In 2008 Barack Obama was elected president without anyone knowing what his true agenda or platform was. Sure he gave us those "glittering generalities" but what was he really saying or not saying. Barack's election was much like the passing of the Healthcare Bill which was summed up best by Nancy Pelosi said, "We need to pass it in order to find out what it says." In Obama's case it was, "We need to elect him to find out what he'll do." There is something fundamentally wrong with this thought process and yet in both cases the vote passed.
According to the Pew Research Center, a think-tank/pollster group based in D.C., "66% of voters under the age of 30 gave their vote to Barack Obama." This trend isn't anything new, six out of the last eight elections showed the younger vote going to the Democratic candidate and in the odd two elections the vote was tied. I want to make it clear that informed personal opinion is not under attack here, however it is my opinion that the naivete of young people (as well as many people over 30) really exposed itself in this latest election.
Everyone wants to believe the best about people, and especially that those in leadership positions are looking out for the public's best interests. It is the case many times then that someone can rise to power by merely promising a better life, secure job or "free" healthcare. In a world filled with biased media outlets (not just the news but movies, television, music) pushing their own agenda it can be easy to be swept up in the hype and the emotion but it is important for us as voters to take a step back and think, "Do I really understand what this guy is saying, what does it all mean and how will if affect me and my family not just presently but in the future."
Any man seeking a leadership role, as Barack Obama was in 2008, should be analyzed carefully in order to determine his true nature and goals before you make a final decision. This doesn't mean listening to what the personality on Fox News or CNN or MTV has to say about a candidate and it also doesn't mean listening to a few quotes or sound bites from the guy. Really make an effort to study his up-bringing, voting record, and personal history.
I believe that we in the "MTV" generation have and continue to let our naivete get the best of us and it is a tragic failure. I am posting this well before the November elections so that you all have time to do some research on the candidates running for office. Listen to some of their speeches, read their writings (if they have any), take a look at their voting record, and most importantly discover who they are as a person. Don't continue to let your emotional knee-jerk reactions fail you, use the logical brain that God gave you and truly think for yourself.
-Jim at the D.W.
I think(Unrelated to the direct topic of the subject) one virtue of the current generation around our age is the push to vote. I really notice a lot of commercials, ads and so on with a young person featured, urging others to vote. I feel it's a good movement, however as you pointed out, people are necessarily going out to the booths with a really informed mind. People REALLY for the most part as you said sit on the couch and see what the person has to say. And while that's important as well, it's clear that it's the majority of the information their taking in. Some TV show (may have been Jay Leno) went out and asked people why they voted for whoever they voted for. And most of them had a "uhm.." style of answer.
ReplyDeleteSo while I feel the campaign to have young folks really get out and vote, I think it really needs to be impressed upon them to research the candidates. It's something they HAVE to tack onto their commercials and ads. "great you got them voting, but lets get them to make a vote based on some research."
I totally agree with that, voting is an obligation that we all have-if you don't vote then you have no control (not that we have much anyway). I love the fact that more and more young people are voting, like you say it is very important. The problem is, and I think you would agree, when you have media telling you to vote for this candidate because he promises such and such then you have voters who are ignorant to the platforms of the candidate and they vote for them based on a slogan.
ReplyDeleteExactly, not enough emphasis is put on info gathering. They got young people voting but the votes could overwhelming be made off whims or what they saw on the tv ad spots or debates. While I love debates to see a persons character, it's a known fact they're saying what they have already lined up on their list of things. People need to look at what the person was "yes" and "no" for in the past on topics important to them.
ReplyDeleteWe know exactly what Obama was elected on. Passing Health Care, Dealing with the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, closing down Guantonimo(sp?), Dealing with Don't Ask Don't Tell, and fixing the economy.
ReplyDeleteProblem is he failed with Health Care (Didn't go far enough), he hasn't delt with the wars (Afghanistan has gotten bigger since he has been president), Gitmo is still open, and Don't Ask Don't Tell is still in effect.
To say we "Know nothing" about this President is foolish. What I want to know is what the Republicans and Tea Parties solutions are to the problems we have today, because so far all I have heard from them is "Tax Cuts and Spending Cuts to fix the deficit!".
It will be hilarious when they figure out that its not that easy.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-september-21-2010/meet-the-depressed
ReplyDeleteMaybe theres a reason most young people don't support Republicans:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/29/james-okeefe-cnn-abbie-boudreau_n_743313.html
Cause we're not INSANE.