Letter to the editor:

Don’t dismiss young supporters of Obama

Jody Jameson, Las Vegas

Wednesday, May 28, 2008 | 2:03 a.m.

Stop with the broad generalizations about Barack Obama’s supporters, please. Madelyn Olds and George Puccini, in their respective letters Friday and Sunday, suggested that Obama’s supporters are young and naive. Obama has the support of people of all ages and from myriad backgrounds, many highly educated. As someone under 30 and well-educated in public policy, I take offense to the statement that my age group is looking for a “panacea.”

Obama is the only candidate who tells Americans the truth and stands up for the ideals we believe in. (Case in point: Gas tax holiday. Neither Hillary Clinton nor John McCain was upholding American ideals by supporting a gimmicky, wasteful, meaningless tax holiday to shamelessly garner votes.)

Young people are not expecting Obama to provide everything for them or to have the answers to solve all of life’s problems — we are simply seeking a leader who can take us in a better direction and inspire us to work hard to become greater than we are. Obama should be lauded if the worst he has done is engage a demographic whose attention is extremely difficult to capture.

It is time for change in America. Hurrah for the young people (and for those young at heart) who are standing up for something they believe in and reaching for the American dream.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By NVMakz

5/28/08 at 7:27 a.m.

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Obama appeals to the naive, having-done-little-in-life side of the young voter, if there really is such a thing.

The "young" voter in modern political history loves to go to the rally and shout, to make noise about themselves as the new generation who must be heard == but who rarely shows up on election day to VOTE.

Talk, but little action = Obama AND the so-called "young voter".
By obraxton

5/28/08 at 8:43 a.m.

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NVMakz:
I have to STRONGLY disagree with your comment. This is what gets me about older generation voters...I am 31 years old and have been voting since I was 18 years old. My first election presidential election vote was in '96. I volunteered for Sen Fritz Hollings (SC) in 98 at 22 years, and there was a lot of younger folk there. I've always voted my conscious, read commentaries and watched debates. In college we would have debate tv nights, and mock debates and we understand the candidates points of view. They're not the same young generation that screamed at "The Man" to end Vietnam, burned bras and flags, or passed out lillies at Woodstock. We weren't "tripping" while fighting for the cause. We're listening to the same CNBC, FOXNews, and MSNBC just like everyone else. We'r doing our own research too. Nothing will keep me from the polls. And I'm far from being alone. This election really brings out the true bias people have against other people. People also argue that the only reason blacks vote is b/c of Obama, but I remember being a child going with my mom, grandmom, and greatgrandmom to the polling place, long before there was ever an Obama. The media and poll points of view is certainly not my reality, and I seriously doubt my situation is unique. I"m equally tired of "so-called" predictors assuming I'll stay home if Obama is not the nominee. I'm not considered a "young" voter anymore, but me and many many peers were happy to vote for our candidate of choice. One day these voters will be the middle aged voters and elderly voters when most of us are long gone. They should by no means be discredited, and I hope they don't look down on the generations behind them.
By Teaser

5/28/08 at 10:13 a.m.

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I second obraxton's comments, and I am now 50. I teach at the community college, and my young voter students are anything but apathetic. Indeed, they have to clean up the mess left by the "great" boomer generation that seems to be able to do little more than glorify themselves for the wanton destruction and "X-ing" out of their own children. NVMakz, I would like to know your specific source(s) of information that prove that young voters rarely turn out on election day. Back that up for me with data and sources that I can look up and evaluate. If you cannot or will not do that, then you are just blowing hot air.
By JohnF

5/28/08 at 11:47 a.m.

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Teaser,

NVMakz and I don't see eye to eye on anything, but in this he's correct. Go to:

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/c...

Click on "404 - Voting Age Popultaion."

You will see that the 18 - 20 and 21 - 24 year age groups are the least represented in the voting population. In 2004 only 41.0% and 42.5% of these age groups reported having voted (and those numbers were up considerably from 2000), while 66.6% and 68.9% of the 45 - 64 and 65 and older age groups, respectively, reported having voted.

If Obama wants to win in November he'd better hope those new young voters stay interested.
By NVMakz

5/28/08 at 2 p.m.

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I thank "JohnF" for his input here. He's "right" about how little we see things the same.

I was thinking anecdotally about after every national election, especially the ones Democrats lose, how the stats come in = and the op-ed / talking head comments were about how the young voter doesn't show up.

I do remember the surveys about how to get the young voter to the polls. The main answer was on-line voting - so they don't have to trouble themselves about traveling to the polling places. Of course, that is problematic.

The young voter doesn't "show up" on election-day, but they sure like the rallies and parties and to woof it up, er "get involved"(mq)!!!!

As to "obraxton" and "teaser" = we've heard that all before, and the results seems the same .........
By obraxton

5/28/08 at 2:10 p.m.

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As to "obraxton" and "teaser" = we've heard that all before, and the results seems the same .........

I read polls just like you. But don't pigeon hole me or people like me b/c of what history says. Whether no one else votes or not, this "young" African American voter will be at the booths come November, and I won't be alone.
By NVMakz

5/28/08 at 2:16 p.m.

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We'll see, "o"!!

History is on my side here
By JohnF

5/28/08 at 2:47 p.m.

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Obraxton,

Bring as many as you can. We need all of you.