General Discussion

WillyT

(72,631 posts) Sat Apr 18, 2015, 09:09 PM Apr 2015

Imagine... You're Turning 18 Before The 2016 Election... What Party Do You Choose, And Why ??? [View all]

And try to remember... that they were born in 1997/1998... they were 2 or 3 when Al Gore Gore got screwed by SCOTUS, were 4 or 5 when 9/11 happened...

Were 7 or 8 when we invaded Iraq... 15 or 16 when Barack Obama was elected as president.

We've done many an "Age" poll here at DU, and we tend to skew to the older side of the ledger...

We grew up with it back in "The Day", we got pissed, got active, and chose a party to support us as we supported them. FDR, JFK, MLK, RFK were our history...

I really am asking in earnest here...

Do you think the same thing is going on now for our youth ???

And if you were 18... would you see the divisions as dangerous and stark, or might you "experiment" with Indepedents, or other declared parties ???

I have no answer to this... hoping you do... we're gonna need them.

42 replies

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Imagine... You're Turning 18 Before The 2016 Election... What Party Do You Choose, And Why ??? [View all] WillyT Apr 2015 OP

my son is turning 18 in oct. my other one that is turning 20 will get his first election. seabeyond Apr 2015 #1

I would definitely be turned off by the hyper-religious nuttiness of the republicans. arcane1 Apr 2015 #2

That May Be The Only Thing Saving Us The Youth Vote... But Not All Of 'Em... WillyT Apr 2015 #5

Most teens? If the choice is between a slick but vacuous commercial and two younger candidates... NYC_SKP Apr 2015 #3

Their younger candidates preach the same stupid, bigoted shit that the older ones do. BlueStater Apr 2015 #8

It's not that young adults are not critical thinkers. It's that they don't have a lot of life liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #28

Great Points... All !!! WillyT Apr 2015 #38

"Young wolves, show us your teeth." John Steinbeck Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2015 #4

My very first was a 3rd party vote for Ron "Fuck Ron Paul" Paul, entirely because of the weed. arcane1 Apr 2015 #6

They still desire in many ways the same things we did and yet I think because of the internet AuntPatsy Apr 2015 #7

I often tell my 15 yr old daughter CANDO Apr 2015 #9

18-29 went 66% for Obama in 2008 WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2015 #10

majority of youth vote has gone to Dems in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012 WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2015 #13

Here you go: 69% of 1st time voters went for Obama in 2014 WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2015 #16

Voila DemocratSinceBirth Apr 2015 #17

Of course they do! And for the same reason they went for Obama in 2008 WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2015 #24

My son is 16. My daughter is 20. She sees the economic mess we are in and is pissed. liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #11

Most Excellent Post... Thank You !!! WillyT Apr 2015 #14

Thank you Willy. It's scary being a parent right now. Every generation is doing worse than the last. liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #15

:hug: WillyT Apr 2015 #30

If I were to vote for the first time sadoldgirl Apr 2015 #12

I started toward the Green party but they don't go far enough on education for me. liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #18

And I am a Socialist Democrat, but sadoldgirl Apr 2015 #20

I was clueless at 18. It takes a few years of getting out on your own, paying the bills, liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #21

I just posed your question to my son who will be turning 17 giftedgirl77 Apr 2015 #19

That Is WONDERFUL To Hear... WillyT Apr 2015 #31

The numbers are clear. Now the "why?" WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2015 #22

Young people especially this generation are anti-establishment which gives me hope. Both parties liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #23

With the young people in my family the reasons for voting Demcratic are just a part of how our jwirr Apr 2015 #34

We just agree to disagree in our household. My father is evangelical Christian. liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #35

That would be very hard and not worth arguing with him. He is probably not going to change his jwirr Apr 2015 #36

it should be noted that if the child turns 18 before election day dsc Apr 2015 #25

Good Advice... I Did Not Know That... WillyT Apr 2015 #39

Anyone age 16 when Obama was Jenoch Apr 2015 #26

My sons are a little older, but what I see is close to what you say. Mass Apr 2015 #27

My son just turned 18. The age group thinks politics doesn't matter both parties are the same etc. ALBliberal Apr 2015 #29

Tell your son not to sell himself short. That social media generation can spark revolutions with liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #32

True!! Maybe they will find a good balance between the technological side and the real life? side. ALBliberal Apr 2015 #33

I have real numbers from my area. You're going to hate them. hay rick Apr 2015 #37

And Therein Lies The Problem... WillyT Apr 2015 #40

Their participation in 2012 was really low. Figures for my area... hay rick Apr 2015 #42

Socialist Alternative daredtowork Apr 2015 #41