Young Americans Are Leaning Left, New Poll FindsA few tidbits:
Pew Research found that since Reagan the percentage of young adults calling themselves Republicans has declined from 55 to 35%. That loses out to young Democrats, who now account for 48% of young adults.
On specific issues:
While 47% of the public would support a "universal, government-sponsored national health care insurance program" -- not bad -- fully 62% of young voters would. A super-majority.
On wedge issues like race and gay rights:
While only 36% of whites in the general public say they "completely agree" that "It's all right for blacks and whites to date each other," fully 64% of white youth feel that way.
And Pew found that while those age 26 and older reject allowing gays and lesbians to adopt children by 50-44%, 18-25 year-olds support gays and lesbians having that right, by 61% to 25%, a major league turnaround.
Overall, as summarized by The New York Times, America's youth "have continued a long-term drift away from the Republican Party."
If you're a progressive, feel free to smile now as broadly as you wish, let out a great sigh of relief (or a big cheer), and picture a bright future with a totally marginalized right-wing. How sweet it is!
(PS: Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first. Please don't respond just on the basis of the brief preview above. Thanks!!)
Hey Jack :) Love your podcast, even though I am an ex-progressive.
ReplyDeleteI am now a happily converted Libertarian.
This episode I was a bit disappointed with your catagorising Free Talk Live as a right wing podcast when it is by definition neither left nor right.
I found it after listening to a LOT of left wing podcasts and realizing that if there is two sides to every story, I might be neglecting the other side. I couldn't handle the right wingers for long and soon googled NOT LEFT NOT RIGHT PODCAST and what I got was Free Talk Live.
It changed my life.
Gay right? Yes. Gun rights? Yes. Taxation? No. War in Iraq? No.
Intriguing hey?
Its called 'freedom' and just as you believe many right wingers are closeted progressives I believe a lot of progressives are in fact libertarians. I was.
You ought to listen to a little Free Talk Live before responding (if you intend to) to this post - but give them, a chance - they are a little confronting at first. Beyond that they are consistent and compelling.
To quote yourself:
Right-wingers, if you want to write in to me, fine, but at least do me the courtesy of listening to the podcast first.
i turn the challenge back to you.
You called Free Talk Live right wing - give it a listen.
Then, I'd love to hear you address the libertarian cause on Blast the Right.
Anyone else reading this comment? The challenge stands for you to :)
Doug
Doug_s@fcptalent.com
THIS GUY IS JUST LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HIDE IN SHEEP CLOTHING: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NO TAXES: THERE IS; SUCH A THING AS PASSING A LAW FOR POLITICIANS NOT TO RAPE THE TREASURY { LIKE G.W. HAS ; CHECK THE DEBT CLOCK??} OR TO TAKE P.A.C. MONEY FOR TERRIBLE HATE MONGERING FAVORS...These guys that are in office now are dirty piggs: You give them an inch and they will take a mile: Libertarians are right wingers { wolves } in sheep suits:
ReplyDeleteWith leftward ideologies in control of the school system and media, a firmly leftist trend should be expected in America's youth.
ReplyDeleteI don't recognize anything about interracial couples being a conservative issue (traditionally more of a Southern Democrat issue). Certainly in a "progressive" environment we can expect youth to look more and more to The State as it's saviour, rather than focus on self governance. In this environment we can also expect them to reject conserviative morality for more "progressive" and "flexible" world views, abandoning abstinence and marraige for promiscuity and polysexuality, and being able to idealize blood thirsty murderers such as Che Guevarra as "people's heroes".
I see nothing to stop this nation from descending to the same level as the welfare liberalist european states and perhaps eventually the marxist states. What does that mean? It means the death of the purpose of America's founding, liberty from arbitrary domination by other humans.