Trouble For Democrats Who Count On Them
Congressional Republicans don’t see a blue wave sweeping them out of power in the House. Instead, they believe they will keep control of that chamber and take over the Senate (and White House). They expect to immediately renew their tax cuts for the rich using budget reconciliation in the Senate to get around a Democratic Party filibuster. In fact, they want to throw everything they can into that bill. That would include broadly xenophobic restrictions against immigrants and the opening of ANWR (the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge) to oil drilling, in the hope of despoiling the environment before the Democrats take over again and reverse their initiatives.
Meanwhile, Democrats can’t get enough of AIPAC’s money while trying to show they’re almost as enthusiastic as Republicans are for a genocide in Gaza. Wonder why young voters might be thinking, “I’m supposed to buy into this?”
It’s worth looking at this through another spectrum— the way a poll finds young voters seeing U.S. politics: A dying empire led by bad people. Shelby Talcott reported yesterday that “Young voters overwhelmingly believe that almost all politicians are corrupt and that the country will end up worse off than when they were born, according to new polling from Democratic firm Blueprint obtained exclusively by Semafor. The sour mood points to potential trouble for Joe Biden, who is struggling with Gen Z and younger Millennials in polls compared with 2020, and needs to convince them he can be relied on to improve their lives… 49% agreed to some extent that elections in the country don’t represent people like them; 51% agreed to some extent that the political system in the US ‘doesn’t work for people like me’; and 64% backed the statement that ‘America is in decline.’ A whopping 65% agreed either strongly or somewhat that ‘nearly all politicians are corrupt, and make money from their political power’— only 7% disagreed.”
Reasonable conclusions— even without getting into the low grade of political elites and the absolute crap sitting on the benches of both parties. “Young voters,” said Evan Smith, the pollster, “do not look at our politics and see any good guys. They see a dying empire led by bad people.” Credit where credit is due. Smith’s advice for Democratic candidates: “Step one is more fully admitting that people are hurting, concerning young voters and all voters, particularly around the economy [and] inflation. And that we’re doing something about it. That it’s not all roses, and communicating that really, really strongly: That we don’t think everything is great.”
Derek Marshall, the progressive Democrat running in San Bernardino County for a seat held by reactionary Republican Jay Obernolte, told us "It's saddening that younger voters see little to no hope in electoral politics, yet it’s easy to empathize with them. They have been told that it’s their responsibility to ‘save democracy’ in the last three elections, after a while those words lose their merit. Trying to scare them into voting has not been successful and has even caused damage to the party. The youth are the engine to every great movement we have seen in history, we need to get them involved and excited once again. How does that look? First, we need to stop using fear mongering tactics seen on the other side of the aisle, then listen to their concerns and finally amplify their voice.”
Broadly speaking, Blueprint’s polling reveals young voters in America are not doing okay. But the pessimism about the country, its leaders, and more is also a concerning trend for Biden— whether he’s directly responsible for why voters feel the way they do or not, he’s currently in office during a time when many seem to be.
There are signs the Biden administration has begun to recognize this reality: Their once-often used term “Bidenomics” largely fell off the map after voters expressed frustration over the phrase, arguing it did not reflect the reality that they were feeling on the ground.
But there’s still a way to go, particularly with young voters who are wary of politicians and have lived through three presidential election cycles in a row featuring major party nominees known for their support among older cohorts.
In his newsletter Off Message, Brian Beutler argues that Democrats would be making a mistake by conceding the premise that conditions are bad under Biden, rather than bragging about low unemployment and falling crime while promising to help those still left behind. “Maybe turning ‘meet voters where they are’ into an iron rule of politics is a recipe for behaving sheepishly in all circumstances, and carrying the stink of a loser everywhere,” he writes.
You have to be 25 to take office as a congressman. and that's how old Florida progressive Thomas Witkop is, as far as I know the youngest person running this year. He's taking on Florida MAGAt Brian Mast. “As a Gen Z candidate for Congress, I understand the problems faced by my generation because I've faced many of them too,” he told us this morning. “Young people used to buy homes, but now struggle to pay rent for a small apartment. College used to be affordable, while a decent job could once support a family. Many young people with college degrees live at home, saddled with debt. Few are married and fewer have children. I know many who've experienced this, and they all voice the same thought: Our politicians aren't representing us. My job on the campaign trail is to show young people that progressive politicians are on their side. Biden's student loan forgiveness and Inflation Reduction Act are major successes that many didn't expect to pass. This November, we need to get out to vote so Biden stays in office and more progressive politicians win seats in Congress, because young people won't see the change they hope for until progressives outnumber MAGA Republicans in government. The problem we face is many young people do not feel empowered, and therefore don't understand the power of their vote. In reality, their vote could flip this election, and one of my priorities is to convince my district's young people how powerful their vote is. To do this, my greatest asset is my age. When I meet young people they're thrilled a 25 year-old might represent them, and eagerly say they'll get out to vote. I will rely on their support this November, and hopefully will be one of many young progressives to flip a seat in Congress.”
Michigan progressive Diane Young: “It breaks my heart to hear that our young people are losing faith in our democracy. Addressing despair among young voters is crucial for the success of our country. From economic opportunity to mental health, Washington needs to prioritize comprehensive policies that uplift and empower our youth. By tackling these issues head-on, we not only secure a brighter future for the next generation but also ensure a more inclusive and resilient society. It’s incredibly important that we flip MI-10 and defeat John James who has consistently looks after corporate interests.”
Eric Wilson is a relatively young progressive is western Wisconsin, running in a swing district with a problematic GOP incumbent, Derrick Van Orden “As a younger millennial,” he told us today, “I've heard this sentiment many times, ‘why even try?’ My answer? Because we have to. The reality is that our future in the current trajectory is not bright. We are the first generation that is worse off than our parents. We have a world literally on fire and the climate crisis and impact getting worse, Gen Z and millennials are "splurging" on fresh groceries, many can't afford a house, are saddled with student loans, have 2-3 jobs and can barely get by, have less human rights in some regards than our parents, grew up in a time of daily mass shootings and active shooter drills in school, and mental health is continuing to deteriorate. Many of my friends don't think they will ever be able to retire, they'll have to work until they die. We are tired. The fact is the promises of older generations aren't in reach to many.
“Those are just some of the circumstances crushing my generation and younger generations. We don't feel like things are being fixed and we continue to see things go against us.
“That's why I'm running— we don't live in the world we did 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago. Technologies have changed, mindsets have changed, cultures have changed and we need new people that are willing to create a better world for everyone. The system has failed us, because it wasn't built for the many, it was built for the few. I am running to inspire the next generation to take up the torch and fight for the future that we deserve and that we are going to have to work for. It's not going to be easy, but we can't avoid it either. We need to be the change we want and we have the tools and technology to change the world quickly.
“We want representation and that means electing younger people, who have a vested interest in the future. The average age of Members of the House at the beginning of the 117th Congress was 58.4 years; of Senators, 64.3 years. It's time to bring that number down.”
The bolded names above are candidates on the Blue America Flip Congress page and they are all running non-corporate, grassroots campaigns. If you would like to help them with a contribution, you can do that by clicking here.
I guess we'll find out in November how many of those young voters are smarter than the rest of the dumber than shits. I also see by your continued censorship of things that might enlighten them that you take your job -- to make them just as dumber than shit as the rest -- very seriously.
The smart money would seem to be on you in that quest.