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Ear to the Ground

More Young Americans Lean Left

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Posted on Jun 27, 2007

A new poll finds that more young Americans (ages 17 to 29) are favoring liberal politics and Democratic candidates than ever before. The percentage of young Americans who support issues such as abortion, the legalization of gay marriage, and universal healthcare is significantly higher than the figure for the general public.


New York Times:

The poll offers a snapshot of a group whose energy and idealism have always been as alluring to politicians as its scattered focus and shifting interests have been frustrating. It found that substantially more Americans ages 17 to 29 than four years ago are paying attention to the presidential race. But they appeared to be really familiar with only two of the candidates, Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, both Democrats.

They have continued a long-term drift away from the Republican Party. And although they are just as worried as the general population about the outlook for the country and think their generation is likely to be worse off than that of their parents, they retain a belief that their votes can make a difference, the poll found.

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By Enemy of State, June 27, 2007 at 6:03 pm #

To the extent that this is true it is mildly good news. IMHO the rightward political lurch that US politics took was caused in large part, not by a change of political opinion among the populance, but by a serious decrease in voting among the younger age groups. So the key is going to be to get these younger age groups to vote in much greater numbers. Far too many of this cohort, have just given up on politics as hopelessly corrupt. This has had the effect of ceding our government to the right wingers.

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By Jacks, June 27, 2007 at 1:51 pm #

Don’t get too optimistic.  Not only is this typically the “idealistic” age, but also their views on abortion is worse than other demographics.  The freedom to exercise sovereignty over your very person is the most fundamental right (What is the point of the sanctity of life if you are not free?).  To strip that away is based purely on religious fundamentalism and not on science.

Also, I believe, there is a higher percentage of youth who either do not believe global warming is real or don’t consider it a top priority.

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