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Haveadream

(1,630 posts)
Wed Mar 9, 2016, 10:16 AM Mar 2016

I Know Why Young Voters Don't Get It - Time to Flip the Script!

One of the tactics Sanders has used has been to be unremittingly negative about all things Democrat, Clinton and Obama. He has effectively blamed Hillary for virtually everything that has gone wrong anywhere on the planet for the last 20 years. Whether she was in office or not, whether she voted or not, it hasn't mattered. Despite his claim of having run a pristine campaign, he has been intensely negative and has ramped up his efforts. Sanders message has been consistently, "Blame Hillary!". I watched that message escalate and saw it in its full glory at the debate in Flint. He blames Hillary for every questionable policy or decision made by Obama or President Clinton and hangs it around her neck to weigh her down with negatives that do not even belong to her. Hell, he even blames her for votes HE made when she wasn't in office!

What a familiar refrain! it is one challengers have perennially used to discredit Hillary for even having the audacity to run for office. To me, Sanders message about Hillary and Democrats isn't radical, he is more of the same of what we got before but at that time it came from Republicans.

Why is it working?

Because people under a certain age simply do not know all of the fantastic things both President Clinton and Obama have done. And if Hillary is to "blame" for policies that might not have worked out well, she is damn sure entitled to claim credit for those that did.

What are some of those things?

I think it behooves us to educate younger voters about exactly why Democrats have much to be proud of. Why we remember the Clinton years as a massive improvement over what we had. How Bill turned this country around and led us in peace and prosperity. How Obama has ushered in an entirely new trajectory of civil rights and positive changes.

Here are just a few of the remarkable achievements of the Clinton Presidency:



The Clinton Presidency: A Historic Era of Progress and Prosperity


Longest economic expansion in American history


More than 22 million new jobs
More than 22 million jobs were created in less than eight years -- the most ever under a single administration


Highest homeownership in American history
A strong economy and fiscal discipline kept interest rates low, making it possible for more families to buy homes.


Lowest unemployment in 30 years
Unemployment dropped from more than 7 percent in 1993 to just 4.0 percent in November 2000. Unemployment for African Americans and Hispanics fell to the lowest rates on record, and the rate for women is the lowest in more than 40 years.


Raised education standards, increased school choice, and doubled education and training investment


Since 1992, reading and math scores have increased for 4th, 8th, and 12th graders, math SAT scores are at a 30-year high, the number of charter schools has grown from 1 to more than 2,000, forty-nine states have put in place standards in core subjects and federal investment in education and training has doubled.


Largest expansion of college opportunity since the GI Bill.



President Clinton and Vice President Gore have nearly doubled financial aid for students .




President Clinton and Vice President Gore's new commitment to education technology, including the E-Rate and a 3,000 percent increase in educational technology funding



Lowest crime rate in 26 years... the longest continuous drop on record, and is at the lowest level since 1973.



Enacted most sweeping gun safety legislation in a generation.. Gun crime has declined 40 percent since 1992.



Family and Medical Leave Act for 20 million Americans
To help parents succeed at work and at home, President Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993.



People on welfare today are five times more likely to be working than in 1992.

Higher incomes at ALL levels.
After falling by nearly $2,000 between 1988 and 1992, the median family's income rose by $6,338, after adjusting for inflation, since 1993. African American family income increased even more, rising by nearly $7,000 since 1993. After years of stagnant income growth among average and lower income families, all income brackets experienced double-digit growth since 1993. The bottom 20 percent saw the largest income growth at 16.3 percent.



Lowest poverty rate in 20 years
Since Congress passed President Clinton's Economic Plan in 1993, the poverty rate declined from 15.1 percent to 11.8 percent last year — the largest six-year drop in poverty in nearly 30 years. There are now 7 million fewer people in poverty than in 1993. The child poverty rate declined more than 25 percent, the poverty rates for single mothers, African Americans and the elderly have dropped to their lowest levels on record, and Hispanic poverty dropped to its lowest level since 1979.



Lowest teen birth rate in 60 years



Lowest infant mortality rate in American history



Deactivated more than 1,700 nuclear warheads from the former Soviet Union.



President Clinton has protected more land in the lower 48 states than any other president. He has protected 5 new national parks, designated 11 new national monuments and expanded two others and proposed protections for 60 million acres of roadless areas in America's national forests.



Paid off $360 billion of the national debt.



Converted the largest budget deficit in American history to the largest surplus.



Lowest government spending in three decades.



Lowest federal income tax burden in 35 years.
President Clinton enacted targeted tax cuts such as the Earned Income Tax Credit expansion, $500 child tax credit, and the HOPE Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits. Federal income taxes as a percentage of income for the typical American family have dropped to their lowest level in 35 years.



Most diverse cabinet in American history
The President has appointed more African Americans, women and Hispanics to the Cabinet than any other President in history. He appointed the first female Attorney General, the first female Secretary of State and the first Asian American cabinet secretary ever.


http://clinton5.nara.gov/WH/Accomplishments/eightyears-01.html



In short, it got wayyyy better, despite what Sanders would have people believe.

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I Know Why Young Voters Don't Get It - Time to Flip the Script! (Original Post) Haveadream Mar 2016 OP
Good point. Most young people would have done quite well during Clinton's years. Hoyt Mar 2016 #1
I think Haveadream Mar 2016 #3
That is certainly what Sanders' supporters are pushing, and it's not just Clinton. They are slamming Hoyt Mar 2016 #4
No to mention, this too: yallerdawg Mar 2016 #2
Facts here and there but no context Her Sister Mar 2016 #5
Solid, monumental accomplishments. oasis Mar 2016 #6
I agree pandr32 Mar 2016 #7
This is a surprise to me. LAS14 Mar 2016 #8

Haveadream

(1,630 posts)
3. I think
Wed Mar 9, 2016, 10:41 AM
Mar 2016

it is vitally important to push this conversation because many of the young voters..apparently about 80% of them, think Clinton and the Democrats are the same as Republicans. The people who remember just how bad it was, and how the Democrats are always fixing it, are voting for Hillary! We need to educate younger voters and remind those who have forgotten.

I am convinced that many of Sander's supporters are actually the ones who are "low information".

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
4. That is certainly what Sanders' supporters are pushing, and it's not just Clinton. They are slamming
Wed Mar 9, 2016, 10:51 AM
Mar 2016

the whole party and even icons like John Lewis, James Clyburn, and even Elizabeth Warren for not endorsing Sanders.

But reminding people of the Clinton years is a very good point.

yallerdawg

(16,104 posts)
2. No to mention, this too:
Wed Mar 9, 2016, 10:36 AM
Mar 2016
Clinton Surrogate: Fox News Partly to Blame for Untrustworthy Hillary ‘Myth’

Clinton polls very poorly on the question of trustworthiness, especially when compared to Bernie Sanders in Democratic polling. Sanders has gone after Clinton for flip-flopping, but his attacks on her trustworthiness have been limited to the implications of his call for her to release the transcripts of her Wall Street speeches.

Granholm said on CNN today she doesn’t want Democrats falling for Republican attacks, claiming that “Fox is the biggest purveyor of the myth” and saying “we’ve gotta be careful on our side not to buy into what the Republicans want us to buy into.”

 

Her Sister

(6,444 posts)
5. Facts here and there but no context
Wed Mar 9, 2016, 11:46 AM
Mar 2016

They think they have the facts which can be used to make someone look bad but they are missing the whole context.

The not that long ago past is more racist and sexist and was more dangerous than people not there can imagine, which is why us the ones there and that can remember (and were not republicans at the time) know better than to buy all the lies and negative innuendos thrown at the Clintons and their legacy. I was young but voted for BClinton my first time ever, fresh from the military and as a college student.


The question: Is HRC trustworthy? is such a false, made up question. NOt valid, BS, rude, impolite, not based on facts, cheap shot, low blow, full of false innuendo, etc.... Why does it only apply to HRC? If we are going to act like it is such a good question then let's apply it (seriously) to everyone else in both sides. Media, just know that we know what you are doing when you throw this question around HRC's neck only. Really media, lots of us got your number...

Even BS acted like it was legitimate question at the FOX TOWN HALL!!!!! Did not answer but acted like yes it is a good question: Is HRC trustworthy? HMMMM let me think... not sure, good question... let's ponder... yeah there is a lot to ponder..... Leave it to the voters to decide....

Because yeah, let others do your dirty work for ya!! wink and wink

oasis

(49,152 posts)
6. Solid, monumental accomplishments.
Wed Mar 9, 2016, 11:54 AM
Mar 2016

The depth and breadth of the Clinton prosperity never receives enough credit. I was there during the Clinton era and it was indeed a time for national celebration.

pandr32

(11,447 posts)
7. I agree
Wed Mar 9, 2016, 12:05 PM
Mar 2016

The problem, though, is that they will not listen to Hillary Clinton because she has been made the stand-in for all things evil. Her talk of Democratic accomplishments would be seen as lies. Other Dems are branded "establishment" and so the naive young people who have been exploited by sanders' campaign won't listen to them either. That leaves those who have pushed the hate: Republicans, Sanders himself, and the media. How would we get any of them to flip the message?

I believe strongly that we need to flip it, too. There is so much at stake and not just this election. We need young voters to understand how government works because as they enter into the terrain of voters they become part of the system of government. This Sanders "revolution" could wind up being rather destructive once Sanders fails to secure the nomination.

Perhaps high-schoolers have been napping during civics classes for the last decade or so.

LAS14

(13,749 posts)
8. This is a surprise to me.
Wed Mar 9, 2016, 12:10 PM
Mar 2016

Not the good stuff you list. Thanks for that. But that Sanders has been bad-mouthing Hillary for years. Can you point me to some stuff to look at?

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