Millenials and Gen Z: Don’t forget to register to vote

[BillBrasky]

My school district (I'm a teacher) is having a two-hour delay on Election Day. Solid move. Hopefully it will one day be a national holiday.

I hope it happens in Meck County too, just for the 2&2 rage.

 

[PhDeac]

Good list, Connor El.

 

[DDA]

Great post. To conner’s list I would add:

1) spend less on the military and direct those funds to education/social programs
2) gun control: universal background checks, close gun show loopholes, and all that. Support the 2nd amendment but with more regulation.
3) end the “war on drugs”

 

[DDA]

Pinocha, these things are pretty universally agreed upon. Are these shocking to you? Surely you’ve heard them before. Or are you just popping in to stir the pot like BKF and 89?

 

[Newenglanddeac]

Not a Democrat--former Republican here.

"All" is silly.

However, I'd say for starters, and (mostly) in contrast to Limbaugh/Hannity dumbed-down Pub mythology:

1. Government is not "bad". "Less" or smaller government is not the answer to most societal or collective problems. Neither is, necessarily "more" government. But "government" is necessary and can and should largely be a force for good.

2. We need our government to regulate industry. To ensure fair/honest business practices, environmental protections, worker protections, etc. "Less" regulation is not always or necessarily "better".

3. Government has a proper and necessary role to ensure universal and affordable access to decent health care.

4. Climate change is real and threatens/challenges us in many ways and is significantly contributed to by human activity. There is a proper role for government to regulate our activities so as to mitigate our contributions to global warming. The US should lead/join collective efforts worldwide.

5. "Taxes" are not "bad". Sometimes it makes sense to lower taxes, other times to raise them.

6. One desirable feature of the rule of law is the protection of minorities from the tyranny of the majority.

7. Funding for political campaigns should be much more transparent and better regulated.

8. Public education is a good idea and should be universally accessible and affordable (meaning for many "free") and made better and better. Including all levels.

Etc.

Great list. In.

 

[Newenglanddeac]

 

[Shooshmoo]

Great post. To conner’s list I would add:

1) spend less on the military and direct those funds to education/social programs
2) gun control: universal background checks, close gun show loopholes, and all that. Support the 2nd amendment but with more regulation.
3) end the “war on drugs”

you had me until "support the 2d amendment"

 

[DDA]

you had me until "support the 2d amendment"

Why? I “support” it in that I’m fine with shotguns and rifles (not semi automatic). I also wholeheartedly support increased gun control that has been discussed by folks here on the left, myself included.

 

[Gooner]

I think part of the reason that young people aren't voting is that Civics is only taught as an upperclassmen elective in a lot of high schools. Civic duty should be taught to kids as soon as they enter grade school, and those civic ideas should be built upon over their entire education until they are seniors in HS, at which point any student that is 18 years old should be registered to vote by schools and all 17 year old students are given provisional voter registration that becomes effective upon their 18th birthday. Youth don't think civic duty matters because they are never told that it does. They are just shamed by olds that they are lazy and deserve the bad things that happen due to the people the olds vote in.

 

[TimmyClutch]

I live in DC, my senator and congress person do not have any votes and do not contribute the majority/minority. The city's budget is controlled by Congress. The District hovers at 90% Democrat......Do I still need to vote?

 

[RJKarl]

DC residents should stop paying federal taxes. No taxation without real representation!

 

[Shooshmoo]

Why? I “support” it in that I’m fine with shotguns and rifles (not semi automatic). I also wholeheartedly support increased gun control that has been discussed by folks here on the left, myself included.

Because the list is something everyone in the dem's big tent agree upon. I don't "support the second amendment" -- I don't believe the Constitution provides Americans the right to own firearms, period. I don't think "supporting the 2d Amendment" is a big tent agreement among Democrats.

 

[DistrictDeacon]

I live in DC, my senator and congress person do not have any votes and do not contribute the majority/minority. The city's budget is controlled by Congress. The District hovers at 90% Democrat......Do I still need to vote?

Vote for anyone but Bowser.

 

[RJKarl]

Vote for anyone but Bowser.

He's running in DC?

 

[cville deac]

I live in DC, my senator and congress person do not have any votes and do not contribute the majority/minority. The city's budget is controlled by Congress. The District hovers at 90% Democrat......Do I still need to vote?

Weren't they thinking about giving DC 1 voting rep and adding 1 for UT (due to their rising population)?

 

[ConnorEl]

I think part of the reason that young people aren't voting is that Civics is only taught as an upperclassmen elective in a lot of high schools. Civic duty should be taught to kids as soon as they enter grade school, and those civic ideas should be built upon over their entire education until they are seniors in HS, at which point any student that is 18 years old should be registered to vote by schools and all 17 year old students are given provisional voter registration that becomes effective upon their 18th birthday. Youth don't think civic duty matters because they are never told that it does. They are just shamed by olds that they are lazy and deserve the bad things that happen due to the people the olds vote in.

I agree, and have said here before, we need a much more vigorous civics education for our kids/youth.

A Look at Civics Education in the United States

 

[WFFaithful]

What you're saying is librul indoctrination. Like the vaxxers. Government tracking chips, contrails, and agenda 21.

 

[Newenglanddeac]

I think part of the reason that young people aren't voting is that Civics is only taught as an upperclassmen elective in a lot of high schools. Civic duty should be taught to kids as soon as they enter grade school, and those civic ideas should be built upon over their entire education until they are seniors in HS, at which point any student that is 18 years old should be registered to vote by schools and all 17 year old students are given provisional voter registration that becomes effective upon their 18th birthday. Youth don't think civic duty matters because they are never told that it does. They are just shamed by olds that they are lazy and deserve the bad things that happen due to the people the olds vote in.

Good post.

 

[Newenglanddeac]

 

[Highland Deac]

"We're seeing some cynicism among young people about the efficacy of voting as a means of social change." That's largely a self-fulfilling prophecy: you don't vote, so the candidates you oppose win and enact their agenda, and then you complain that "voting doesn't matter." If younger voters aged 18-34 turned out to vote in the same numbers as older voters, it would rock the system. Most of the polls currently in use assume that younger people won't vote in large numbers; if they did, the GOP lead in many races, even Senate races like the one in Texas, would disappear. As for voting not effecting social change, I'm not sure how they expect to get it otherwise. You can't count on the Supreme Court or lower courts to rule in your favor anymore now that the GOP is building a majority there (thanks to GOP election victories giving them a congressional majority and the presidency), and I'm not sure what good public protests will do if the GOP feels that they won't pay a price at the polls for ramming through unpopular legislation. IMO, the quickest and easiest way to promote and protect the social changes most young adults say they want is to vote in large numbers.