Where are all the young voters?

[brooklynite]

Washington Post:

In addition to being (obviously) the laziest, most narcissistic and most entitled generation ever, millennials have claimed for themselves yet another generational superlative: least likely to vote.

A new report from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University finds that, in 2014, youth voter turnout fell to its lowest level on record. Just 19.9 percent of 18- to 29-year-old citizens cast ballots last fall, compared with an average of 26.6 percent for the same age range in other midterm elections over the previous 40 years.

To be fair, voter turnout hit record lows across the board, not just among younger voters. But among the young, turnout fell especially steeply from an already low baseline.

The question, of course, is why. Why is this generation, which seems to consider itself so socially conscious, leaving democracy behind?

[JDPriestly]

1. They are at Bernie rallies.

The Bernie crowds include so many young voters. It's quite amazing.

[RKP5637]

3. K&R! n/t

[Skidmore]

5. But will they be at the polls?

[JDPriestly]

16. That is up to those of us who are volunteering for Bernie.

Bernie's campaign is just starting.

We will all be meeting on July 29th in homes and other meeting halls across the country. We are filling up the guest lists on Benrie's website very quickly.

Just talked to a very active Democrat the other day. I mean a really, really active Democrat. And he too is a Warren/Sanders person. I was amazed.

It was a funny thing. He said "I bet you're for Hillary." That's what all the active Democrats think everyone else is -- for Hillary. That impression is based on the poll numbers. But then I said, "No. Bernie Sanders." We agreed that we liked Warren and that the big issue is Glass-Steagall. That is Hillary's weak point. Glass-Steagall.

As Bill Clinton used to say back in the day before he could command a couple of hundred thousand just for a speech, "It's the economy, Stupid."

I think one of his campaign advisers thought that one up. But it still fits. It's the economy stupid. The recovery has been great for the 1%, but thanks to imports of goods and exports of jobs, it sure has been trickling down to the rest of us very, very slowly.

And you have to have an awful lot of money and take ginormous risks to benefit from the current "prosperity." Working or putting a little money in the bank savings account will not catch your income up to inflation. If you are a little guy, you are falling behind, not getting ahead.

And the minute you see a little crack in the wall and think it might get you ahead, some trade agreement opens it up for others to rush in and push you back. So that is why Bernie is doing very well, thank you, at the grass roots level right now.

[TBF]

12. Woot! K&R nt

[Android3.14]

2. Why is this generation leaving "democracy" behind?

because those quotation marks were intentional.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

4. Why I'm less likely to take this author seriously.

In addition to being (obviously) the laziest, most narcissistic and most entitled generation ever

They should probably 'get off his lawn' too.

[RKP5637]

7. Yeah, same here. That line really turned me off. I think Millennials are fed up with the

system as are many of us. Hopefully, they will be working with us in 2016 to stop the RW.

[djean111]

6. 20 YO Redditor grandson (lives with me, has a job) says this is the first time that he feels

a candidate will actually change things.
The Bernie for President subreddit has 67,918 members. The Hillary for President subreddit has 393 members.
The O'Malley subreddit has 59.

I think there may be a fair amount of Millenials on Reddit. Yes, there are some nasty sub-reddits. And yes, someone here has sneered that Redditors are all middle-aged men in cubicles. This does not negate that almost 68,000 (and climbing) number. And the subreddit is really really well laid out, lots of links to good information, fundraising ($109,000 to date), event calendars, etc. Lots of good and detailed comments. (link is available in the Bernie group here )
Info on how to register and vote in the primaries. Things like that.

In any event, grandson says they all like what Bernie has to say, they consider all the other candidates politics as usual. Same old same old. No point to any of them, they certainly are not there to make things better for Millennials. And Bernie's AGE is not even considered; they go to his rallies, they watch him on the net. It is what he has to say, and the fact that he is not an insider. They see the effects of H-1B visas and outsourcing - first hand.

The question, of course, is why. Why is this generation, which seems to consider itself so socially conscious, leaving democracy behind?

Because they do not consider what is happening politically in the US as "democracy". Same families, same outcomes, same corporate ownership. Gerrymandering. Skeevy vote counting. Stolen elections. They look up EVERYTHING on the net. They do not read shiny brochures or watch TV commercials.

I assume this will be derided/debunked - it doesn't change reality - just giving my impression.

[RKP5637]

10. Agree!!! "Because they do not consider what is happening politically in the US as "democracy".

(Because of) Same families, same outcomes, same corporate ownership. Gerrymandering. Skeevy vote counting. Stolen elections. They look up EVERYTHING on the net. They do not read shiny brochures or watch TV commercials."

[Nuclear Unicorn]

8. "In addition to being (obviously) the laziest, most narcissistic and most entitled generation ever"

I wonder if the author would like me to vote for their candidate?

[sufrommich]

9. Every voter demographic is lower in mid terms and this

article about the youth vote has been written in every presidential election since I can remember.The older people are,the more likely they are to vote.

[mmonk]

11. Unemployed and at home with their parents.

[cwydro]

13. My co-workers at my last job were both black and white.

Mostly young people and mostly female. Didn't matter their race, most had no idea what was going on in the Garner case, though they had some knowledge of Michael Brown. Many told me - "I just don't have time to worry about politics or any of that stuff." Usually they said this with an eyeroll lol. These were all educated young people with at least a BS or BA degree.

The older co-workers were a bit more engaged, and they all voted (judging from the I voted stickers I saw on voting days).

[DonCoquixote]

14. the key lies right here:

In addition to being (obviously) the laziest, most narcissistic and most entitled generation ever, millennials have claimed for themselves yet another generational superlative: least likely to vote.

In short, the condescension from Boomers and sad to say, Xers.

as far as Democracy being left behind, should not he question be, why did Democracy fail them? Here is a hint, look at the student loan debt, the job market, and the way everyone pissed all over occupy Wall Street. Yeah Woodstock had it's sordid crap, but we still bow to it, even though many rock stars of that era saw how full of shit it was.

If the mIlennials knows the Baby boomers still have their hands on the wheel, and will still do whatever he fuck hey want to do, regardless of anyone, why should they help? the Laziest (meaning those who work two jobs and an internship) know they are not wanted, and that their boomer boss still wants their latte more than they want them part of any process that is not making the truly most entitled generation more entitled.

most of them just hope that after the boomers die, that there will be something left, and they know that is unlikely thanks to the Boomers selling the country to Beijing, and building up enough bad will that the world will happily see america go.

[RadiationTherapy]

15. Where are all the 3rd way wealthsplainers trying to deflect away from the demoralizing state of

income inequality?

Where are they?

Where oh where are the wealthy democrats who want to maintain the status quo with their corporate representatives and blame the continued banana-republic-spiral on those being pressed hardest? Hello? Has anyone seen any corporate democrats anywhere? Hello? Is this thing on??

[Rex]

17. I love watching entitled, D.C bubble babies write about something they are clueless about.

It is very entertaining.