So why do younger people view Obama so positively?
On issues such as Social Security reform, on labor market regulations, and what he is going to do on the national debt, one would think that younger voters would actually oppose Obama. While he is less popular among young people than he was a couple of years ago when he was running on an agenda of cutting government spending, he is still quite popular.
More research needs to be done on this point in bold.
Meetings of the College Democrats that attracted 200 people in 2008 now pull in a dozen. New voter registration is way down, too, and free posters of President Obama — once “the Michael Jordan” of politics, as one freshman put it — are now refused by students. . . .
This was not what Generation O expected Mr. Obama won two years ago with 66 percent of the 18- to 29-year-old vote, a historic proportion. Americans under 30 also worked on campaigns at a greater rate than the general population did for the first time since 1952, or possibly even earlier, according to the National Election Studies. . . . .
While most of them still view him more favorably than their parents or grandparents do, various polls show that the youthful passion that led to action has not been sustained. . . .
More research needs to be done on this point in bold.
Labels: education, indoctrination, Research
posted by John Lott at 12:19 AM
2 Comments:
this doesnt really require research. on the whole youth has ALWAYS dodged responsibility, ALWAYS wanted something for nothing (or as little as possible), ALWAYS wanted to get by doing as little as possible, and ALWAYS been sucked in by well-told fantasies because they lack the life experience necessary to see them for the unrealistic lies and manipulations they actually are.
for the last 100 years american youth (and americans in general, but youth in particular) have become progressively more and more spoiled... deliberately so. parents want better for their kids than they had, thats understandable and natural... but theyve succeeded so well, even the WORST-off 20-something today has a lifestyle that would border on obscenely decadent to most of the best-off youth of 100 years ago.
obama put forth the fiction that best supported a desire to extend the spoiled state of the youth, so its natural that they would view him favorably. its only unfortunate they cant see it as fiction.
I would like to believe the decline in support of Obama and the Democratic party could be attributed to a better/more realistic understanding of politics, but believe it is mainly due to indifference.
As a 24 year old recent graduate of a public university, I am well aware mindset and opinions of my peers. Very seldom do you run across someone educated and aware of the political environment and issues at hand. Even rarer is someone who has formed an opinion on their own. Instead, many of my peers are swayed by their parents, instructors, celebrities, and media. It's astonishing how many young conservatives there are considering the social environment. I agree with Babylon, as history has shown younger generations tend to be more idealistic, but believe it is mainly attributable to the following factors.
1. Most people of this age have never really had to think for themselves. Their parents, teachers and others have always presented their opinions rather than the facts to allow one to form their own opinion.
2. We have never really been concerned with taxes or fiscal policy and hardly anyone besides business majors really understand them. Sure we have taxes deducted from our paychecks, but almost always get a full refund. This causes many of us to focus on social issues which many of us are more liberal on, myself included (fiscally conservative, more moderate on social issues. However, I vote on fiscal policy). Therefore, many side with more liberal candidates who promise to give give give, but never mention that it cannot be sustained or those like myself who graduated college and pursue a high paying job will have to pay in the future.
3. Lastly,(although I have many other points, but am tired of ranting) is the overall ignorance of my generation and Americans in general. This above all things frustrates me the most. It amazes me how little people know about political issues, yet somehow have strong opinions on how they view them who to vote for. Many blame this on the internet, and media who skew information and stories to fit their agenda (As Mr. Lott has pointed out in the past). Even so, as individuals we should have a certain amount of skepticism and drill down to the facts from which we may form our own opinions. Whether it is due to naiveness, ignorance, or just plain laziness this is becoming more of a problem as more outlets and less scrutiny of the information become available. I myself primarily watch very liberal news outlets, because I don't trust the information they present causing me to verify the content through a variety of sources from which I form my own opinion.
I get very frustrated with my friends when they start to talk politics and start debating the issues with me only to find out they have nothing to back their opinions with opinions of others. This has become such an issue lately that I have all but given up on discussing these issues with them. Because without a basis for their opinion or an understanding of the topic, I would be doing the same thing I am chastising the media for and accusing my peers of doing, which is present them opinion in order to sway theirs.
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