Younger People Voting in America

[Psion]

What do you think of the lack of young participants voting in America elections for senators, presidents, and other people of position?

 

I'm talking about age 18-23

 

Do you think there are good reasons as to why they don't vote?

What do you think is the most common reason for why they don't vote?

 

Do you think there is some type of social conflict within that prevents them from voting or makes them choose not to?

 

Have you read any interesting books on teenager voting?

Any interesting articles?

[Pangloss]

My opinion is that our republic (speak of my country at the moment, the U.S.) is strong enough to endure "educational voting". And who amongst us who is of a reasonably mature age hasn't miscast their vote once or twice?

[In My Memory]

My opinion is that our republic (speak of my country at the moment, the U.S.) is strong enough to endure "educational voting". And who amongst us who is of a reasonably mature age hasn't miscast their vote once or twice?

I voted for Carter. Twice.

 

 

 

Kidding! Much too young at the time.

[AzurePhoenix]

I don't vote because I'm a paranoid cynic, and I absolutely hate politicians. Their self-serving little games.... smarmy attitudes... bureaucratic psychosis.... self-satisfied little smirks of superiority.... lamo-attempts at heart-tugging solemnity.... makes me want to light everthing on fire....

[ku]

Maybe ignorance is fashionable?

 

http://www.strom.clemson.edu/teams/ced/econ/8-3No29.pdf

[Pangloss]

I voted for Carter. Twice.

 

 

 

Kidding! Much too young at the time.

 

 

I defended Carter against Reagan fans in a high school debate. Only thing I really remember was saying "He's just an actor!" and my opponents saying "Give him a chance!" (hehe)

 

My worst vote was for Walter Mondale in, I believe, 1984. My excuse is that I was heavily influenced by my fellow college students at the time. That was my first presidential. IIRC, I voted for Bush in '88, Clinton in '92, Dole in '96, Bush in '00 and Kerry in '04. (Hmm, I think I'm spotting a trend here.)

 

I also voted for Newt Gingrich (twice). He was my representative to Congress at several points in time when I was living in various places around Atlanta. But that was in the 1980s, long before he skewed right and made the political alliances that lead to him becoming Speaker.

 

My votes for Newt were primarily based on the fact that he had showed up at a science fiction convention in 1984 that I attended, and sat on a fascinating panel on space exploration with Larry Niven.

 

(No, really.)

[AzurePhoenix]

I don't vote because I'm a paranoid cynic, and I absolutely hate politicians. Their self-serving little games.... smarmy attitudes... bureaucratic psychosis.... self-satisfied little smirks of superiority.... lamo-attempts at heart-tugging solemnity.... makes me want to light everthing on fire....

While this is all true for me, I should get past my frustrations and actually state something real. I largely don't vote because I can never find any politician I agree with. This guy might be okay in this field, but I really don't want him because of what he thinks over here, and vice versa for someone else. If it ever came down to it, I might throw in a vote for that good ol' Arizonan McCain, but that time has yet to come, and I'm uncertain if voting for a republican, no matter how much of a rogue he might be, is really a safe move.

 

**Forget that. I'm not sure I could vote for someone who supports the teaching of intelligent design in schools... and he wants to pricecap certain NASA operations...

 

*** On the other hand... he does share my abortion views, and is a supporter of stem-cell research... and he has really good fiscal/gun control/criminal prosecution views... I need to find out just what kind of ID curriculum he supports.... damn you politics, damn you to Hell!!

 

--See what I mean about my problems? I'm looking for perfection, which realistically I'm very unliekly to find.