2004 Not Breakout Year For Youth Vote

[Tmagic650]

Youth Vote....

[Tmagic650]

2004 Not Breakout Year For Youth Vote

[UglyShoes]

yeah, this is what killed kerry,  this was the unknown mass,  the cell phone hole.   There was big general vote turnout, which marginaly helped kerry. But he the unknown mass didn't get to the polls, which is the group that would have helped him.  Very sad and i just want to kick so many my age in the ass.

[fall-apart]

I dunno - they're basing their assertions on exit poll data, which seems to have been especially unreliable in this election.  And yes, it would be good to kick young people's asses to the polls.  I've voted in all but one federal, provincial and municipal election since I turned 18, and the one I didn't vote in was in a city I had just moved to, so I was ineligible.

[Intuit]

Yeah, with a few exceptions, the people I saw there were 2 and 3 times my age.

I'm going to have to start making some phone calls to chew some people out...


By the way, "Rock the vote" was lame-o.

[fall-apart]

Rock the vote should be more bipartisan - then they can get the youth vote out without insulting half of them...

And youth voting - it's gen X & Y coming through - they just don't care who's running the country, as long as they can get their MTV and poptarts...

[Wrawrat]

quote:
Originally posted by: fall-apart
And youth voting - it's gen X & Y coming through - they just don't care who's running the country, as long as they can get their MTV and poptarts...

Why should they vote when there is nobody that is representing their ideals? I voted for the Green Party at our last elections... but only because I thought they were the least worst. Oh... and because my vote gave them 1,75$ and I was eligible to early vote. Otherwise, I would not have voted as I compare my vote to the ABB (Anything But Bush) strategy (basically, I didn't wanted to see the Libs or the CPC at the head of our country). I know that I am not alone as pretty much everybody I know voted for a party they didn't really have faith in. As for those who didn't voted... Well, they didn't because nobody was representing them. One of my friends is commie-leaning but there was no commie party in his riding. He was not going to vote for the Libs with Paul Martin or the CPC.

And honestly, why should you bother to vote when you already know who is going to win? For example, I moved to Quebec City this summer and I know that no matter for who I will vote in the provincial or federal election, a member of the Parti Québécois or Bloc Québécois will win by a significant margin. Unfortunately, their ideals don't match mine... and I cannot do anything against that. Now, I will vote at the next provincial election because there is a party that matches my interests but I don't know if I will at the next federal elections, especially if there is a one-hour waiting line at my voting station.

Until the major parties get younger representatives that matches the interests of the youth, I don't think the situation will change. Perhaps many young people were against Bush but they were not going to give their support to Kerry just because he was not Bush.

[Little-Acorn]

A group that seldom votes, didn't vote much this time either. Why is it being treated as something unexpected or different?

[Tmagic650]

"Until the major parties get younger representatives that matches the interests of the youth, I don't think the situation will change. Perhaps many young people were against Bush but they were not going to give their support to Kerry just because he was not Bush."

No matter who runs for the US Presidency, the youth vote numbers never change. I voted in my first Presidential election at age 21. The voting age was 18, but I turned 21 before that election. I have voted in every election since. I am 54  

[fall-apart]

Wrawrat - if you don't vote, you don't get to complain about the results... and there are certainly enough young people to make a difference if they all voted.  As with Tmagic, I have voted in every election for which I'm eligible, and although I'm only 26 (so I don't have his years and years of experience), I plan to continue voting as long as I am able.  It's my right, and I believe my civic duty to select someone who will represent me.  If the guy I didn't vote for gets it, then I can complain about it, but if I didn't vote, what right have I to voice any complaint?

[ScutMonkey]

quote:
Originally posted by: Wrawrat

quote:
Originally posted by: fall-apart
And youth voting - it's gen X & Y coming through - they just don't care who's running the country, as long as they can get their MTV and poptarts...

Why should they vote when there is nobody that is representing their ideals? I voted for the Green Party at our last elections... but only because I thought they were the least worst. Oh... and because my vote gave them 1,75$ and I was eligible to early vote. Otherwise, I would not have voted as I compare my vote to the ABB (Anything But Bush) strategy (basically, I didn't wanted to see the Libs or the CPC at the head of our country). I know that I am not alone as pretty much everybody I know voted for a party they didn't really have faith in. As for those who didn't voted... Well, they didn't because nobody was representing them. One of my friends is commie-leaning but there was no commie party in his riding. He was not going to vote for the Libs with Paul Martin or the CPC.

And honestly, why should you bother to vote when you already know who is going to win? For example, I moved to Quebec City this summer and I know that no matter for who I will vote in the provincial or federal election, a member of the Parti Québécois or Bloc Québécois will win by a significant margin. Unfortunately, their ideals don't match mine... and I cannot do anything against that. Now, I will vote at the next provincial election because there is a party that matches my interests but I don't know if I will at the next federal elections, especially if there is a one-hour waiting line at my voting station.

Until the major parties get younger representatives that matches the interests of the youth, I don't think the situation will change. Perhaps many young people were against Bush but they were not going to give their support to Kerry just because he was not Bush.

Because if you don't vote, you're creating a vicious cycle.  If you don't vote, they don't cater to you.  If they don't cater to you, you don't vote?  

If the youth vote had turned out and voted for someone like Nader - as an example, it would have made a huge impact, not on the race itself, but in the minds of future politicians.  They have to consider issues and discuss issues which affect young voters.  But it never happens and it never will which is fine.  

Once again, I don't want people who don't care voting.  If you don't care enough about what's happening to get educated on the issues, I have no desire to see you vote.

[ScutMonkey]

quote:
Originally posted by: UglyShoes
yeah, this is what killed kerry,  this was the unknown mass,  the cell phone hole.   There was big general vote turnout, which marginaly helped kerry. But he the unknown mass didn't get to the polls, which is the group that would have helped him.  Very sad and i just want to kick so many my age in the ass.

Why?  Because they didn't vote, or because they didn't turn out to vote for your guy.  Would you be this upset if they'ed turned out in huge numbers and voted for Bush?

It's an honest question and I'm not trying to be patronizing.  

The reason I ask is because efforts like Rock the Vote claimed to be bipartisan, but when you looked at all the issues they focused on it became obvious they had an agenda.  "If we turn out the youth vote, they'll go for Kerry and we'll be rid of Bush!"

I have no interest in seeing something like that succeed because it's intellectually dishonest.

[Wrawrat]

Maybe, but for who would they vote if they don't trust the current establishment? That's my point! Let's say you are a commie and the only parties in your ridings are the LPC, the CPC and the NDP. For who would you vote if there is nobody matching your own views? I admit that the NDP is leaning to the left but it's not an extreme-left party...

[Wrawrat]

quote:
Originally posted by: ScutMonkey
Because if you don't vote, you're creating a vicious cycle.  If you don't vote, they don't cater to you.  If they don't cater to you, you don't vote?  

If the youth vote had turned out and voted for someone like Nader - as an example, it would have made a huge impact, not on the race itself, but in the minds of future politicians.  They have to consider issues and discuss issues which affect young voters.  But it never happens and it never will which is fine.

I understand... but why would they have voted for, let's say, Nader if they have no reason to do so? The low youth turnout is not a question of laziness like fall-apart said (correct me if I am wrong) but rather of lack of confidence in the candidates/parties.

That said, I think it's not the youth that should try to break this circle but the politicians. I am pretty sure that Kerry would have won if the youth turnout had been in the 40s. The DNC should think about this... and the RNC too, if the DNC ever wins because of them.

quote:
Once again, I don't want people who don't care voting.  If you don't care enough about what's happening to get educated on the issues, I have no desire to see you vote.

Well, I do agree with that... but it won't change the issue.

[demonixz]

quote:
Originally posted by: UglyShoes
yeah, this is what killed kerry,  this was the unknown mass,  the cell phone hole.   There was big general vote turnout, which marginaly helped kerry. But he the unknown mass didn't get to the polls, which is the group that would have helped him.  Very sad and i just want to kick so many my age in the ass.

Way offtopic.. But do you have any idea how confusing it is, you and Little-Acorn having the same av?

I keep seeing the pencils and getting cognitive dissonance

[Wrawrat]

Ohhh, a pencil.

[fall-apart]

quote:
Originally posted by: Wrawrat
Ohhh, a pencil.

You little devil!

[ScutMonkey]

quote:
Originally posted by: demonixz
Way offtopic.. But do you have any idea how confusing it is, you and Little-Acorn having the same av?

I keep seeing the pencils and getting cognitive dissonance

You forgot Ugly Shoes.  He has the same one as well.  Very irritating, heh.

[ScutMonkey]

quote:
Originally posted by: Wrawrat
I understand... but why would they have voted for, let's say, Nader if they have no reason to do so? The low youth turnout is not a question of laziness like fall-apart said (correct me if I am wrong) but rather of lack of confidence in the candidates/parties.

See, but I don't.  I think it's the laziness and disinterest in getting educated on politics.  With all of the issues concerning healthcare, education, taxes, and the economy - especially education and the economy - how could they NOT find something to care about?  It's only your future jobs and schooling.  But they don't care so they don't vote.  You know when people start voting?  When they get kicked out of their parent's house or get out of college and the real world slaps them in the face.  The real world becomes the motivation to get educated and vote.

quote:
That said, I think it's not the youth that should try to break this circle but the politicians. I am pretty sure that Kerry would have won if the youth turnout had been in the 40s. The DNC should think about this... and the RNC too, if the DNC ever wins because of them.

You can't make someone do something they don't want to do.  That's why it's the responsibility of young voters to vote and not politicians to try to light a fire under their ass.  A politician is only truly responsible to the people who voted for him/her and anyone who shows the desire to potentially vote for them in the future.  

quote:
Well, I do agree with that... but it won't change the issue.

No, instead it turns it into a non-issue for me.  I just don't care about people that don't care about voting.

[pipperoni]

Maybe the youth actually are participating by not voting!  They are not voting because they do not believe that the US governments are legitimate!  

[Reflex]

Its laziness, pure and simple.  I know several, they didn't bother and truly did not care.  The apathy is astounding.

Honestly though, I wish fewer people did vote these days.  The 'pack mentality' is not conducive to the system anymore than not voting at all is.  People I know were voting based on what their friends thought was cool(depending on region that was Bush or Kerry), not based on what the candidates did or said or believed in.  My voter's pamphlet arrived two weeks ago, I left it out for the other three people here(I rent rooms out).  No one touched it, I was the only person who actually read it before carefully filling out a ballot and turning it in(absentee voting rocks).  The others here did vote, but they just ran out at the last minute chanting slogans and came back half an hour later.  It was really quite sad.  I hate to see elections decided by such pack mentality rather than people coming to an honest conclusion after studying the choices.  Its one reason third parties have such a tough time, no one will bother to research that which is not offered up to them on a silver platter, fully explained with a 'yes' or 'no' checkbox.

For the record, I voted for Michael Badnarik.  I don't like the Republicrats or Democans at all.  Between the two candidates I suppose I'd rather Bush, if only because of the 'Devil you know...' argument.  But he did nothing to earn my vote, and thus he did not get it.