You can win in multiple different ways, not simply picking a purple state moderate. The whole reason there’s a story about “more youth voters like Harris” is because more youth voters could help her win. And the youths notably live in every swing state.
Biden literally won in 2020 with strong youth turnout while Clinton lost in 2016 with a weak one. Historically, youth turnout is extremely important for Democrats, and people continually dismissing their value will only harm that effort.
No one is dismissing their value. It’s exciting to see them energized. The youth vote has been trending up and that’s awesome for many reasons. But we may need another election or two to see if it will hold or if it’s a reaction to Trump that will revert to norms once he’s gone.
If it holds, I think we are likely to see some changes in political calculus.
This is the problem. You’re demanding that young voters just naturally show up for multiple voting cycles before you think politicians should try to court them. Why on earth would you expect that to work? Would you expect that to work for black voters or women? Voter motivation doesn’t rise and fall based on its own, it’s something politicians actively work to inspire. It wasn’t an accident that Obama had great turnout and Clinton had poor turnout.
There’s an increasing trend, though. The last couple elections have been pivotal. Sucks we didn’t turn out in 2016, but we’re learning. Young women telling young men you ain’t getting laid while abortion is illegal. LGBT+ saying you won’t take our healthcare. New parents saying we need universal childcare, college students saying debt forgiveness is essential.
I don’t know if it’ll be enough, but I know I’ll never miss an election again, at least
Smoke and mirrors. Right now we need the clearest path to victory, not a path. The Right has their strengths and one of them is throwing wrenches into things. Can’t throw a stick into my spokes if my bike doesn’t have any.
It’s so frustrating people don’t get this. Progressive politics is stringing together election victories. The US system is designed to require longer term horizons to enact significant change. And we saw precisely why when we survived Trump’s term.
Almost as if you need to win before you can do anything at all.
Like it or not, the reality of the electoral college.
You can win in multiple different ways, not simply picking a purple state moderate. The whole reason there’s a story about “more youth voters like Harris” is because more youth voters could help her win. And the youths notably live in every swing state.
The youth are not historically known for showing up to vote.
That’s what the media says, but kids these days are showing up more than their parents were at their age.
I just hope it’s enough.
“The youth are notorious for low turnout. That’s why Kamala Harris (and possibly her VP) increasing their turnout isn’t important.”
More like being popular with a demographic who doesn’t show up to vote hasn’t historically been a good way to win elections.
If they actually show up this time, awesome.
Biden literally won in 2020 with strong youth turnout while Clinton lost in 2016 with a weak one. Historically, youth turnout is extremely important for Democrats, and people continually dismissing their value will only harm that effort.
https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/half-youth-voted-2020-11-point-increase-2016
No one is dismissing their value. It’s exciting to see them energized. The youth vote has been trending up and that’s awesome for many reasons. But we may need another election or two to see if it will hold or if it’s a reaction to Trump that will revert to norms once he’s gone.
If it holds, I think we are likely to see some changes in political calculus.
Maybe the party should continue to listen to them. That seems to be working.
This is the problem. You’re demanding that young voters just naturally show up for multiple voting cycles before you think politicians should try to court them. Why on earth would you expect that to work? Would you expect that to work for black voters or women? Voter motivation doesn’t rise and fall based on its own, it’s something politicians actively work to inspire. It wasn’t an accident that Obama had great turnout and Clinton had poor turnout.
There’s an increasing trend, though. The last couple elections have been pivotal. Sucks we didn’t turn out in 2016, but we’re learning. Young women telling young men you ain’t getting laid while abortion is illegal. LGBT+ saying you won’t take our healthcare. New parents saying we need universal childcare, college students saying debt forgiveness is essential.
I don’t know if it’ll be enough, but I know I’ll never miss an election again, at least
And yet they’re excited right now because the party was responsive to their concerns.
Let’s hope they stay excited.
Let’s hope the party remains responsive, then.
Smoke and mirrors. Right now we need the clearest path to victory, not a path. The Right has their strengths and one of them is throwing wrenches into things. Can’t throw a stick into my spokes if my bike doesn’t have any.
And youths are also notorious for not turning out too.
And yet, they seem motivated to vote for Harris because the party stopped lecturing and listened instead.
It’s so frustrating people don’t get this. Progressive politics is stringing together election victories. The US system is designed to require longer term horizons to enact significant change. And we saw precisely why when we survived Trump’s term.