Survey: Freshmen more political — and more conservative

USA Today ^ | January 26, 2004 | Greg Toppo,

[Cincinatus' Wife]

After 35 years of decline, political interest among young people is on the rise, a wide-ranging survey of U.S. college freshmen finds. Credit the contested 2000 presidential election and 9/11, says Linda Sax of the University of California, Los Angeles, who directs The American Freshman annual survey.

[risk]

bttt -- http://www.crnc.org/

[stainlessbanner]

They also earn higher grades, seemingly with less work

We are also lowering standards and pressure for "gifts" (or high marks) is greater today.

[lawgirl]

Well abortion is finally catching up. When you don't abort the people that will follow your ideology, you tend to have an increase in that ideology I would think.

[NMFXSTC]

Are these the same Freshmen who:

- can't find Florida on a map, England on a globe
- Cannot explain hw a bill becomes a law
- Are unable to make change for a dollar without a cash register
- Are adminsitered tests in High School based on 7th garde reading and math skills
- Cannot describe the War of 1812
- Have no idea who the Secretary fo Defense is
- Are unable to explain the fundamentals of "square root", though know it is a significant part of math equations
- Are the ones at Burger King who can;t get the order right

Oh yeah...we need these kids involved in serious politics!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thanks for the LINK!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Interesting observation.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Ga Rob]

Very interesting observation, I never thought it out that far. The leftists (I refuse to call them liberals, my GrandPa was a liberal)are great at killing themselves off..abortion, gun control, pansies on crime, etc.

I also believe it has alot to do with the age old adolescent rebellion against your parents...alot of these kids have either leftist parents or apathetic don't give a damn, absent parents. The kids look for alternatives to their parents thinking and ideas. There are probably tons of other factors...just my 2 cents!!

[Tom D.]

Perhaps part of the reason is that kids aren't smoking as much dope.

[FrdmLvr]

Personal ancedote:
My son is a senior, he had a starting position on his high school's now 3-yrs-in-a-row State Championship football team, and he also had Government first semester. His Government teacher LOVED him as a student/athlete. That was until he discovered through class discussions in the last few weeks of the first semester that my son was conservative and a supporter of President Bush. His attitude toward my son changed 180. He derisvely started calling him by his jersey number, and he told him he couldn't wait until the end of the semester when my son would be out of his classroom. My son told me, "So much for his liberal inclusiveness".

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Well, that teacher certainly drove home the truth to your son about LIBERALS!

[FrdmLvr]

It made me a proud mom to see him stick by his principles even though he was being ridiculed in front of the class. I feel better about sending him off to college next year.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

You've done your job. Congratulations!

[southernnorthcarolina]

Since then, the survey shows, students' political views also have shifted to the right.

I have campus sources -- OK, two nieces and a nephew -- at UNC, which has a deservedly liberal reputation, who tell me that two of the more popular speakers there this academic year have been Ben Stein and Ann Coulter. FWIW...

[Savage Beast]

"students' political views also have shifted to the right."

"The percentage of liberals has nose-dived"

Of course. These are the people who will inherit this world. Do they want to live in the hell-hole that "Liberals" have planned for them and their children? Do they want their children to live in a world run by mindless, aging, '60's hippies? Do they want to turn over U.S. national security to the likes of Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, Madeleine Albright, John Kerry--or the United Nations???

They have seen what "Liberals" have to offer--and they are running like hell in the opposite direction!

My parents, grandparents, and great grandparents were all Democrats.

My children are all Republicans!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I have campus sources -- OK, two nieces and a nephew -- at UNC, which has a deservedly liberal reputation, who tell me that two of the more popular speakers there this academic year have been Ben Stein and Ann Coulter. FWIW...

How encouraging!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Good points.

[Savage Beast]

"So much for his liberal inclusiveness"

...and open mindedness ...and liberalism.

It's comforting to know that the world will be passed to people like your son.