One of the most frustrating things about being young and politically active is that no one seems to pay attention to my friends or myself. We volunteer for campaigns or get paid a whole lot less than those older than us. Most of the time, we have to beg for jobs on campaigns despite again the great amount of grunt work we do. Does it suck? Hell yes, but is there anything that can really be done?
As I sat there at the CDNY convention, speaker after speaker talked about how my generation should not be taken for granted. One person got up there and was not afraid to tell it like it is, that was candidate Dan Maffei. He basically got up and said what I know I was thinking and what campaigns everywhere think: we aren’t worthless because we don’t get out there and be active but rather we do not provide the needed numbers in the end.
Out of all the speakers, he had the best point on the issue. As a young campaign worker, one of the most painful things I had to deal was ignoring my fellow young democrats. Yes we had a facebook and myspace, we visited high schools but we knew that the effort was almost worthless. It was accepted that we could not get this demographic fully mobilized. We knew those that were going to vote already had their minds made up. It was not worth the time and effort to get 50-60 votes when we could go to a senior center and get 100-200.
Campaigns and candidates are going to put their resources and money where they will get results. While my generation may be the force behind a great deal of campaigns, we should accept in the end we are an awfully small voting block. To a point, I know campaigns take us for granted. They know that those of us that are activists can be considered “sure things.” They acknowledge the fact they have no need to work to keep us with them.
When it comes down to it, most of my generation is either undecided or apathetic. Though campaigns come out to speak at college campuses, they are rarely ever speaking about issues that effect students. They do not bother to relate to us; therefore we don’t pay attention to them. My generation has to be given a reason to look at a candidate and feel a connection to them. We have to know that they are really listening to us.
’08 is an interesting time to be involved in any race. With no evident front-runner for the presidential nomination, if someone found a way to energize the 18-34 demographic they could be golden. One of the things that allowed Howard Dean to have a certain measure of success was the fact he did not go before Rock the Vote in jeans in a horrible attempt to act cool. He showed up in a suit and tie to talk frankly to those that attended. He was real then.
Most of the ’08 first tier candidates do not give us that feeling. They are pre-packaged. They come before groups being told exactly what to say and what camera to face when they are saying it. Most of what they say has no substance. They speak in generalities and great oratorical flourishes in an attempt not to piss anyone off.
I would think a straw poll among progressive and young democrats would show the same thing: no one really like the self-anointed nominee. Here are the results of the DFA pulse poll from March 23:
Barack Obama 28.1%
John Edwards 24.6%
Other 12.4%
Dennis Kucinich 10.3%
Hillary Clinton 8.7%
Bill Richardson 7.6%
Undecided 4.9%
Joseph Biden 1.9%
Christopher Dodd 0.5%
Mike Gravel 0.3%
The DailyKos Poll from March 16:
dKos Reader Poll. 2/15. 20,264 respondents (as of 3.16.07 9:22 p.m. PT)
2007 2006 2005
Mar Feb Jan Dec Jul May Mar Jan Nov Sep Aug
Edwards 38 26 35 28 15 8 7 8 12 10 7
Obama 26 25 28 28
Other 9 8 * * 3 6 3 6 2 3 4
Richardson 8 6 5 4 2 1 2 3 5 3 4
No F'ing Clue 8 6 * * 3 4 6 6 6 6 9
H. Clinton 3 4 4 5 2 2 2 3 6 8 9
Kucinich 2 4
Biden 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3
Dodd 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gravel 0 0 0 0
-- not running --
Bayh - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
Clark - 14 17 26 17 15 15 22 26 34 35
Daschle - - - - 0 1 0
Feingold - - - - 38 44 48 30 19 19 16
Kerry - - 1 1 2 1 1 3 2 2 1
Vilsack - 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Warner - - - - 10 10 11 12 14 4 3
I would have to say that the Kos Poll might be much more in line with what the younger group of Democrats feel. Somehow progressives and younger activists feel a connection to these candidates. Each of these groups are also very quick to try and keep this connection alive.
When all is said and done, the best way to reach the 18-34 demographic is retail politics. Candidates that keep their word will have the logical following they deserve. My generation is frustrated with the fact most of these candidates talk an amazing game but do not deliver. Our generation is next, we want leaders that are going to walk the walk and talk the talk. Is anyone in the ’08 field ready?
No comments:
Post a Comment