Young people are the most progressive generation in history.

[Uncle Joe]

Link to tweet

[Uncle Joe]

2. Being the most progressive generation in history is wise, do you believe otherwise? n/t

[PatSeg]

6. And you know,

all things are relative. I remember the sixties and seventies and my generation was extremely progressive in comparison to our parents' and grandparents' generation. We made quantum leaps in so many areas and brought about change that today's young people take for granted.

Today's young people aren't necessary more progressive, they are the next step. Its evolution, not a damn contest.

[Uncle Joe]

13. I remember the 60s and 70s as well, yes we made quantum leaps but then we

became timid or compromised and backtracked after Reagan with his influence to a lesser or greater degree being carried to this day.

[wasupaloopa]

35. Maybe you did but you can't speak for all of us.

Can Bernie say anything you wouldn’t agree with?

[Uncle Joe]

45. The Democratic Party turned to the right after Reagan and the Republican Party became

even more extreme right, there is no disputing this history.

[Laelth]

79. Quite true.

Just as the Republicans became far more liberal after FDR and Truman. Historically, both parties have shifted with the mood of the times. I am dying for a sharp left turn, personally, but it must come from the people. Our political parties follow us much more than they lead us.

-Laelth

[Uncle Joe]

84. That's why Bernie says "change must come from the ground up"

-Uncle Joe

[wasupaloopa]

83. Many working class Dems voted For Reagan as a rejection of progressive government

programs that did not achieve the desired results. Also a rejection of Jimmy Carter’s way of governing.

As you know they were called the Reagan Democrats. In a way they were very much like the trumpsters.

The world was changing around them and they could not deal with change.

Reagan promised them a return to the world they use to know.

But they were not the Democratic Party nor was I one of them.

Dukakis was not conservative and lost.

[Laelth]

92. Reagan could not deliver on his promise.

But people wanted to believe he could, so they voted for him. The same is true for Trump supporters.

-Laelth

[wasupaloopa]

97. Agree Reagan was a criminal also

[Mr Tibbs]

95. That's not what happened

I was very political at the time. That's not what happened

[wasupaloopa]

98. Yes it is. Today's "progressives" love to rewrite history

so it will fit there current meme.

The biggest rewrite on DU is that all the anti war protesters were liberals.

[Mr Tibbs]

99. Not what happened

[wasupaloopa]

107. We can go back and forth all day.

I was their too. I just finished college at 35 yrs old.

Got a position at a CPA firm. Reagan had been elected and John Lennon was killed. I felt almost as bad as when Gore lost out.

[JonLP24]

101. That proves the younger generation are more progressive

That generation brought us Reagan. Plus it was a return to failed trickle down economics.

[wasupaloopa]

104. The younger generation faces a world with less of a chance

to live a better life then their parents than I did.

Being progressive is in their best interests.

I mean that in a positive way.

[PatSeg]

56. A lot of the young people

got married and started families. For many, their focus changed, which tends to happen with any generation. Its not necessarily that they became "timid or compromised", they were busy with other priorities. Not all of course, we can't really paint any generation or group of people with a broad brush.

[Celerity]

28. you literally are saying that being anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-religious bigotry

is being 'extreme'. I say literally because you replied to what the tweet said with no qualifiers or a broader fleshing out of what you actually mean (unless that IS what you truly mean). You also infer that the 'core' of our Party does not hold those positions as fundamental.

[BlueFlorida]

44. I meant nothing of the sort

Please don't put words in my mouth - or my keyboard


I simply meant that "Bernie progressive" is not the core of the Democratic party. Even centrist Democrats are anti-racism, anti-sexism and anti-bigotry. Heck even a third of conservatives are against those things.

Anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-bigotry are no longer the bastions of progressives alone. Bernie's tweet was clearly pandering to the young people but to push his extreme agenda which the same young people will reject when they grow up. To me, the coded words "you should not be afraid to think big" translates to government takeover of health care, banks, businesses etc.

[Celerity]

46. I did not do that, your own words did, and you offered no clarification just now which could have

cleared it all up.

[BlueFlorida]

48. I edited my post just for you!

(hugs)

[Celerity]

63. let me lay out fully what I meant, in the interest of fairness

This is the entirety of the text in OP (the OP was simply a tweet, with no added comment) you replied to

Young people are the most progressive generation in history. Your generation is anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-religious bigotry. You should be very proud of that, and you should not be afraid to think big.

The only other substantive (this part was in the video itself) positing was (to paraphrase)

Unless we turn it around, your generation (meaning the younger people) will be the first generation to have a lower standard of living than your parents.

Neither are even remotely controversial or factually untrue statements.


You replied to this, with no further explanation or broadening of what you were referring to (as all we have to work with is the actual statements made in the OP):

Then they grow up and become wise.

Wisdom makes them become not so extreme and come home to the core of the Democratic party.

That reply does infer that people who are 'anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-religious bigotry' are not 'grown-up' and are not 'wise'. (As that is, again, literally what you said in reply to the entirety of what was stated in the OP).

The second part of your reply also infers that those positions are 'extreme' and also infers they are not compatible with 'the core of the Democratic party' as you said they should (or that 'wisdom' will make them) 'come home to the core of the Democratic party', meaning they are somehow outside the 'the core' already.


There was literally nothing else discussed in the OP in terms of subject, and you offered no further explanation or elucidation as to what you yourself were referring or what secondary or even tertiary issues you were taking umbrage with by making your statement.

I did not ask for you to edit anything. I was asking for why you would say or imply what you just said in your original response to the words/statements in the OP.

[Mr Tibbs]

65. "Your generation is anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-religious bigotry."

So you want them to wise up and abandon their core beliefs?

I see that you are a Biden supporter. Does he share these views with you?

[Honeycombe8]

59. Then they grow, become pragmatic, and start voting.

They did turn out in good numbers for the mid-terms. I hope that holds for the 2020 election.

[Mr Tibbs]

64. Being anti-racist is extremism?

Seriously? I would suggest you take a long hard look in the mirror

[BlueFlorida]

71. Misinterpreting what I wrote

is not going to benefit your candidate.

Most people understood what I meant and I wouldn't be here if I were a supporter of racism, bigotry and sexism.

So nice try. See post #49 for a better explanation by another DUer.

[Hortensis]

70. Democrats are all progressive, not to be confused with

The Only True Progressives as some cluelessly imagine those who follow The Only True Progressive Leader are.

As for Sanders' schmoozing young people, the most progressive generation in history was in FDR's era. We'll see what we have this time on November 3, 2020, 18 months from now.

Remembering that those who don't vote don't count. No vote, no progressivism.

And that anywhere from a third to hopefully significantly under half will join the Republicans, officially or "indie."

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. The problem is that they don't actually vote.

Voter turnout in that age group has been historically low. If they sincerely want a progressive government they'll have to get off social media for long enough to haul ass to the polls and vote.

[Uncle Joe]

5. Then perhaps the two major parties in the U.S. should listen to them and speak

toward their needs as Bernie has been doing.

Indifference doesn't happen in a vacuum.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. It's always been that way and there are a lot of reasons for it,

many of them having nothing to do with candidates or policies.

In 1972, the first year 18- to 20-year-olds were allowed to vote, 55 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds cast ballots. Only 43 percent of that age group voted in 2016 and just 16 percent turned out to vote in 2014.

Turnout among young voters is typically 20-30 percentage points lower than among older citizens. And youth turnout has never matched that of 1972, Hillygus says.

The low turnout among 18- to 29-year-olds has puzzled political scientists for decades. The Bass Connections project aims to both understand and find those missing pieces that can bolster the youth vote.

https://today.duke.edu/2018/10/why-so-many-young-people-don%E2%80%99t-vote

The researchers discovered that lack of knowledge, procrastination and disorganization were major factors. "One study found that 55 percent of college students “messed up filling out their voter registration form, e.g., they left a question blank or didn’t know their Social Security number.”

[Uncle Joe]

18. Why do you believe the vote was so high with the younger generation in 1972?

Perhaps it had do with the fact that the younger generation's then as is the case today lives were literally at stake.

50+ thousand Americans had already died in the war with Vietnam and the progressive younger baby boomer generation did not want to get drafted to fight in a war, they believed immoral.

If Bernie or some other candidate's message resonates with them, I guarantee you those numbers will rise dramatically.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. My first vote was in 1972, and yes, it had a whole lot to do with the war.

Nevertheless, Nixon won the election by a landslide, so obviously that relatively high youth turnout wasn't enough to make a difference.

[Uncle Joe]

24. No it wasn't because the baby boomers were just rising to a demographic point of power

but they were still outnumbered by the more conservative older generations.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

29. Even so, only 55% could be bothered to vote despite the widespread opposition

to the war among younger people. Their lives were on the line and 45% still didn't vote. The research cited above found that young people don't vote mostly because they don't know how, because they procrastinate, because they're apathetic, and/or because the registration process is inconvenient. It's easy and fun to go to a rally but filling out a voter registration form or going to the polls and waiting in line to vote is a hassle so they don't do it.

In 2016, 50% voted, and a majority of them voted for Clinton. But don't assume all young voters are going to be liberal or progressive. "Trump won one-third of young voters, a greater number than pre-election polls suggested he would. Notably, 32 percent of these young Trump supporters were excited by the prospect of a Trump presidency while only 18 percent of young Clinton supporters reported being excited about their candidate." https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2016/11/21/how-millennials-voted/

[Uncle Joe]

37. Bernie got more votes from Americans under 30 years old than Clinton and Trump combined.

Based on estimates from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), a research group at Tufts University, which reviewed vote tallies and exit/entrance polls, Sanders garnered more than 2 million votes from 18- to 29-year-olds while Trump and Clinton received a combined 1.6 million votes.

(snip)

Based on CNN exit polls from 27 states during the 2016 primaries, Sanders won a slim majority of African American votes among those under 30 and a wider majority among Hispanics in the same age group. 52% of black women in this category voted for Sanders while 47% voted for Clinton. Among black men under 30, 50% voted for Sanders and 48% for Clinton.
Among Hispanic voters, the range is much wider. Thirty-one percent of Hispanic men under 30 voted for Clinton while 69% voted for Sanders. For the women in this category the numbers are similar, 32% for Clinton and 68% for Sanders.

When asked about the minority vote claim, the Sanders campaign pointed to a June 2016 survey of young people conducted by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago with the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in which majorities of respondents who identified as African American, Asian American or Latino said they thought Sanders best understood the problems of people like them.


https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/26/politics/fact-check-bernie-sanders-town-hall-youth-vote/index.html

As for 1972, Nixon had been actively engaged in disenfranchising his political opponents; young people and blacks from voting and they were still able to turn out at 55%

Report: Aide says Nixon's war on drugs targeted blacks, hippies

Washington (CNN)One of Richard Nixon's top advisers and a key figure in the Watergate scandal said the war on drugs was created as a political tool to fight blacks and hippies, according to a 22-year-old interview recently published in Harper's Magazine.

"The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people," former Nixon domestic policy chief John Ehrlichman told Harper's writer Dan Baum for the April cover story published Tuesday.

"You understand what I'm saying? We knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities," Ehrlichman said. "We could arrest their leaders. raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did."

(snip)


https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/23/politics/john-ehrlichman-richard-nixon-drug-war-blacks-hippie/index.html

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

47. That was for the primary elections. Anyhow, I'm not talking about Bernie.

I'm talking about getting young people to (a) vote, and to (b) vote for a liberal/progressive candidate. You seem to assume that only Bernie can excite young people and I don't think that's true. During the 2016 primaries the choice was binary: Bernie or Hillary. Hillary was seen as the "establishment" candidate so it stands to reason that younger people, who tend to reject "the establishment," would prefer Bernie. This year, though, there is a diverse group of mostly young candidates - female, gay, Hispanic, PoC, etc. - who might be just as attractive to young voters, or more so. Will those young voters actually vote? Maybe, if they're excited enough. Right now the most active voting bloc is young black women, who don't seem very impressed with Bernie so far.

[Uncle Joe]

50. You can't separate the two results and it wasn't binary, my post included Trump's totals as well n/t

[OilemFirchen]

87. Trump participated in the 2016 Democratic Primary?

Huh. I did not know that.

[Uncle Joe]

88. Whoever said Trump was in the Democratic Primary?

[OilemFirchen]

105. You did.

Clinton vs. Sanders is binary. There was no ternary Clinton vs. Sanders vs. Trump.

[Uncle Joe]

108. There were always at least three selections even counting the primary.

[Agschmid]

78. He didn't even win the primary last time... where were the young people?

[wasupaloopa]

36. There is nobody running that doesn't have the same

core values as Bernie.

It’s just that they all have done something about it.

[treestar]

120. They should still vote

To not vote because your own needs are not being addressed doesn't make sense. And it should not be all about one's own needs. If they are more progressive, they would have to vote to have any chance of being considered. If you don't, of course you'll be ignored; you aren't part of the process.

[Honeycombe8]

60. This is true. They did turn out in bigger numbers for the 2018 mid-terms...

but generally they don't, and are not nearly as reliable as older voters.

The 40-55 group is extremely reliable. If you get that group, you've got some serious votes locked in. This is what helps Republicans. They aim at that group.

The seniors also vote reliably, though not as much as the middle aged group.

[Mr Tibbs]

66. They will be coming out in droves in 2020

This isn't "The past". The future of humanity is at stake and the young people realize it much more than the old because they are the ones who have to live with the future.

[Kahuna7]

4. Easy to be all that progressive when you don't have a

family to support.

[oldsoftie]

9. Ha!

[Uncle Joe]

10. It's easy to be progressive when you're trying to start a family but are swamped

by debt just for the crime of wanting to get a higher education.

It's easy to be progressive when the minimum wage is a starvation wage.

It's easy to be progressive when your generation is the first in the history of modern America to be worse off than your parents,

It's easy to be progressive when your generation or your children will face the harshest brunt from climate change.

That's just to name few.

The younger generation would love to start their own families but the times and circumstances make that a steep uphill climb.

[Mr Tibbs]

68. Some of the answers on this thread are disturbing

Literally straight from GOP Playbook

[Uncle Joe]

69. I feel the same way Mr Tibbs.

[Mr Tibbs]

67. So it's hard to be anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-religious bigotry....

... while raising kids?

Actually it's quite easy. All you have to do is believe in those things

[crazytown]

7. The Woodstock Generation

voted for Reagan, and now loves Trump.

Are you there?
Say a prayer for the pretender
who started out so young and strong
only to surrender
-Jackson Browne

[Mr Tibbs]

93. No

[crazytown]

94. 'Generation' : 20 in '69, 70 in 2019

You bet they support Trump. Not all - 2/3+

[Mr Tibbs]

96. The Woodstock generation was the hippie movement

[crazytown]

100. That's not what the OP is about. It's the year.

but taking up your point what do you think Woodstocker Jackson Browne is singing about. The Hippies mainly sold out. Some in the left did not.

I want to know what became of the changes
We waited for love to bring
Were they only the fitful dreams
Of some greater awakening?

I'm gonna be a happy idiot
And struggle for the legal tender
Where the ads take aim and lay their claim
To the heart and the soul of the spender
And believe in whatever may lie
In those things that money can buy

Are you there?
Say a prayer for the Pretender.
Who started out so young and strong
Only to surrender.

[treestar]

121. Most people of that age were not part of any movement

or hippies, other than just stylistically. That was a small minority.

[appalachiablue]

134. No way in hell

[crazytown]

135. Tell me how progressive 70+ year people are?

To quote Jackson Browne again

Say a prayer for the Pretender
Who started out so young and strong
Only to surrender

[appalachiablue]

137. A song doesn't make facts. People younger than 70 also

related to the 'Woodstock' values and culture esp. music of that time.

There is a common and equal contempt for many left 'progressives' and Trumpers/GOP I'll give you that.

Woodstock and Trump...

Many people like us did not vote for Reagan, that's absurd.

The only thing we maybe liked about the effing 80s was 'Miami Vice.' Lol and 'Screw Wall Street.'

[crazytown]

138. Sorry.

I was talking about the generation who came of age around the time of Woodstock, not the counterculture and those who opposed Vietnam. I’m in awe of those who kept fighting the good fight throughout the upheavals and adversity since then. When interest rates hit 19% and gas hit $3 in 1979 vulnerable people were looking for a quick fix. Along came the Gipper. (My memory of it).

[yaesu]

8. We need a candidate that will inspire them enough to get to the polls & vote

I talked to a lot of early 20 something's going into the '18 election, mostly females, & they were already fired up, voted & there biggest motivation was to stop the fascists from taking their rights away, voting against the orange p***y grabber. The males weren't so inspired & will need to have a candidate that they can believe in, convince them that the fascist way is the wrong way.

[StarfishSaver]

39. Maybe people should stop waiting to be "inspired" by strangers and go out and make change themselves

I came of voting age in the 1980s and the last thing I was looking for or expecting was to be "inspired" by politicians. In fact, I thought that was no longer possible, that that sort of feeling had died with Bobby Kennedy. But that didn't stop me from getting involved, trying to make a difference in my community, and working as hard as I could to try to elect people whom I thought would be best for us, even if they didn't send a tingle up or down my leg.

When Bill Clinton came along, he DID inspire me and I saw that as a wonderful, unexpected bonus. It was thrilling to feel that way and I have often since felt that way with other politicians, such as Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Paul Wellstone, John Edwards, and plenty of others at the national, state and local levels, etc. But I still see that as a "nice to have" not a "must have." I believe that it's my responsibility to work for change - and that includes being directly engaged in the political process and voting like my life depends on it in every election - regardless whether the people running or in office give me warm fuzzy feelings. And I truly believe that if inspiration must be had, it's on ME to be that inspiration.

I really wish people were less concerned about being inspired - and stopped threatening to or actually sit it out unless and until someone tickles their fancies - and actually put their shoulders to the wheel to work for change and be inspirations themselves.

Hey, y'all. It's not about you. It's about we. And we need all of you to get engaged and VOTE and we don't care whether you want to invite the candidate to your next cookout.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. Excellent point. Politics shouldn't be treated as show business

(although sometimes it's been described as show business for ugly people), but as a serious civic duty. A political campaign is all marketing, and of course an exciting "product" gets the most attention. But people shouldn't expect excitement; they should want competence.

And thank you as well for pointing out that it's not about you. That kind of thinking is what causes people to vote for dingbats like Nader and Stein because they can't violate their oh-so-important personal values by voting for what they call a hack/corporatist/career politician/bourgeois tool of the oligarchy or whatever.

[BlueFlorida]

52. Exactly this

Waiting for a messiah is not politics just as much as having faith in a candidate and treating him as a messiah.

Young people should use analytical reasoning and study various candidates. Sometimes uninspiring candidates can change the world.

[BlueWI]

77. So we're such political experts

that we have a President Trump. Great job, older people!!

[BlueFlorida]

86. It's not our fault

We can't control if the devotees throw a fit and either not vote or vote for someone other than the nominee. Revving up devotees into a "Me or Bust" frenzy is never a good idea for any candidate.

[BlueWI]

141. Nothing is our fault.

Ok - got it.

[StarfishSaver]

110. Your blaming older Democrats for electing Trump?

I thought it was the younger folks who just couldn't get "inspired" enough to vote for Hillary in 2016.

Sorry, this one's not on us. We voted for the "lesser of two evils."

[BlueWI]

140. Older voters, white voters,

and conservative voters - those demographics are most likely to vote for Trump. Look up the numbers.

It's typical for Republican nominees to draw some support from Blue Dog Democrats - hence the name, Reagan Democrats.

And yes, we all share a part of the blame for not being more effective at messaging and legislating. Young people are facing increased tuition costs, fewer jobs with benefits, and a climate crisis. To blame younger folks for our collective chronic lack of urgency is just a deflection.

[StarfishSaver]

145. Older white voters, conservative white voters, young white voters, female white voters, male white

voters, non-college educated white voters ...

There's a common thread here, and it's not older Democrats.

[BlueWI]

146. I haven't looked up the figures for Democrats voting for Trump

but it's likely to be much higher than Greens voting for Stein. However, the number of Democrats voting for the Republican nominee is rarely discussed. And it's not just white men and non-college educated whites voting for Trump. We all know that a majority of white women voted for Trump too. These are alarming trends, and easy scapegoats such as Jill Stein obscure this long term trend of white voters electing right wing politicians.

An easy source for this info is Cornell's Roper Center. Look at the exit polling for any presidential year.

And if we look at the most significant trends, it will help to design better strategy and win elections in proportion to the popularity of Democratic policies.

[yaesu]

55. well, maybe someone who is retired, but those just starting out, 2 or 3 jobs, school, well

that's not going to happen.

[StarfishSaver]

58. I wasn't retired when I got involved in politics

I was in school and working and handling many responsibilities.

Everyone doesn't have to spend 24-7 toiling away in the political world. But if people have time to post cool pictures on Instagram, hang out with their friends, and go online to complain about how politicians aren't "connecting" with them, they at least have time to study up on the issues and vote and shouldn't wait around to be "inspired" by someone before they get engaged.

My parents and grandparents and countless other people worked several jobs, went to school, raised families, and STILL managed to organize and march and protest and get informed and inform others and vote. And they had many fewer resources and opportunities than we have today (and often had to do these at great risk to their safety and livelihoods). I'm tired of the whining, excuses and sense of entitlement we see too often among Democrats who don't face a fraction of the challenges that other people did (and still do).

If we want change, we have to get involved and stop expecting to be treated like precious, fragile commodities who must be catered to and coddled.

[BlueWI]

76. Many of them are making change.

The level of volunteering is extremely high, and there are quite a few officeholders and major activist movements led by millennials and the younger generation.

And they will have to be active to clean up the mess we've left them politically, environmentally, and economically. No one of previous generations has any standing to lecture younger people on their political involvement.

[JHan]

106. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[betsuni]

111. I agree.

Change yourself and your community, do something, take responsibility. I don't know, it's like people who blame everything on their dysfunctional family, their emotionally distant father and over-critical mother.

I have no idea what this "inspiration" and "passion" and waiting for leadership business is about. When I see the threats and huffing and puffing I always think, Who do you think you are? The world doesn't revolve around you. Don't think you're better than anyone else because you're not. Stop being so dramatic. Listen for a change. You don't have to have an opinion on things you don't know about. If you don't respect other people don't expect respect in return. Educate yourself, don't expect schools to do it for you. Voting isn't about self-expression any more than paying taxes is.

[StarfishSaver]

117. We're totally on the same page

[treestar]

122. +1 good grief it is so tiring to hear that claim

When one is old enough to vote, one is an adult and its just part of life to participate. The government is of WE THE PEOPLE, and it's our job as one of the people. Don't participate because it is not some big inspiring movie is not an excuse, in fact, it makes you looks immature.

[MineralMan]

11. Some of them are. Some are not.

So it always is. I'm a Boomer, more or less, since I was born in 1945. When I was young, I was also a progressive. I still am. But, all around me were others my own age who were not progressives. It's the same today. While you can find many progressives among young people, that has always been true, if you looked around even a little.

There are also young people among the white nationalists and Christian right. In fact, some would say that the younger generation is headed in that direction. Some people are. Some people are headed in almost any direction you want to talk about. That's how it has always been and how it always will be.

Characterizing political viewpoints by age is not a useful way to do things. It is far better to seek out and talk to those who share your point of view, regardless of age.

[LongtimeAZDem]

15. You and I bracket the Baby Boom: I was born in '62. Your perspective matches mine.

[MineralMan]

17. Yup. I was born about a week before the Hiroshima bomb.

My father was flying B-17s in Europe, and came home about three months later to start a post-war life.

A helluva lot has happened in the 73 years since I was born. Amazing!

[LongtimeAZDem]

19. I find it so amusing that Sanders says the current young generation is the most progressive, yet he

keeps invoking his marching with Dr. King.

[MineralMan]

25. Indeed. I've told my story here several times.

In 1965, I dropped out of my sophomore year in college, then drove a 1953 Chrysler New Yorker from California to Selma. I missed the march by one day, but got there in time to hear Dr. King give his "How Long? Not Long" speech from the back of the crowd.

Sure, Bernie was a progressive back then. So was I. He went into politics. I went in another direction and just worked to help Democrats get elected from then on. But, I met lots and lots and lots of progressive young people during that time period. They were everywhere. But, like today, they were just one part of that generation. I met them during the Anti-war marches in DC. I met them after I returned to college, four years after dropping out.

I also met others who were far from being progressives. They're still around in today's younger generation, too.

I was progressive then. I'm progressive now, but a lot older. And so it goes.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

30. In 2016, a third of young voters voted for Trump.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2016/11/21/how-millennials-voted/

[MineralMan]

73. Exactly. Some people are pushing the idea that all young people

are progressives. They're not. The divisions are similar to what they have always been. 1/3 is progressive, 1/3 is conservative, and the other third either don't care or are just somewhere in the middle. The group in the middle doesn't vote at all in all age groups. The other two groups vote in variable percentages, depending on their mood and the candidates on the ballot.

That's why the elder vote is so stable and turnout is as high as it is in that age group.

However, in all age groups, there's this big bloc that doesn't vote at all, and doesn't make any effort to learn what's going on at all. My wife's sister has not watched a news program on TV or read a newspaper for years. She simply knows nothing about what's going on in the world, and doesn't care. There are far more people like that than anyone recognizes.

Frankly, right now, the hard right has the highest turnouts of any group. They are motivated, and so we have Donald Trump. If we could motivate Democratic-leaning voters, the problem would be solved, but the way to do that isn't clear at all. Going full progressive would not work any better than anything else, and it would scare some Democratic voters into either voting for Republicans or not voting at all.

On the other hand, if we put someone up who is seen as old, or old-school, some progressives will do the same thing. They will either stay home or vote for someone like Jill Stein, or even vote for someone like Trump, out of frustration.

That's why Joe Biden is a good choice as a Democratic nominee. He doesn't scare anyone and people know his name. People know Bernie Sanders' name, but he's going to get a big sign that says "Socialist" hung on him, and that will scare away some people who would vote Democratic, but who will stay home or vote for a Republican.

The rest of the field of candidates are people known only to those who follow politics closely, or people in their own states or demographic groups. That's not going to be enough in 2020, I think.

[BlueWI]

80. You are not accounting for Demographic differences.

For instance, youth of color constitute more of the political spectrum. White youth are more likely to be conservative, and you still have a solid majority of white voters giving us Presidents Trump and Bush.

Also, youth are clearly more progressive on issues such as cannabis decriminalization, marriage equality, and mass incarceration. Older politicians, including Democrats, were far too timid and slow to change on these issues and were willing to stoke divisions through the ceaseless drug war, Defense of Marriage, etc.

Young voters helped greatly to expedite long overdue changes in these areas. Hopefully the progress would continue under a baby boomer or silent gen president after 2020.

[treestar]

124. +1

And when they go on about how "divided" the nation is, you think back to then and how much more divided that was! The marches then could get violent and were a lot more frequent.

[treestar]

123. I agree; I am in the younger Baby Boom and

remember when the liberals held sway - when I was in college. Then Reagan came along and it was like WTH? Things change. In the 80s the Boomers were starting their careers and were all about $$ making. The Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac - remember that Don Henley song? You were done following the Dead around and were now working and ambitious.

[MineralMan]

127. My political position never changed from those days.

I'm still a progressive liberal. I no longer do street activism, though, due to my age and health.

I never stopped caring about moving this country to become more progressive. That hasn't always worked, of course, but we've had a black President now, and LGBTQ people can now marry the people they love. Some things have changed for the better. Others still have much more improvement needed. I still care, and vote for change.

[treestar]

129. The generation is its entirety, or the average

Not everyone changes, but a majority did.

[jalan48]

14. Climate change will make them even more so as time passes. The days of corporations running

roughshod over the environment and buying politicians in order to do so is going to be challenged. There's no going back to a normal that has been disastrous for future generations.

[Uncle Joe]

21. I agree on all counts jalan.

[jalan48]

23. I feel like we're living in a fantasy land when it comes to dealing with THE biggest issue facing us

[appalachiablue]

136. I hope that's the case. We're in real trouble on this good earth.

[IronLionZion]

16. Other countries manage to have old liberals

The American political and economic system encourages people to become more conservative as they get older. It gets to people as they pay bills and take care of their families and other stuff without as much attention towards radical system changes to make it easier for everyone to pay bills and take care of families.

The American system encourages thinking of the individual and family rather than society as a whole. Plus many liberal countries think of Americans as prudes in the street and perverts in private.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

22. There are a lot of old liberals in the US. I attended some marches and rallies

against the Iraq war, and to my great surprise a significant majority of the participants were old people like me. There weren't very many young people at these events.

[LongtimeAZDem]

26. My mom was a "libbie". How many even remember that term?

[Uncle Joe]

27. We didn't have the draft by then either. n/t

[marybourg]

31. When I was a teenager in the 50's

many of the parents and grandparents were much more liberal than we younger folks were. Who do you think McCarthy was going after? Remember the "red scare"?

[IronLionZion]

85. I get that we have many older liberals on DU

but the GOP clearly panders towards people of a certain age to get their votes by claiming that liberals are young and dumb while wiser people would be conservative.

There are also plenty of young conservatives in Trump country but youth is still associated with liberals.

[Chin music]

32. So glad. Now, vote. Show us how willing you are to live up to BS's praise.

I see and hear a lot of young folks digging on people, but, they clam up if you asked them if they voted.
Back in the day, teachers would have voting machines brought into school. We could go in, pull the big curtain lever, and flick a few switches. Then the big pay off came when you pulled the big lever and the curtain flew open and you actually HEARD your votes being added to the rest w a big kachunk as the machine reset itself for the next one.
I know bc I have em, kids are vocal, but, unfortunately lazy as hell on voting day. College and healthcare and jobs, can be yours, if you get off the couch, put your phone down for a half hour, and go vote. Then crickets.....chirp.....chirp....r'itchet....chrp.
Waiting for voting day to find out how to/where to vote, usually equates to, "I'll take a chance somebody else is looking out for me", and therein lies, another apathetic voter who didnt vote, and will spend the next election cycle bitching about what did or didnt happen.
cellphones are sominex. Put them down. Better yet, don't get your kid one.

[wasupaloopa]

33. Yea? In the sixties we had the civil rights movement

the women’s movement, anti war movement, Woodstock, the summer of love.

Bernie your pandering seems not too genuine.

[nolabear]

57. Seriously. It's like he thinks he's the only lifelong liberal out there.

He enjoys being "special" way too much imo.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

34. Don't *assume* young people will vote, or that they will be reliably progressive/liberal.

We already know they comprise the voting bloc least likely to actually get off their asses and vote. And when they do vote, they don't always vote for the progressive/liberal candidate. So there's a two-part goal: (1) Get young people to vote by educating them about the process and the importance of voting, and (2) get them to vote for your candidate. A lot of young people voted for Trump last time. Why was that?

[dalton99a]

38. Youth voters played a significant role in the 2018 midterm election

Just 8.2 percent of Texas youth turned out to vote in 2014, but young people tripled their turnout rate to 25.8 percent in 2018. In Texas’ U.S. Senate race, Democratic challenger Rep. Beto O’Rourke nearly upset Republican incumbent Senator Ted Cruz, in part due to extensive youth support at the polls. According to an earlier CIRCLE post-election analysis, O’Rourke earned his greatest support in counties with high proportions of young people, especially Latino youth.

[Uncle Joe]

41. Thanks for the addition dalton.

[MH1]

40. I know young people on both extremes.

Extreme "progressive" as well as extreme regressive.

TBH I have the same need to suppress eyerolls when around any of them. The common feature is how much these guys match the stereotype of the know-it-all barely adult.

[Uncle Joe]

42. What does "extreme progressive" mean to you? n/t

[MH1]

49. "Progressive" is in quotes because that's what they call themselves

To me, progressive means acting so as to make progress on issues that matter. To these "progressives", it means "my (their) way or the highway" - and everything is "we want it 100% right, right now!!!" They don't seem to realize that they have to work with people who don't fully agree with their values. They don't seem to understand that approximately half the country sees the world completely differently than they do. They don't seem to understand that those other viewpoints are equally valid in a democracy. The "progressives" I'm talking about, continually insult others who don't agree with them, by suggesting the other is stupid or morally repugnant. They will be rah rah for unions and not realize that many union members vote right-wing, and appear uninterested in understanding let alone addressing the reasons for that. They will be all for raising the minimum wage and supporting "workers' rights", but half of them have no clue and no interest in the details of the issues, for example the tech sector visa issue. (because a programmer makes a decent salary (relative to a wal-mart checker) - despite the bullshit and abuse ... so programmers don't matter)

Some of them are loud and proud that if their candidate doesn't get the nomination, they will withhold their vote or even vote for Trump (some brag they did in 2016). Their tongues drip with scorn for the "dem establishment" ... but people like me who have been working to help local dems for decades, are the very "establishment" they don't want anything to do with. Why should I want anything to do with them, or respect anything they have to say about politics? They don't even know what the fuck they are talking about as far as history, but want to chortle that they "schooled" someone who has been working hard for decades to make things better for them?

Oh I could go on and on, but need to go do some actual work.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

54. Bravo for this!

[LongtimeAZDem]

62. +∞

[BlueFlorida]

72. Bravo! nt

[lapucelle]

81. Ah, yes, "progressives"...

[Mr Tibbs]

103. Strawman argument

[Fiendish Thingy]

53. If we energize the youth vote, we win, no question

If, on the other hand, we don't have a candidate who excites the youth vote, makes them feel real change is possible (besides merely beating Trump), all bets are off.

[LongtimeAZDem]

61. I take Morning Consult with a grain of salt, but Biden seems to do well with the youth here

[MineralMan]

74. Yes he does, but don't try to tell Sanders supporters that.

They won't believe you.

[Kahuna7]

91. What do you know? This chart proves Bernie's point....

Millennials at 47%.

[Fiendish Thingy]

118. That's a pretty big "would not vote" segment for Gen Z and Millennials... Nt

[LongtimeAZDem]

119. I would actually expect it to be much higher; that age group historically has the lowest turnout

[treestar]

126. We have learned from last time though

that it doesn't matter in the least - we have to study it state by state. And pay attention to the swing states. We have to pay attention to young voters in the swing states, and any type of voter in the swing states. The rights ones have to be energized - the ones in the relevant geographic areas.

[Mr Tibbs]

113. The party needs to evolve past "Get off my lawn"

The party would be wise to latch onto what's coming

[loyalsister]

75. They see something many earlier trailblazers and beneficiaries refuse to acknowledge

Trump and Charlottesville are nothing new. The call to "return" to America is a call to return to a time when racism did not make white people uncomfortable. One that promoted a belief in "color-blindness" as a solution that maintained privilege without examination.

Civil rights legislation and desegregation were valuable contributions, but they have not effectively interrupted some of the most damaging institutional and cultural biases which have been continuously exploited in the interest of a larger oppressive agenda. None of that will be addressed by simply unseating Trump.

We now have an up and coming generation that has been lied to on many counts. The "American dream" was never what was promised, and the civil rights strides were overstated. Millennials want more. As someone sandwiched between the generation which made the promises and the one which continues to deny the lack of progress, I don't blame them.

They want more and I'm grateful to them for demanding it.

[Uncle Joe]

89. As a baby boomer, I agree with you loyalsister.

[loyalsister]

90. I know a lot of baby boomers who see it as more work for us all to do

rather than dismissing the millennials who are looking for something beyond what has been accomplished.

[Renew Deal]

82. Now that's some high caliber pandering

lol

[Uncle Joe]

109. Whether you consider it "pandering" or not, it's the truth, do you dispute it? n/t

[Kurt V.]

102. i take partial credit.

[Uncle Joe]

112. ...

[honest.abe]

114. What about the 60's generation?

[RandiFan1290]

115. Most of them are trump voters today. nt

[honest.abe]

116. I seriously doubt that.

[Mariana]

125. Oh, it's true.

It's not a huge majority, but most of them are Trump voters.

https://ropercenter.cornell.edu/how-groups-voted-2016

AGE 18-29 Clinton: 55% Trump: 36%
30-44 Clinton: 51% Trump: 41%
45-64 Clinton: 44% Trump: 52%
65 & over Clinton: 45% Trump: 52%

[honest.abe]

130. Whos to say this current younger generation wont swing conservative?

The point is the 60s was a strong progressive era. There were tangible changes in our culture.

[Mariana]

132. We don't know what the future holds.

We do know that today, most of the 60's generation are Trump voters, however much you may seriously doubt it.

[treestar]

128. Most of them were going to work in suits by

1985.

[honest.abe]

131. A progressive cant wear a suit??

[Mariana]

133. Certainly, a progressive can wear a suit.

Even so, most of the 60's generation aren't progressive today, regardless of how many of them wear suits.

[qwlauren35]

139. Is this the definition of progressive?

If you're a black lesbian, are you automatically progressive? I don't think so.

There are a lot of issues that make one progressive. Sexism, racism, religious bigotry are not the only ones.

If Bernie wins the primary, I will vote for him.

This generation produced Dylann Roof. And LOTS of young white men and women voted for Trump. Lots of young white men are sexist. Lots of young white men are racist.

I'd like to see the statistics that back up this claim.

I think the current young Americans are polarized. Some are progressive, some are conservative. And also, some don't give a shit.

[Uncle Joe]

142. Here is a nice article on the subject from this past January

Generation Z may be most liberal demographic yet

(snip)

On issues ranging from the treatment of racial minorities to climate change to diversity in society, the post-millennial generation — dubbed Generation Z by demographers — looks a lot more like the millennial generation than like their parents in Generation X or the baby boom generation, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center.

But Generation Z takes an even more liberal view of the role of government in society than do millennials. Seven in 10 members of Generation Z say the government should do more to solve problems, while just 29 percent say government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals.

(snip)

The youngest generation, too, is more likely to support protests by NFL players who kneel during the national anthem, a favored boogeyman for President Trump. Six in 10 members of Generation Z approve of the protests, about the same as the number of millennials who do so.

(snip)

Just 3 in 10 members of Generation Z approve of Trump’s job performance, almost identical to his approval rating among millennials. Trump’s approval rating is north of 50 percent among only one age cohort, the silent generation, those between the ages of 73 and 90.

(snip)


https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/425818-generation-z-may-be-most-liberal-demographic-yet

P.S. Here is a link to the poll with more statistics.

https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2019/01/17/generation-z-looks-a-lot-like-millennials-on-key-social-and-political-issues/

[qwlauren35]

143. Thanks for the article.

That 30% still bothers me. I work with Generation Z folks, engineers, and I think one of them is a Trump supporter. We don't talk about it.

[Uncle Joe]

144. You are welcome qwlauren.

[BeckyDem]

147. Absolutely.