Millennials aren't wrong not to trust either party...

[polichick]

Their instincts are good.

But it's not enough just to opt out. What's the plan?

(And where do I sign up?)

[randys1]

1. Sign up at the local church for charity, because if you opt out the cons will take everything you

have left, bank on it.

[polichick]

3. I think many young people feel they already have nothing...

Less than nothing, since they owe so much in school loans.

I'm older and have plenty, but would gladly take part in a movement led by Millennials.

[KMOD]

11. as a Mom of two recent college grads,

this is true. And that was the general feeling all over their campuses. I don't think they believe both parties are the same though, at least mine don't. They just feel left behind.

[polichick]

15. That generation has really paid the price for the sellout of our gov't...

And will keep paying for the rest of their lives. It's tragic, and completely unfair.

[Bobbie Jo]

2. Well go sign up already

and quit dragging the rest of us down with this "both parties are the same" nonsense.

Damn.

[polichick]

4. Poor you, all "dragged down" and everything! The kids are right...

...as is often the case: both parties suck.

At some point, people are going to figure out what to do about it.

[Bobbie Jo]

8. Poor me? I'm not the one whining

about how much Democrats suck on a Democratic board, ad nauseum......

Carry on with the whinefest, or whatever the hell this is.

[polichick]

12. Try not to feel so dragged down that you can't keep up that lockstep march!

[Bobbie Jo]

13. Well one thing's for sure

Some new material is seriously in order.

Maybe the kids could help with that too.

Lockstep, yadda, yadda....

[polichick]

14. That's the point of this thread: the kids want new material...

Too bad you're so threatened by that.

[JI7]

16. come on now

Don't ridicule peoples need to feel like a rebel on the internet.

[polichick]

24. If young voters do stage a "revolution" you can bet...

that it will involve the internet.

[Ykcutnek]

5. My fellow Millennials are very wrong.

Opting out will bring them what they deserve.

[kelliekat44]

6. But they are wrong to NOT vote. nt

[Marr]

7. Look at the support a few politicians have developed by just acknowledging some

very obvious realities and talking about sensible, already-proven, populist solutions to those problems. Warren, for instance, is considered far left by our political establishment, but when she talks about Wall Street, it resonates with the public in a big way.

[KMOD]

9. "it resonates with the public in a big way"

Exactly. So how do we get the others to rally around her message?

[polichick]

10. Might shake things up if Sanders and Warren joined together...

Still, Millennials will be cautious because they feel they got burned and screwed at the same time.

[Odin2005]

49. Bernie is extremely popular with politically aware Millennials.

Thanks to Bernie "socialism" is not a dirty word for those of us too young to remember the Cold War.

[Puzzledtraveller]

17. If we don't act, they may get hoodwinked by libertarianism.

I definitely can see that happening. In some ways I think we are too stuffy, in our national appearance, when style get's attention you can't tell a democratic politician from a republican politician. Getting down on the ground, will help us a lot.

[polichick]

18. Rand Paul has his eye on them!

[Puzzledtraveller]

21. guaranteed.

He will dig up his dad too to get his minions riled up. I went to a Ron/Rand Paul rally with an exgf once, it looked like I was at a miniature version of Lollapalooza, seriously. Somehow, someway, Rand and his pops appealed to them. I think it is possible for us to adopt a looser appearance, while also sending the message that less does not mean more. You have to look at those people who will be entering college in 2016, those turning 18 and start talking to them like you are their peer and now. My wife who is more liberal than I even said that the candidate that promises to reduce or forgive student loan debt gets her vote. Just an example as one thing we need to take a hard look at. IMO.

[davidn3600]

28. Behind the scenes he's spending a lot of time with the youth

He's been going to college campuses regularly. So he knows what he's doing.

His father made a lot of connections with the youth. He was able to make inroads especially on issues like wanting to end the war on drugs, end wars in the middle east, and reduce big brother.

It didnt hurt the Democrats much because Ron never made the nomination. But if Rand is able to win it, he'll definitely siphon young voters away from Democrats. Because Obama made some of those promises in 2008 like ending the war on drugs....and did absolutely nothing about it. And they know already Hillary won't do nothing about it either.

[BlindTiresias]

38. One big aspect of this

Is cannabis legalization. If the Dems do not aggressively embrace cannabis legalization the libertarians will siphon off huge amounts of the millenial vote.

[polichick]

44. So true. The Prez should have moved on this back in 2009.

[Blaukraut]

19. Let me tell you something about Millennials

My daughter is 26, and very politically astute and informed. Sadly, she is the exception among her many friends. She is the only one registered to vote. The others talk a good game, sure. "Both parties are the same" "Why bother?".

When my daughter asked them if they even knew who is running in our state, they had no clue. Some of them didn't even know there was an election. The most ignorant of them don't even know the most basic of civics, such as the three branches of government.

Mind you, these 'kids' are not unintelligent. They are just woefully uninformed and uninterested. So when I hear about Millennials' dissatisfaction with both parties and government, the first thought that crosses my mind is to wonder if they even have a clue what they are talking about.

This is not to dismiss the young voters' concerns. They are real, and they need to be addressed. But exactly how many of these young voters actually take the time to educate themselves on the issues is questionable.

[polichick]

20. Do you think the lack of interest has to do with feeling...

that the game is rigged, so why bother? Or something else?

[Blaukraut]

25. Well, I can only speak for those young people I know personally

But here is what I noticed with them: They simply have no time. Their social lives and professional/school lives are so busy and extensive that there just isn't any room to worry about politics. When political talk does come up, it's never in specifics. Abstracts and generalities, and basically repeating overheard catch phrases. This is where some of them were caught off guard when asked "Do you know who is running, and for what seat?" "Do you know that we have an upcoming election?"

They definitely don't connect their professional, or financial woes with any possible political solution. They don't sit there and think: "Well, Ed Markey's and Liz Warren's stances on the issues benefit me." Sadly, most of them have no idea what either Markey or Warren stand for.

They obviously know the President, and were extremely enamored with him. When asked why, they couldn't tell you. Now they're disillusioned with him. When asked why, they will say that he didn't get anything done. But if I ask them to be specific, they can't name a single thing.

Now I'm not saying that all Millennials are like this, but I also reject the claim that the majority of them is politically well informed. Each generation had its young adults who were disillusioned with their party and/or politics in general, while their peers were blissfully ignorant.

[polichick]

30. It's an interesting situation because that generation is paying...

such a high price for the economic disaster they had nothing to do with, and they will also have to deal with all that comes with climate change.

I really worry for them, and hope there are some political and scientific geniuses among them!

[Blaukraut]

31. So do I. But I believe the only way any of them would get involved

would be if you could definitively show them that they have skin in the game. It has to be clear to them that there is personal gain involved. Fear and negative motivation has not worked. My daughter has tried. They only shut down more.

[polichick]

35. But many were involved when they worked to elect Obama...

Was that just because he had star power?

[Blaukraut]

42. Not necessarily. Presidential elections always draw more youth out to vote

That won't be an issue next time, either. Presidential elections are on a national level and there is much more awareness about them. The key is for that youth vote to turn out in midterms. That requires a better understanding of how government actually works. I think that many people who only vote in presidential elections have no concept of how important their midterm vote is in order for their presidential vote to not have been for naught. A lot of folks labor under the assumption that the President can act in a vacuum.

[Sheepshank]

22. bull crap.

there is no instinctual actions going on...there is apathy and the general political malaise that goes with always hearing "both parties are the same" crappola.

Hear it here a lot...even on this thread.

[polichick]

23. So you think they are wrong not to trust the parties?

Which party doesn't sell out the people in favor of corporations and the 1%?

[Sheepshank]

27. did I say that? Or are you willfully trying to paint me into a corner?

I said they have been fed a load of crappola just like you post....and there is apolitical malaise. You should be proud of the work you have done to promote voter apathy instead of trying to foster blame off somewhere else.

[polichick]

37. Those were questions - you can tell by the question marks.

[Sheepshank]

47. ya sure...the question mark absolves your attempt to direct

and then instead makes you comment pretty useless as a response

[Nuclear Unicorn]

41. As soon as I was old enough I voted in my first presidential election in 2008.

I voted to end wars of aggression, abject violation of civil liberties, to bolster environmental protection and rein-in corporatism. I got Libya, Syria, the NSA, asset forfeiture thievery, militarized police, BP, Goldman Sachs, GE.

But the problem is I've been overtaken by apparently baseless propaganda. Thanks for explaining how stupid *we* are!

[Marr]

52. Comments like the one you're responding to always remind me of this

quote from Helen Keller. She was talking about a prominent newspaper editor, whom she'd met a few years prior.

"At that time the compliments he paid me were so generous that I blush to remember them. But now that I have come out for socialism he reminds me and the public that I am blind and deaf and especially liable to error. I must have shrunk in intelligence during the years since I met him."

It's always amazing to me how some people can instantly re-categorize others as lazy/stupid/etc.-- just because it allows them maintain their myths.

[shenmue]

26. Yes they are

[polichick]

32. They're wrong not to trust the two parties?

[HERVEPA]

29. Why don't you take your false equivalency crap and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (fill in the blanks)

[msanthrope]

33. You Better Believe It! nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

34. "Young wolves, show us your teeth." John Steinbeck K&R

[seabeyond]

36. wrong. it is not about "trust". you go with who will give the most and hands down, that is dem

they have to grow up and get their ass out and vote.

[polichick]

39. "Grow up and get your ass out and vote" - 2016 gotv message.

[Spazito]

40. Millennials who couldn't be bothered to vote sure as hell aren't going to do...

the hard slogging to start any party, change anything except, maybe, their status on Facebook.

[polichick]

43. As Margaret Mead said...

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."


Every generation has a few geniuses. Millennials will have theirs - the rest can update their Facebook pages about the "revolution" underway.

[Spazito]

45. Uh huh...

Update me when you find these geniuses.

[bigwillq]

46. I have voted in every election since 1996, and I still don't trust either party.

Can't really blame them. But they should vote, and get involved in some capacity.

[Odin2005]

48. This Millennial has become an outright Communist.

To quote the legendary radical Depression-era governor of Minnesota Floyd Olson:

This current form of government can go straight to Hell!

[RtHonLordBob]

50. Turn the Democrats into a Trustworthy Party

Time to work to change the Democratic Party. The Tea Baggers were dissatisfied with both parties, but they didn't just give up; they whipped their base into a frenzy and made the "RINOs" scared for their political lives and turned them all into Tea Baggers them selves. Step number one is to kick out corporatist, careerist, pathetic "leadership" to the curb. We should launch a campaign to replace Pelosi, Reid, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz with progressives. In the next cycle we have to pour huge resources into replacing all the third-wayers with progressives, and into firing up our guys to vote in the primaries.

[cilla4progress]

51. When millenials see what the Republicans are going to do to the environment,

I think they'll be motivated.

Every young person I know and hear from cares deeply about the environment.