New Poll Finds That Young Americans Are Leaning Left
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MEGAN THEE
New York Times
Young 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.
The poll offers a snapshot of a group whose energy and idealism have always been as alluring to politicians as its scattered focus and shifting interests have been frustrating. It found that substantially more Americans ages 17 to 29 than four years ago are paying attention to the presidential race. But they appeared to be really familiar with only two of the candidates, Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, both Democrats.
They have continued a long-term drift away from the Republican Party. And although they are just as worried as the general population about the outlook for the country and think their generation is likely to be worse off than that of their parents, they retain a belief that their votes can make a difference, the poll found.
More than half of Americans ages 17 to 29 — 54 percent — say they intend to vote for a Democrat for president in 2008. They share with the public at large a negative view of President Bush, who has a 28 percent approval rating with this group, and of the Republican Party. They hold a markedly more positive view of Democrats than they do of Republicans.
(Continued here.)
New York Times
Young 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.
The poll offers a snapshot of a group whose energy and idealism have always been as alluring to politicians as its scattered focus and shifting interests have been frustrating. It found that substantially more Americans ages 17 to 29 than four years ago are paying attention to the presidential race. But they appeared to be really familiar with only two of the candidates, Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, both Democrats.
They have continued a long-term drift away from the Republican Party. And although they are just as worried as the general population about the outlook for the country and think their generation is likely to be worse off than that of their parents, they retain a belief that their votes can make a difference, the poll found.
More than half of Americans ages 17 to 29 — 54 percent — say they intend to vote for a Democrat for president in 2008. They share with the public at large a negative view of President Bush, who has a 28 percent approval rating with this group, and of the Republican Party. They hold a markedly more positive view of Democrats than they do of Republicans.
(Continued here.)
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1 Comments:
Seriously, this is news? Hasn't anyone ever heard the cliche 'if you're not liberal when you're young, you have no heart. if you're not conservative when you're old, you have no brain'? I guess only those amongst us blessed with a classical education would know that cliche.
Maybe I should put this poll another way. Does anyone remember the phrase 'don't trust anyone over the age of 30'? wasn't that a campus battle cry in the 60's and 70's? Then, people who held that belief had an awakening when they themselves - tada! - turned 30!!
None of us should be suprised that young Americans lean left. But, a person's political beliefs are always in a state of flux. Initially, through our early twenties, we all probably vote the way our parents vote - we probably don't know any better. Once we get out in the world and see the world through our own eyes, we formulate our own opinions and gravitate towards any of the many notches on the political spectrum. Take this poll of the exact same people in 10 or 20 years and I am sure you would get results that do not even remotely resemble this poll taken in 2007.
This poll is much ado about nothing. I would hope the same young Americans polled would know the Shakespeare reference of that phrase...but, I'm not counting on it.
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