Kerry and the young (the good news and the bad)

[dsc]

I went to a birthday party for a coworker of my sisters. She is 10 years younger than I so the people there were significantly younger than I. The good news is that Bush and the war in Iraq were universally unpopular. Even the military man there was not happy. But the bad news is that they will still vote for him due to their unhappiness with Kerry. Since every previous suggestion of mine has been treated so derisively and since I honestly don't have any real idea what to do here anyhow I merely am presenting the problem. This was a crosssection of white, straight, young people. Evenly divided between men and women. As of tonight only I would vote for Kerry and I was the odd man out due to age and orientation. The general consensus of Kerry was that he had no ideas and was running on only his war record. All but the military man, who credits Bush with increasing his pay, would be possible sales. And, yes, I did sell Kerry.

I do think I can get my sister to vote for Kerry on the gay rights issue alone. But who knows for the rest. Many will likely simply not vote at all. I put this out to show the problem in the real world that Kerry is facing.

[LibertyorDeath]

1. Then they will deserve what they get.

[dsc]

5. unless you are planning on moving

you will get it too.

[JI7]

2. then these people don't care for democratic issues and are republicans

anyone who claims kerry is only running on his military record so thereforewill not vote for him is not going to vote for him anyways.

[dsc]

3. I am sure glad you know these people from long distance

They work and have lives. I know the concept of people who don't follow every detail of every news cast are alien to us but the vast majority of people are like that. I would bet, though I don't know for sure, that everyone but I was pro choice. They are all pro gay rights to some extent. None of them make over 30k a year. But of course you know them far better than I do, I only am related to one of them.

[JI7]

9. i never said i knew them personally

[dsc]

10. No you merely called them all Republicans

sight unseen. Even though I took pains to describe them as something else.

[JI7]

12. republicans can fit that description

republicans have lives and work and could not be all that much into politics.

[dsc]

14. In my origainal post I said

they were all against the Iraq war and all didn't like Bush. Care to figure out the odds of a group of Republicans for which both statements are true for all of them.

[JI7]

17. there are republicans who don't like bush

and have problems with the war, yet they will still vote for bush.

[dsc]

20. Maybe 1 in 3

This was a group of 10 people. The odds of all of them being in that class is (1/3)^10 which is a very small number. If you don't believe me do the math. But (1/3)^4 is 1/81 and (1/3)^5 is 1/243. (1/3)^10 is significantly less than 1/40000 or 0.0025%

[Suzie57]

4. My 18 year old son

has registered to vote and will be voting for Kerry. He was indifferent to the strong dislike my husband, my 13 year old son & I had for Bush until the last 9 months or so. Last summer he was watching the news & pipes up "Bush really hasn't done anything for this country has he?" He and his friends have no desire to be drafted and sent to Iraq. I don't know the age group your sister's friends are in but I'm surprised the possibility of a draft wasn't a topic of discussion with them. Bush's handling of Iraq has totally changed my son and his friends attitudes. After 9-11 they were all gun-ho to join the armed services and revenge their country. Now they have registered to vote just to get rid of Bush. When the recruiters call the house he tells them to take his name off their lists. If they persist he tells them what he thinks of our Commander in Chief.

[dsc]

6. mid to upper 20's

so probably above draft age.

[Suzie57]

7. And none of them had concerns

about the way Bush is running the country? Of course I'm not familiar with your sister or her friends but my son and his friends are pretty apolitical but their skepticism about BushCo is strong right now.

[dsc]

8. They don't like Bush

but many like Kerry even less. Bush is given great credit by them for handling the aftermath of 9/11. They like nothing else he has done. But they fear Kerry will be worse.

[countmyvote4real]

11. And if Dean was the man, would THAT make them vote for him?

Couldn't help notice the picture.

Anyway, he's not. We're stuck with Kerry. Well he's still a much better choice than the resident. But, if these people are so hellbent on * and so apathetic about voting for him anyway, then what's the problem?

As someone already said, it's their problem and they get what they deserve. No right to bitch and moan about the outcome. I vote so I can say, "I told you so" or "Oops, my bad." My last "Oops" was for Ford and it was my first time out.

As far as the real world goes, did you see the MoDo article on Bushworld?

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/25/opinion/25DOWD.html

Pass that one around.

[dsc]

13. I have no idea

though this group was all against the war and felt we should leave immediately. I think Dean would have done a little better getting his message out than Kerry has thus far, though I can't know that for sure. I know I would be a better salesman for Dean than for Kerry due to both like him better and knowing his positions better. But I honestly haven't a clue as to where Dean would be now.

[sandnsea]

19. Oh I see

Just another poster who can't get over Dean.

[Name removed]

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[JI7]

33. "Don't blame me when he loses due to being a sorry piece of shit."

and you were just trying to help weren't you ? hehehe

[Name removed]

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[JI7]

40. no, she said her mother and step mother are dead also

she said nothing about being glad anyone has died.

[Name removed]

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[JI7]

43. "As far as I am concerneed that worthless piece of crap can drop dead."

how nice

[Name removed]

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[JI7]

36. "I almost hope Kerry loses just to spite yoru worthless bastard"

yup, sounds like sour grapes to me

[dsc]

37. I'll tell you want

the week after your mom dies you have someone say they are glad she is dead and see what you do.

On edit I notice you didn't answer this the first time either.

[JI7]

38. oh, please, she never said that

[Name removed]

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[JI7]

42. it was the truth

her response to your thread had nothing to do with your mother yet you brought up your mother dying. so she responded and said her mother and step mother are dead also. i don't see what you are complaining about.

[Name removed]

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[JI7]

46. he got a lot more people to vote for him than Howard Dean did

[DFLforever]

28. I have to agree - "we're stuck with Kerry"

and they similarly seem to feel they're "stuck" with Bush.

Too bad we can't find a way to win them over. Too bad the Iraq war is an issue the party has chosen not to use.

I think we have to face the fact that not all Americans agree that W is the worst person ever to occupy the office and will have to be persuaded by our candidate to vote Democratic in November.

[dsc]

31. No it is muich better to shit on the messanger

and call him names.

[countmyvote4real]

48. Shaking my head. M M M

Passion can be a double-edged sword. When swung wildly or in the heat of the post, you might cause an injury to yourself. I don't doubt your opposition to *, but you might need to simmer down.

I know that's advice I should follow, too. I do get riled about this administration. However, when conversing with the opposition, you can catch more flies with honey. That's a trite cliché, but I guess that's what politics is about. Embrace the common ground and go from there.

And that's why I'm not a politician.

On edit: I don't think I posted this response in the right place in the thread. It's really a reflection on your exchange with J17.

peace

[sandnsea]

15. 18, 20 & 27

None of them have friends voting for Bush. Their friends are just every day people. Construction workers, waitresses, retail clerks, students. No Bush backers in that crowd. Maybe it's just your area.

[dsc]

16. I highly doubt it

My county was carried by Mondale and every Democrat since. These people are on the fence and by no means Bush fans.

[JI7]

18. i'm 25

so i know a lot of people around that age group and most do not like bush at all. kerry is liked by most. especially those who have watched him. and sometimes i ask them to watch kerry themselves on cspan or somewhere else if i know he will be on. they usually love him from those things. turnout at his college appearances here were HUGE.

[sandnsea]

21. I know

It seems to me young people are hungry for a leader with intelligence who talks to them with respect. I'm just hearing alot of sour grapes around here.

[Name removed]

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[sandnsea]

25. Save your indignation

I've had more than my fill of too bad we didn't elect Dean because nobody likes Kerry threads. It's pure shit.

[Name removed]

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[JI7]

24. a note about ralph nader

also, i know a few who are still fans of ralph nader, but are pretty much convinced that it's more important to get rid of bush and voting for kerry is the best way to do that. and after i tell them about kerry or they see him for themselves most of them have no problem with that and actually switch to support him fully and look forward to voting for him. this is why i think "for now", if polls show kerry and nader together combined have more support than bush it's still some good news.

[Hippo_Tron]

26. Umm generally if you dislike Bush's foreign policy you HATE Bush...

What do they dislike about Kerry that will make her vote Bush?

[dsc]

30. They think he is fake

that he has no ideas, a few fear he is unprepeared to be President. One hated his wife.

[Hippo_Tron]

47. Unprepared to be president???

Tell them to listen to the current presidnet speak then look you in the eye and tell you that he is fit to run the country.