them? That used to happen to everyone!

[grasswire]

56. wrong

previous generations completed their college education without mountains of student loan debt.

Fail..

[Scootaloo]

80. Interesting

Not only do you not know what's going on, you refuse to listen when told.

[LeftInTX]

97. I'm a baby boomer

No one handed me a job, but my parents paid for my entire college education. They were much better off than we are.

I had employment issues from the get-go in 1978. I was hired but my job was hell. Where I worked was extremely cut throat and I would go to my apartment come home from work and cry. It was pretty bad. Lots of sexual harassment back then.

Two of my kids are National Hispanic Scholars and the other got a college education through Texas Dept of Rehabilitation. However two of these are in graduate school and now have loans. None of the three are in the work force yet however. I expect that they will have more interest in politics once they enter the work force.

[F4lconF16]

17. Yes, let's continue to blame the millenials for all of our woes.

Oh wait, I forgot. It was the baby boomers that actually voted for the Republicans

See how far this gets us?

Maybe if democrats actually had democratic principles to stand by, young people would vote for them. Every single person I know who didn't vote cited that exact reason as to why they didn't. They felt they had no choice, that there was no one who listened to or represented them.

And before you say it, yes, I know damn well that we need to vote. Yes, I think we have a responsibility to do so. Yes, the Republicans are going to screw us over. I encouraged people to vote and worked my butt off to make that happen. That doesn't change the reason that young people didn't. All we're trying to tell you is how to get the millennials to vote, but clearly you're not interested in listening. That really sucks, because as much as you want to blame us and rage at us, you need our votes, or we're all screwed.

[geek tragedy]

24. Nope, young people don't vote.

Did you read the graph on page 2 at the link?

[F4lconF16]

32. I never said they did. (edit)

Thanks for ignoring everything I said. This is exactly the problem. Goodbye.

[anchorite]

54. this is what i heard on the street too

F4lconF16....you called it! Exactly what i heard and concluded...it's a really important observation. Thanks

[ChisolmTrailDem]

18. "Anyone trying to blame anyone else...is peddling bullshit." I submit that it is you

who is peddling bullshit. Sorry to be so direct but...

The young voters are out there and ready. We just don't give them any motivation for voting.

[JI7]

19. most don't even know there is an election or who is running or the name of their senator

and it's not just young people either.

minimum wage was on the ballots and that didn't get them out to vote. does this mean they don't care about higher minimum wage ?

[ChisolmTrailDem]

23. Was a federal minimum wage on the ballot? I did not know that. I knew it was up in

a few states but.... Funny how they did get out to pass marijuana legalization in three states and DC.

[JI7]

36. in alaska more voted for the republican candidate so this must mean they like what republicans offer

[ChisolmTrailDem]

42. I was at a NASCAR race at Texas last weekend. At the end there was fight between

two drivers. The race lasted 4 hours and when that fight broke out, the noise from the 180,000 people there was 10 times louder than all the other cheering during the race combined.

There's this barbaric streak running through our society, stoked by the right wingnuts, that pervades our impressionable youngsters. I think right-wing rhetoric taps into this barbarism. People love a fight and when rethugs talk tough, they get votes. Meanwhile, we talk like scared, trembling victims.

[JI7]

47. the problem i see has more to do with many of them wanting Fame and caring too much

about what others think and showing things off to others.

i blame reality tv for this.

but again, this isn't just a young people thing. even among those in their 30s and older you have people like this.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

49. Good point, JI7. :hi:

Good Friday night to you!

[geek tragedy]

22. You inadvertently hit the bullseye.

They have reason to vote just like other groups.

What distinguishes them is the lack of motivation.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

25. That's right, they have no motivation. Give them something they can get excited

about they vote, like they did for President Obama.

[Kaleva]

27. What was our motivation? Us Baby Boomers.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

35. I think those of us who vote do so because we're engaged. Not everyone is. Those

who are not need something to get excited about and we need to explain it to them rather than settle with "We're the good guys, vote for us."

[Kaleva]

45. It's really hard to get people excited about somethin when they are not interested.

There is ample evidence that shows that young people, as a group, go to the polls far less then older generations and this has been going on for decades.

Preliminary exit poll data shows that the youth vote this election actually increased, by 1%, compared to the last mid-term election.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025784795

[ChisolmTrailDem]

48. That's good news! Thanks for the link. I wish I had better answers. We do need, though,

to find a way to engage them and get them motivated. 1% increase is better than no% increase. =)

[Bluenorthwest]

119. Here's the thing that motivated me to vote and organize at age 18. This was the question on my

second ballot ever: "Yes or No- Prohibit gays and supporters of gay rights from teaching in public schools."

So you could say that was society giving me something to vote for. In a negative way. Mind you I have never been able to vote for an LGBT candidate. It was about 20 years after my first vote that any National Democrat even mentioned the gay community as a part of the Party. Almost every candidate opposed my rights, only 'radicals' endorsed 'gay liberation'.
So sure. Back then, I had so many sparkly attractive things to vote for like 'don't fire gay people and their friends'. Is that what the youth want to see on their ballots?
My ballot this year asked if I wanted to legalize cannabis. It asked about a college funding program using taxpayer money. It asked about an Equal Rights Amendment for the State Constitution. I voted for my Rep who is a member of the Progressive caucus. But that, not good enough for the youth of today?
"Prohibit gays and supporters of gay rights from teaching in public schools- Yes or No"
That's what I got as a welcome to politics letter. I'd take my ballot from this week over that one any day.

[noiretextatique]

75. Reagan motivated me to vote

When I was young. I was horrified by the thought of him becoming president. Unfortunately, he snowed a bunch of my fellow democrats

[LeftInTX]

99. Me too!!!!

Exactly!!

I was "apolitical" until he came along. Suddenly I realized so much that we took for granted was at stake. Reagan was Barry Goldwater all over again. I was like WTH is going on around here???? Didn't we get rid these types in 1964??


You and I must be close in age. I was born in 1956.

[noiretextatique]

126. 1958

for me

[geek tragedy]

28. They turned out far less than other age groups in 2008 and 2012.

Also, note that they are not motivated by policy. Obama was new and cool, so they turned out for him. Then he did that tedious 'governing' thing and the magic was gone.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

31. Exactly right. So, they need some new and cool. Exactly my point. ...

Thanks!

[JI7]

41. so you think politicians should do more late night tv, snl appearances , talk about pop culture

etc ?

get more celebs involved ?

[ChisolmTrailDem]

46. No necessarily, they (we) just need to find out what they see their issues are and then

present solutions. Some pop culture coolness never hurt Bill Clinton either...

?cdn=no

Disclaimer: I've been drinking so hopefully I'm not embarrassing myself, lol.

[JI7]

50. they like Obama, Chris Christie, Ron/Rand Paul ,

[geek tragedy]

55. Talk about being all over the place. nt

[bravenak]

57. Many love Rand Paul.

The Drug war targets younger people and so does the prison system. He's on their side, my side on those issues. Many in our party are drug warriors and tough on crime (drug crimes like possesion), that is not compelling to young liberals. It appeals to conservatives.

[JI7]

62. the problem i have with rand paul is he is horrible on other issues and the people who support him

don't care. as long as they can do drugs without getting into trouble that's all that matters.

the reason minorities are hurt by it is because of racism. and just getting rid of the drug war isn't going to change that .

because as we see black people are targeted just for driving a car while black . and when i discuss these other issues with the paul supporters they just don't care or let out their racism.

during the republican primary there was often some young white frat type male in those groups they bring on to get their opinion of debates and other events. that type would usually be a ron paul supporter but said if ron paul doesn't get the nomination they are voting for Obama. i'm pretty sure some of these guys were high at the time also .

[bravenak]

68. The drug war gives police a ready made excuse to stop people.

Ending the drug war would make it difficult to keep the prisons full to the brim of black males. It is the new jim crow.
Blacks don't do more drugs than whites, but they go to prison way the hell more for drugs. People facing that everyday could care less WHY he wants to end it, just that he does. And it would benefit them and society as a whole. And he can tell them that WE support locking them up.

[JI7]

69. so that could be why cory booker is working with him on this

[bravenak]

70. It would be a good idea to get on board with it.

Fighting it alienates milions of people with loved ones caught up for non violent drug crimes.
Rand Paul has many faults. Ending Prohibition is not one of them. He can pull Republicans to the left in some areas. We can pull the nation left in others.

Millions of people in jail who get released and get their voting rights back will savor going to the polls for those who fought to help them. It should be us, not him. He should not be further left than us on important issues.

[KMOD]

34. but they had plenty of motivation during the presidential election

I don't think we were giving them a clear message.

I've talked to kids on campuses, they're convinced they won't get jobs, they're convinced they won't ever pay off their loans.

I think all the negativity is getting to them. They're just kids.

I told my own college grads to just take a job that gets them into the field that they want. They started out entry level, but they've both been promoted. And they're still so young. They seem happy, just to be employed. I tell them everyone has to start somewhere. But I certainly can't lie to them and tell them their ceiling is as high as ours was. It's just not true right now.

[geek tragedy]

38. I was the same way coming out of college.

Had to work multiple jobs that sucked for a decade.

[JI7]

44. not all of them, i work in a town that gets a lot of college students and other young people

it's a beach area so they are there to have a good time and they do have a good time. it doesn't mean they don't have struggles but many are happy and they just don't have much interest in politics.

when i mention anything about it they don't go into what they don't like they just don't have much interest.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

52. I don't get it. I don't know about the rest of you but when I was young, I couldn't

wait to exercise my right to vote. It meant, to me, that I had arrived as an adult and it gave me a voice in the larger scheme of things.

[geek tragedy]

58. The danger is they see it as an event, not a future habit.

After the build up, either their side loses or wins and then disappoints them.

Politics is a nasty, nasty business, but a vital one. Those who seek an emotional payoff from usually wind up alienated.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

59. Too bad it's not mandatory and election day is not a national holiday. How...

...would we start a movement to make Election Day a national holiday?

[geek tragedy]

60. Start with local governments and larger employers. nt

[freshwest]

91. Part of that was the draft and Vietnam. People were vested. Now that the services are voluntary

or working on contracted jobs as it is their answer to poverty. It's just another job to outsiders, and most youth will never have to serve involuntarily. That whip is no longer on their shoulders and whatever government does or fails to do for them means little.

And those paying soldiers or public workers no longer appreciate them. It's seen as a matter of individual choice and not national mandate. Everyone I knew was into politics in the sixties, they felt government affected their lives in either positive or negative ways. They were taught in school that they could affect change. All the youth hear is that it's all done and gone.

Now the majority of youth have a choice to not vote or not be involved in politics. There is no driving force. I don't see that ever changing back as society fragments. By not voting, people vote for that process.

I don't want the Draft back, but it made people THINK what they'd be dying for in a very profound, visceral way. I know Libertarians who say they don't believe in war, but do believe in making money by being contractors. They excuse it so long as the money is good and become the biggest 'patriots' in the room.

We are moving away from being a connected society, cooperating with large and diverse groups and to those who give direct benefits. The government can't compete with that way of thinking. It leads to chaos for many, but to those who thrive, the pain of others is a big Meh.

[Cha]

21. There's certainly has been a strong stench

of bullshite wafting around.

Those "young" people who didn't vote are too self centered to realize there's a Global Climate Change Crisis hovering over our Planet..

Congratulations, Voters(and NON voters). You Just Made This Climate Denier the Most Powerful Senator on the Environment. http://www.newrepublic.com/article/120134/climate-change-denier-james-inhofe-lead-environment-committee

And, they're proud of their ignorance.. writing letters to whine about there being no reason to vote

I actually know of a lot of younger peeps here on Kauai who voted on Tuesday.. Our Island was the highest turnout in the state! Proud of my Island.. They are concerned about our Environment on the Island and the whole beautiful Planet.

"LIHUE — After tallying the highest voter turnout in a primary election in 12 years back in August, Kauai led the state in Tuesday’s general election with the highest percentage of registered voters making their way to the polls.

Out of 41,869 registered voters, 57.4 percent (or 24,043) cast their vote, down from 62.9 percent in the 2012 presidential election.

“Of course, we always would like to have that number be much higher,” said County Elections Administrator Lyndon Yoshioka."

snip//

Christian Domingues, an avid voter, said professional surfer and mayoral hopeful Dustin Barca was an intriguing draw in his unsuccessful bid for office.

snip//

"Aria Juliet Castillo, communications director of Kauai Young Democrats, said she thinks this past year has proven Kauai is very engaged, “since we had the highest increase in voter registration and highest voter turnout on both elections this year.”

http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/kauai-sees-state-s-highest-voter-turnout/article_3e829fe6-658b-11e4-b49f-9309ec6762f1.html

It's the Environment, Stupid.

[KMOD]

39. "It's the Environment, Stupid."

Honestly, I believe that slogan might work with them. I know it's a high priority on young generation I know.

[Scootaloo]

83. And so many Democrats campaigned on environmental regulations!

Oh wait no, I've got that backwards.

[Chathamization]

101. “I recognize, unlike Sen. McConnell, the realities of global warming" N/T

[TheKentuckian]

118. Better than the Republicans is a hollow argument and that is the only one that can be made

here.

How is it "the environment, stupid" and here we are trying to finagle a pipeline, massively expanding fracking, and opening up oil leases in sensitive areas while engaging in the most putrid asswipping mission for BP maybe in history.

Sure, the TeaPubliKlans are worse and do despicable and insane shot like apologizing to the BP criminals for them fucking up our waters, killing creatures by the millions, and wrecking ways of life but the contrast makes no difference on the doomsday clock.

This is not human scale ramifications where we can pass a law and say we will sin no more and all will be well. "We did not exacerbate the problem to our worst estimation what "they" would do isn't an answer for physics. We are not talking ideology, sociology, or institutions here.

You cannot browbeat on a subject you are actively a negative on with much credibility certainly not a rallying level of such.

[Harmony Blue]

29. Millenials are in suvival mode

anyone saying otherwise isn't looking at the reality of the situation. The squabbling of the two parties reinforces that the unavoidable will happen (anthropogenic influenced climate change). Even if the U.S. started to tackle climate change due to anthropogenic influences tomorrow..our fate is still sealed.

Trying to argue over small beans is simply that.

[Scootaloo]

90. That too

We're inheriting a wasteland. The science says it's unavoidable. there is no magic button, no new cutting-edge techno-widget that will save us from that fact. We're fucked. before I can expect to die, i will see entire nations swallowed by the sea. I will see flash after flash of conflict as people migrate across increasingly obsolete borders, and fights break out over water resources. I will see farmlands become deserts and deserts become floodplains. Modernized nations will break their banks to scramble for walls and floodgates. Less fortunate nations will just flee. I'm likely to see malaria and yellow fever become a factor in United States health figures again, before I keel over. at least two more cities on the US coastline will be swamped by Category 6 hurricanes. On one coast or the other, now that pacific hurricanes are becoming a thing.

Nothing we can do will prevent this. Best we can hope for is to mitigate the losses our descendants will face.

Which is funny. We're the cusp generation. We're the one who can look forward and see the hellhole, and look backwards to see that it never had to be so bad. We're the ones who realize that our parents made the perfectly conscious decision to fuck our children over.

So we're in "mitigate' mode, at best. Well, we turn to the Democrats, who are running on pro-environment policy? ...No, they're crowing about their pro-coal records. They're backing fracking. they're selling off public land for oil exploration. They're wanting this gigantic pipeline zig-zagging across the country. They, like the generation that has fucked us over, want to squeeze every last drop out before they die. No matter if that leaves the rest of us with worse than nothing, of course. Immediate profit is the only consideration.

[Odin2005]

116. All we Millies see is that the Establishment is waxing poetic...

...about the "Obama Recovery" and we look around in our everyday lives and think "WHAT RECOVERY???"

Official economic numbers have lost all legitimacy in the eyes of us Millennials. As far as we are concerned we are in a Depression.

[Bluenorthwest]

120. Poor kids. Here is what it said on my second 18 year old ballot:

"Prohibit gays and supporters of gay rights from teaching in public schools - Yes or No."

That's how the elders welcomed me. Last week, the ballot of my adult home legalized marijuana and elected Democrats who supported that and who support the full equality of gay people. Had I waited for something nice on my ballots I would not have voted for many years. I had voted for about 20 years before we got a national Democrat to mention gay people out loud in a big speech. They wouldn't even mention us. The President just before the guy who finally mentioned us had opposed LGBT rights stridently and ignored the deaths of over 20,000 Americans from AIDS for 6 full years.
But yeah, this is worse what you are faced with. Worse than a funeral a week while your government and society do nothing. I don't know how you get up in the morning. We had it so easy with AIDS and the recession and Reagan and all that. Those a bit older than me really lucked out with Vietnam. And my parent's generation, the massive luxury of the Great Depression and a World War. Cushy shit. And that lazy fuck Grandpa, the silver spoon of a coffin ship at age 12 with a pittance in his pocket and a nation full of strangers to meet him, what a set up that was! Man, he was the luckiest of all. Poverty, immigration, hunger, a lifetime of toil in the fields.
I'm so sorry that life has degenerated like it has from the paradise in which we all lived before you. We can't all be Grandpa, with his golden existence.......

[Odin2005]

121. Thanks for completely missing my point.

2 years ago we had massive turnout here in Minnesota out of outrage against the Tea Party trying to force through a constitutional gay marriage ban.

My point is that the "Recovery" isn't making it down to Main Street, so using it as a political talking point is tone-deaf and will just discourage voting. Hell, I know a couple moderate Millennials who vote Puke because they perceived the Dems as LIARS for talking about the Recovery.

The GOP has done a good job of taking advantage of the fact that this "recovery" is a joke and pinned the blame on Obama. All the Dems have done is yell "LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC NUMBERS!!!", which just reinforces GOP talking points that the "Democrats are out of touch".

[LeftInTX]

30. Very informative PDF

The voting rate for young adults plummets when the voting age is lowered? (To be fair, it is hard to motivate college student to vote) But young adults 21-24 should be easier. I got motivated when I was 24 and Reagan ran. He was scary. I was working and trying to survive. He scared the beejesus out of me. However, if I had been in college living under my parents purse strings, I would have been meh...

Youthful candidates: McGovern, Clinton and Obama inspire youthful voters.

More disturbing is the downward trend of adults age 25-44. These are young families. These are young adults who are establishing their careers. These people are in their prime as citizens. This is not a good trend at all. In 1964 they voted at the highest rate of any age group. This age group should be pandered too. They pay taxes, they own small businesses, they are paying back student loans, they have consumer debt, they are buying houses, raising kids, they have health issues, they may be going through marriage difficulties and find themselves single or with alimony or child support to pay,they may be working two or three jobs.

I highly recommend this. When I clicked I was afraid this was a "bait thread"

We need to focus on 25-44 year olds!!!

[geek tragedy]

37. The drop off from 1992 to 1996 and 2000 is stunning.

Also a time of Republican lead gridlock.

Which is their goal.

[Spazito]

33. Being young is no excuse n/t

[bluestateguy]

40. A mandatory voting law would get them to vote

As in, "we're not asking you to vote anymore".

"We're telling you. You will be voting on election day."

[Ykcutnek]

43. Not this Millennial.

And I don't excuse the members of my generation. I have yet to read a postmortem about Tuesday that isn't driven by some person or some group's agenda. What happened is these races were in red states with historically low turnout. It isn't because they weren't exact replicas of everyone playing Wednesday morning campaign manager.

My generation deserves what's coming to it for not participating.

Unfortunately, it's going to prolong my misery as well. I'm in my mid-20's and at a dead-fucking-end because of the 2009 crash, and now that's going to get worse.

[JVS]

51. millenials are older than 25

[LeftInTX]

61. According to Wikipedia they are between 14-34

[JI7]

63. i'm off by about a year

at the upper end

[JVS]

72. According to just googling the term millenial:

mil·len·nial
miˈlenēəl
noun
plural noun: millennials; plural noun: Millennials
a person reaching young adulthood around the year 2000; a Generation Yer


14 year olds obviously did not reach young adulthood in 2000.

25 year olds were 11 in 2000, so they aren't either.

[LeftInTX]

94. But this is what wikipedia says

The Pew Research Center, an American think tank organization, defined "adult Millennials" as those who are 18 to 33 years old, born 1981–1996.[21] According to them, the youngest Millennials are still "in their teens" with "no chronological end point set for them yet".[21] Another chart by the organization lists the Millennial birth range as 1981–1998.[22]

I'm not trying to be nit-picky. But I think it is important to differentiate the voting ages here: 18-24 versus adults 25-44 (According to the PDF) The long term trends of voters age 25-44 is very disturbing to me.

I'm not too concerned about the 18-24 age group. This is an important group too but they are still in the "formative years" of voting.

[KMOD]

106. I believe 25-44 would Generation X

I found this, perhaps it could be helpful to the conversation.

Greatest Generation - 1901-1924
The Silent Generation - 1925-1942
Baby Boomers - 1943-early 60s
Generation X - early 60s-early 80s
Millennials - 1980s-2000s
Generation Z - the current children

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation

[bravenak]

111. 34 on down are millenials.

They use 1978 as a starting point for some studies.

[MillennialDem]

98. Depending on who is counting, a Millennial is someone born either in the very late 70s or very early

80s... and of course those younger, but not so young they cant vote yet.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

53. I'm sending this to the Greatest Page. Good discussion, geek. Thanks! nt

[still_one]

64. Actually Bill Maher had some interesting comments. Those who voted seemed to vote for progressive

ballot measures, yet the people voted in were the very people that would nullify those ballot measures

An interesting disconnect I would say

[geek tragedy]

66. They voted on policy when forced to vote on policy.

And then they voted for whoever hated the government more.

[Union Scribe]

71. 'They won't vote because they're young' sounds like an excuse

Maybe we should address what their concerns are instead of writing them off.

[noiretextatique]

76. what a concept?!

That applies to everyone to the left of the third way.

[marions ghost]

92. ^^^^^++++++++^^^^^^^

Right!

How ridiculous to write off a large bloc of voters who have a huge incentive TO vote? After all it determines their future. The kids today are smart and aware. We insult this whole group by implying that we (the adults) don't "need" their votes. Very stupid.

So (duh) the "youth vote" soon becomes the young adult vote which soon becomes the middle aged vote. Right now we have a country where people wake up to the importance of voting at 45! This is absurd. And it's because they don't start voting when they're young.

What we need is more encouragement to vote. We need to streamline the process and eliminate the suppression of the youth vote. Parents and schools need to be on board--get the kids voting EARLY. (Look at Scotland where they voted at 16 for the referendum). In Australia where everybody must vote (or at least show up at the polls)--people start voting young and they contribute substantially to the progressive agenda in that country.

VALUE the youth vote. It matters.

I think the OP is way off base here, but it gives me a chance to expound on this.

[LeftInTX]

102. Did you see the PDF in the OP??

I'm very concerned about the downward trend for ages 25-44.

[marions ghost]

104. Good point

The numbers since the 60's trend down for that age group as well.

It should concern everyone who sees voting as integral to democracy.

The younger generations are seeing voting as some old person thing. Waking up around age 45 is way too late.

[BlindTiresias]

73. Hey you know what

Write them off at your peril.

[marions ghost]

93. ++++

At everybody's peril.

[Major Hogwash]

74. So, some young voters didn't vote! And this is news all of a sudden??

Young people haven't been voting in droves since the 60s!!!!!

The problem for them is . . they're the ones that are going to bear the brunt of the stupid voters who voted for Republicans!!!
Even if they are young, white voters, they are facing a mountain of debt racked up by the previous 2 generations!

[C Moon]

77. I also think voting by mail can contribute...

I've been guilty myself:
having it laying around and saying I'll get to that later, until it's finally too late.
I had to push my wife into voting at the last minute. She filled out the mailer, and we went down to the booths to drop it off.

[AgingAmerican]

86. A shit sandwich

whether it comes from the Democrats or the Republicans, is still a shit sandwich.

[LeftInTX]

95. Can we please define "Millennial"?

This sounds like a dumb question, but we're talking about something important here. Threads are popping up about Millennials, but I think alot of DUers aren't exactly sure of the age group. It then creates assumptions.

There is a huge difference in someone who is still in college versus someone who is out of school and getting started in the world. (25-44 years old)

Thanks

[KMOD]

107. Millennial - 80s - 2000s, Generation X early 60s - early 80s

Greatest Generation - 1901-1924
The Silent Generation - 1925-1942
Baby Boomers - 1943-early 60s
Generation X - early 60s-early 80s
Millennials - 1980s-2000s
Generation Z - the current children

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation

[Odin2005]

117. People born between 1982 and 9/11

Essentially, we are the generation too young to remember the Cold War.

[zazen]

96. and voting locations were deliberately moved off of college campuses in NC

and votes out of precinct were thrown out.

So, an easy guestimate was that this resulted in at least 25,000 college Dem votes not being cast or being thrown out--votes that otherwise would have been cast.

Should they have figured out, after months of litigation with changes occurring even during early voting, how and where to vote? I guess so. But it took some work on our family's part to figure out where my college going daughter should vote and how to get her there, since her precinct had been switched (without her knowledge) and had been moved off campus (and these kids usually don't have cars).

Just sayin' . . . .

[marions ghost]

105. Thank you

This made a huge difference in North Carolina. Huge. The youth vote is easily suppressed.

Add that to the other voter suppression factors in NC and the margin of victory Tillis won on closes.

This is outrageous. And affects the country as a whole.

[MillennialDem]

100. No the problem is Millennials are only pandered to in generals. Pander to Millennials in midterms

and no its not "put weed on the ballot".

Its put big Millennial issues on the ballot like free or reduced tuition and student loan reform. Also a real jobs program and immigration reform.

[MerryBlooms]

103. Civics isn't really taught in school these days, plus,

I think the younger generations haven't been pressured with the constant drumming in of 'patriotism'.

When I was a kid, we said the pledge every day, learned the patriotic songs, including the National Anthem. There was red/white/blue room decorations during the big elections and also Veterans Day, etc... I remember hardly being able to wait to vote, and when I turned 18, I went down and registered. It was a big deal for me! The first election I voted in was a mid term election. I never felt more a part of society than when I voted.

Schools are structured completely different these days. Lack of funding, pressure of constant (ridiculous) testing, the disrespect of our teachers, and it goes on and on. I think our society has changed a great deal and that brings both good and bad. Civics and the responsibilities of living in a society needs to be taught, either at school or at home, somewhere. It has to become important to us again, or we will continue to see people not vote- especially the young. Young people need to feel they are a part of society, that they are important not only for the future, but in the present. We need to lift them up.

Just my two cents.

[msanthrope]

108. Civics is nearly absent. Our young are ignorant of the basic fundamentals

of how the government actually functions.

And they should get off my lawn.

[rhett o rick]

109. The system is broken and you blame those that are getting screwed. Fix the system and they

will vote. If the only choice is getting hit in the face 10 times or getting hit in the face 12 times, maybe the difference isn't worth worrying about. But you want to think that if they would only choose one or the other, things would get better. I don't think you've been paying attention these last few decades.

[treestar]

110. they are going to get screwed more by not voting

as their interests won't be taken into account.

It does not work. I don't know what the reason for defending it could possibly be. How can you defend their not voting and then expect them to see anything they want to happen? The people who vote are the ones who get more of what they want, since the people running know they will vote. People in office won't do a thing for people who don't vote for them. How is it you expect them to?

[Odin2005]

112. Bullshit.