Posted on 07/06/2008 5:35:41 PM PDT by Conservatives_Unite
Some are of the opinion that the youth vote is either not worth it (they "never turn out") or unattainable. Most years I agree with the former. But not this year. I think it will be a factor and I also think we should go after those votes. With the right ad campaign, we could prevent the youth vote from catapulting the Empty Suit into the WH this year.
Fox ran a segment today on the youth vote and it really struck me. Typical youth interviewee: "I don't know why I'm going to vote for him (Obama) - I'm not the kind of person that does research into issues...I'd like to say I will be voting on the issues, but it will probably be on personality..." "He's (Obama) cool!" etc., in many variations but essentially the same thing over and over. The epitome of the "boxers or briefs?" mentality.
Aside from being absolutely horrified after watching this segment - that the potential exists for electing Obama the next leader of the free world with the help of a voting bloc that freely admits substance and experience do not matter, a thought occurred to me: We can and need to use clips like these to our advantage. Not all youth are brain-dead, of course. But if we don't even try to court this voting bloc, then the herd mentality will remain intact. It doesn't have to be this way.
Turn these clips showing the brain-dead youths around on the group as a whole. Somebody - the 21st century Roger Ailes maybe - needs to produce some ad spots and put them all over the web asking youth whether they want to be like these idiots from their own age group. If there's one thing the youth does *not* want to appear to be, it's stupid. Youth, despite attempts to appear the opposite, suffer from a lack of self-confidence (almost by definition, right?)
Forcing youth to see other members of their own age group "explaining" why they plan to vote for Obama could do two beneficial things:
1. Demoralize. This will keep some home that might - this year - have made it to the polls.
2. Convert. You don't even have to mention McCain or the GOP in these spots. That's the beauty of it - just ask the question: "Do you want to be like this guy?" I think some introspection will take place and most will know what to do.
What *won't* work:
Lame attempts to make McCain, the GOP, whatever - appear "hip." THAT, is a waste of time and money. This vote is worth getting and I think MUST be courted this cycle. It's also not a lost cause, as everyone seems to be saying. Discuss...
I can tell you why the youth like Obama:
1) He is young
2) He talks of change and of a new generation taking over Washington DC
3) He is handsome
4) He is young
5) He is against Iraq
6) He is young
It doesn’t matter if he is Liberal or Conservative, experienced or not, or his positions on abortion, health care, etc. Most of them don’t even know what those postitions are.
In the moment, they're hot and bothered. In the long term - like an election 3 months from now - that's so yesterday.
The youth vote collapses over and over. It astounds me that people still think it's worth something.
The young are ignorant ahistorical morons. Spending a dime on them is a waste of money.
Fortunately, this year, like every other year, they'll be too busy taking bong hits from rotting Halloween pumpkins to vote.
I would counter with some basic ideas....why Obama’s foreign policy ideas have failed in the past. Why higher taxes and more govt. never work. I would call it the Jimmy Carter case study. Apply it to their world and their future. It’s not about making the GOP or McCain hip, because that won’t work. It’s time to educate them for this election, and to make them think in the future, even if they vote Obama.
BTW, why is Obama considered young to this crowd. People I know in this age group think 35 is OLD. It has more to do with his appearance - he LOOKS younger than 47 and is black and give fist bumps and high fives.
A majority of the people under 30 have an experience with the NEA government schools fresh on their mind. It migh tmake sense to try to tell them something about othe reducation options and how the dems work to throttle them.
The Commie and Marxist “perfessors” have the non-taxpaying “yoots” really stirred up this year. They’re going to “make history” donja know. I expect every snot-nosed, college brat to vote 5 to 10 times. It’s going to get pretty ugly.
I heard Fred Barnes say on Foxnews today that McCain could energize conservatives by emphasizing social security reform. That would be one of the most foolish things McCain could do. Until young voters wake up and start voting in the right way on that issue, there is no incentive for any politician to make that an issue.
I heard someone, maybe on talk radio, say the youths voting for Obama, were not thinking about BHO’s foreign policy. If his plan to bring the troops from Iraq is successful, major turmoil will break out in the Middle East, requiring more soldiers than we have, making a draft necessary.
Guess who those draftees will be? The same ones who voted to put him into office.
Ironic, huh?
“He is young”
HUH? The guy is 3 years away from 50 for crying out loud. Where does everyone get off saying he is “Young”?
The youth vote (crazed, immature, college kids) on the Dem side will probably be higher this year. But, this can be offset by the hundreds of thousands of decent, conservative, young people whose parents have raised them right and are under their parents influence who will NOT vote for B. Hussein.
Well it doesn’t always collapse. When someone catches their eye he/she can get elected when enough young people plus the normal voters vote for someone Ex. Jesse Ventura. Many of his votes came from the youth, many came from disenfrancised older voters.
You really think that Obama cannot pull out enough youth to vote? I think he probably can, sadly...I hope you really are right, but I do doubt it, this year at least.
Right...And they are sure to FLOCK to the GOP’s 71 year old war mongering geriatric, who when he speaks, has to set booming devices in the audience to keep them awake. Or, his entourage resembles a Laurence Welk, 20 year staff reunion.(their view, not mine)
Any other brilliant suggestions?
What’s your brilliant suggestion?
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