No Candidate For Young Women (Why is Hillary faring so poorly with young women?)

In the Democratic primaries so far, women have voted in larger numbers than men. In the 13 states that Hillary Clinton has won, she owed her victories in no small part to a majority female vote--a sign that a female president is an important election issue for women overall. Among young women, however, that girl-power momentum evaporates, and Barack Obama is the favored candidate. What happens--or hasn't yet happened--to young women that explains this gap? The answer can be found on campus.

Articles on youth voting routinely fail to address gender, focusing instead on how young people are picking the candidate who has their "aspirations" and "attitudes." But it's important to ask why gender, as an issue, is in a position to be ignored. At colleges today, women receive better grades than men and take home more honors degrees; they are more likely to get internships and be involved in campus organizations. They have stronger college applications than men, and have been outnumbering men in enrollment as a result for 25 years. According to Department of Education projections, by 2012, there will be roughly 142 women graduating for every 100 men. In other words, in four dreamy years, women run the show. And that is hurting Hillary Clinton's quest for young female voters.

Unfortunately, there's no exit poll data that singles out young female voters. But there are statistics that suggest how solidly this bloc supports Obama. Even though a majority of young Democratic voters are female, Obama has won the under-30 vote in most of the primaries. Of the 13 Super Tuesday primary states in which of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), a youth civic-participation research group, analyzed the youth vote, ten went for Obama and three went for Clinton. And in Virginia, the most recent primary in which youth voting data has been analyzed, people under 30 gave Obama a thundering 76 percent of the vote.

Obama's support gets even stronger as voters get younger. Among college students, it's even stronger. As far back as April 2007, polls showed Obama with a 17-point lead over Clinton among college Democrats. During that same period, Obama's lead over Clinton was only three percentage points among 18-24 year-olds not enrolled in a four-year school. Fortunately for Obama, this non-college group has abysmal voter turnout. According to CIRCLE, in 2004, the voter turnout for college students and college graduates under 25 was 59 percent; it was 34 percent for non-graduates. In other words, those young voters are mostly college students or recent grads.

Anyone who has graduated in the last decade has anecdotes of guys who come to class late or hungover, while their female classmates seemed to have all their work done. College has become one corner of American life where hardworking females are consistently and fairly rewarded, and they are succeeding there, to a much greater degree than their male counterparts. It's possible, maybe even likely, to graduate college with little sense and zero experience of institutionalized gender discrimination--with almost complete freedom from the type of covert, daily setbacks that drive blacks to the polls for Obama and older women to vote for Clinton.

In a recent New York Times op-ed, Lorrie Moore used women's progress in academic settings to entreat voters not to choose Clinton. "The children who are suffering in this country, who are having trouble in school, and for whom the murder and suicide rates and economic dropout rates are high, are boys--especially boys of color, for whom the whole educational system, starting in kindergarten, often feels a form of exile, a system designed by and for white girls," she wrote.

But if you can afford to be there, the college-world of grades and tests is astonishingly more objective than the rest of life--and that's why women are able to get ahead. The classroom is not political; it's not a popularity contest. Studies show that women earn their school-years dominance by studying more and trying harder than men. The 2005 National Survey of Student Engagement showed that men were significantly more likely than women to say they spent at least 11 hours a week relaxing or socializing, and more men than women said they frequently came to class unprepared.

From within their girl-positive environment, college women are weighing other factors in the primaries aside from gender. Race is one of them. "There's a competition among dueling idealisms," says Yale University political science professor Donald Green, of college voters. "Maybe idealism associated with race is more compelling, has more of a visceral appeal. We're at a moment in our history where there's cause for optimism about gender equality, but less cause for optimism about racial equality. And from [a college student's] standpoint, the real inequality is likely to be racial or ethnic."

A less cynical explanation may be that, with sexism off the table, females in college feel less conflicted than other women about their vote. Gloria Steinem, in a now-legendary New York Times op-ed published the day of the New Hampshire primary, wrote that what "worries" her is that "some women, perhaps especially younger ones, hope to deny or escape the sexual caste system." Steinem's gloom-and-doom picture of a larger world full of everlasting sexism hasn't seemed to affect the votes of young women. Still, the advantage women have in college quickly slips away in the working world. Women get paid a lot less than the men they graduate with, no matter how much extra work or hours they put in. One year out of school, women working full-time are earning 80 percent of what their former male classmates are making, according to a 2007 study by American Association of University Women Educational Foundation. And this fact hasn't budged over the past ten years--despite the advances women have made on campus.

But would a woman who votes for Obama today rethink her choice after graduation, when she sees a man getting ahead in the workplace, or when she has to make a choice between a higher-level career and kids? Americans usually aren't so if-A-then-B with picking candidates, and Obama's popularity with voters in their thirties and forties has grown in recent weeks. But, interestingly, Clinton has won 25- to 30 -year-olds in a few primaries, such as New Hampshire, where the under-24 vote went to Obama. It gives weight to the idea that post-grads might shift their preferences after a few years away from campus, but given the minimal data collected during exit polls, it's impossible to say for sure.

Young people are going to continue to impact this election in unprecedented ways--a force of history that leaves me simultaneously in love with young people's fervor and optimism and unnerved by their lack of interest in Hillary. For the candidate, the parallels between college and the real world are striking. She has worked hard and done what's expected of her, but may very well get passed over by a less qualified guy when payday comes.

Have a better memory ?

Hillary Clinton
January 25, 2008, 6:01 am Posted by American in General
Rating: 5/5 Votes : 2

If this doesn’t raise an eyebrow, then you have been watching too much American idol! Remember the history.

So you want to work for the Clintons ?

Just a quick refresher course lest we forget what has happened to many “friends” of the Clintons

1-James McDougal - Clinton ‘s convicted Whitewater partner died of an apparent heart attack, while in solitary confinement. He was a key witness in Ken Starr’s investigation.

2 -Mary Mahoney - A former White House intern was murdered July 1997 at a Starbucks Coffee Shop in Georgetown . The murder happened just after she was to go public with her story of sexual harassment in the White House.

3- Vince Foster - Former White House counselor and colleague of Hillary Clinton at Little Rock ‘s Rose Law firm. Died of a gunshot wound to the head, ruled a suicide.

4- Ron Brown - Secretary of Commerce and former DNC Chairman. Reported to have died by impact in a plane crash. A pathologist close to the investigation reported that there was a hole in the top of Brown’s skull resembling a gunshot wound. At the time of his death Brown was being investigated, and spoke publicly of his willingness to cut a deal with prosecutors. The rest of the people on the plane also died. A few days later the air Traffic controller committed suicide.

5- C. Victor Raiser II- Raiser, a major player in the Clinton fund raising organization died in a private plane crash in July 1992

6-Paul Tulley - Democratic National Committee Political Director found dead in a hotel room in Little Rock , September 1992. Described by Clinton as a “Dear friend and trusted advisor”.

7-Ed Willey - Clinton fund raiser, found dead November 1993 deep in the woods in VA of a gunshot wound to the head. Ruled a suicide. Ed Willey died on the same day his wife Kathleen Willey claimed Bill Clinton groped her in the oval office in the White House. Ed Willey was involved in several Clinton fund raising events.

8-Jerry Parks -Head of Clinton’s gubernatorial security team in Little Rock . Gunned down in his car at a deserted intersection outside Little Rock . Park’s son said his father was building a dossier on Clinton . He allegedly threatened to reveal this information. After he died the files were mysteriously removed from his house.

9-James Bunch - Died from a gunshot suicide. It was reported that he had a “Black Book” of people which contained names of influential people who visited prostitutes in Texas and Arkansas

10-James Wilson - Was found dead in May 1993 from an apparent hanging suicide. He was reported to have ties to Whitewater.

11-Kathy Ferguson- Ex-wife of Arkansas Trooper Danny Ferguson, was found dead in May 1994, in her living room with a gunshot to her head. It was ruled a suicide even though there were several packed suitcases, as if she were going somewhere. Danny Ferguson was a co-defendant along with Bill Clinton in the Paula Jones lawsuit. Kathy Ferguson was a possible corroborating witness for Paula Jones.

12-Bill Shelton - Arkansas State Trooper and fiance of Kathy Ferguson. Critical of the suicide ruling of his fiance, he was found dead in June, 1994 of a gunshot wound also ruled a suicide at the grave site of his fiance.

13-Gandy Baugh - Attorney for Clinton ‘s friend Dan Lassater, died by jumping out a window of a tall building January, 1994. His client was a convicted drug distributor.

14-Florence Martin - Accountant & sub-contractor for the CIA, was related to the Barry Seal Mena Airport drug smuggling case. He died of three gunshot wounds.

15- Suzanne Coleman - Reportedly had an affair with Clinton when he was Arkansas Attorney General. Died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head, ruled a suicide. Was pregnant at the time of her death.

16-Paula Grober - Clinton ‘s speech interpreter for the deaf from 1978 until her death December 9, 1992 . She died in a one car accident.

17-Danny Casolaro - Investigative reporter. Investigating Mena Airport and Arkansas Development Finance Authority. He slit his wrists, apparently, in the middle of his investigation.

18- Paul Wilcher - Attorney investigating corruption at Mena Airport with Casolaro and the 1980 “October Surprise” was found dead on a toilet June 22, 1993 in his Washington DC apartment. Had delivered a report to Janet Reno 3 weeks before his death.

19-Jon Parnell Walker - Whitewater investigator for Resolution Trust Corp. Jumped to his death from his Arlington , Virginia apartment balcony August 15, 1993 . He was investigating the Morgan Guaranty scandal.

20-Barbara Wise - Commerce Department staffer. Worked closely with Ron Brown and John Huang. Cause of death unknown. Died November 29, 1996 . Her bruised, nude body was found locked in her office at the Department of Commerce.

21-Charles Meissner -Assistant Secretary of Commerce who gave John Huang special security clearance, died shortly thereafter in a small plane crash.

22-Dr. Stanley Heard - Chairman of the National Chiropractic Health Care Advisory Committee died with his attorney Steve Dickson in a small plane crash. Dr. Heard, in addition to serving on Clinton ‘s advisory council personally treated Clinton ‘s mother, stepfather and brother.

23-Barry Seal -Drug running pilot out of Mena Arkansas , death was no accident.

24-Johnny Lawhorn Jr. - Mechanic, found a check made out to Bill Clinton in the trunk of a car left at his repair shop. He was found dead after his car had hit a utility pole.

25-Stanley Huggins - Investigated Madison Guaranty. His death was a purported suicide and his report was never released.

26- Hershell Friday - Attorney and Clinton fund raiser died March 1, 1994 when his plane exploded.

27-Kevin Ives & Don Henry - Known as “The boys on the track” case. Reports say the boys may have stumbled upon the Mena Arkansas airport drug operation. A controversial case, the initial report of death said, due to falling asleep on railroad tracks. Later reports claim the 2 boys had been slain before being placed on the tracks. Many linked to the case died before their testimony could come before a Grand Jury.

THE FOLLOWING PERSONS HAD INFORMATION ON THE IVES/HENRY CASE:

28-Keith Coney - Died when his motorcycle slammed into the back of a truck, 7/88.

29-Keith McMaskle - Died stabbed 113 times, Nov, 1988

30-Gregory Collins - Died from a gunshot wound January 1989.

31-Jeff Rhodes - He was shot, mutilated and found burned in a trash dump in April 1989.

33-James Milan - Found decapitated. However, the Coroner ruled his death was due to “natural causes”.

34-Jordan Kettleson - Was found shot to death in the front seat of his pickup truck in June 1990.

35-Richard Winters - A suspect in the Ives / Henry deaths. He was killed in a set-up robbery July 1989.

THE FOLLOWING CLINTON BODYGUARDS ARE DEAD:
36 -Major William S. Barkley Jr.
37-Captain Scott J . Reynolds
38-Sgt. Brian Hanley
39-Sgt. Tim Sabel
40-Major General William Robertson
41-Col. William Densberger
42 -Col. Robert Kelly
43-Spec. Gary Rhodes
44-Steve Willis
45-Robert Williams
46-Conway LeBleu
47-Todd McKeehan

Quite an impressive list!

HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT? Certainly a Power base .................

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