The NY Times front pages the "news" that America's youth tilts left relative to the general population. On a better day the Times would also tell us who said "If a man is not a socialist in his youth, he has no heart. If he is not a conservative by the time he is 30 he has no head".
The Times lead:
New Poll Finds That Young Americans Are Leaning Left
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MEGAN THEEYoung Americans are more likely than the general public to favor a government-run universal health care insurance system, an open-door policy on immigration and the legalization of gay marriage, according to a New York Times/CBS News/MTV poll. The poll also found that they are more likely to say the war in Iraq is heading to a successful conclusion.
Hmm - the WSJ editorial page has favored open borders on immigration for decades, so I am not so sure that is exclusively a lefty position. And I am quite sure that optimism on the war is not a the favored lefty view.
Late in the story the Times does attempt to put this latest poll in some historical context:
Over the last half century, the youth vote has more often than not gone with the Democratic candidate for president, though with some notable exceptions. In 1984, Ronald Reagan won his second term as president by capturing 59 percent of the youth vote, according to exit polls, and the first President George Bush won in 1988 with 52 percent of that vote. This age group, however, has supported Democratic presidential candidates in every election since.
The percentage of young voters who identified themselves as Republican grew steadily during the Reagan administration, and reached a high of 37 percent in 1989. That number has declined ever since, and is now at 25 percent.
In 2004, Kerry beat Bush amongst youngsters by 54-45.
The survey is here; question 64 suggests that the 17-29 crowd is as indifferent to more gun control as the general public.
OK, my PC is crashing...
WEll gee - if the schools teach only one side of an issue and pretend it is truth,
And the media only reports one side of an issue and pretend it is truth,
What else would you expect?
Posted by: Jane | June 27, 2007 at 10:25 AM
I have my rather wordy bumper sticker ready:
Upset that Social Security is a financial disaster? Don't blame me.
I supported George Bush's reform measures while you were swooning over Michael Moore and Howard Dean. Now suck it up!
Posted by: capitano | June 27, 2007 at 11:01 AM
One of my favorite things in life is listening to these kids moan and bitch when they get their first real paycheck and see how much is deducted for taxes.
Life has a way of teaching young people what they didn't learn in school.
Posted by: clarice | June 27, 2007 at 11:13 AM
OT, but is anyone reading Steyn this morning? He's on quite a roll!
Posted by: cathyf | June 27, 2007 at 11:43 AM
This is bloody bizarre! The prosecutor's latest:
So, feeling stupid, I thought "who?" and went and googled "Peter Atkinson". And I really have no idea whick Peter Atkinson the prosecutor is talking about. There is a British MP by that name. A biochemistry professor. A geology professor. A lawyer. A real estate agent. A rental-car agency owner.Posted by: cathyf | June 27, 2007 at 11:50 AM
Well Dean Barnett shows something interesting about the poll that Nagurney failed to mention:
"What I found really interesting about the poll was Question 62. The question in question asked, “As a result of the United States' military action against Iraq, do you think the United States is more safe from terrorism, less safe from terrorism, or hasn't it made any difference?”
31% said “more safe”, 19% said “less safe”, 47% said “no difference” and 2% said “don’t know.” All I can say is, “Huh?” After being pounded over their young heads for half a decade that Iraq has been a fiasco on every level, the kids lean in the direction that it has made us more safe? Maybe the headline to this poll should be, “Old media’s influence increasingly marginalized.”"
Posted by: Jane | June 27, 2007 at 11:50 AM
Thanks,cathy, I hadn't been there yet today.
Posted by: clarice | June 27, 2007 at 11:50 AM
I am a university professor and I frequently have reason to ask my students the source of their news. Almost 100% of them get all of their news from the Internet news sites. Second most popular are the cable news channels, but they seldom say Fox News. It's usually CNN and much less frequently MSNBC (horrors!). Most disturbing is the not minor percentage who get their news mainly from the Daily Show.
The great "youth vote" is always touted by the Democrats before the elections and it seldom really shows up. May be this will be the election that is different, but I doubt it.
Posted by: fschmieg | June 27, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Peter Atkinson is one of the defendants.
Posted by: PatrickR | June 27, 2007 at 12:46 PM
"As a postscript to his re-rebuttal, Mr Sussman just announced the government was withdrawing the charge of tax fraud against Peter Atkinson in respect of Hollinger's 1999 tax return. So they're now frantically rewriting the charge sheet just ahead of the judge's jury instructions." Steyn
Posted by: clarice | June 27, 2007 at 12:55 PM
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070626/BUSINESS/706260338/1003/BUSINESS
Twice as likely to be hurt on the job. Serves 'em right for being for those Luciferian dems.
Christ's final victory over lucifer was ceasing existence, absolution. Of course, someone had to do that to a human.......
Posted by: attached photos | June 27, 2007 at 02:47 PM
ah yes, Peter Atkinson...
...as if for the first time...
Posted by: cathyf | June 27, 2007 at 03:29 PM
Now do these 51% sound like they are heading "left" ?
61. Regardless of whether you think taking military action in Iraq was the right thing to do - would you say that the U.S. is very likely to succeed in Iraq, somewhat likely to succeed, not very likely to succeed, or not at all likely to succeed in Iraq?
6/15-23/07 Age 17-29
Very ......10
Somewhat ..41
Not very ..28
Not at all 19
DK/NA ......3
Posted by: Neo | June 27, 2007 at 08:13 PM