Young Obama backers AWOL from health care fight

[Kadie]

Young Obama backers AWOL from health care fight
By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer Beth Fouhy, Associated Press Writer – 29 mins ago

NEW YORK – Add this to President Barack Obama's problems in selling his health care overhaul: A lot of the tech-savvy activists who helped put him in office are young, feeling indestructible and not all that into what they see as an old folks issue.

It's a crucial gap in support and one the White House may have to correct if Obama is to regain the momentum and get Congress to act on his top domestic priority.

Matt Singer, a 26-year-old founder of the liberal group Forward Montana and an activist in the health care trenches, has tried to engage young people.

"Right now we're seeing a big conversation with seniors, but you're not seeing the same mobilization among young people who are President Obama's core constituency," Singer said. "The age demographic most supportive of reform has not been engaged, and it makes me very nervous."

Younger people are generally healthier and rely on less medical care, particularly young working men who make up the largest group that goes voluntarily without health insurance. They also are less likely to be as vocal at contentious town halls; many are either working or in school during the daytime forums.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090824/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_health_care_age_gap_1

[Warpy]

1. The young don't think they'll ever get old or sick

and if they start to, they think they'd be better off dead. Really.

They have to get here before they realize life is still worth living even when they no longer look their best.

I'm not a bit surprised about this.

[Dr_Willie_Feelgood]

8. The great thing about the Democratic Party is...

...that it is diverse, that it respects people who don't all have the same backgrounds and goals.

The bad thing about it is...

...there is no discipline and lots of different paths in the rare cases where there ARE common goals.

*sigh*

[Epiphany4z]

2. my 2 young obama voters

are just getting settled back in at college it is a very busy time for them. I would bet the time of year plays some part in the reason so many AWOL.

[Ganja Ninja]

3. What purpose does it serve for young people to go join the scrum

at a town hall? For that matter what purpose do any of these public shouting matches serve? I'm sorry but I find the argument that we aren't out calling or out faxing or out e-mailing the right wing mobs to be a lame excuse for abandoning the base and taking corporate money. Young people like others have lives. They're willing to make an effort to get someone elected and they expect them to honor the promises that were made during the campaign. They don't want to spend every spare minute trying to cajole the politician who seemed so committed less than a year ago into following up on those promises.

[mulhollanddriven]

4. The new meme for failure

"You didn't make us do it! The right wing was too loud and MEAN even though we have majorities! Boo Hoo! It's all your fault!!"

This is all so disgusting. What a dog and pony show this all is.

[stray cat]

5. They probably don't want to pay for insurance to cover the rest of us

[Oregone]

6. Maybe they are just sick of all the fuckin lies

and are kickin up their feet

[madrchsod]

7. my 24yr old daughter is the one of the few in her circle that has health insurance

the one that has health insurance is a working mom covered by the state and another has a job that pays his premium. so out of 15 people only two have health care coverage. several have on going medical conditions and others either go to the emergency room or just tough it out.