They've never known a time when Democrats didn't kowtow to Republican demands to shrink the size of the govt, to allow corporations to write laws (remember Cheney letting energy cos write environmental law...and the recent Citicorp law they wrote?)
They've faced rising costs with lower wages because unions, which helped all working people by putting pressure on wages, have little to no power.
They've faced a govt. bailout of banks who wrote laws to favor them while students face a lifetime of student loan debt JUST TO MEET THE FLOOR on basic job requirements.
They've faced a nation that went to war based upon manufactured evidence - and no one has faced any consequence for this.
So, why should they attend an anti-war rally, or campaign for a politician?
ON THE OTHER HAND
Here's what we know works to help democracies, and to help people feel invested in the nation in which they were born -
1. high literacy rates (achieved through education, which is under attack)
2. low rates of religiosity (while this nation coddles the most ignorant fucks in the world - like Raphael Cruz - who should be a laughing stock in this nation whose rants would disqualify his son who doesn't disown him.)
3. TAXES ON CORPORATIONS that raise revenue to fund social programs, along with the programs that help people who are in distress... including retraining, as well as basics like food stamps.
The Democratic Party doesn't dare mention taxation on corporations, or student loan debt forgiveness, or the harm right wing religion brings to a nation, and public schools and teachers have been attacked by high-level Democrats, such as Emmanuel.
So, the problem is that people, and not just young people, see voting as a way to stop the worst that may govern, but not to actually get better govt. And then you have states electing idiotic tea baggers to destroy the economy and harm the poor - and you wonder if you have anything in common that makes you a nation with those who use religion to bludgeon those in need.
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