Younger voters not particularly scared of the word "socialism"

[mookiemookie]

But it’s not that the youngest voters don’t know what socialism means. It’s that most aren’t scared of it — and find it bizarre that, decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a political movement would center itself around opposition to it. The fact that both the tea party and the Republican Party have made vociferous opposition to “socialist’’ policies a key part of their rhetoric helps explain the tepid response among young adults.

Republican strategists see short-term advantages in the tea party movement’s passion. But if conservatives can’t wean themselves off of Cold-War-era rhetoric, they risk alienating an entire generation of young people. The tea party is well on its way to doing just that. A recent New York Times/CBS News survey found that three-quarters of the movement’s supporters were older than 45.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ed...nt_a_bad_word/

I think the Republican/Tea Party needs to have more of an understanding of demographics. If they're not connecting with younger voters, they're mortgaging their future for short term gains. The anti-immigrant rhetoric isn't going to play well with the Hispanic contingent either - every day they're becoming a larger and larger minority. Interesting times ahead.

[AVGWarhawk]

But if conservatives can’t wean themselves off of Cold-War-era rhetoric, they risk alienating an entire generation of young people.

What is this supposed to mean? Cold war era rhetoric? What rhetoric is that may I ask?

[razark]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

What is this supposed to mean? Cold war era rhetoric? What rhetoric is that may I ask?

"OMG! COMMIES! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! THEY'RE GOING TO EAT OUR CHILDREN! etc. etc. ad nauseum."

That schtick. It gets old after a while.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by razark

"OMG! COMMIES! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! THEY'RE GOING TO EAT OUR CHILDREN! etc. etc. ad nauseum."

That schtick. It gets old after a while.

Can you point out this Commie rhetoric in recent months?

[razark]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Can you point out this Commie rhetoric in recent months?

If you haven't noticed it, you haven't been opening your eyes.

Plenty of signs at demonstrations, various commentators, windbags on talk radio and Fox News, etc.

[Catfish]

"Can you point out this Commie rhetoric in recent months? "

I thought you meant "ant-commie rhethoric" ?
If you meant that i would have liked to point it out, but i cannot enter the whole subsim forum, into less than some hundred links
Let's add one more:
Anyone who wants to tax Exxon-Mobil, is a Commie.

Greetings,
Catfish

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by razark

If you haven't noticed it, you haven't been opening your eyes.

Plenty of signs at demonstrations, various commentators, windbags on talk radio and Fox News, etc.

I do not watch Fox. To much craziness there.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Catfish

"Can you point out this Commie rhetoric in recent months? "

I thought you meant "ant-commie rhethoric" ?
If you meant that i would have liked to point it out, but i cannot enter the whole subsim forum, into less than some hundred links
Let's add one more:
Anyone who wants to tax Exxon-Mobil, is a Commie.

Greetings,
Catfish

Well, some of the forum could be entered. Yes, we need to tax Exxon-Mobile. Problem is, big oil is very involved in government.

Ok, I just wanted to clear up the Commie rhetoric deal.

[August]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ed...nt_a_bad_word/

I think the Republican/Tea Party needs to have more of an understanding of demographics.

I think the Democratic/Communist party needs to recognize that the Republican party and the Tea Party are two totally separate entities.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by August

I think the Democratic/Communist party needs to recognize that the Republican party and the Tea Party are two totally separate entities.

The "socialist" rhetoric is the same from both of them, so I lumped them together. It doesn't change the point at all.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by August

I think the Democratic/Communist party needs to recognize that the Republican party and the Tea Party are two totally separate entities.

That would probably be a good idea. I remember the cold war in a different light. You know, nukes parked off the Florida coast. Things of that nature. Rhetoric that meant something for a REAL problem. So these young folks are not afraid of Socialism or some such thing. I guess they are ok with nukes parked 80 miles off the Florida coast?

[Egan]

Part of the reason, I suspect, is that it is bandied around so often by segments of the right who haven't even the vaguest notion of what socialism is and use it to attack anything they don't believe in that it has become incredibly devalued, Exactly like sections of the left and their childish and -virtually always utterly wrong use of the word 'Fascist.' Is it any wonder that when you cry wolf enough everybody stops listening? Words are too important to be used wrongly - especially when, like 'Socialist' and 'Fascist' they have such profound meanings and connotations.

[VonHesse]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

So these young folks are not afraid of Socialism or some such thing. I guess they are ok with nukes parked 80 miles off the Florida coast?

Sure, pack them all into a time machine and ship them back to 1962, and I bet they'd be just as concerned about nukes off the Floride coast as everyone else was back then.

But there aren't nukes parked off the off the coast anymore. Haven't been any for over 45 years.

I'm just sayin...

[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by Egan

Part of the reason, I suspect, is that it is bandied around so often by segments of the right who haven't even the vaguest notion of what socialism is

Socialism: a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

yeah, we know what it is.

and i dont think that I should be a 1/300,000,000th owner of General Motors

nor do i think I should be a 1/300,000,000th owner of any other industry

Business are started by private men who create business models that either work or dont.

when they work, the man makes more money which is exactly what he set out on doing in the first place.

what incentive would anyone have to work hard to become successful if the government just went "Ok everyone... come and get your government subsidized success!"?

answer - zero incentive

The problem with Socialism is that it breeds what is referred to as a welfare state.in a welfare state, the people are powerless to better their financial position unless the Federal Government does it for them.

Sorry, but not even the United States Government wields that sort of power over me.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by VonHesse

Sure, pack them all into a time machine and ship them back to 1962, and I bet they'd be just as concerned about nukes off the Floride coast as everyone else was back then.

But there aren't nukes parked off the off the coast anymore. Haven't been any for over 45 years.

I'm just sayin...

And Iran just wants to make a reactor for well...energy There are still talks of nuclear arms reduction even today. ICBM sir. No need to park'em off the coast.....just saying