Political Views of the Youth

Off Topic Politics and World Issues
41

[quote]Beowolf wrote:
mattchew wrote:
There are plenty of young people interested in politics. But, as you said, most are on the wrong side.

It isn’t a matter of wrong or right. In fact, that’s exactly the kind of attitude that is the problem.

The problem is teenagers who vote for candidates because they’re young/‘popular’/[to borrow from HH] chic. They don’t know anything about the issues, and anything they do know is so clouded by confirmation bias it’s insane.

Don’t think there aren’t conservative teens who do this. Teens who are staunchly anti-democrat to be different/to be contrary/because their parents are/because they have some random BS hot button issue/ect. It isn’t a matter of sides, it’s a matter of stupid.

It is a problem that extends beyond adolescence, but is more prominent there than in other stages of life (mostly).
[/quote]

That was supposed to be a joke…
From my experience those who are actually involved in politics do know the issues and side with who has the same issues, not just to be contrary.
Know a girl who left the young republicans to the young democrats because she found she didn’t actually agree with the republican platform.

Yes, there are some who just want to argue without basis, but those I don’t think vote as often as those who are involved and know the issues and where they stand. The people who just like to be contrary won’t be bothered to go wait awhile just to vote, but the ones who know the issues care and want their point to win, so they vote.

42

I have talked to a few young people about politics, and found something interesting. Most who have strong opinions about politics tend to speak in quotes.

I was almost shocked when I first noticed this, and have repeatedly heard this over and over.

In other words, it doesn’t seem like they are thinking for themselves, just repeating the same old lines.

I actually stood by and listened to 3 or 4 teens talking about bush, acting like they were having a discussion, when every single thing they uttered was popular political quotes put out by politicians or political organizations, almost verbatim.

I have also noticed that one side is dedicated to “getting out the vote”, yet I do not see the same dedication to learning the issues.

When I was young, I realized I didn’t actually understand the issues, and realized that I didn’t have a right to vote on issues I did not understand. And quit voting.

I still paid attention to the elections though. And when Clinton was running, he said something I liked, so I decided to pay attention to him and figure out if he was the candidate I would support.

Then I heard him speaking against the very thing that got me to support him. That was a wake up call. I heard this guy repeatedly speak out of both sides of his mouth. I could not believe how easily he made completely opposite statements to different groups of people, and how every single news organization seemed to not notice.

Young people are easily manipulated. Maturity definitely helps, though no guarentee. It’s also possible that they remember prior presidencies. They might know that socialism failed. They might remember that increasing capital gains taxes resulted in a 50% reduction in revenue from those taxes.

43

[quote]Beowolf wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
Beowolf wrote:
Otep wrote:
Every time a youth mentions their staunchly conservative stance, a
Of course, a lot of the teenage Paulies are now Obamanatics. This reveals how fucking retarded some people are, as they swing from one extreme to the next with no logical path. [/quote]

I don’t think they are retarded. They’re just having different priorities than yours. For them, I suppose, human life (no matter the race, nationality or faith) is more precious than money or material things.

Seeing how Obama is the strongest opponent to the GOP and its kill-'em-all policy, people are rallying around him.

The Bush doctrine is sickening so many people across the board.

44

[quote]Mick28 wrote:
jtg987 wrote:

personally i feel that obama is the better choice for america, mccain seems like he is going to be another bush jnr, also he IS too old for the position

You’re a fucking idiot. Reread what you wrote and I’m sure you’ll agree…no wait…if you agreed then that would mean that you have a brain in your head and everyone knows by this one post that that is not the case.

Oh well…
[/quote]

no idea what your problem is with what you quoted, mccain seems like he is contradicting himself in every interview and half the time seems incredibly flustered…obama’s socialist background doesnt bother me in the slightest when compared too someone who lost 5 fighter jets, in one interview said i have no economic experience then the next day in another interview saying he had an extensive economic background…neither really appeal to me either its more lesser of two evils debate in my mind

45

[quote]The Mage wrote:
I have talked to a few young people about politics, and found something interesting. Most who have strong opinions about politics tend to speak in quotes.

I was almost shocked when I first noticed this, and have repeatedly heard this over and over.

In other words, it doesn’t seem like they are thinking for themselves, just repeating the same old lines.

I actually stood by and listened to 3 or 4 teens talking about bush, acting like they were having a discussion, when every single thing they uttered was popular political quotes put out by politicians or political organizations, almost verbatim.

I have also noticed that one side is dedicated to “getting out the vote”, yet I do not see the same dedication to learning the issues.

When I was young, I realized I didn’t actually understand the issues, and realized that I didn’t have a right to vote on issues I did not understand. And quit voting.

I still paid attention to the elections though. And when Clinton was running, he said something I liked, so I decided to pay attention to him and figure out if he was the candidate I would support.

Then I heard him speaking against the very thing that got me to support him. That was a wake up call. I heard this guy repeatedly speak out of both sides of his mouth. I could not believe how easily he made completely opposite statements to different groups of people, and how every single news organization seemed to not notice.

Young people are easily manipulated. Maturity definitely helps, though no guarentee. It’s also possible that they remember prior presidencies. They might know that socialism failed. They might remember that increasing capital gains taxes resulted in a 50% reduction in revenue from those taxes.[/quote]

Socialism hasn’t actually failed yet. Europe and Scandinavia have their problems, but we’d be kidding ourselves if we said that the US didn’t have equally disturbing problems.

46

[quote]wirewound wrote:

Socialism hasn’t actually failed yet. Europe and Scandinavia have their problems, but we’d be kidding ourselves if we said that the US didn’t have equally disturbing problems.

[/quote]

Yes, it has failed, miserably.

Most of our problems come from socialistic views. $45 - $50 trillion in debt is hidden by fancy bookwork with Social Security and Medicare. (And is caused by them.)

They keep failing over and over and over, and yet people keep trying to push those views, or think they can regulate it.

47

[quote]The Mage wrote:
wirewound wrote:

Socialism hasn’t actually failed yet. Europe and Scandinavia have their problems, but we’d be kidding ourselves if we said that the US didn’t have equally disturbing problems.

Yes, it has failed, miserably.

Most of our problems come from socialistic views. $45 - $50 trillion in debt is hidden by fancy bookwork with Social Security and Medicare. (And is caused by them.)

They keep failing over and over and over, and yet people keep trying to push those views, or think they can regulate it.[/quote]

Um…you know it was Reagan who ran up the debt, right? And Bush 2? It wasn’t all Democrats.

Tell Scandinavia that it’s failing. I’m sure they’d love to hear about it. Some shit isn’t working, some is. Same as here…

48

[quote]wirewound wrote:

Um…you know it was Reagan who ran up the debt, right? And Bush 2? It wasn’t all Democrats.

Tell Scandinavia that it’s failing. I’m sure they’d love to hear about it. Some shit isn’t working, some is. Same as here…[/quote]

Yes they increased the debt. But nothing like what was done with Socialist Security.

And as been repeatedly pointed out, Bush is a liberal. Obvious with his expansion of Medicare, which will overshadow anything spent on Iraq.

49

[quote]The Mage wrote:
wirewound wrote:

Um…you know it was Reagan who ran up the debt, right? And Bush 2? It wasn’t all Democrats.

Tell Scandinavia that it’s failing. I’m sure they’d love to hear about it. Some shit isn’t working, some is. Same as here…

Yes they increased the debt. But nothing like what was done with Socialist Security.

And as been repeatedly pointed out, Bush is a liberal. Obvious with his expansion of Medicare, which will overshadow anything spent on Iraq.[/quote]

I don’t get your logic. Do you make abstraction of the war on Iraq killing piles of people?

50

[quote]lixy wrote:
The Mage wrote:
wirewound wrote:

Um…you know it was Reagan who ran up the debt, right? And Bush 2? It wasn’t all Democrats.

Tell Scandinavia that it’s failing. I’m sure they’d love to hear about it. Some shit isn’t working, some is. Same as here…

Yes they increased the debt. But nothing like what was done with Socialist Security.

And as been repeatedly pointed out, Bush is a liberal. Obvious with his expansion of Medicare, which will overshadow anything spent on Iraq.

I don’t get your logic. Do you make abstraction of the war on Iraq killing piles of people?[/quote]

I don’t get your logic. Your bretheren kill piles of people in Iraq and you blame those that try to stop the murder.

51

[quote]The Mage wrote:
I actually stood by and listened to 3 or 4 teens talking about bush, acting like they were having a discussion, when every single thing they uttered was popular political quotes put out by politicians or political organizations, almost verbatim. [/quote]

Man, I know exactly what you mean. I have heard so many of these types of conversations, I literally have to restrain myself from interrupting them and asking “what the fuck are you kids talking about?”

I blame Jon Stewart and Bill Maher. These two jackoffs are obviously very popular with the pot smoking, go-nowhere, loser kids, and dropouts. It seems like they get all their information about “politics dude” from those two twats.
If you can stand to tune into a Jon Stewart or Bill Maher show for more than 5 minutes, you know exactly what I’m talking about here.

Those two pig fuckers are hurting America. Jon Stewart engages in the exact same punditry that he claims to be so against, then when someone calls him on his bullshit, he throws up his hands and says “Oh, I’m just a lowly comedian! You can’t take me seriously!”

Bill Maher does the same shit. He claims to be totally infaliable because he is “just a comedian”, and it’s “just satire”.

O.K. sorry for ranting, I just REALLY hate Jon Stewart, and REALLY REALLY HATE Bill Maher.

52

[quote]skaz05 wrote:
O.K. sorry for ranting, I just REALLY hate Jon Stewart, and REALLY REALLY HATE Bill Maher.[/quote]

But I love your avatar.

53

[quote]Mick28 wrote:
If these little boys and girls are looking for freedom from big government then someone should tell them that Obama is the exact opposite of what they want. Maybe their Mommys and Daddys can warn them…Probably not.
[/quote]

Unfortunately, many of the individuals that have switched from Ron Paul to Obama appear to have only been interested in what they perceived to be a non-interventionist foreign policy, or at the very least, an anti-Iraq War stance on the part of the latter.

These individuals appeared to hold little concern for economic issues, thus basing their vote on either of the above candidates on foreign policy alone.

Regarding his economic viewpoints, Obama appears to be little more than what some might term a “New Dealer,” i.e., even greater economic central planning than is currently in operation–in contrast to Paul’s more laissez-fare approach.

Obviously, this switch from Ron Paul to Barack Obama exposes these types of voters as single issue voters. Ironically however, Obama has little actual intention of devolving the interventionist entanglements.

54

We aren’t all dipshits, however like I said in another thread. Don’t expect a conservative president out of my generation. In my western civ class last year we would have ‘debates’ where it would just be me ranting about obama, and congress for the entire time. Some people got offended, but that’s ok.

I really don’t get how you can lose a debate from the conservative side on:

-welfare
-socialized education/medicine/etc
-national security
-taxation (not overly taxing any one group)
-energy

seriously, it’s just dipshits listening to empty words. I’ve been whoring humanevents to my classmates.

55

As mentioned before the youth being mostly liberal comes from several reasons:

  1. The have no concept of the real world. In in their early 20s, mommy and daddy still front most of the bills. They pay for rent, cars, food, clothes, medicine all with there parents money.

They just spend there money on drugs and video games. If a teen were in the “real world” and saw how the world worked they would most likely be economically conservative

  1. The hippie liberal bullshit that the education beats into since your first time playing with LEGOs to the day you get your PhD. The education is extremely liberal. If you even question it you are seperated from the group.

In college, the professor will just ignore you. In high school, my teacher in ethics class would refuse to call on me and openly called me a bigot and racist because i was conservative (when we were talking about welfare…not directly involved with race) so i refused to attend class the rest of the year.

The youth is just “taught how the world is but how you can fix it” until they graduate and see how the real world works.

  1. The youth is more liberal because they rebel against mommy and daddy. It is just opposite what there parents do, so they rebel. This is how they respond. It wears off soon enough.

  2. Youth watchs more tv than ever. Whatever the media says is the TRUTH, no exception. MSNBC is the word of God. Colbert mocks conservatives so you cant take them seriously. Kids are just over exposed to one view point. All others are bad.

  3. Its not cool to be conservative. Its cool to be hip black smoke pot and help the poor. Or at least try too

I dont knock on kids, hell I am considered youth. They dont know better and are just trying to do the right thing. Eventually they change. Otherwise the whole world would be liberal.

“If you’re not a liberal when you’re 25, you have no heart. If you’re not a conservative by the time you’re 35, you have no brain.”

56

[quote]skaz05 wrote:
The Mage wrote:

Those two pig fuckers are hurting America. [/quote]

Brilliant.

57

[quote]engerland66 wrote:
skaz05 wrote:
The Mage wrote:

Those two pig fuckers are hurting America.

Brilliant.[/quote]

Michael Moore as well…

I mean this is pretty common knowledge to the informed, but some Americans actually buy into his bullshit

58

[quote]zephead4747 wrote:
We aren’t all dipshits, however like I said in another thread. Don’t expect a conservative president out of my generation. In my western civ class last year we would have ‘debates’ where it would just be me ranting about obama, and congress for the entire time. Some people got offended, but that’s ok.

I really don’t get how you can lose a debate from the conservative side on:

-welfare
-socialized education/medicine/etc
-national security
-taxation (not overly taxing any one group)
-energy
[/quote]

Maybe because the Republican party is not conservative on any of those issues, and hasn’t been for some time now.

59

[quote]WolBarret wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:
WolBarret wrote:
Beowolf wrote:
PIG = Participation in Government. The students have to attend town council meetings and are all registered to vote.

I took AP US Government and Politics instead.

The teacher, while I do like her a lot, is incredibly left slanted. She honestly tries to be impartial but it leaks through in a lot of ways.

The looks I got in class when I suggested that I might be voting Republican was priceless. The looks following my thought out explanation and Obama-bashing were even more so.

=D

Since you’re against Obama, who would be the better candidate? McCain is just too fucking old.

Why is age a consideration to you?

Do you think his taste in music or whatever is important?

No, his age just worries me. Looks like he’ll die any minute. I can’t see him living through his entire presidency. And this isn’t a crack on him, just how I feel.[/quote]

I’m sure McCain won’t make Obama’s youth and inexperience a campaign issue if Obama stays away from the elderly attacks.
(paraphrasing Ronald Reagan)

The youth in America don’t vote. Lot’s of campaigns have tried to appeal to them but it is fruitless. They just don’t vote. This election will not be any different.

60

I think its hilarious that youth dont vote. College and highschool kids act so involved in politics and the elections, but on election day they have to watch Dawson’s Creek or play Madden