The GOP is literally dying off

[scheming daemons]

Only one age group skews more Republican than Democratic.

And they're rapidly dying off.


We *MUST* get the young people to the polls.

[Mister Ed]

1. That's why they have to do away with democracy. n/t

[Johnny2X2X]

11. Exactly this

The Republicans realized this a couple decades ago, and rather than change their positions to respond to voters, they decided to prevent people from voting.

[mylightningtoo]

34. DAMN GOOD POINT

[gopiscrap]

17. welcome to DU

[riversedge]

3. But older Americans still vote more in numbers than the younger folks.

[scheming daemons]

4. Yes... but with each year.... it moves more towards Democrats

As Silent and Boomer generation voters die off.... more Gen Zs turn 18.

And the Millennials and Gen Xs get older and more likely to vote.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. Yup. Unfortunately

That needs to change. We got to get the younger generations to care about politics and get them to treat participation as something other than a "hobby".

[not_the_one]

6. hopefully David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez, and their peers

will get, and keep the interest up among their generation.

We HAVE to get them involved, it is THEIR life and world, now. THEY need to start making the decisions.

We have tried, but seemed to have failed. But we can surely help to give them the support they need.

I am a boomer, and proud of it. We had lofty goals, but life happens, and many of us have lost the direction we were heading in. We can STILL be majorly influential, though.

I am going to do my part.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

9. I will do the same

[bluescribbler]

20. As a "Boomer" I do understand this.

I'm a lifelong Democrat. Many of my peers have gone to their maker.
Unfortunately, as people age, many tend to become more conservative. Once they have something tangible to protect, such as a home, an income, or a position of status, they fight to protect it. They will abandon positions and principles they once held if they feel their assets to be threatened. I hope this doesn't happen to me, or to the younger generations. Remember, when I was young, my generation fought for civil rights, fought against war, fought for women's' rights and for LGBTQ+ rights. And yet, now many of my peers have forsaken those fights.

[Aristus]

23. I have more material assets now than I've ever had before in my life.

I just keep drifting further and further to the left as I get older.

Turning right, whether it's related to acquisition of assets or not, is likely tied to decreasing empathy as one grows more isolated from one's fellow human beings.

[bluescribbler]

29. I hear you.

I too have more material assets than ever before in my life. I am also childless, by choice. But I do have a 34 year old niece whom I love dearly. I also have a girlfriend who has a 6 and 4 year old grandchildren. I worry for them as they grow into the world they will inherit. That is why I am still a Democrat, (of the Kennedy, Warren stripe.

[Thekaspervote]

31. This!!

[redstatebluegirl]

37. There are a lot of elderly people who are barely making it.

Those are the ones who become more conservative as they age. They are terrified and the GOP feeds on people's fears.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

60. fear, rage, hate are the fuel; Fox and AM radio are the fans

We need to take care of each other and break the propaganda machine.

[luvtheGWN]

63. And they continue to vote against their own best interests.

It's long past time that Democrats (and Liberals in my country) should continuously hammer home - over and over and over -- being conservative is NOT what you think it is.

I watched part of The View this morning, and Meghan McCain was so very proud to state she was a conservative Conservative. I wish someone would ask her what that actually means. "I think it does not mean (anymore) what you think it does", and even her father, whose name she drops at every GD opportunity, wouldn't be today's conservative - in either country.

The stupid....it burns.

[sacto95834]

87. I wonder if there is polling on this issue...

It seems those with little to nothing are angry with the world. They need somebody to blame for their lot in life and the Republican talking points fuel their anger and gives them a target.

I often wonder if they were successful in say banishing everybody of color and their lives do not change and will likely only get worse, what then?

[appalachiablue]

108. The cons would find other 'oppressors' to blame for

for the woes (and ignorance)-- more femnazis, urbanites, environmentalists, disloyal non patriots, etc.

[DENVERPOPS]

146. They especially

go after the fear of anyone who isn't white............

[Ohiogal]

126. I have modest material assets

But the older I get, the more liberal I get.

I have 3 twenty something sons and I want them to live in a better world than what we have now.

[Aristus]

133. Amen.

[Act_of_Reparation]

136. Insecurity more than empathy.

The world changes. People, depending on their psychology, often do not.

Old conservatives are poorly adapted to change, and resist it. The more dramatic the change, the stronger their resistance to it. These are my in-laws. Once staunch blue-collar Democrats, they are now grumpy retired Trumpists wasting away their afternoons complaining about how the world was so much better when they were younger (i.e., when they understood it).

Old liberals are well adapted to change, and are more or less welcoming of it. They watch new movies. They listen to new music. They try new foods. They travel. They read. They challenge themselves. Change to these people is far less threatening. These are my parents, whose politics have remained largely unchanged for all the years I've known them.

[treestar]

142. Interesting thought; maybe an answer for Democrats

is more engagement with older, isolated people, rather than courting the elusive young vote.

[treestar]

141. I have a right wing uncle who quotes

something like, you turn conservative when you have something to conserve.

[Aristus]

143. Except conservatives don't conserve.

They destroy everything they get their greedy hands on...

[LiberalFighter]

78. True. But the ratio becomes less and less Republican.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

98. Yes, but in all fairness to us "Silent" folks,

our version of a republican president was Eisenhower !!!!

[Aquaria]

119. I would love it if

The stats people would have broken their data down into five-year segments, rather than the broader trends they tend to use. The silents may have been drowned out (yet again) from having so many boomers creeping into the 65+ demographics in 2016, the first election where enough of them crossed the threshold to make a major impact in that group.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

157. And I STILL have my "I Like Ike" button !!

[Act_of_Reparation]

135. Older Americans occupy a greater percentage of the population breakdown.

[Eyeball_Kid]

155. This is why we need a strong immigrant population.

There are fewer people who can do the nation's work.

[onetexan]

144. hence why it's important to reach out to the young people - HS seniors voting age & college age

the young are the future, and a force to be reckoned with. Liberal young people make liberal older adults.

[secondwind]

7. 20 yr old granddaughter is a proud Democrat and votes... she was raised right.

[dewsgirl]

32. As does my 22 yr old son and DIL.

[Eyeball_Kid]

156. My kids and their spouses all vote Democratic. I'm lucky. n/t

[fleur-de-lisa]

8. Hence all the efforts to cheat by any means possible.

They know they cannot maintain power without stealing elections.

[smirkymonkey]

10. K&R

[albacore]

12. Dead on its feet...

But.
Like a brain-shot rhino....still staggering forward, and capable of great damage in its death throes.
We have to wary.
Until the twitching stops.

[warrior1]

13. Good.

[greatauntoftriplets]

14. Not fast enough.

[MaryMagdaline]

15. Yet they have the Senate, Presidency and Supreme Court

shame on us

[DENVERPOPS]

147. MM ! worse than that

they totally own the Dept. of Justice.........THAT is the slam dunk........

I dread, as everyone else should, the morning of Nov. 4th. If we were all worried about Y2K, it won't hold a candle to what we will see on the morning after the election, esp if the Dem wins the presidency.........

It will be Katie Bar The Door.......

WASF

[brush]

16. To all "ok, Boomer" sayers, check out the boomer percentages.

It's as I've always said, the boomer generation has always been split down the middle, meaning that the whole generation are not trumper/repugs.

Even during the 60s-70s there were activists/protest participants v the young repugs/hard hat crowd.

And boomer numbers are still holding that blue/red dichotomy (slightly more blue) even as boomers have gotten older.

[robbob]

28. I've always looked at hey boomer

Last edited Wed Dec 18, 2019, 01:22 AM - Edit history (1)

as a rebuke to that tendency of people as they get older to criticize the upcoming generations. There’s that famous quote (that I won’t bother looking up) which rails against the “youth of today, who are lazy and disrespectful”, etc. etc. that was supposedly written 2,000 years ago by a Greek philosopher.

So I see the whole “ok, boomer” not so much as a political rebuke as just a generational eye roll as us older folks when we start with the “back in my day, we knew the meaning of a hard days work, we didn’t sit inside playing video games” and so on.

[brush]

39. Now it means all boomers are trumpers and anti-environmentalists.

[Polybius]

100. Every generation does that to the next though

As an Xer, I did many things that are now mainstream that were frowned upon by Boomers and Silents, such as having an earring or playing video games on a nice sunny day. I try not to judge Z's, but some times I've become that out-of-touch old guy that I once hated.

[MaryMagdaline]

149. Our generation deserves the rebuke

We have the science showing us that global warming is killing the future; we have the means to reverse it; we have the worldwide political structure to combat it; we choose to let the world slip away. Ok boomer is about as mild as it gets.

[Thekaspervote]

41. Yes, split down the middle, but boomers grew up when repukes weren't so crazy

Repukes would defend the constitution and the rule of law, so being a card carrying member of the gop was not equal to being a nazi!!

JIMHO: Otherwise I do think the number of self described Dems among boomers would be much larger

[brush]

48. Yep, repugs weren't out-and-out nazis then and they were...

staunchly against the Russians. Now it's just the opposite.

Many are borderline traitors as they worship the Russian asset in the WH.

[Mariana]

55. The majority of Boomers voted for Trump in 2016.

That's just a fact. It will be wonderful if that doesn't happen again.

[brush]

58. Did you even look at the graphic?

[Mariana]

59. Yes.

It doesn't change the fact that the majority of Boomers voted for Trump in 2016. It will be wonderful if that doesn't happen again.

[brush]

62. Proof please, not just opinion. And that of greatest, GenXers and...

millennials.

[Aquaria]

73. Here you go

Pew:



From this article: https://www.people-press.org/2018/08/09/an-examination-of-the-2016-electorate-based-on-validated-voters/

CNN/Roper:

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

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

BBC/Edison:



https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37922587



Do you need more examples? I can provide them.

[brush]

74. Where's the generational(boomer, GenX, Millennial breakdown?

[Polybius]

101. It says the ages

It's pretty easy to figure it out, if you know when each Generation started and ended.

[brush]

103. Not quite. There are independents in age groups...

not all Democrats or repugs.

So you don't really know how many Dems or repugs voted for trump, or GenXers either for that matter, whose percentages are close to boomers.

[Polybius]

104. The only thing that was confusing is that it blended in a couple of generations

It would have been nice if it just said "Boomer" or "Silents" but at least it had "50-64" and "65+" categories, so we know how those two groups voted.

I didn't miscalculate anything. You asked for proof that the majority of Boomers voted for Trump. You got it, and it's clear as day.

[brush]

105. Yes you did. Some boomers are over 65 and thus, in that chart,...

grouped with the the silent generation who voted heavily for trump.

You need more accurate research as you've proved nothing.

[Polybius]

110. I didn't prove anything because I wasn't the one who posted the graphic

The other poster did. You should be grateful to him/her for it, because it at least gave you most of what you asked for. It was petty helpful. No reason to get nasty, we’re all Democrats here.

[brush]

115. We are all Dems so pls stop disparaging all boomers by saying...

Last edited Thu Dec 19, 2019, 07:15 PM - Edit history (1)

the majority of boomers voted for trump when it's as I've said all along, a generation split down the middle since the 60s-70s between activists/protest participants v young repugs/the hardhat crowd.

It remains so. Many of the most prominent posters here on this very progressive, Democratic site are Democratic boomers still adhering to their progressive stances from before and resent being characterized as trump voters.

[Polybius]

128. I didn't disparage them

The other poster said that. It was actually a surprise to me, because I thought that Boomers were more liberal on average.

[Mariana]

137. Please don't disparage Boomers by saying things that are true?

That's ridiculous. The majority of Boomers voted for Trump. Saying that doesn't "disparage" anyone except the Boomers who voted for Trump. It's really weird that this offends you so much, because it says exactly nothing bad about Boomers who voted for Clinton.

[brush]

139. All boomers?

[Aquaria]

117. Oh for crying out loud.

The statisticians don’t break it down by your particular standards, so you throw a tantrum rather than doing a small bit of thinking?

What’s wrong with you?

In 2016, 13 of the 20 years of the 45-64 age group were Boomers. They are also the vast majority of that age group segment, since the biggest birth number years of all time happened in the mid- to late-50s. Those people would have been in their late 50s and early 60s in 2016.

Seven years of the 65+ age group were also both Boomers and the vast majority of that age group as well, for two reasons: 1) The sheer numbers of them born in 1945-1951 in comparison to previous years, and then 2) the dramatic drops that happen in the population at every five year point after age 65, because, you know, old age kills more people than anything else.

You can also figure out that gen Xers were part of the 45-64 age group (about 7 years of it), but almost the entirety of the 30-44 group (around 13 of its 15-year span), while millennials would have taken up all of the 18-30, and only 2 years of the 30-44.

Comprehending the breakdown by your arbitrary standard would have taken only some basic arithmetic and a nominal bit of flexible thinking, rather than being the typical spoiled boomer and wanting everything handed to you on a silver platter.

And before you get all pissy about that appellation, I’m a late boomer who is embarrassed to be forced into that category, given how those of us at the tail end of the boomers have ZERO in common with the rest of you. Those of us born as JFK babies were no older than 8 when Woodstock happened, FFS. What would we know know about the “classic” boomer 60s peace love dope experiences? I know as much about that as I do about what lies under the frosted crust of Europa.

[brush]

118. Doesn't prove the majority of boomers, as claimed, voted for trump

It's split down the middle as it's always been.

[Aquaria]

122. Okay, boomer

Keep living in denial, there, when all the numbers say otherwise.

[pstokely]

112. how many boomers stayed home?

?

[Esperanto.Mark]

18. Technology bridging geographical boundaries

Mass transit has changed dramatically over the past century, increasing diversity and enriching our global perspective. The internet (if used correctly) has greatly accelerated this process.

What worldview we are exposed to at an early age seems to greatly impact our future decision making for the rest of our lives.

[Sea Glass]

22. Global warming is also another big factor.

The younger generations don't buy into propaganda like many older people. They tend to see through lies spewed by corporations, politicians, and religious leaders. They know their very existence has been put in jeopardy by Republicans and their anti-environment allies.

[Esperanto.Mark]

30. Being born...

in a generation in which you have access to most of recorded knowledge in the palm of your hand can be pretty enlightening...

[LanternWaste]

81. Hence, the Tide Pod challenge.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

83. That looks like genius compared to the "Set Yourself On Fire" challenge.

[BlueTexasMan]

19. War baby says;

We the elders of Texas that still use our brains (busy being born) have been instrumental in turning our county blue last election! The others, I imagine, they just stopped thinking years ago, or never did. They probably hobble to the voter booths because they don't like long hair. My mother (still alive) told me, " Don't tell Daddy you voted for a black man." Sad and typical. Keep on truckin'! We WILL overcome!

[Aristus]

25. I was born and raised in San Antonio.

I've lived in reliably-blue Washington State for decades now. I appreciate the things you and your fellow blue Texans are doing to turn my erstwhile home state into a blue state. I have nothing but fond memories of growing up in Texas, but they are soured by its current status as a red haven.

[Aquaria]

121. The state maybe, but

San Antonio, the rest of South Texas and the other major cities are blue now.

We get more purple with each passing year, as well. Once Texas flips, it’s over for the traitor conservatrash party.

And then it could very well be taco trucks on every corner. I certainly don’t have to go too far to find one, even in my uptight white Northwest Side neighborhood.

You know la raza are taking over when you have taco trucks almost on the doorstep of Shavano Park, guey.

[Aristus]

21. Not fast enough...

[Crunchy Frog]

89. Maybe you could help some of them along.

[Aristus]

90. Nah. I took an oath not to.

n/t

[Chakaconcarne]

24. The GOP is starting to normalize foreign influence over the US

It's the only way they can cheat and blame it on someone else.

[IronLionZion]

26. So boomers aren't the enemy anymore? I thought I was supposed to hate boomers

it's that damn "silent and older" generation that is the problem.

Poorer people tend to die earlier if they can't afford health care. There are other reasons of course, like people who grew up with less diversity might be more conservative about issues that impact only other people. And the conservative mindset tends to believe the past was better in many ways, while the liberal mindset looks forward to the future that we'd like to build.

[DFW]

27. Oh, yeah. You had better hate us.

After all, we're coming to take you away, ha ha ho ho hee hee.................

[scheming daemons]

33. Boomers are still way too Republican

They grew up during Vietnam and Watergate. You'd think they'd be much more liberal than they are.

[Thekaspervote]

42. See post #41

[FBaggins]

84. This actually highlights the error in your OP

It assumes that political affiliation can be tied to generation and largely remains unchanged. That isn't the case. Married couples in their 50s with children tend to be more conservative than single people just out of college. That's partly because conservatives might be more likely to get married and have kids... but it's mostly because different stages of life impact our political beliefs. Not for everyone of course... but in the broad-brush terms of the OP.

You'd think they'd be much more liberal than they are.

Put more accurately... they were more liberal than they are.

[Eyeball_Kid]

154. I agree. I suppose that my experience as a boomer must have been

starkly different than others. I can't see how any boomer could be a GOPer, but that's not in the numbers. People did decide differently. Hell, I've got a sibling who thinks Trumpy isn't a racist and would vote for him again. It's driven by emotion. That's all I know.

[Mariana]

57. We'll see what happens in the next election.

The majority of Boomers voted for Trump in 2016. Hopefully, enough of them are turning away from the Republican Party to reverse that in 2020.

[Sea Glass]

35. My parents are Silent Generation.

Many of their friends turned out to be wealthy racist right wing assholes, with some exceptions. So disappointing. But they are largely in their 80s now, soooo ...

[Turbineguy]

36. What amazes me is the

younger (20's and 30's) trump cultists. How does he appeal to them? Do they seriously think that taking a dump in a gold plated toilet is in their future?

[pstokely]

113. probably come from families full of tRump cultists

nt

[captdemo]

38. The Boomers started out liberal because of Vietnam

Without the fear of being drafted into war, I'm not sure the boomer generation (I am a boomer) would have become liberal.

Younger generations will continue to be concerned about global warming because they are likely to witness more of it first-hand. They are not as likely to become science-deniers when they see the results of the warming right in front of them!

The Democratic Party needs to place the Climate Emergency front and center! If it does, it will stay relevant for younger generations!

[Sea Glass]

49. I agree that the climate needs to be THE issue

not just for political reasons, but because it really is the main issue of our time. And our time is running out rapidly.

[braddy]

120. In 1972 with the Vietnam war and the draft going on, Nixon won 52% of the 18 to 29 year old vote.

In 1968 our bloodiest year of the war, the Democrats won 47% of the 21 to 29 year old vote (pre 18 yr. old vote).

The under 30s were also the strongest supporters of our involvement in Vietnam, especially in the later years.

[captdemo]

129. Wow! Thanks for that correction!

In the group of people I hung out with, the Vietnam war was unpopular.

But, thanks for the reminder that we should never think of the people we know as indicative of the trends in the country.

I my high school, the ROTC only had one student! He was very unpopular for joining.

I didn't know of a single person who wanted to take part in that "Police Action" (which is what my dad called it.)

[braddy]

131. It's pretty wild stuff, the media really misrepresents 1960s reality and the youth voting and

politics, the draft, Vietnam, etc. 10 million boomers served in the military and our Vietnam war dead were 70% volunteers while our WWII war dead were 70% draftees.

[captdemo]

134. The media doesn't cover this at all!

I think the media needs to rewrite history to make the boomers the latest of the enemies of the people. By keeping arbitrarily defined factions (such as generations) at odds with each other, the corporate class maintains their power over us all.

[Brother Buzz]

150. Um, both those 70% number need clarification

Most of the draftees during the Second World were volunteers, and a SIGNIFICANT number of the volunteers in Vietnam were initially drafted. That's a fact, Jack.

[braddy]

151. No it isn't, volunteers would be RA and designated as such, I don't know where you got your numbers

for WWII.

[Brother Buzz]

152. Um, I was wrong

A SIGNIFICANT number of the volunteers in Vietnam enlisted before getting drafted.

During the Second World War, the draft was a tool to regulate the influx of people to keep it running smoothly; volunteers were sent home and told to wait.

I was a member of The Army of the United States, AUS, but was surrounded by NG (ARNG), AR (USAR), and RA in basic training and AIT. Fully 90% of them joined to avoid being drafted. That's a fact, Jack.

[braddy]

153. No it wasn't, I was RA and was surrounded mostly by guys like me, a few NG, a few draftees in

basic and AIT and Jump School, enlisting to avoid the draft was to try and get into the Navy or Air Force or at least a non combat arms job, that is why the U.S. went totally draft in 1943, too many enlistees were trying to avoid ground combat.
In Vietnam 70% of our combat deaths were volunteers, they were not trying to escape the draft by enlisting for ground combat in Vietnam.

[Aquaria]

123. The party stays relevant

Because it stays on the forward-facing side of all issues, climate, economics, labor, science, environment, education, foreign policy, and more.

That’s why we, unlike the traitor conservatrash, don’t need to worry about staying relevant with not only the younger generations but also the older people who care about their fellow humans and the world around us. When you’re on the right side of history, you always stay relevant.

[captdemo]

130. Yes! That's how you do it!

Staying on the side of reality always wins with the people who matter. History will certainly be harsh toward the deniers.

[NNadir]

125. I am a boomer, and my generation...

...disgusts me.

Overall, we were whiny, overly coddled, spoiled, cowards.

I realized this when I was playing, appropriately, softball with some "friends" in the 80's, and all those guys who evaded the draft and opposed the war, ended up singing praises of Ronald Reagan's tax cut and thinking about how much more useless toxic junk they could buy.

It broke my heart.

[rickyhall]

40. It's a wonder why anyone who thinks their assets safer under thieving Repugs.

All but 1 recession/depression since '29 happened under Repug rule.

[Thekaspervote]

44. Ain't that the truth!!

[flibbitygiblets]

43. As some have mentioned, as people age they tend to become more conservative

so these stats may not change over time. And good news/bad news, people live longer than they used to. Well, I should say, they DID until the past couple of years...

My point is, the elderly are more fearful. They're afraid of death, they're afraid of not being able to physically defend themselves. They are more easily frightened by fearmongering politicians and right-wing news outlets.

I don't think this problem is going to "die off". I think we need to take better care of our elders so they're not as susceptible to irrational fear driving them to vote against everyone's best interests.

[DrToast]

85. This is a complete myth!

There is no credible research that shows people become more conservative as they age.

The single best predictor for how someone will vote in their lifetime? How they voted in their first election.

[SharonClark]

95. Gloria Steinem

Always said women get more radical as they age.

[FakeNoose]

45. Don't forget the independent voters

I remained independent for most of my life, even though I voted Dem in every election. I didn't actually join the Democratic Party until 2008 because I wanted to vote for Hillary in the primary. So there are lots of indies just like I used to be, who are really Democrats and vote blue all or most of the time. Not everyone joins the party, and that's OK.

We just need to know we can count on the independents when the chips are down.
And next year the CHIPS ARE REALLY DOWN.

[sandensea]

46. Here's the problem:

As people get older, they tend to become misanthropes - not everyone, of course; but probably a majority. It's just human nature.

And for white voters, this usually means becoming an Archie Bunker-style racist (again, a majority - not everyone).

These neo-fascists in every country with eroding white majorities know this - and it works.

It is what it is.

[Sea Glass]

53. The pollsters are not seeing an age-related shift in ideology like they used to, however.

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/03/new-survey-young-staying-liberal-conservatives-dying-off.html

[sandensea]

54. There's hope after all

What I described certainly applies to many of my relatives, sad to say - but it's good to know the exception is becoming greater than the rule.

Thanks for sharing.

[Sea Glass]

56. You're welcome!

Hope this holds for decades!

[DrToast]

86. Because it's a complete myth

People don’t get more conservative just because they get older. No research shows that to be the case.

[Awsi Dooger]

111. Absolutely correct but you are wasting your time being correct on this topic

I have pointed it out here since 2002. Nobody cares. They prefer the tired flawed conventional wisdom that people become more conservative as they age.

As you emphasized in your prior post, the single greatest indicator is now people voted in their first election. Partisanship is typically forged when a person becomes of voting age. And the single most influential variable at that time is the popularity of the sitting president, and which party he belongs to.

The Silent Generation has always been reliably Republican because they turned 18 when either an unpopular Democrat (Truman) or very popular Republican (Eisenhower) was in office. They didn't become conservative. They always were conservative.

Contrast to the 1994 midterm election when senior citizens were the only group that voted dependably blue. That's because it was the Greatest Generation toward the end of their lives. That generation was politically imprinted as Democratic leaning from the outset, since they became of voting age under an unpopular Republican (Hoover) or popular Democrat (FDR).

Systems are not preferred around here. Subjectivity rules, no matter how tiring and ineffective. Subjectivity has led to Trump resigning at least a half dozen times.

[usaf-vet]

47. Old folk vote more than young voters. To bring out young voters we need ballot initiative that....

.... are important to them. IN 2018 Michigan DOUBLED their young voter turn out by adding a marijuana legalization initiative and an initiative that would make gerrymandering and voter suppression against the law. BOTH initiatives PASSED with large margins.

To bring out young voters we need ballot initiatives on every ballot in every precinct that are important to young voters.

We need to start now to get those initiatives on ballots.

[Sea Glass]

64. That is an excellent point.

Every swing state should have a ballot initiative that appeals to the young voters.

[usaf-vet]

88. It needs to be a nationally driven program. With plans and ops in every state.

What I didn't mention in the above post is that Michael Moore was one of the driving forces in Michigan in 2018.

It seems to me he would be a great national spokesperson for the ballot initiatives in all 50 states

IN 2018 Michigan DOUBLED their young voter turn out by adding a marijuana legalization initiative and an initiative that would make gerrymandering and voter suppression against the law. BOTH initiatives PASSED with large margins.

I was slightly surprised that making gerrymandering and voter suppression against the law was that popular amongst the younger voters.

Someone who reads this and may have a contact for Michael Moore please run with this ball.

[stopdiggin]

50. the young are more informed and politically active

than at any point in history. How to harness that energy toward real world goals is the equation that needs solved. Unfortunately, along with being more informed and engaged, they have also absorbed some of our current toxicity in regards suspicion and distrust of "institutions." Along with their many strengths, the young have a pronounced aversion to "structure." That is not necessarily a misplaced concern (as we have all seen) .. on the other hand, it is an illusion to think you can organize and run a country (or society) with start-ups, instagram, twitter feeds, and go-fund-me drives (the electronic equivalent of cake sales and town hall meetings). You need not only networking but also the leadership and structure where those things can be made effective. (and funding tends to help the cause as well .. as evil as we all know money and it's sources to be)

And, with all of that .. they are still way, way, WAY ahead of where many boomers were at a similar age and stage of development. (and when someone says "OK boomer" .. I always assume they're talking about Esiason .. and he deserves it!)

[DFW]

51. Unfortunately, the radical right has a solution for that.

Not enough Republicans? They will just buy more of them.

[snowybirdie]

52. Hey guys

Stop wishing for us old farts to pass on! The 33% of Silent generation folks are with you and we WILL vote Blue, no matter who!

[scheming daemons]

65. By your own admission, for every 1 of you that will vote Blue.. 2 of you will not.

I want those of you that are voting blue to live to be 100 years old.

And convince your contemporaries to stay home.

[NurseJackie]

61. Yes we must! But it becomes all the more difficult when someone keeps calling the Democratic party...

We *MUST* get the young people to the polls.

Yes we must! But it becomes all the more difficult when someone keeps calling the Democratic party "corrupt" or "feeble" or "ideologically bankrupt". When someone tells outright LIES about the Democratic party by claiming that Democrats are "the party of the one-percent" or "the party of the elite"... or that the party doesn't care about climate change... it just makes me SICK to hear anyone telling those lies. Things like that cause distrust, division, suspicion and resentment.

It weakens the party and generates negativity. Negativity generates apathy. Apathy discourages voter turnout. Low voter turnout gives Republicans a chance to steal the elections.

[comradebillyboy]

69. Well said

[NurseJackie]

72. I deeply despise and have the greatest level of contempt for anyone who would LIE...

Thank you!

I deeply despise and have the greatest level of contempt for anyone who would LIE and denigrate the Democratic party in that way. It serves no good purpose and it only helps the GOP and Trump and the Russians.

[dalton99a]

66. Go faster. Go.

[dlk]

67. Not soon enough...

[calimary]

68. Not nearly fast enough!

[DetlefK]

70. Which republican President are the Republicans holding up as their best?

Trump doesn't count, because he's still in office.

George W. Bush? The GOP refuses to acknowledge that he ever existed.

George Bush? Nobody remembers that that guy existed.

Ronald Reagan? That obscure 80s guy young people know by name only.

[marlakay]

75. Lincoln which is funny because

Back then the republicans were more like democrats now.

[comradebillyboy]

71. The great physicist Max Plank said

A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.

I think that's applicable to most aspects of human endeavor. So extrapolating from Plank, change in society comes as the newer generation replaces the older generation.

So you youngsters just have to wait till us Boomers die off. Or you could get out and vote.

[Sea Glass]

76. This graph is two years old but gives a rough idea of the size of generations.

(Of course a lot of Gen Z isn't old enough to vote yet.)

[LiberalFighter]

77. I've been saying Republicans are shrinking for at least two years.

There are 2 million in the latter group (65 or older) dying each year. That is 8 million that will have died by election 2020. I look at 60% being Republican or leaning.

[pangaia]

79. How many registered voters in each age group would be interesting, also...

[Sancho]

80. young people don't vote...

[Gothmog]

82. Demographic trends are not helping the GOP

[11 Bravo]

91. I have two sons, 23 and 26.

I told them both (half-jokingly) I don't care who you vote for, but VOTE, or you're out of the will!

[tiredtoo]

92. Being a member of the silent and older group

I fall into the 33 percent. Most of the republicans of my acquaintance are in the boomer group. They are the ones fearing the losses of white privilege and so on.. My sentiments are driven primarily for my children/grandchildren. They have a future and i am voting to assure a good future for them.

[Aquaria]

124. My mom is a silent

And she made the same observation about how many of the “young” people in their 50s and 60s were supporters of Agolf Twitler.

Couldn’t argue with her, although I did remind her that most people don’t call those of us in our 50s and 60s “young.”

[LiberalArkie]

93. Don't worry about the old GOP. the young nazi's will more than take their place.

[Mariana]

138. How many young Nazis do you suppose there are?

They came to Charlottesville from all over the country, and they added up to a few hundred. Meanwhile, the majority of voters over 45 cast their ballots for Trump - tens of millions of them.

[Amishman]

94. We've been saying this for 20+ years

Unfortunately people in general end up more conservative as they age.

Don't assume demographic inevitability. We have to work for it

[LS_Editor]

96. I'm tired of reading the Republican Party's obituary.

It's not comforting and doesn't undo the massive damage being done to our country by the GOP.

[warmfeet]

97. Best news,

eva.

May they die even sooner than expected. Much sooner.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

99. They can't die quick enough

So they'll try to take a few of us with them

[Luciferous]

102. My 20 year old votes :)

[doc03]

106. All I can say is not fast enough. If Trump wins next year these numbers

may not matter in the future.

[ArcticFox]

107. Trump is down one voter for sure in Michigan

My dad died last month. Lifelong Republican. I loved him regardless

[AlexSFCA]

109. the only polls that matter are those in swing states

gop knows it better than anyone else.

[Skittles]

114. they will never die off fast enough for me

[nitpicker]

116. If you aren't car-owned

It can be difficult to vote.

My northern VA precinct has the nearest bus route come a half-mile away from the school.

And the one running by the garden apartments has its closest approach at the foot of a moderately steep hill.

There is the option of absentee voting in person at the courthouse or by mail, but it's usually the elderly who do that.

In my personal experience, except for presidential primaries and presidential elections, most of the garden-apartment registered voters don't bother to vote. ((One post-9/11 kid did last month, but that was an exception.)) We do get a few cyclists, but generally it's Gen X and older, usually home-owned, that turn out in person.

Unless people organize, e.g. give rides to the polls, IMO it won't change Here in My precinct.

[Va Lefty]

127. NOT. FAST. ENOUGH.

[brooklynite]

132. "We *MUST* get the young people to the polls."

But an Instagram post is so much easier...

[treestar]

140. Some of them will turn right as they get older

It's always this way; that's the problem.

[RobertDevereaux]

145. WAY TO SLOW. Speed the fuck up!

[TruckFump]

148. Thank gawd for large favors.

I cannot stand this RWNJ bullcrap.