How should I get young people motivated to vote?

[PretzelWarrior]

What should I tell them makes it worthwhile and truly a great experience for them in their young, busy lives? I admit: I didn't vote until I was 31.

I have an idea that if we can get more people at college age or a bit older to take a look at what their future is going to look like if Bush keeps going at it for another 4 years....we may have a chance.

I'm up for anything. I present that if we each who read this can tell a few others of our fellow Democrats that THEY should in turn get a young person motivated to vote and pass along the message to their friends...then we can start more people down the road to engaging actively in the process. People in their 20's want to do something to help their nation and communities. They have a volunteer spirit. We just need to encourage them that it really is important to vote.

What have you done that I might use?

What are some good vote sites I can direct people of my state to?

Together, we can accomplish anything.

[pruner]

1. I was gonna say buy them beer

but I didn't realize you were talkin bout people in their 20s.

I don't know what to tell you.

:)

[PretzelWarrior]

6. I could tell them Bush is being held hostage by "temperance ladies"

and will push for a raise of the drinking age in America to 30...but considering the trouble his daughters would be in for the next few years were that to happen...I don't thin that one is too believable.

But I could tell them the earth is going to lose its biodiversity so that the only species left are Dems/Republicans/cows/pigs/chickens....and we've got to do something before we Bush/Cheney allow all of the polluting corporations to do 100 years worth of destruction in a mere decade.

[JailBush]

2. That's a good question.

I'm working on a "Kids' Politix" site that will feature very thorough explanations of various potlical topics. I'm still trying to figure out many aspects of it, though. My adult political sites are extremely hostile - and no apologies. But I obviously can't go for the jugular on a children's site.

Another problem: Do I really want to discuss all the horrible tragedies shaping up? I hate to give young people nightmares!

But one message I want to get out is that THERE ARE NO ADULTS IN AMERICA. Young people need to start doing their homework, because it's up to them to take this country back.

I would also point out that protests may sound cool - and they are important - but they're utterly worthless without voting. Voting is the ONLY WAY to fix the system.

[UrbScotty]

3. One word: DRAFT

Tell them what it's about and why Bush & Co. want to bring it back.

Also talk about Bush's opposition to tuitioyn assistance and how reckless government spending hurts them.

I bet you it will work.

[PretzelWarrior]

5. pretty good thought. self preservation is a powerful force

but...hopefully I can do something of a more positive nature to encourage young people to embrace politics as a way to change things.

It would seem discussing the horrible course our country is headed for should be enough. I guess giving them projections of national debt and likely effect on interest rates, inflation, etc. might be a way of winning them over.

[imhotep]

4. Have them listen to a

Howard Dean speech.

[PretzelWarrior]

17. not interested in candidate testimonials...although I know what you mean.

getting young people to attend a speech/rally of a fiery candidate can get them to think about becoming more involved.

Let's just leave it at the suggestion to "Listen to a candidate express his vision for the future."

Dean doesn't have a copyright on firing up the troops with strong rhetoric.

[JI7]

7. i got into politics early

i'm 25 now, but i got into politics pretty early in my teens and more so as i got older. i think what one needs is a good teacher. i had a VERY good teacher who got us into politics. he used current events to teach history and politics to show a connection. he was pretty strict. we would have tests on the last day before winter vacations. and those are the days when almost nobody shows up at school, but he didn't care about that he would teach no matter what day it was. and during election time he would bring in representatives from various political parties to give their positions. he also showed us cspan which got me kind of hooked onto it. he also taught international politics which got me into wanting to learn about the world. we also did article reviews where at least once a week we would have to read an article from the newspaper (la times) on politics and share it with the class and discuss it.

[PretzelWarrior]

8. GREAT! that's a terrific story, and you bring up a vital use of education

as well as another big issue with the "No Child Left Behind" act and teaching to tests and corporate sponsorship in schools.

By cutting funding and keeping teacher pay low the US government can ensure the education of all but the most privileged does nothing more than teach young ones how to be productive workers, mass consumers, and loyal to the brand rather than loyal to the country.

I agree about teachers. Some of my best role models were either teachers or terrific managers I worked for.

It would be great if we could tap into schools and teachers more to do just what you're talking about--educate and excite young ones about the process of government itself. see how representative government works. get them involved in understanding their role--not advocating one political wing or another--just educating and inspiring young ones about the politics in our country with more than a cursory coverage of the U.S. Civics basics.

[JI7]

11. how true

sometimes you get a teacher who just teaches for the tests. tells you what you need to know for a test. but this teacher and others who are like him teach you about the actual subject. some teachers might just ask you to know what the bill of rights are for a test such as the first being for free speech, but this teacher would teach about events that resulted in the bill of rights, and future events which resulted because of these rights. i remember him talking about proposition 13 in california which was a tax revolt bill. but he didn't just teach us it was a bill to limit taxes, he taught us how to this day, it has hurt education funding. this is a direct connection to something that may have happened before we were born, but how it's affecting us right at that moment.

[tedoll78]

9. You're describing me!!!

I'm also 25. Went to Catholic school my through K-12, and had one hell of a priest as my 12th grade civics teacher. We read Plato's Republic, and some of Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for philosophical background. And He remained neutral while teaching us, but we went through a variety of topics and looked at all sorts of argument structures. I'm very thankful for having had him as my teacher.

[JI7]

14. yeah

and while these things involve more thinking it also teaches us more and we end up being more educated which is why we are in school. i had a friend who had another history teacher, but all they did was just copy definitions and have tests on them. they never had things like discussions and getting more into what is being taught. i think it would be better to have a teacher who actually educates you on the subject and is more difficult and end up getting a lower grade than to get a good grade in a class where you don't learn anything.

[TexasPatriot]

10. punkvoter.com

FatMike may be more punk than you, but that doesnt mean he doesn't want kids to vote.

[Eloriel]

12. TWO WORDS: The Draft.

It's coming, and that ain't no joke. Not only that, iy'll be for both young men and young women AND there's already an agreement between Canada and U.S. to thwart draft dodgers.

[Kanary]

13. Mention DK's plan concerning college for everyone

[PretzelWarrior]

16. I don't plan to advocate they vote for THIS or THAT. I advocate

that they VOTE PERIOD!

Getting a larger aggregate of the population to vote with their brains will help diminish the inroads the special interests have made on the smaller and smaller subsection of "expected voters".

I didn't respond to the Dean comment by another poster, but I'd appreciate REAL comments on what generally could motivate young people--not thinly disguised props for your candidate of choice.

Frankly, I'm sure most disenchanted young people would just as soon laugh at Kucinich as listen to him let alone vote for him.

I'm not even shooting for primary season. I want to build up voter support in time for fall of 04.

[KFC]

15. Spankings

Give those younguns the Red Ass.

[otohara]

18. Draft A Coming

count on it if Shrub wins

[otohara]

19. I'm Telling All My Friends w/ Teenage Boys

draft!

[Curious Dave]

20. The Draft would be good for peace

I'm going out on a limb here...

As best I can recall since the end of World War II in 1945 the US government deployed the US military into harms way (i.e. troops on the ground)for:

Korea
Vietnam
and I think some think some scrimish in the Dominican Republic in 65?

The all volunteer force came along in 1974 (I think). 29 years after WW II ended. In the 29 years since the all volunteer force started, we have participated in:

Grenada
Panama
Lebanon
Iraq War I
Somalia
Bosnia
Haiti
Kosovo
Iraq War II

And I suspect I'm forgetting one or two more. And some of these things never really ended. We're still in Bosnia (going on 10 years) and we never really completely stopped shooting between Iraq I and Iraq II.

My point. The polticians (of both parties I hate to admit) have been keeping the military pretty busy in other countries here lately and by and large the American people have remained silent. During Vietnam tens of thousands turned out to protest the war. And now...? Nothing on nearly that scale, or that consistently.

And what different between then and now? Back then we had a draftand now we don't. I served in the all volunteer force for more years than I care to remember and believe me, if my ass had gotten killed in some far away land the only people that would have really gave a damn would be my wife and my mother! And why would the rest of the public really not care when you come right down to it? Because I was a volunteer! If I heard that line once I heard it a thousand times.

Do you really think that any of these politicians would be quite so anxious to send the military to hell and gone whenever it tickled their fancy if it was going to be getting daftees killed? I kinda doubt it. The American public would never stand for it. Imagine some poor draftee's mother crying on CNN...

The all volunteer military has let politicians of both parties get away with an interventionist militarily backed foreign policy for too many years. The only way I see of putting a stop it this rampent adventuristic foreign policy is to bring back the draft.

The only way you get people's attention is to draft them or tax them!

I sincerely believe a draft would do more for the cause of peace than any other single thing we could do.

I'll step off the soapbox now :)

and please accept my apologies for getting so far off topic here.

[Sophree]

21. Rock The Vote

http://www.rockthevote.org/

.

[newyawker99]

22. kick for a good question!

:kick: