The Youth Vote
Obviously, it will swing to Kerry because Republicans, as evidenced by the musical acts at their convention, are extremely uncool.
Onward, to realistic considerations…
What is the average age of the armed forces personnel killed in Iraq? I’m guessing under 30, perhaps even under 25. What are the reasons the war was launched? (I’m not talking about Justification 2.0 — I refer to the buggy, unstable version 1.0 that was rushed out by marketing before thorough QA). Because Saddam had Weapons O’ Mass Destruction and was poker buddies with Osama. Both claims have been proven false. The Iraq Survey Group, to quote Spaceballs, “ain’t found shit” on the WMD front. Largely secular (evil, but secular) Saddam Hussein didn’t sign any deals with Islamic extremist/psychopath Osama Bin Laden (still free, by the way). I fully understand the value of liberating Iraq from a tyrant, but why a country that posed no threat to us when there are others that do?
How would you feel if your friend or loved one was sent to Iraq based on distortions and deceptions? How would you feel if that person were killed? Would you trust the “leadership” who sent your friend into combat? I would have much more faith in an administration led by a man who has seen the horrors of war firsthand.
I think young Americans can grudgingly accept the casualties of the military action in Afghanistan because it is in pursuit of bringing Al Qaeda to justice. From the beginning, military operations in Afghanistan had to do with terrorism (Iraq didn’t until we invaded it and created porous borders through which terrorists could pass) as the Taliban had a working relationship with the group that attacked this country.
Then there is the deficit, which has ballooned in part because of the needless war. Who’s going to be paying that off? Not Bush’s generation.
Also, I imagine youth are more likely to have at least a tolerant view of homosexuality. Don’t forget that the pursuit of Constitutionally codified discrimination is part of the Republican “big tent” strategy this year. The document doesn’t begin “We the straight people…”.
Prompted by a New York Times article: “Vote Drives Gain Avid Attention of Youth in ‘04“
Good points. But do you think those reasons will be enough to get Kerry in office?
They are among the reasons, but I don’t know that they are enough. My perspective on the political leanings of young Americans is very skewed as I live in very liberal Seattle (”San Francisco Lite” according to one conservative bloviator).