The Obama Democrats’ Real Dilemma:
When the Rubber, er, Rhetoric Meets the Road
When the Rubber, er, Rhetoric Meets the Road
Young people swarmed to the Obama bandwagon last year because of the Democrat’s hip campaign and powerful presence. Many had little idea what exactly their man stood for save the amorphous appeals to hope and change, but they sure liked the contrast between his image and that of then-the tongue-tied incumbent.
Well, poring through the exit polls after Tuesday’s Democratic rout in two states which voted for Obama, Michael Barone found that the youth vote dropped off substantially, with younger voters in the Old Dominion voting “about as Republican as their elders“:
The big-government programs of Obama Democrats evidently have less appeal than those trendy posters and inspiring rallies and cries of “We are the change we are seeking.” I have yet to see survey research showing that young Americans want to work under union contracts, with their 5,000 pages of work rules and rigid seniority systems. That doesn’t sound like a tune that appeals to the iPod generation.
Obama may not have been on the ballot in New Jersey, Virginia and New York’s Westchester County, to note just three jurisdictions which swung to the right on Tuesday, but his policies were. And the more people look at them, the more they move away from his party.
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I had an interesting chat with my trouble-making (but basically well-intentioned) nephew recently who just entered the Marines. He said he voted for Obama, but just because “everyone did. The campaign was like, eww, do you really wanna vote for that Republican guy?” I hope he does well in the Marines, learns to think for himself and has better reasons next time, whoever he votes for.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — November 5, 2009 @ 1:00 pm - November 5, 2009
i think you’re seeing evidence of a lack of enthusiasm amongst younger voters in these elections. i don’t think you’re seeing evidence that younger voters are, en masse, turning away from obama.
Comment by Chad — November 5, 2009 @ 1:18 pm - November 5, 2009
Since off-year elections almost by definition have fewer voters than Presidential years, and Presidential turnout would be the working definition of “en masse”… then yes Chad. Of course. When you’ll see “younger voters… en masse, turning away from obama” is: 2012.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — November 5, 2009 @ 1:22 pm - November 5, 2009
well, ilc, your conclusion is the different than dan’s. he states that younger voters are turning away from obama and his policies, and i don’t see the evidence the same way.
and it’s not just lower turnout, ilc. the composition of the electorate was very different. look at VA. the electorate from tuesday voted for mccain in 2008 by an 8 point margin, almost the exact opposite of the actual results. the proportion of the youth vote was substantially less. perhaps this is evidence of an energized conservative base, but i don’t see that as evidence that younger votes are rejecting obama, or his policies.
Comment by Chad — November 5, 2009 @ 1:35 pm - November 5, 2009
I re-read Dan’s post, I didn’t find him claiming “en masse”. I found this:
Make of that what you will.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — November 5, 2009 @ 1:55 pm - November 5, 2009
fair enough. perhaps i erred by using the term “en masse.” but i don’t even see evidence of dan’s conclusion, which you cite above.
Comment by Chad — November 5, 2009 @ 2:13 pm - November 5, 2009
As an African American, I am speaking based solely on what I am witnessing in my community, young people are clueless for the most part when it comes to Obama’s policies.
The only thing they get is that Obama is “cool,” “African American” and promised them hope and change.
I have noticed when discussing certain aspects of Obama’s agenda without mentioning his name, that many young and old are not happy and feel that their rights are being infringed upon.
However, the moment Obama’s name comes into the conversation everyone shuts up.
Comment by pumabydesign001 — November 5, 2009 @ 3:05 pm - November 5, 2009
Well its proven that this election, in VA, had a much lower turn out among Democrats than the past elections which resulted in Democratic wins. If the Dems had come out like they did before, the election would have been a lot closer or with a possible Deeds win.
And even with a more Republican/Conversative electorate that came out, Obama’s numbers are still pretty evenly split with 48-51 approval, disapproval.
The youth turnout was way down, and probably it was mostly young conservatives who came out to vote. The conservative base is energized and it has young people to come out and vote.
And if you are going to say his policies are on vote, then he is fine with healthcare. The voters who had health care for their main issue voted for the Democrat in both races, it was only issue that Deeds won on. The problem is its not the main issue, and unless he can turn that focus more; there could be a problem.
Comment by Darkeyedresolve — November 5, 2009 @ 3:12 pm - November 5, 2009
Did anyone watch the pilot episode of “V”? I could not help but think how eerily similar the blind devotion some gave the “visitors”, to the way the idiot masses flock to Obama. We all know the “visitors” are going to destroy us – or at least try to. Which is, pretty much, the same Obama agenda has in store for America.
Comment by LesbianNeoCon — November 6, 2009 @ 7:40 am - November 6, 2009
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