My semi-political Brother is surprising me with his grasp of the issues.

[trumad]

and it's not just him. Folks that I know that are usually not to political are all of a sudden in the game. Another words, they've been paying attention. I'll have conversations with them in a bar, restaurant, etc, and listen to their take on current affairs. In the past, I've always been there to expound on their take and add my brilliant DU type knowledge of the issue. BUT lately I haven't had to do that. I just listen and have deep satisfaction that my friends get it.

The one prop that I will give George Dubya Bush is: He made a whole bunch of folks who are usually not that political, POLITICAL!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. The office manager

in my doctor's office told me she was only going to watch half of the debates, but wound up watching the whole thing. Her opinion was that Bush proved he was not worthy or competent to be our President.

[Demaholic]

2. I have a semi-political brother as well...

He has voted straight Repukelican ticket since the dawn of time, but in conversations of late, I think the tide is turning...

Still working on him!

[KharmaTrain]

3. The Old Chestnut...People Only Wake Up When The Debates Begin

Yes, there are a lot more politically vocal people, but are they really informed? I don't consider those who ape wingnut talking points to be informed...so that disqualifies anyone who listens to a lot of hate radio or strictly watches Faux or CNNservative.

We're a month out from what many of us believe is the most important election of our lives (at least the most energized I've witnessed since 1968) and we have a 24/7 media machine that is starting to focus on the election...both to influence the vote and profit off of them.

Doing all the canvassing I've done, yes, I rarely come across someone who is completely oblivious to major events (Iraq, Economy, Health Care), but I heard a lot of misinformation (and this includes "libruls" (and yes, just look around DU and you'll see 'em) of the issues or try to simplify complex ones.

What I find very exciting is the interest young people are having in this election and how they are coming out loud and strong against this regime and the Repugnican party.

The Democrats lost a generation of 20 & 30somethings that grew up after Nam and with hate radio and a targeted campaign by the right wing to poison their minds and the political dynamic with a relentless barage of lies and rhetoric. It's good to see that trend is changing and a new generation of Democrats (kudos to the DFA folks!) are developing. It's starting to be "cool" to be a Democrat again. This gives me a lot of hope for the future.

[trumad]

4. 20 & 30somethings

Great post... and I think we're getting them back.

[KharmaTrain]

5. I Don't Think So, Trumad

But then that's a generation lost...and fortunately smaller in numbers than my generation (baby-boomers) and that of my children (what are 18-21 year olds called today...what Generation are we on???). The only pain will be if there's a SSI when we get around to 65'ish and having to depend on these people to maintain jobs to keep the system solvent (I know, put down the crack pipe).

There's a big disconnect I noticed in the early 90's when I first started to encounter younger people than I am/was and the right wing rhetoric that was flying out of their traps. These are the kids who grew up after Nam and never knew it more than old hippie songs and then got fed revisionist history of the 60's by new icons like Rushbo and other hate radio spinners.

This is also a group that was doted on with the values of self-gratification, short-attention spans and zero tolerance. They have been brainwashed into "real Americans" being superior in every form and shape to any other culture or nation and those in this country who didn't conform to that image presented to them by right wing corporations began the object of contempt and scorn.

That's changing with the problems young people are starting to face now that are not different from the ones I experienced in the 70's. There are few 18-24 year olds I encounter that aren't certain there'll be a draft if Bunnypants is re-selected and have their own laundry list of issues they are in 180 out with this regime...abortion, education funding, economics, tax breaks and so on. The 20-30 somethings have bought in on the rich is good, greed is good, self-indulgence is good. Not sure what we'll ever be able to do to change that mindset.

Cheers!