Unshackling the Young
I’ve been pondering the problem of how the Republicans might attract more young voters this year. Everyone knows by now that the young have cooled on Barack Obama since the 2008 election, as well they might. Unemployment and looming debts are an unhappy combination, especially if you happen to be young. Even so, the Millennials are not yet flocking to the GOP. Conservatives are still searching for a message that will truly bring the newest generation of voters out of its progressivist funk.
For conservatives, appealing to young voters is always hard. Though not necessarily unintelligent, they tend to be simpletons. They crave ideological clarity, and are too inexperienced to appreciate that many conservative arguments are complex and nuanced precisely because the world is complex and nuanced. They shy away from hard truths. On top of that, Millennials have been thoroughly habituated to trust in institutions. It is counterintuitive for them to consider that, in a crisis, more government is not always the answer.
So, it’s a hard problem. Nevertheless, I think I may have come up with the right slogan for the 2012 election: “You shouldn’t have to pay for your parents’ mistakes.” This message simultaneously promotes the Republican party’s agenda and reminds us of Obama’s failures. It has the kind of easy-to-find moralistic bottom line that young people like. And really, is it ever that hard to persuade the young that their parents are screw-ups?
Of course, like all slogans, this one is deceptive in some ways. The reality is that we do all have to pay for our forbears’ mistakes to one degree or another, even as we enjoy the fruits of their triumphs. Still, I don’t think this message is too irresponsible as such things go. Let the Republicans portray themselves as liberators, balancing budgets and lifting regulations as a means to unshackling the young from the burdens of the past. Emphasize that we trust them to use these freedoms to build a better future. Of course, they may not actually succeed in doing so. But the fact is that when we tell our children that “they are the future”, this is not really starry-eyed optimism. It’s a truth hard enough for any conservative.
- Comment (39)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (2)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments:
Apr '11
Re: Unshackling the Young
Won't the Democrats just yell back.
"Republicans want to make you hurt your parents."
Most people like their parents. I certainly do. "You shouldn't have to pay for your parents mistake" seems divisive. It is trying to create a conflict between the young and the old. Much like saying "the young shouldn't have to die for the wars started by the old". To me that seems a tactic the other side would employ.
Why not try to appeal to the parents by saying "Don't make your children inherit your debt." Then you can say to the Young, now is the time to build a better more stable future for yourselves.
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
It would be great if the Democrats made that retort. That would in effect be insisting that the only way to avoid hurting the older generation is by paying for their mistakes. Now they're the ones preaching hard truths about duty and responsibility. Excellent.
But the suggestions in your last paragraph seem to fit perfectly with my scheme. Of course the Republicans want the parents to vote for them too, and unshackling the young is a project everyone can support. And the young will only be able to build a better future when we have corrected some of the mistakes of the past.
Sep '10
Re: Unshackling the Young
Most of the young Americans that are potential swing votes probably have conservative parents.
It usually just takes time and life experience for them to "come around", because for the most part they aren't paying attention.
Romney's best hope is that the youth vote simply stays home.
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
Social issues are whats driving the youth vote. The GOP won'tthem change (or not) until they are forced to.
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
The only way to get "the youth vote" (that is, those young folks who aren't conservative) would be to become liberals.
That would, of course, get rid of the existing votes from adults and youth, and probably wouldn't even get most of the youth vote.
Explain what we believe in ways that make sense to folks my age and younger, cool-- but somehow the "how to get the youth vote" question always turns into "hey, drop this batch of issues that I don't care about, that'll bring them over!" Always neglecting that the idea of getting the youth vote is to add them to the current group, not replace the current group.
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
Incidentally, given how infrequently "youth" vote in the first place, I wouldn't put appealing to them all that high on the to-do list.
Well below stopping vote fraud, for sure.
Edited on May 1, 2012 at 8:24pmNov '11
Re: Unshackling the Young
One way to get young people involved in the GOP is to stop [pooping] on the one guy who actually gets young people excited.
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
You're referring to Pope Benedict, right? ;)
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
I hear what you're all saying. It does seem fortuitous in some ways that the people who are (in general) too inexperienced to understand conservatism are also (in general) too apathetic to vote. I teach undergraduates (mostly ethics), so it's sort of my job to figure out how to talk to the young and foolish, and that effort naturally spills over into my political thinking.
However, I think there are a few reasons not to write the young off entirely:
1) The GOP is protecting their interests already. This is particularly a response to Foxfier, who probably (understandably enough) expected to see me follow this post with one of those familiar tirades about how the GOP just needs to give up on those pesky social issues and everything will be fine. I assure you, you will never catch me making that argument! But balancing budgets and slashing regulations are already part of the Republican agenda, and those are initiatives that the young *should* especially favor.
2) The inclusion of young people makes a party feel energetic and hopeful. In that respect, they count for more than just numbers.
Sep '10
Re: Unshackling the Young
I guess it has to do with perspective, because from where I sit, Ron Paul is the one constantly bleeping on the GOP, even going so far as to abandon the party on multiple occasions, yet he is still welcome back to the house GOP caucus, invited to all the Presidential primary debates, and in all likelihood will be given a speaking position at the national convention this summer.
If Ron Paul would bring a message of "reforming the GOP from the inside" to these college audiences, he could be infinitely more effective. Instead, he speaks in terms of an outsider, giving creedence to the "pox on both their houses" mentality that will only result in more apathy, and bigger government.
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
Rachel Lu:
This is particularly a response to Foxfier, who probably (understandably enough) expected to see me follow this post with one of those familiar tirades about how the GOP just needs to give up on those pesky social issues and everything will be fine. I assure you, you will never catch me making that argument! But balancing budgets and slashing regulations are already part of the Republican agenda, and those are initiatives that the young *should* especially favor.
Or the let's-go-Nannystate version, or stop-opposing-psudoscience. (In order of how common they are in my limited experience.)
Not exactly that I expected you to do it, but it's sort of like the original Godwin's law-- the longer a conversation on expanding appeal goes, the closer the chance of those being suggested comes to 100%.
edit: misspelled a made-up word
Edited on May 1, 2012 at 10:36pmApr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
Ron Paul doesn't get "young people" excited-- he gets some people who are young excited. Usually activists, too, who are looking for meaning and go Ron Paul as a "statement" more than because of what he actually says.
You see a lot of college Ronulans at pro-life meets? At the don't-force-nuns-to-buy-birth-control protests? Or are they more likely to show up at "THEY is eeeeeevil" protests wearing a Legalize Pot Now shirt and saying things just to spin folks up?
I am just past college age-- heck, most of my classmates are still in college, or doing world tours on daddy's dime-- and I beg y'all, don't take my dislike for various political tendencies as lived by people my age personally. I'm just bitter and cynical about folks my age having politics as a matter of fashion, having little to do with the actual content of the philosophies.
Edit: "under 30" as "youth vote" still annoys me. -.-
Edited on May 1, 2012 at 10:37pmApr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
I'm safely anti-nannystate and pro-pseudoscience. OK, not really pro-pseudoscience, but I distrust scientists on many levels, having found from long experience that they're usually philosophically obtuse. Creationists rank very low among America's problems today.
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
Rachel-
thinking more along the lines of environmental abuses/power grabs, actually. "Creationism" is defined so broadly in my age-group's vocabulary that it includes everyone who thinks God functionally exists. I don't see evolution of any flavor mattering much in day to day matters.
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
It's true that libertarianism is perhaps the one right-leaning philosophy that naturally appeals to the young. It's got the right kind of un-nuanced, quasi-moralistic ideological clarity. But as others have observed, Ron Paul and his enthusiasts don't play very well with others. My proposed strategy hits certain libertarian notes *without* getting all the way to Paulesque "plague on both your houses".
Dec '10
Re: Unshackling the Young
Foxfier
Ron Paul doesn't get "young people" excited-- he gets some people who are youngexcited...
You see a lot of college Ronulans at pro-life meets? At the don't-force-nuns-to-buy-birth-control protests? Or are they more likely to show up at "THEY iseeeeeevil" protests wearing a Legalize Pot Now shirt and saying things just to spin folks up?
Those kids are more broadly engaged in politics, in my experience, than values voters. For what it's worth. How else to explain the success of Mike Huckabee? Or, for that matter, take Jimmy Carter. Values-voters elected that guy, after all.
And, also, by throwing around "Ronulans" are you not reinforcing Fred's point?
Finally, if you want to find an earnest and involved secular ally when it comes to the contraception mandate, I would be hard-pressed to come up with a better place to look than a Campaign for Liberty meeting.
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
KarlUB-
I specified "college Ronulan" to specifically not include those who are genuinely engaged in politics, as opposed to just wanting to be obnoxious. There are often folks who support Ron Paul at pro-life meets, and non-fashion libertarians have been very good about religious liberty in the health care law-- thus, specifying Ronulans rather than Ron Paul supporters.
Huckabee was successful because he appealed to a wide range of people, largely those who are open to nanny state actions but at least sympathetic to "values." Also, he doesn't come across as a total [jerk^2] There's a reason he's got a new career as a talking head.
Carter was elected in the beeping 70s.
And no, pointing out that Ron Paul attracts obnoxious college posers in disproportionate numbers is not reinforcing Fred's point. Even if the "fans" of Ron Paul my age didn't tend to go "oh, Paul didn't win, let's vote for the Democrat!" as sure as spring, it wouldn't support the idea that he's the model for attractinga large chunk of the younger voters.
Most Paul supporters I know are much ruder about Ronulans.
Edited on May 2, 2012 at 12:35amApr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
(TL;DR version: Libertarian vs Libertine, version umptybazillion, liberal-tarian version.)
Apr '12
Re: Unshackling the Young
Rachel Lu's idea of trying to find slogans that will convey what we have that might appeal to younger folks is a good one; we're at a disadvantage because conservatism isn't simple and isn't stark ideas in bold prints.
Libertarianism as a philosophy is pretty dang good for reaching young people that crave independence and rationality-- the metaphor that comes to mind is natural law's relation to Catholic philosophy. Seems to attract unmarried males mostly.
Women... nurture and personal support, vs the impersonal servicing of gov't? The law's an ass, after all-- why give power to something that is that mechanical?
Emphasis on security, somehow?
Bah, I'm not good at being a girl, most of the gals my age I grew up with are busy whining about daddy not buying them a new car every year, and the state threatening to cut off free birth control at college.
Mar '11
Re: Unshackling the Young
Eh? What's obtuse about Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, Dark Matter and the Higgs Boson? Not to mention Neutrinos. This is reality - get used to it ;-)
Why do you distrust us? In my long experience, scientists are the most trustworthy people you are likely to come across.
As for the young, all that we can hope is that they overcome their education at some point (Scientists are maybe best equipped to do this).
All right - maybe I am being obtuse.
Edited on May 2, 2012 at 2:17am