October 13, 2004

• Or -- Bush and Kerry fail to answer the question as asked.
• I don't know that I consider someone 30 years old "Our Nation's Youth"
• As if real "youth" would care enough to participate. .. Kidding! Or not. I doubt youth voters care more about this election than any other. Just one look at the order of those questions tells me why.
• As if real "youth" would care enough to participate. .. If you saw my college campus you'd think differently. There's something different in the air this year. My professors are starting to insert their political opinions into common conversation and students (18-22 range) are being much more vocal. Not to mention the voting registration and absentee ballot drives being run by the students here and having quite a bit of success. The wild card will be how many turn out or turn in absentee ballots come November, but I think to shrug it off as no big deal is naive. Hey, speaking of Nader, Court Pulls Nader off Pennsylvania Ballot. Good riddance asshole.
• Does anybody really believe that Bush himself wrote the responses to these questions?
• I don't know that I consider someone 30 years old "Our Nation's Youth" You mean I'm old? *sobs*
• We'll see in November whether youth voters - or voters, period - care more this time. Morality and drug policy before education? No question about employment? I would guess that the politically inclined American "youth" are as out of touch with their young peers as Canadian ones.
• Check out question 11. Priceless.
• Thing is, I really agree with Nader on most of the things he says, and I was more aligned with Kucinich than any of the other Democratic candidates. But, if you've got NO chance of getting everything that you want, and SOME chance of getting a bit of what you want, then I see the value in getting a that little bit. Then next time, maybe you can get a little bit more. And then more. It'll take a while, but maybe, eventually...
• kenshin, I see where you're coming from, but I really don't think this set of questions is representative of what the younger group is worried about. Like TenaciousPettle pointed out, that person was married with a kid and worried about health insurance. I just don't understand why this is considered the youth of our nation. Unfortunately it seems that it's either this kind of thing or teeny boppers asking "boxers or briefs?"
• Actually, question 11 was the flip-flopping question. So I didn't point that out, genial. Still, good reading. BTW, there's no way Bush wrote these responses.
• Why are we still considered youth? Because of the extended American adolescence, that's why. My take on this "debate"? Bush lies, Kerry equivicates and Nader tempers pragmatism with dogmatism. I was disappointed in the junior staffer that had to write Kerry's responses. He had so many opportunities to actually consider the questions and reply to them, and he blew nearly all of them by talking about Bush, or simply dodging things so that he wouldn't say anything that would get him into trouble. Why hasn't anyone told Kerry that what convinces people to vote for you, even more than talking points, is actually paying attention to the questions that you are asked and responding to them honestly? As for Nader, the problem with him is that he's continually running for a cabinet position, not the presidency. I respect his third-party quixotics, but I resent the absolute lack of pragmatism in the man. I mean, that's what being a Democrat (or voting for one, anyway) is all about this election season
• The questions were sent to, and answered by, the campaign workers, not the candidates. This is the same way it was done for the science-focused questions in Nature Magazine a couple of issues back. I would link to that, because it was great, but the article doesn't seem to be there anymore. Here is the old url: http://www.nature.com/news/specials/uselection/index.html#flash And on preview, I couldn't agree more about Nader. Maybe that can be the October surprise? Please?
• Have you guys checked out the mefi thread on the RNC sponsored voter registration organization tearing up Democrats (apostrophe? no apostrophe? I dunno) registration papers? Pretty good thread, all in all. My favorite part is about 3/4 the way down: ...but since i'm trying to be a bush supporter for one day, just to see what it's like, let me say this: the story reported here is probably untrue, and, even if it is true, it doesn't matter b/c a democrat once did or might have done or could possibly one day do something just as bad, and pres. george w. bush is the only person who can keep america safe, so we have to do whatever it takes to get him elected.---lord_wolf :o)
• doh! I see that now TenaciousPettle. Makes much more sense now. :)
• I really don't think this set of questions is representative of what the younger group is worried about Neither do I. Those questions reflect the concerns of older voters. It seems that these politcally inclined and relatively articulate youth ("") get to play with the adults ("") only because they share adult-ly priorities. That's my impression, anyway. says the bitterly biased Canadian youth who sees health care overshadowing postsecondary education and employment year after year