An Idea To Get The Youth Vote Out In Nov....

[global1]

The Dems need to make an campaign issue of helping relieve the burden of student loans for these kids. I know that this issue is tops on many new grads minds because it really impinges on any plans for marriage, buying a house, etc. If the Dems can come up with a plan to offer some financial relief - this would get the youth vote out for sure.

Any thoughts?

I really don't think the Repugs would take up this mission-do it could be a winner for the Dems.

[Wounded Bear]

1. Good idea...

Great way to 'personalize' the issues. This is one of several issues that Dems need to get agressive on.

[Stuart G]

2. I agree completely with you

I sure hope we have an idea for those who are not in college and the loan issue does not concern them. All youth has to turn out to vote..If so, we will win..

[Scuba]

3. Good idea but Jamie and Lloyd said no dice.

[global1]

5. Who Are Jamie & Lloyd?.....nt

[Scuba]

6. The guys in charge of the Third Way and DLC.

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

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

[1000words]

4. Having jobs, helps pay loans.

I'm all for debt relief, but then what? They still don't have career track employment opportunities.

[global1]

7. If We're Able To Take The House Back & Retain The Senate....

The President will be able to follow thru with his jobs plan and infrastructure build.

I'm 65 y/o but I'm voting so the youth coming up will have it better. If the Repubs win - the youth won't have a chance. We've got to convince them that this Nov election is critical for their future.

Those that say their votes don't count - remind them how much money is being raise by the Repubs to buy votes. If they're willing to spend so much money on this election then they must believe people's votes count.

This IMHO is the most important election in both my lifetime and even more critical for the youth.

[1000words]

8. "We've got to convince them that this Nov election is critical for their future."

They were told and fully embraced that concept, in 2008.

I get the feeling they think they've been had ...

[BlindTiresias]

10. Yep

Currently the youth vote only favors the Democrats because they fear the Republicans more. This is a desirable turn of affairs for the Dem leadership as it ensures a captive audience, but there is a real sense of desperation among the youth presently.

[1000words]

13. Turd Way/GOP

Good cop/Bad cop

The youngin's wised up to it quickly. Smart kids.

[No Vested Interest]

9. Another idea: hot dog on a bun -

near voting polls of college-age students and in neighborhoods of the needy.

Wouldn't you like a nice warm hot dog before or after you vote?

[BlindTiresias]

15. Not sure if you are being serious or not.

[No Vested Interest]

19. I am at least half serious; don't know how it would work

in the practical sense, but the fact is people are drawn to free food, and even the aroma of food cooking is a draw.

I saw a story just last week where a local Dem. headquarters were having a cookout before the primary, and getting people to sign a candidate's nominating petitions, and it occurred to me that food is a great draw and why couldn't we Dems draw voters in a similar fashion.
The cost would not be large. I don't know if that would be considered a form of bribery, though I have understood that in some cities (Philadelphia? for one) that there is an expectation of some sort for coming out to vote.

Maybe this idea is a little outside the box, but I'd like to throw it out there and have the group toss it around and see how it could be useful.

[BlindTiresias]

20. Yeah

I get the sense people in my generational cohort are feeling disenfranchised due to bad policies and not a lack of free food.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

25. One thing we've learned over the years at our community college is that...

...if you want people to show up for something-- employees or students-- you have to have food. The menu varies depending on the time of day. Traditional aged students especially are always hungry.

[BlindTiresias]

35. yeah, once again

I am pretty sure the problem isn't free hotdogs. This is absolutely facile.

[donnasgirl]

11. I am sorry to say

It is way to late, my daughter and her friends were shown this about an hr ago and told us this simply is not enough to sway their vote. They have informed us they no longer trust the politicians and are going to stay home, they are sick and tired of being lied to.

[BlindTiresias]

14. If the dem leadership

Doesn't want to get a good kicking they need to propose some much more radical policies and follow through on them. I suspect they don't care as they are going to get paid regardless of outcome.

[donnasgirl]

17. I am going to let my daughter answer this if it is Ok

[BlindTiresias]

18. Yeah that would be great

Always appreciate new perspectives from my generational cohort regarding politics.

[donnasgirl]

22. Hello my name is Theresa

I and many of my friends have been discussing politics as of late, we have been watching and writing papers on the subject. i will speak for most of the people in my circle of friends, we the little people are tired of watching our parents struggle to pay for our College, i as a student have to work two part time jobs in order to help pay these costs. i will speak about my parents first, it breaks my heart to watch them give up their life in order for me and my brother to go to school. They struggle constantly to pay their everyday expenses, heat, food, electric, and the list just keeps going. We the students had a talk the other day in class and i was actually surprised that we are not the only ones who are struggling with the costs, even the more well to do students are having a tough time of it.
I am sorry to say that when it comes to politics we no longer believe in our politicians, no Democrat or Republican tells the truth any more and we young people are sick of it and are simply going to stay home during the elections. ( More to come )

[No Vested Interest]

23. That is known as nihilism and has never solved

any problems.

It also reveals a lack of creativity in problem-solving re current problems of the day.
Try giving your answer to a perspective employer and see if you get hired.

Did anyone tell you life would be easy?

[donnasgirl]

24. No i was taught life is damn hard

I do not need a lecture from you about what life is like, my father is a war veteran and has taught us what life is all about ( Trust me ). If you do not want an answer on why politicians are losing young people then i will no longer answer.

[No Vested Interest]

30. No longer answer, no longer vote.

So be it.
It will be your country.
I'm sure your Dad didn't go home when going got tough.
The point is not politicians losing people.
It sounds more like faint-hearted college kids.
Sure hope there's not a lot of money borrowed and spent on that kind of college education.

[BlindTiresias]

34. Your callous disregard for her opinions

Is a discredit to the party and to the larger cause of Justice.

[No Vested Interest]

36. Thank you for your input. nt

[donnasgirl]

37. If it is wrong

In your opinion to feel lousy about your parents struggling then i am wrong, i am tired of watching them make choices that affect their daily lives. My parents are dam good people and for years now have given their all and i do not know how much longer they can hold on while our political class can remove their heads out of the sand.

[No Vested Interest]

39. I am sure your parents have worked hard.

They have not worked hard to have those they have nurtured and worked hard for walk away.
Your father served his country - he didn't walk away.
Your Mother, raising a family, didn't and hasn't walked away from the daily pressures.
Those who walk away dishonor their sacrifices.

Re your statement " I do not know how much longer they can hold on while our political class can remove their heads out of the sand":
Isn't that precisely what you are proposing to do?

By the way, what precisely is your political class?

[donnasgirl]

40. I am now an Independent

[No Vested Interest]

41. Good for you. They have been so effective in moving our country forward.

Independents have been so well funded in political advertising.
Independents have brought forward so many ideas advancing our nation.

You are now preparing the USA you will live out your life in, and any future generations you leave your country to.

[1000words]

52. Perhaps if Independents offered free hot dogs, they could get it together

[840high]

44. So am I.

[Fumesucker]

27. The beatings will continue until morale improves

Nice to see someone on DU putting forth a message of hope.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

28. Well, sounds like the corporate media's 'both sides do it' meme is working.

[global1]

29. Voting Is The Only Way To Change That....

not voting only seals the deal for the Repubs that are counting on you not to show up at the voting booth. Things aren't getting accomplished because the Repubs have been stonewalling everything. Whether it be the Repub House not even making an effort to do anything of substance or the Repubs in the Senate filibustering everything. The only way that will change is if the Dems can get back in control. Do you want to go back to what we had to live through under BushCo? I sure as hell don't. But if the Repubs retain the House & take the Senate we'll be on our way back to those days. I really can't stress how important it is for your generation to get out to vote. If you
think things are bad now just you can't imagine how bad things will get.

The President is a good man but is stymied by the Repubs at every turn. Now I don't agree with everything he does but I'll put my faith in him to do the right things as he has two daughters that will have to live through a mess if he can't change things. I'm trying to type this on my iTouch. Later this evening when I'm back to my computer keyboard I can expand on this. But please, please don't sit this election out as the monied 1% is counting on you to do just that.

[donnasgirl]

32. First

I am not the only one who feels this way, second it seems to us it no longer matters what side of the isle a politician is from. I will agree the president is a good man but he also has made many mistakes in the view of many young people. As for sitting out this election i still have not made up my mind 100% but have registered from Democrat to Independent and will no longer take any politician at his or her word. Could you imagine voting for Sarah Palin, I can't

[global1]

45. No I Couldn't Imagine Voting For Sarah Palin But If People Didn't Go Out And Vote That Year.....

McCain & Sarah Palin could have won. One of the reasons that they didn't win is because of the huge voter turnout. One of the reasons President Obama is having trouble keeping his promises is because the Repubs took the House when voters didn't turn out to vote in the midterms. Bottom line is every vote counts and your vote counts too. If you sit out the 2014 election it's because you've been had by the Repubs and right wing media. You've fallen prey to their plan of disenchanting voters about the system - so they don't turn out and vote. The more people sit out elections it plays into the hands of the Repubs and it gives them the edge. Their people are fervent in their beliefs and they wouldn't think of sitting out an election and not voting.

Look I'm an old guy now. When I was your age and in college - politics was the furthest thing from my mind. I was interested in graduating college and getting my first job in my profession. Then I could get my first car and get married and buy a house. All those things that we were conditioned to attain by our parents and society at that time. I didn't take out any student loans and have a burden of paying them back after I graduated. College was affordable and a part-time job during school sessions and a full time job in the summer - covered the costs of my schooling. And that includes - two Masters Degrees as well.

Nowadays education has become big business and the colleges and universities have their hands in the back pocket of your parents and you. Parents start saving for their kids college fund at their birth. It's become unaffordable - and you have to go into hock in order to get an education these days. And because the banksters have their hands in the process - you almost never recover from the loans and wind up paying them down well into your career. Forget about that car. Forget about that house. Forget about a big wedding. You just can't afford any of it because of these loans.

I really didn't get interested in politics - until - and I'm ashamed to say it - 9/11. After that happened I was tuned into anything I could get my hands on politically. That's when I began to realize that we were being had. That we were being lied to. That we were losing control. I found the BushCo years unbearable. I did everything I could to get Barack Hussain Obama elected and I was proud to be in Grant Park in Chicago the night he was elected. There was a big relief when McCain/Palin conceded the loss and when Dubya got on that helicopter and was flown out of D.C.

I said in another post here in this thread - I'm not behind everything President Obama does - but he's the best President I've lived under during my 65 years.

From the day of his inauguration - the Repubs formed a pact that they would do everything in their power to make him fail. And in spite of everything they've done and are still doing - IMHO - he's done a fantastic job.

I sit back and think about all that he could accomplish if he had cooperation - but with the political climate in D.C. as it is - that isn't in the cards unless the Dems are able to maintain the Senate and take back the House in Nov 2014. Don't even think about 2016 yet - we got to get through 2014.

Now - I'm on the downside of my time here on earth - but your generation has probably 2/3 or more of life to live. You have to ask yourself - what should I expect during this period. Will things get better or will things go further downhill? Will I be able to live a life even half as comfortable as my parents have - or will it even be harder for me?

What I am seeing is that the way things are lining up - I'm glad I don't have any children or grandchildren that will have to deal with that type of future. Even though I don't have any children or grandchildren - I'm going to vote in Nov in a way that I feel that will give your generation a fighting chance.

However, it really disappoints me to learn that your generation is content with sitting out the election - either because you feel you can't trust politicians or that even if you voted your vote wouldn't count. To me that's giving up without even trying to get your licks in.

Check out this post on "If Voting Didn't Change Anything We'd Still Have": http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024905731

And here are a few things that will happen if we don't keep the Senate and win the House:

Obama will be impeached.
Obamacare will be repealed and we'll go back to insurance companies being the death panels.
Social Security will be dissolved.
Medicare will become a voucherized program and if you run out of vouchers - you just didn't manage your vouchers right.
The EPA will be closed.
The pipeline will be built. All kinds of drilling in the Gulf. Fracking will even happen in our city parks. But there will be jobs created to clean up the spills.
Buy munitions stock cause war will be perpetual especially if the Repubs win the Presidency in 2016

And as long as I've been this preachy thus far I might as well continue. I think I eluded to this in another post in this thread but here's a word to people that won't vote because they say their vote won't count.

I listen to progressive radio and a lot of discussion lately has to do with GOTV in November and the poor showings of voters at some of the recent primary races around the country.

What really irks me are the people that say that their lonely vote doesn't count.

My counter to that is - look at all the money being raised and given by donors like the Koch Bros & Adelson, etc. They are raising this money to essentially buy votes.

Think about it - look how much they are willing to spend to buy a vote. So donnasgirl that is how important your vote is.
That is the price of a vote in this country. If they are willing to spend so much to buy a vote or to persuade you to sit out and not vote - then they must think that that one lonely vote that each and everyone has is worth the money to buy it or quash it.

Again I apologize to you for being so preachy. I'm really mad at myself though. I'm mad because I didn't get politically involved earlier in life. I'm kicking myself - because I'm thinking if I did - things would be a lot better than they are right now.

So I'm asking you donnasgirl - to reconsider sitting out and not voting in November. I'm asking you to share this with your friends that share your feelings - and see if you can get them to the polling place in November.

Look into things a little deeper. In your classes explore the issues and see which Party is on the wrong side of most all of the major issues that effect us. You are a female. That issue alone should be the motivator to get you to vote in November. Women's rights. Equal pay for equal work. Pro-choice or pro-life.

What about all the voter suppression that is going on in this country? What about being denied health care? What about climate change? The environment? Immigration? Civil Rights -Minority and LGBT?

[BlindTiresias]

31. I appreciate your perspective on this

My friends/colleagues and I have had very similar experiences as you and it is indeed frustrating and desperation inducing. My only advice I can offer is that the people must mobilize as a movement and start dictating terms and consequences to the political leadership regardless of party orientation. If you haven't already heard of him I would highly recommend Chris Hedges latest work as well as his highly illuminating interviews as well as Richard Wolff's lectures on youtube.

I would also advise what I do to the callous orthodoxy: Address them firmly but never on their own terms. If they are truly concerned with justice they will eventually come over to our way of thinking and convince themselves they always believed in this. If they love privilege and power more than justice then they will be your enemy, but they always were your enemy. Do not let the talk down to you or belittle you as a citizen or as a human.

[840high]

43. My grandsons feel the same way. Thanks.

[lovemydog]

46. Hi Theresa

Thank you for your comments. I humbly suggest that if you look at what Democrats stand for and vote for in Congress, you will find that they are by and large worth voting for. And that they are much better than Republicans. Yes, it's a lesser of two evils. All voting is that. Good luck to you and your family!

[randr]

51. Tell your daughter

that her and her friends now control the country. All they have to do is vote in numbers above 51% and they can not lose.
If the Republicans take the Senate and keep the house their world will be incredibly different than if not.
The boomers changed the world they inherited and minorities, including women, are now allowed to vote. The struggle is endless.
If the youth of today find anything wrong with the system it is now their own fault.

[pansypoo53219]

12. make state college free for c+ + up students.

the new high school.

[hopemountain]

16. senator warren is proposing a bill to lower the

interest rates on student loans to below regular rates - as they used to be and making this her issue for her campaign.

there is info at her website explaining the how and the why: http://www.warren.senate.gov

[donnasgirl]

42. senator warren

Is one individual i will break my leg getting to the polls to vote for if she runs for President, but i do not see that happening right now. Bernie sanders is the other i would vote for.

[DesertDiamond]

21. YES!!!!!!

[The Wizard]

26. Only bigots don't vote the bottom line. (NT)

[Supersedeas]

47. that among other things

[blkmusclmachine]

33. Tell the under-30 crowd that their lives are OVER should the GOP capture the Senate, w/a "HELL NO!"

vote for confirmation to the SCOTUS, when it comes time to replace 81-year old liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

[BlindTiresias]

38. Won't work

This line of argument only increases desperation.

Edit: Also they already vote for dems out of fear. You are just reinforcing the fear.

[hobbit709]

48. Give them a reason to GOTV.

When all you see is Corporate A and not quite so bad corporate B there's not really a lot of motivation.

[lovemydog]

49. There's a huge difference

between a helping hand and an iron fist. If you don't see it for yourself, perhaps think of others who will no longer be turned away from health insurance coverage for a preexisting condition. Or taking meaningful steps to reverse climate change. There are dozens of other examples like this one. I always vote for the most progressive available candidate. In local, city and state elections, that's often a green party candidate. People have been saying it's the lesser of two evils since voting began. Yes, that's exactly what it is. And that's how progress occurs. If you sit it out, you're essentially saying you don't care. Not just for yourself, but for others who might be effected. Voting is the least you do as a person with empathy toward others. Not the most.

[hobbit709]

50. When you feel like you're getting screwed by both sides it's hard to tell the difference.

[DemocraticWing]

53. I'm a young person voting Democrat.

But only because the political system is essentially a loaded gun to my head. If I don't do what I can (vote for the lesser corporatist party that doesn't care about me) then I'll be shot in the head by the worse corporatist party that actively disdains me.

[lovemydog]

54. That's kind of how I vote too

I know it's nauseating sometimes. I'd prefer a Congress full of people like Warren & Sanders. In my dream world, we'd restore the marginal tax rate on the top 2% to Eisenhower-era levels of around 90%, cut military spending in half, close all tax loopholes on corporations, zero income tax on people earning less than a certain amount (let's say $50k) per year, and restore the capital gains tax to Clinton era levels of around 30%. Nationalize the banking and health care industries. Provide health care for all and public education as far as one chooses. We'd unleash an enormous amount of energy and creativity when people no longer have to worry about these costs. Just look at the countries where people report being the happiest. They have done a much better job at doing these things.