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Ear to the Ground

A Historical Surge Among Young Democrats

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Posted on Oct 18, 2006
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From the N.Y. Times

Under Bush II, the percentage of Americans 18 to 24 years old who describe themselves as Democrats has risen to its highest point in generations, according to Pew poll data.

Pollster.com :

The chart provides graphical evidence of the slow rolling realignment that is always at work as new young voters gradually replace their elders. Political scientists generally agree that young people tend to acquire political beliefs, including their partisan attachments, in their 20s. As Kirkpatrick writes, “voters typically develop a party preference based on the political atmosphere at the time they come of age and grow more attached to that party over the course of their lives.” Once acquired, a true sense of party changes rarely changes, although some voters are less attached to political parties than others (as I speculated on Friday, some will shift back and forth on surveys depending on the politics of the moment or the wording or context of the survey question).

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By hallaquila, October 19, 2006 at 9:56 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Identifying with a political party and being politically active and voting are not synonymous. People don’t often acknowledge that they support a group that is blantantly greedy, corrupt and incompetent. Still, they vote for GOP (Greed On Parade) candidates on isolated issues--abortion, gay issues, etc.--manipulated by party media who appeal to the darkside of human nature--fear, prejudice, and selfishness.
People everywhere need to educate themselves and to think for themselves, and to stop being moral cowards--going along to get ahead. Labels don’t mean much, it’s what you do and how one relates to others and the world that counts.

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By Corporate Jesus, October 19, 2006 at 7:22 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

18-24 year olds don’t vote en masse.  They didn’t vote when there was a military draft, they won’t vote now when there is nothing that really affects their day to day lives.  I’d wager that the majority of these declared Democrats don’t even know which day the polls are open.

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By kevin99999, October 19, 2006 at 5:44 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Since democrats offer no real change...what does it matter?

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By beardedfish, October 18, 2006 at 12:15 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Thank the Lord!  Now when the disgrace that has been the leadership of the baby-boomer generation finally ends, hopefully us 18-24s will have a chance to fix and/or improve what they have incompetently managed.

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