So the revolutionary youth vote that was going to change everything didn't happen, as the young people voted this year in their usual apathetic numbers. Myself, I don't see this as either surprising or terrible. People tend to act on things that are important to them, and most young people haven't had to pay any taxes, or serve in the military, or figure out how to afford health insurance, or worry about rising crime numbers, or be concerned whether the local elementary school was educating anyone, or do anything else that usually gets someone interested in politics. I am sure that most college kids are just like I was, more concerned about (1) the opposite sex, (2) beer, and (3) how I was going to explain my grades to my folks. I didn't vote back then either.
These kids didn't have a reason to vote that was real for them. Michael Moore's gifts of ramen and underwear didn't provide them with a reason. And they were too savvy to be scared into thinking they would be drafted. They are also, thank heaven, disinclined to do something because some aging millionaire rock star, or some really fat millionaire movie maker, or some fat, aging millionaire (former) talk show host tells them they should. I say good for them, and that there is plenty of time to get passionate about politics when life gives them a reason.
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