Youth-voter drive
a massive failure

It was a disaster. Despite what they’ll say, the whole movement was a failure. In fact, it really wasn’t a movement. By definition, a movement produces action, but this so-called “movement” produced no more action than any other group involved in this election cycle. It was an average movement of inaction. Young people have lost, because no choice was made, and they didn’t vote.

Of course, I’m talking about this year’s Rock the Vote, Choose or Lose, Vote or Die, and the generation of 20 Million Loud who were going to change the world. Sure, more young people voted in this election than 2000, but the actual percentage when compared to every other voter is less than radical. The youth vote was not the key to this election. We know that now.

I’m sure the people behind this pseudo-movement are scratching their heads wondering what happened Tuesday. They had P. Diddy, the Boss and MTV. They poured millions into organizations that ran ads, concerts, television programs and rallies. But what happened? All these resources were expended to rally the young demographic (which is usually apathetic) into passion for voting.

It really came down to two things:

There was a lot of passion portrayed. The commercials and rallies showed that. The news programs on MTV piqued interest. Yet, something was missing. There was a lot of passion for action, but the missing puzzle was this: reason. They offered no reason to vote, except that eligible voters should vote. And that was about it.

Like I said, there were some news specials on MTV. I tuned into one that was about the war on drugs, but it offered little substance and no new revelations. And maybe that’s the problem: A political worldview divorced from the depth on which the political system stands is at best boring. At worst, it would usher in a generation of useful idiots that plunge our government into a further revision of the nanny state. In the end, this MTV call to action without depth of reason resulted in inaction.

Another problem: The campaign depended on everyone to buy into the idea that voting is inherently good. As I outlined in a previous column, nothing good ever came from voting alone. Evil men have been voted into office and abused their power.

This goes hand in hand with the lack of substance: Vote for something. There was no call to any moral authority on voting. There were no statements about America’s need. There were no visions cast about patriotism and the actions required to help America get back on the road.

There was nothing. Vote. Just vote.

Apparently, that didn’t work, because droves of among people didn’t turn out. Young people felt no real reason to wait in line to cast a ballot. Thus, the question arises: What will it take to get young people to be serious about politics?

I really believe it will take this: Don’t treat young people like they’re stupid. Vote or Die, Choose or Lose and Rock the Vote all created a front of condescending messages to young people – as if they need special gimmicks to get them out to the polls.

The issues facing young people: Social Security, education, and the economy. There’s no reason to use fear tactics about a non-existent draft. Social Security will be history by the time I’m retired, yet I already pay into it each year. Education is pathetic in our nation – if my generation would open their eyes, they would see a generation being ripped off. The economy is the key to success. Where’s the economy been? Where’s it going? There’s no reason to make things up about our economic growth.

Unfortunately, no one on a wide scale talked about these issues in my generation. There was fluffed up passion, no substance and no results.