Getting out the alienated vote

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/24/04 | Joe Garofoli

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The backlash is hitting San Francisco punk rocker Mike Burkett, better known in punk circles as Fat Mike. His perceived sin: launching a national effort to get punk rockers to vote.

In Fat Mike's world, you're a sellout if you've got a big record contract, let alone talk up mainstream politics. Which explains the reaction the 37- year-old head of the San Francisco punk label Fat Wreck Chords has received for starting Punkvoter.com last fall and spending $100,000 on the effort.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

"But there's been some, 'What the f -- do you know? You're just a drunk in a punk band.' "

Hey, watch it. That's the Democrat base you're talking about.

An October poll by Harvard's Institute of Politics found that 61 percent of college students approved of the president's job performance. Another sign of young conservatism: the advent of conservativepunk.com, a Web site launched last month to counter punk outlets that are "steeped in left-wing propaganda."

That sounds more newsworthy than alienated punks in San Francisco.