Why Did the Country Turn “Red?”

[Jackpine Radical]

More thoughts on what just happened…

http://reportingsandiego.com/2014/11/05/why-did-the-country-turn-red/

…

There are systemic reasons as to why younger voters are not going to come out during an election that is not the presidential election.

Over the last generation, probably longer, we have had a consistent decrease in the teaching of civics. The importance of voting is not taught anymore. The older generation was taught the importance of voting every election.

There is also the feeling that we have too many elections. In San Diego City we have had a lot in the recent past. This is not an excuse, but it is something that has to be addressed as well. Regardless the turnout was low, and that was not just in San Diego.

Over the last generation we have also had a change in how history is taught in high school. Don’t get me wrong. History at that level has always been sanitized, but things like labor history and civil rights is quite deficient or non-existent. So there are no examples of democratic change, with a small d for students to see as examples.

We also need to examine the message given by both parties, but chiefly Democrats. Over the last 30 years, starting with Reagan, Democrats have emphasized the White House as the only road to positive change. Controlling the White House in the age of the Imperial Presidency makes sense, but it is not the only route. This message has now become the whirlwind of people who only vote in presidential general elections.

[Xipe Totec]

1. Embarrasment?

[Codeine]

4. Ha!

Excellent.

[Jackpine Radical]

9. Good shot.

Unfortunately, I suspect they're too dumb to know what fools they've made of themselves.

[Xipe Totec]

13. I buy Rachel Maddow's argument

Impeachment, vetoes likely if GOP takes Congress

Andrea Mitchell, host of Andrea Mitchell Reports on msnbc, talks with Rachel Maddow about how two-term presidents in their sixth year have dealt with a Congress led by the opposition, and how we can expect President Obama to deal with a Republican Congress.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show

[BillZBubb]

2. Had the Democrats given the young something concrete to vote FOR,

we might have done a lot better.

[VanillaRhapsody]

6. Yeah like raising the minimum wage didn't even do it....

sheesh...keep looking under rocks...

Its the "beat up on the President who IS a member of the very party you are going to vote for in the end crowd" that caused this....when you cannot even UNITE behind the first Black President in your party....who happens to be getting alot of shit done under the worst of circumstances....you look like losers and fools.....sooooo you lose the mushy middle because they vote for who they think are acting like winners.....its THAT simple..

[msongs]

3. hope thos "younger voters" enjoy their ripoff student loan repayments n t

[VanillaRhapsody]

7. Yeah and that lack of minimum wage they are going to get now...

or the prospect of getting kicked back OFF of Mom and Dad's insurance....

NOPE he did NOTHING for THEM AT ALL!!!

[Jackpine Radical]

11. Don't shoot me--

I'm only the piano player.

[merrily]

10. I just read another thread that said there was unusually good youth turnout for a midterm, though

not as good as a Presidential. Then again, every group turns out more for a Presidential.

[onecaliberal]

5. 4 words

Vote suppression
Voter ID

These two things kept millions of people from voting. I don't have the link but there is an article by the Brennan center (sp)
In Texas alone it is estimated 500,000 folks were not allowed to vote.

[merrily]

8. I'll add another two. Supreme Court.

[Wellstone ruled]

12. Here in Nevada the Dems

totally f------d it up. Worked 50 years in the trenches and this cycle really sucked. Volunteered to do lit drops or phone banking,crickets,and the Hispanic voters stayed home. Wonder why,we know why and that goes right to the top dog in the party. BTW,Harry Reid didn't think it was important to campaign for any of the Dems running for offices in Nevada. This was the most sorry assed excuse for a Democratic Campaign I have ever seen. And me thinks it is going to get worse.

[Skink]

14. For the younger gen Voting AP...

Problem solved