Political Awareness

[Happy]

Whether you are Republican, Democrat or Independent, this is an exciting political season. I can't believe how many young people are becoming more interested and involved. It's not a perfect world but there has been enormous change in the last few decades and I believe we are set for even more changes for the better. We need to become more concerned for human rights, the environment and the economy and less focused on material things. I'm hopeful.

[Happy]

dddddddddd

[collie]

OK, Happy, I'll bite - did read your first post the other day. Might not be popular to say or note but the enthusiasm of the young reminds me of the enthusiasm I had way back when McGovern ran. I was a teen then, couldn't vote but my sister and I had made friends with a very young, idealistic and fun young reporter from the Record Journal by the name of Paul Moore. Still keep in touch with him; he went back to New York State after only a short time here. We thought he was just wonderful and he would come over for supper at our parent's house. He was so enthusiastic about McGovern, so full of hope ... Of course you know what became of our dreams back then, don't you? Young hopeful people, anti-war and supporting McGovern clubbed by police in the streets of Chicago at the Democratic Convention - Chicago's corruption with Mayor Daley at the helm exposed for all to see but nothing done, the political old boy network took care of the young and hopeful, shut them up but good. And please don't anybody analyze this with dates and facts - it is my memory and my memory shaped my life. That's how I remember it all these years later.
My point, anyways, is yes, I have noticed the young and their hope. I don't know if you agree or not but I see the vast majority of them working and voting for Obama. I have hopes myself of Obama winning. It is the most marvelous time to see how the American people can still dream and hope and vote if given something that looks real and doesn't appear to be the usual bipartisan crap. However, I am also afraid of what could happen if the current Democratic Party machine, backing Hillary Clinton, overrides the popular primary vote and uses superdelegates to give her the primary. If that happens, another generation will be given, as mine was, a real eye opener into what passes as a democracy here and is more often a firmly entrenched corrupt old boy network. That hope would dry up so fast it wouldn't be funny and another generation would be as hurt and disillusioned as many of my generation are. The young ones today will not understand how Obama could win the primaries yet lose in the end because of the Democratic superdelegates. If that happens, I hope they are strong enough to fight and have strong stomachs as well. They'll need them.

[eds]

I agree. It seems young people are really starting to loose their apathy. It would be ashame to crush that enthusiasm.

Obama has the option of running as an independent. And so does Hillary. If Ralph Nader can run as independent why not either of them? It might be political suicide for being a member of the DNC, but if Obama does not get the nod, I am sure he could make a fairly decent run for office as an independent, with a better chance than Nader has of being elected.

I have to admit, the enthusiasm around Obama has not been seen in recent elections. But I think Nader will kill any Democrats chance of beating McCain just like in 2000 with Bush/Gore.

[billd531]

It's good that some young people are getting into this election but it's sad that so many people ( in general ) really don't care at all. Most people out there really feel that as long as it doesn't affect thier lives, " who cares what they do in Washington ".
:mad: True Political Awarness is realizing that it's all big business. As with any business trying to sell a product, if you get a good ad campaign, you win.
:( Personally, I don't care for what any of them are selling right now! I just afraid that so many of these young people are being sold a bad bill of goods!

[collie]

You may be right about young people possibly being sold a bill of bad goods but I think most people are apathetic because the Dems and Reps are just so mind bogglingly corrupt it's not worth trying. I heard Obama say in response to the not enough experience criticism raised against him that sure, they wanted him to simmer in their stew a little longer so they could be sure to boil all the hope out of him. I find it amazing that no one compares Obama's lack of experience to the same, in some cases, less experience, that some of our greatest presidents had. Like Washington, Lincoln, Jackson... But you can be sure that many of us who vote for Obama will be watching him closely, expecting him to hold up a high standard of integrity. Young people shouldn't be sold a bill for bad goods.

[cwilson]

yes i agree its a great election...many young kids are interested in it and that makes me happy yo know they do care about the future

[billd531]

The truly sad thing about all these young people getting into politics is that they really don't realize that canidates are not telling the truth. By the time any person runs for any office, they owe so many ' favors ' that the needs of the ' people ' are left behind!
A person running for President should be telling us what they really plan to do, which is, appease anyone who has given them money. Sorry:mad: far ' Left-Wingers' like Hiliary, they would like the Government to take of everything in all our lives - from our health to our education. To me it seems that they think they can make Communism work. The far ' Right-Wingers ' would like us all to be ' born again Christians ' and we will all have to live by the ' Golden Rules '.
It is truly sad that if any person ran for office, today, saying that they would take our Government back to what our fore-fathers had in mind for Nation Government..... they would not get pass dog warden!

[Marc Syrah]

:) The Youth of today!
Go figure!
"Youth is wasted on the young."