(NYT stirring up FUD?) Stung by Recession, Many Young Voters Looking Past Obama

[alp227]

The New York Times will publish an article on Monday about how young voters are supposedly not wanting to vote for Obama in 2012. After going thru a few anecdotes of 18-24's who are struggling economically and expressing dissatisfaction with Obama, the Times reports:

In the four years since President Obama swept into office in large part with the support of a vast army of youth, a new corps of young men and women have come of voting age with views shaped largely by the recession. And unlike their counterparts in the Millennial generation who showed high levels of enthusiasm for Mr. Obama at this point in 2008, the nation’s first-time voters are less enthusiastic about him, are significantly more likely to identify as conservative and cite a growing lack of faith in government in general, according to interviews, experts and recent polls.

Polls show that Americans under 30 are still inclined to support Mr. Obama by a wide margin. But the president may face a particular challenge among those voters ages 18 to 24. In that age group, his lead over Mr. Romney — 12 points — is about half what it is among 25- to 29-year-olds, according to an online survey this spring by the Harvard Institute of Politics. And among whites in the younger group, Mr. Obama’s lead vanishes altogether.

Experts say the impact of the recession and slow recovery should not be underestimated. The newest potential voters — some 17 million people — have been shaped more by harsh economic times in their formative years than anything else, and that force does not tend to be galvanizing in a positive way.

Indeed, for 18- and 19-year-olds, the unemployment rate as of May was 23.5 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For those ages 20 to 24, the rate falls to 12.9 percent, compared with the national unemployment rate for all ages, at 8.2 percent. The impact of the recession on the young had created a disillusionment about politics in general, several experts suggested.

Is the New York Times right that you can't convince a young voter troubled by the current economy to keep those in power? I am 21 and am not convinced at all that Romney is any better.

[MADem]

1. NYT can KMA!

Wonder how much RMoney had to pay for THAT product placement!

Problem is, I don't know many kids who get their news from the NYT. They're more likely to take Colbert's or Stewart's word over The Grey Lady's.

[w4rma]

2. I don't know what the NYT article says, but young voters are pissed off at *both* parties.

The Blue Dogs and DLC types in the Democratic Party have made the Democratic Party look so similar to the Republican Party, that young voters are having a hard time believing there is a difference. Obama's early decisions to mush both parties differences together and act as if there was little difference, is now backfiring.

[Politicalboi]

3. So when the GOP

Makes education un affordable, or take away birth control, or throw you off your parents insurance, will their lives be better? Nothing helps more than a baby to keep unmarried struggling college couples together.

[alp227]

4. The article explains that more young people are actively embracing conservatism,

as opposed to "the economy sucks, I'll just vote against whoever's in power/the lesser of two evils". And if a young conservative answered your question, such person would respond that he would rather work for such things rather than have 'em as government handouts. I have personally seen it myself among my friends and elsewhere throughout the web, too.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. Lots of people ARE working hard for what they get

and still falling behind and finding it harder to get what they and theirs need. Any of them ever stop long enough to wonder why let alone who is going to make it better? The Democrats are trying to fix the problems in the economy but Republicans are obstructing solutions while turning the screws and telling us that things are never going to get better and that we just need to learn to live with less and less. If these people want to hand the country back over the GOP for another 4-8 years, then well.....................

[alp227]

7. Also true. But it's disturbing the Religion of Ayn Rand Individualism is catching on among the young

Again citing personal experience, I keep hearing people bashing "government dependance". Of course, referring not just to those programs geared towards the poor but even general health care or ANYTHING to do with the state. That's why many Americans would rather "learn to live with less and less" as you point out even if it means sacrificing basic human dignity a la the "let him die" hecklers when Ron Paul was asked about uninsured people.

[smitra]

6. This poll from the Center for American Progress seems to disagree with this opinion...

Link: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/05/snapshot052112.html

The voting intentions of this age group may reflect frustration with the lack of progress on the economic front over the last 3 years, but is hardly an endorsement of conservative policies.