Arkansas Blog

My friends were just like that when they were young. Unfortunately, I find that young people tend to migrate more toward the conservative positions as they age and have children.

"It found that substantially more Americans ages 17 to 29 than four years ago are paying attention to the presidential race. But they appeared to be really familiar with only two of the candidates, Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, both Democrat"

The 18-24 age group has the lowest voter turn out of any group. So, it doesn't matter what this age group thinks. They just don't vote.

Too, the family has the greatest influence on one's political persuasions. So, if one grows up in a Democratic family, they will most likely be Democrats and if they grow up in Republican families.......

"Unfortunately, I find that young people tend to migrate more toward the conservative positions as they age and have children."

This wouldn't be true if candidates and GOTV groups would spend more time and money on young voters. Studies show that, throughout their lives, voters tend to stick with whatever party they voted for the first three times in their youth.

While voters 18-25 certainly aren't showing up in the numbers they should, a little investment would unlock what will be 25% of the electorate by 2012. Both parties should be trying to tap that.

"The 18-24 age group has the lowest voter turn out of any group. So, it doesn't matter what this age group thinks. They just don't vote."

Yes, but we've seen a spike in their turn-out in the last two national elections. And when they DO vote, as Max pointed out, they vote Democratic by an overwhelming margin.

It takes work, Cato. But if everyone will go out and get involved in the youth voting effort next time around...

Jane, get you a room of about 28 of this age group. Pass out a sheet of paper and ask them who the current Vice President is. Don't be shocked at what you discover.

I wouldn't be surprised.

But I also wouldn't be surprised if: based on a platform of providing universal health-care, ending the educational gap, and facing poverty as a moral issue; those 28 chose to vote for liberal Democrats for the rest of their lives.

Who cares what they know now? It's about potential.

"those 28 chose to vote for liberal Democrats for the rest of their lives."

Dreamer. You forget the domination of talk radio, etc. of the wingnuts. Right now, about 36 % of the voters identify with the Democratic party, 34 % identify with the GOP and the other 30 % call themselves "independent." For either party to win, they have to get that independent 30%. Dems haven't done too good a job lately. The further we get away from the Great Depression and that generation disappears the more difficult it will be for Democrats to be a majority of voters.

The very fact these kids think we are or could possibly win this war when it is not a war, it is an occupation... sums up the abject failure of media to portray the blatantly obvious facts in their reporting..

The group to court is single women.. that is the largest group who does not vote. What I fear is that they will come out for the first time in droves for Hillary only to be severely disappointed and ten years from now stay away from the process for many decades afterwards.

People would vote overwhelmingly and consistently for progressive candidates if those candidates sincerely pursued those issues once elected..

Damn the triangulators!

"Jane, get you a room of about 28 of this age group. Pass out a sheet of paper and ask them who the current Vice President is. Don't be shocked at what you discover."

Cheney shot his friend in the face. Even people who don't pay attention notice when idiots shoot their friends in the face.

As someone above posted, my age group has shown an increase in voting over the last two presidential elections. And the trend has shifted from the 2000 Election which showed Republicans dominating that demographic to Democrats doing so. Kerry did very well in my age group. There is increased awareness from the youth of this country, and luckily for us the foundation of our next generation is voting Democratic.

"Cheney shot his friend in the face. Even people who don't pay attention notice when idiots shoot their friends in the face."

Again, AR-26, get a room of 28 of these 18-24..........and get your eyes opened. You don't think I'm pulling this out of the air do you.

You're being too hard on the younger folks, Cato...

You could probably say the same thing of any group of 28 adults...

While this poll doesn't give the exact age groups it's extremely frightening...

I'm really concerned about these young Americans thinking we are going to come to a successful conclusion in Iraq. I'd like to know how we are defining conclusion and successful. Right now it looks like we will be there for a long time and without much success.....

"You're being too hard on the younger folks, Cato..."

I deal in facts.

I'm really concerned about these young Americans thinking we are going to come to a successful conclusion in Iraq."
Mr Rickey

To bump up Cato's cynicism ask the sample group (18-24) if they think men can climb up walls, and can superman fly and will there be half human machines in 10 years.
Then you will be surprised.

Oh ask them if we have a democracy, republic, or monarchy, iust for fun. After I saw the results of the last one I almost lost hope.
.

It's sad to see so much ageism in this thread. Although I myself am an adult, I find it unfair to believe I am more informed than younger generations. Education in America has changed drastically over the past 50 years; it's gotten much more challenging. If anything, younger generations are more intelligent at 18 than most adults were at that age. We should avoid the ideals of Adultocracy.

Furthermore, politics are not black and white. Let's not make sweeping generalizations that all young people are politically uninformed or idealistic.

Good point, Mark. 18 year olds now are much better educated -- and in tune with where massive societal changes driven by the internet are going -- than 18 year olds were 10 or 20 or more years ago.

Historically, however, older people have ALWAYS said that the younger generation is going to hell in a handbasket.

I am a member of a group that thinks about intelligence, and in reality IQ points have been steadily rising over the years. No one knows why. It could be the stimulation provided by all our technology bringing more of the world to them, it could be nutrition - who knows.