Are young voters really as Democratic as being portrayed?

[Mechaman]

First off this is my first post so hi guys! I've been trying to get a membership on this forum for months (dead serious). This seems like the only place on the internet where people can have sane rational discusssions without getting jackhammered by loons.

Now onto the topic:
Yes I really do think that young voters are becoming more Democratic. I say this as someone who's lived in Oklahoma for 16 years. Now my state is a bit batty when it comes to social issues, so batty that a moderate conservative leaning Democrat who runs against the incumbent Republican is deemed a "far left liberal". Hell, the "Big L" Libertarians are probably more liberal than the Democrats in this state!
Now onto the point, as conservative of a state as Okiehoma is I do notice among the young people it seems they're half and half on social issues, if not more socially liberal. Of course a majority of them seem to be pretty conservative on economics but socially, they're semi moderate. Overall I'd call them "moderate leaning conservatives".
But then again I've lived in the pretty urban areas of Oklahoma (Tulsa, Edmond) most of my life so the story may be pretty different in the rural areas, I'm just decribing how I perceive these people first hand.
Now, if the youth in Oklahoma, a VERY SOCIALLY CONSERVATIVE STATE, are trending more towards liberal social views than conservative, that is a statement on the general youth's perception of social issues in the US. The youth in this nation are more socially liberal than any generation that came before it and thus they're going to favor the party that is the more socially liberal on issues: the Democrats.
On economic issues since it was under a Republican regime that the economy started to go sour I think the youth will probably go with "option b". Plus, they tend to be a bit more idealistic than previous generations on issues like welfare, universal healthcare, and other pretty liberal ideas. Just a thought.

And is there a reason why this post appears at the top of the topic?

[Mechaman]

Social Issues and the Bush foregin policy are probably the leading contributors for the strong Democratic lean among younger voters. While I don't think my generation has moved to the left on abortion (even many secular libs are pro-life) like previous posters said the Republicans are getting murdered on issues such as gay marriage and environmental protection. I don't think the Democrats are hurt as badly among young people who are pro-life or pro-gun because unlike the Republicans the Democrat's don't put much emphasis on their controversial social position, which makes it easier for pro life or pro gun people to support Democrats anyways.  Economics are similar, I don't think my generation is particularly left wing on economic issues (although I may be biased as an economics major), but again I don't think think the Democrats come off as lunatic leftist on economics, which makes it more likely for us to vote based off of areas such as the environment or foreign policy where we are more likely to side with the Democrats.

Pretty much hit the nail right on the head with that. I totally agree, the Democrats are definitely the more moderate of the two big parties, although I do like the Ron Paul types in the Republican party. Unless the GOP gets more Ron Paul types (minus the old age and crazyness), they're screwed with the youth vote.

[Mechaman]

Social Issues and the Bush foregin policy are probably the leading contributors for the strong Democratic lean among younger voters. While I don't think my generation has moved to the left on abortion (even many secular libs are pro-life) like previous posters said the Republicans are getting murdered on issues such as gay marriage and environmental protection. I don't think the Democrats are hurt as badly among young people who are pro-life or pro-gun because unlike the Republicans the Democrat's don't put much emphasis on their controversial social position, which makes it easier for pro life or pro gun people to support Democrats anyways.  Economics are similar, I don't think my generation is particularly left wing on economic issues (although I may be biased as an economics major), but again I don't think think the Democrats come off as lunatic leftist on economics, which makes it more likely for us to vote based off of areas such as the environment or foreign policy where we are more likely to side with the Democrats.

Pretty much hit the nail right on the head with that. I totally agree, the Democrats are definitely the more moderate of the two big parties, although I do like the Ron Paul types in the Republican party. Unless the GOP gets more Ron Paul types (minus the old age and crazyness), they're screwed with the youth vote.

Another Libertarian ok with excessive spending?

I'm not crazy about excessive spending, I mean I'm not voting Democrat but I'm saying if somebody put a gun to my head right now and told me to "vote or die punk" and the only two choices I had were either Democrat or Republican I would probably have to go with the Democrat. Economics aren't the only thing that counts you know.
We're probably really close on economics, so I find your comment pretty funny.
But I mean really: think about social issues just for five seconds, alright? The average American youth is way more socially liberal than their parents or grandparents. I'm not saying that as a Libertarian, I'm saying that as somebody who knows youth, okay?
You see unlike Constitutionalists, Libertarians agree more with liberal social issues than conservative ones. Yes we do agree on things like privacy and gun rights, but I think the average libertarian's views on abortion, gay marriage, prostitution, gambling, drugs, etc etc etc....is pretty different than a Constitutionalists.
You only have to think about the economics, because mega conservative social agendas may not bother you like they might me. I have to look at both sides and see which one is the least screwed up. And where I live, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is part of the conservimecha of America, there are no rational Republicans running for any office, not friggin kidding. There is a reason why I say libertarians are an endangered species in Oklahoma, it definitely isn't because of people's feelings on economics, it's all friggin social.
But seriously, it's going to take alot more than "we don't waste money" to get back the youth vote. Would it really kill the GOP to become just a little bit more socially moderate on some issues? Is that too big a thing to ask for? I'm just saying how it looks from the average college student's viewpoint.

[Mechaman]

As a member of the 18-30 aged group, I have to say that many members of my generation call themselves liberals even if they aren't. Many hold fairly conservative views but don't call themselves Republicans due to the tarnished name the party carries. I would say that my group is moderate on economics, 50-50 split on abortion, but very pro-gay rights.

One of the things I can't stand is this idea that Republicans need to moderate their position on the so called "gay rights" to appeal to young voters. There is absolutely no evidenced that many people voted for Obama because McCain opposed gay marriage. The problem is that most of our "opinion making class" (and I daresay a dispoportionate amount of political activists on the internet) come from liberal enclaves that do not share the rest of the nation's values. The ral problem is the failure of Republican governance the last eight years.

(facepalm)
Moderates are the key to victory numnuts. If you don't moderate on anything how the hell do you expect to win or even come close to winning?

[Mechaman]

As a member of the 18-30 aged group, I have to say that many members of my generation call themselves liberals even if they aren't. Many hold fairly conservative views but don't call themselves Republicans due to the tarnished name the party carries. I would say that my group is moderate on economics, 50-50 split on abortion, but very pro-gay rights.

One of the things I can't stand is this idea that Republicans need to moderate their position on the so called "gay rights" to appeal to young voters. There is absolutely no evidenced that many people voted for Obama because McCain opposed gay marriage. The problem is that most of our "opinion making class" (and I daresay a dispoportionate amount of political activists on the internet) come from liberal enclaves that do not share the rest of the nation's values. The ral problem is the failure of Republican governance the last eight years.

(facepalm)
Moderates are the key to victory numnuts. If you don't moderate on anything how the hell do you expect to win or even come close to winning?

I didn't say not to moderate anything. I said that it was unnecessary to moderate on gay marriage because it is not a priority issue to the voting public, except for religious conservatives that the Republicans need.

My advice? At least adopt a semi-civil union stance.
So the only people that gay marriage is a priority are religious people? LMAO
So gay people don't consider the right to be legally equal to straight people a 'priority'?

An anti-gay civil unions/marriage platform didn't help the GOP score undecided voters at the last minute, the gun issue did:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=80825