LEAD STORY on the front page of the NYT today: New Poll Finds That Young Americans Are Leaning Left

[DeepModem Mom]

(NOTE: There are some puzzling findings and conclusions here, but the headline, and most of the findings, are encouraging.)

New Poll Finds That Young Americans Are Leaning Left
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MEGAN THEE
Published: June 27, 2007

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....

***

...Contrary to conventional wisdom, younger Americans have historically been more likely than the population as a whole to be supportive of what a president is doing in a time of war, as they were in Korea and Vietnam, polls have shown....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/washington/27poll.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin

[ginnyinWI]

1. yes they are--in fact a lot of demographic groups are--

Read this article from TAP. The Dems are back and stayin'. :)

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=back_to_the_future061807

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Love those guys! Thanks for posting! nt

[mzmolly]

9. Man I hope so!

:toast:

[bryant69]

2. Very gratifying article

No doubt about it.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[UrbScotty]

4. And more of them are voting

http://www.collegedems.com/a/2007/06/young_voter_strategies_youth_v.php

[DeepModem Mom]

6. More encouragement -- thanks for the link! nt

[bdamomma]

5. well at least they are paying attention.

[Vincardog]

7. Now if we can just gt them to the polls and have their votes counted. VVPB

[Firespirit]

8. I thought we all sucked and were worthless apathetic consumers.

:sarcasm:

Well, at least I have a new poll to link to whenever that line of attack against Generation Y comes up again.

[Turn CO Blue]

12. I'm with you.

I can't believe it when I hear that "kids today" crap! My kids (22 and 17) are totally informed and progressive. I have a lot of hope for this generation. And we know they showed up to vote last time. Now if we could just get the single women to show up to vote, we'd never lose one again!

[FloridaJudy]

10. The kids are all right

or rather, most are rightly left.

Best news I've heard in a while.

[SoonerPride]

11. It may take a generation for them to realize their dreams

Universal health care?

Not in the forseeable future.

Legalized gay marriage?

Not in the forseeable future.

I hope those kids hit the ground running and shaping policy soon. As the hard right boomers die off maybe the entrenched status quoers will shuffle off and the children can realize their dreams.

[lovuian]

13. Socialism is coming Goodbye Capitalism

hopefully we will take the best of both systems and make a new one