Democrats spend big to lure Obama's minority and young voters back to the polls

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Post

As political gambles go, it's a big and risky one: $50 million to test the proposition that the Democratic Party's outreach to new voters that helped make Barack Obama president can work in an election where his name is not on the ballot.

The standard rule of midterm elections is that only the most reliable voters show up at the polls, so both parties have traditionally focused on the unglamorous and conventional work that turns out their bases. But this year, the Democrats are doubling down on registering and motivating newer voters -- especially the 15 million heavily minority and young, who made it to the polls for the first time in the last presidential election.

"It's a great experiment to see whether we can bring out voters whose only previous vote was in 2008," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The party's overall budget for reaching new voters is more than twice as big as the $17 million it spent during the tumultuous 2006 midterm, which returned control of both houses of Congress to the Democrats.

Much about its "Vote 2010" effort has that way-back feel of two years ago: legions of canvassers going door-to-door, a stream of inspirational videos, an e-mail list of more than 13 million, and ads on Web sites including Latina.com, BlackPlanet.com, YELP.com and DailyCandy.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/19/AR2010061903034_pf.html

[napi21]

1. I'm one of those voters who have never missed a vote in my life,

because I don't think you have a right to bitch about anything if you didn't, but I think this is a good move. More people like me need to exist in the newer generation. I'm 66, so I guess I've covered 2 generations, so BOTH of them need to get off thier collective asses and VOTE! Don't give me the crap about I have to work, or it's raining, or any of the usual excuses. It takes about 10 minutes and if you have to leave a little early and vote before work, do that. If you have to sop by the polls after work, your family will wait that extra 10 minutes for dinner!


If you can't find the time, then get off DU because you have given up your right to complain!

[CLANG]

12. And in many states you can literally "mail it in".

[madrchsod]

2. what`s in it for them?

good luck trying to convince the minorities and the young voters the party is going to help them.

[napi21]

20. If 80-90% of eligible voters actually voted all the time, we

wouldn't HAVE so many corpratists in gov't! Our representatives would KNOW they better do what the people want or they'll lose their job.

On every radio & TV station, I keep hearing tht the Pubs are energized for this election and the Dems aren' so many more of the Pubs will go to the polls. That's a big part of the reason they're all saying the Pubs may take back control of both houses of congress.

You also can look at the "What's in it for them" qquestion in the negative. If the Pubs DO take back control of both houses, the ONLY people who will benefit will be the wealthy & the Co's. Think about what all they did for you between 2000 & 2008! Do you REALLY want to go back to that?

[Xipe Totec]

3. I got a better idea (and cheaper) Just keep your promises

Just do what you said, and we'll back you.

[frazzled]

26. You have no significant elections in your state/city/county in November?

Who is the "you" you are talking about when you threaten not to vote? Obama? Your senator? Your Congressperson? Your governor? Or one of the myriad of names that will be on the ballot in your area for state and local offices?

Or do you not know who will be on the ballot in your area? One thing is for sure: Barack Obama will not be on the ballot. So forget whatever you think about him. You will be voting for a Congressperson for sure. You can choose the Democrat, the Republican, or whoever else is on the ballot there. It will have consequences. You should vote even if you want to vote against one of the major parties. You may have a senatorial race as well. Think hard about whether you want to send the Republican to Washington. If a Republican is sure to be elected in your area, you should still go and vote: it's because of people like you who don't bother to vote that this is the preordained outcome.

But don't think this is some sort of one-way street where you wait to get your pony before you bother to bestow your vote. You are a citizen. You're not doing your duty if you don't vote, and you have no right to complain if you don't vote.

[glitch]

27. No kidding. Apparently that's not in consideration. Maybe not an option for them.

Corporate overlords can be such nit-pickers when it's their own assets involved.

[Grinchie]

4. I'm sure glad I'm not contributing my hard earned cash to this..

Because it wouldn't be necessary if the Democrats actually were helping America and not the big Corporations and Military Industrial Corporatocracy.

A Bankrupt Political system buying votes without ethics.. Nice.

[quiller4]

30. I am contributing to this and it would still be necessary no matter

what policies were in place.

[Demeter]

5. The First Party to Provide REAL Jobs Will Win Their Hearts and Minds

That was the lesson FDR taught the United States, and Adolf Hitler and Mussolini taught Europe...

[Little Star]

7. +1

[dave smith]

15. is war the best way out of a resection

or coal and fossil fuels these people are out for the money and ,have become, are Psychopaths.i know that the way things are is very deeply rooted but even the numbest knowledge of history will tell you were militarism will lead us and climate change can not be swept under the rug.this is not about some people working hard and making money.this is about severe social and environmental repercussions to satisfy the freakish needs of a few.wow spell check

[PassingFair]

29. Welcome to DU, Dave Smith!

you can be the ee cummings of GDP!

:hi:

[amandabeech]

23. Jobs are "Job #1."

Obama and his advisers never did understand this and it looks like they never will.

[dmosh42]

6. Too late now! Forgot promises from '08 n/t

[hadrons]

8. PERFORMING BIG would help more instead ....

[OnionPatch]

24. That was my first thought.

We don't need more lip service, we need action or a lot of us are going to start assuming they're a bunch of phonies. How about ending tax breaks to corporations who offshore jobs? How about shutting down overseas tax havens for all the corporations who pretend to be American and make them pay their fair share of the mess they helped create? How about cracking down on the thieves who are robbing us blind in the banking industry and the oil industry and slapping them with meaningful regulation that protects consumers and the environment? How about appointing some real progressives to some positions that mean something? How about sticking up for unions and working people?

If they think lip service is going to cut it this time, we're in for big trouble in November.

[saigon68]

9. Who wants to vote for this guy?

[Goldstein1984]

10. "This guy" is what the Democratic Party has become

He is the poster child for the anti-Left.

I'm going to vote. I always do. But I'll be voting democratic, not Democratic Party.

As I write this, I'm listening to Dianne Feinstein defend the War in Afghanistan, arguing for more escalation. War mongering and empire-building. If we keep voting these people into office, we deserve our fate.

[dave smith]

14. dianne feinstein and war profitering

what a coincadance that miss fiensteins husband is in military contracting.mr whitehouse is very true

[saigon68]

18. She is a War criminal Like the CHIMP

"BRING EM ON" shouted the AWOL CHIMPANZEE

[Phx_Dem]

21. I would. If he were on a ballot. n/t

[glitch]

28. for dogcatcher.

just completing your thought, I'm sure you don't mind.

[Phx_Dem]

31. I like Rahm. He gets shit done. n/t

[glitch]

33. Good one! ;) nt

[placton]

11. laughing, giggling

at the fact they could have real committed voters in their corner for $0 just by keeping campaign promises. But, nooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Infinite Hope]

13. Good. We'll need to have a massive grassroots operation. I feared

they wouldn't invest in a grassroots effort of the same scale. In a year with redistricting looming, we need high turnout to gain and maintain governor seats (such as the one in Minnesota).

[girl gone mad]

25. Money doesn't bring out the grassroots.

The grassroots are the ones who care about policy, not advertisements.

[The Traveler]

16. I am an old fart

At 54, I ain't getting any sharper with age, so this may be simple dementia. But I voted for Obama only, and solely, for the purposes of moving this country in a direction that would prove more sane and kind for my children. My life has begun that downhill slide towards decrepitude but they have a future ...

And right now, that future is looking pretty bleak. And I am unconvinced that the Democratic Party's upper echelons have the interests of our young folk in the proper place in their heart. I want to encourage all the young folk around here to vote and get out the vote anyway. Because while the Dem establishment sucks, the Tea Party crowd sucks much, much harder.

But I encourage them also to consider Washington D.C. and the Democratic Party in the light of the words of Jack Nicholson (as the Joker) who said: "What this town needs is an enema." Voting isn't enough. You have to hold some feets to some fires, and you have to invade the power structure and MAKE it do the right thing.

Pardon the rambling of an old man ...

Trav

[Skittles]

35. you make much sense, Trav

you haven't lost it yet by a long shot

[Metta]

17. This is all pound of cure. If they'd passed laws that helped them/us, they wouldn't have to do this

They really are short sighted and ham fisted. Dissing Howard Dean and his successful 50 state plan didn't help either.

[depakid]

19. Wonder what effect the massive unemployment numbers in this demographic will have?

Could work either way- or not have much effect at all.

[Autumn]

22. They could do it on the cheap and save a lot of

cash, just by spending some political capitol that they haven't used.

[timo]

32. this headline sucks a box of shit

"lure" like they need to be tricked?!?!?!?!?!?! I thought because it was the right thing to do!!!! "luring" soumds like they are being hoodwinked into the deal. and it also sorta sounds like they have to be bought....i dont like it!!

[mistertrickster]

34. Gee, wouldn't it be easier to motivate young people and minorities if Dems actually

DID SOMETHING for young people and minorities?

Money for community college is a nice start, but there's a lot more to do . . .