Older Americans are down on the Democrats

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

By Margaret Talev, McClatchy Newspapers Margaret Talev, Mcclatchy Newspapers – Thu Apr 29, 3:32 pm ET
WASHINGTON — Democrats have glimpsed their biggest threat this fall, and she is Grandma.

One reason President Barack Obama and other party leaders are rolling out campaigns this week to energize young and minority voters for November's elections is that they've seen the polling data on senior citizens, and it's ugly.

Democrats once counted on voters older than 65, but many seniors' loyalties changed in the past decade. That's partly because of the parties' stands on policy such as fiscal and personal responsibility, and partly, experts said, because the demographic changed. Many of today's seniors started voting in the 1950s, when Republican Dwight Eisenhower was president. The number of seniors whom FDR converted to Democrats in the '30s is shrinking fast.

A majority of seniors backed Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona over Obama in 2008. The seniors' current tilt toward Republicans is being reinforced by Obama's biggest accomplishment as president: the health care overhaul.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/3491469

---

I love this right here:
"That's partly because of the parties' stands on policy such as fiscal and personal responsibility," It's like this was written in upside down world.

[mitchum]

1. On the bright side, they are closer to death

[Walk away]

3. Yes, but so am I. Ouch!

<http://images5b.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp63277%3Evq%3D3356%3E2%3A5%3E462%3EWSNRCG%3D3445%3B67736337vq0mrj>

[CountAllVotes]

24. what a horrible thing to say

my late mother's best friend is almost 90 years old and there is no bigger supporter of Pres. Obama and the Democratic party than her.
I'm sure she is not alone btw.! :mad:


:kick:

[CLANG]

27. I think he was referring to old Republicans.

Can't really argue with that, can you?

[CountAllVotes]

33. I don't wish negative things on anyone

especially something like death ok?

Some of the posts here really disturb me greatly. :(

[RaleighNCDUer]

38. Stating a fact is not wishing anything, and even if it was

do you REALLY believe that 'wishing' ever DID anything?

Of course, the REAL bright side is that is a small generation, demographically, and largely impotent politically. It's my mother's generation - she turned 20 in 1950. It's always been sandwiched between the 'greatest generation' and the 'boomers'

Not really much to worry about, as a block.

[tsuki]

92. The Tyktovs. That's what we called them in the late 60's. They were

the most avid pro-war group.

[mitchum]

43. I'm not wishing anything, but merely finding the rainbow in that inevitable cloud

I'm an optimist!

[treestar]

66. Time passes though, that does not take wishing

I don't want it to pass quickly, either. But it does seem like the country could be far more progressive in a generation. I could be wrong though, if studies show people move rightward with age. But I am cautiously hoping that baby boomer and younger generations were more liberal to start with.

[kiva]

30. Because, like the young woman who hit and killed

the doctor, this poster doesn't have to feel bad because those people are so old. :eyes:

[mitchum]

45. I don't feel bad because they are republicans, not because they are old

[blm]

42. hey, mitchum's saying it no differently than MO'D would write it for SNL if he were alive today.

Fatalistic humor is OK, unless, of course, you're immortal. Then it would just be wrong.

[roguevalley]

83. agreed. some of us can actually remember when democrats

were democratics and not dicks.

[michreject]

26. And you're getting further from it?

Not everyone dies from old age.

[mitchum]

44. No, I'm rushing headlong into the sweet embrace of Morpheus!

I do enjoy life, but I am also looking forward to that neverending nap.

[Raoul]

31. How dare you sir!

Being a 65 year old person all I gotta say is ROFL!!!
Luv that!

[Peregrine Took]

53. Who knows when and where THEIR time is.....I don't - do you? n/t

[Peregrine Took]

54. I'm over 65 and 'can run a mile in 10 minutes and am a raging lefty.

Can't stand most Democrats because of their cowardice. Can't stand Obama for being a corporatist/DLC'r.

[mitchum]

55. No, but I do acknowledge the inevitability

[treestar]

65. Macabre, but right in a way

This country could be far more liberal in a couple of generations. Though maybe people do become more conservative with age.

[WinkyDink]

78. Maybe you are, too. Just sayin'.

[randr]

2. The irony once again

It is the repugs that want to end Social Security and the government Medicare programs.
One more instance of the people licking the hand that beats them.

[DURHAM D]

20. Seniors are not stupid -

they believe that Democrats also want to cut SS and, more importantly, the Dems have no plans for fixing Medicare. They watched the HRC thingie and know what it was, or rather, what it was not.

[annabanana]

4. Oh horseshit.. Yahoo's stuff is routinely pulled

right out of it's ass.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

7. I don't doubt that a lot of these older selfish/bigoted assholes will not vote for Democrats. It's

the spin the article gives that's annoying and unnecessary.

[LeFleur1]

8. I'm Older Than Dirt

And so are my friends. We work hard for Democrats. The statements that paint a whole group with the same brush is one reason this country is so divided. It's the easiest thing to do, but not very productive politically.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

10. Like I said before for some, age brings wisdom and the ability to discern facts from

fiction, spin or whatever. For others it seems that's not the case.

[Democat]

5. Some seniors live on government programs and they don't want anyone else to!

How many times have the details of some tea party member been posted where they are getting full government medical care with social security and other benefits and they are 100% against anyone else getting any kind of government benefits. Those seniors, and it's not all of them, are only thinking about themselves.

[CountAllVotes]

35. no one gets "full government medical care"

check into the benefits that a person receives that is on Medicare would you? It is far from being full coverage.

A friend of mine is deeply in debt as her 87 year old mother got very sick and a lot of the medical bills were not paid in full and she is about $20,000.00 in debt. Her mother has but this on credit cards for the time being.

How's that for "full medical care" for an 87 year old woman that WORKED FOR FIFTY YEARS? That is right, FIFTY YEARS and she doesn't deserve these benefits that she has paid into and worked for her entire life?

How long have you worked? How much are you earning? Did you ever work for $2.00 an hr. and have a >$500.00 a month paycheck to live on? I doubt it.

[Petrushka]

96. $2.00 an hour? In the 1950s, some people were fortunate to earn 50-cents per hour! (eom)

[Joanne98]

6. Seniors who believe Republicans are idiots.

Everybody KNOWS they want to repeal Social Security and Medicare.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

9. They are easily frightened and ignorant. Which is ironic I thought wisdom came with age. nt

[Bluenorthwest]

21. the truth is not as fun for you but what it is about is information

Castigating them is useless, save for the personal jollies. I've been spending much time finding out answers and then giving them to people. Now that is useful.
Seniors use their health insurance, and pay for it. It is vital to them. The current 'reforms' such as they are, are not bad for seniors at all. However absolutely no effort has been put into helping them understand the changes, even the doctors don't know. Medicare itself often needs to be informed before they give a response. There is no reason to ask anyone to accept a pig in a poke, literally no reason. Show them the pig. No reason not to.
Seniors are not the only ones either. Others who will benefit greatly are not aware of this fact, and fear the changes because of that lack of knowledge.
These groups of people are not to blame for not understanding that which their own doctors do not understand as yet. Efforts should have been made to educate, inform, and empower those groups. That would have helped, and still could help.
But to be blunt, looking at elders and saying crap like 'they are easily frightened' as a criticism is vulgar. Grandma is frightened about her medical security? That is human nature. And most peoples are frightened by those who call them names and have no understanding of their lives and needs.
Ignorant? I could ask you 5 questions about Social Security and Medicare that you would answer incorrectly. Half of DU thinks Medicare is 'free'. The other half thinks seniors do not pay taxes. So the ignorance I see is among the younger people. Also ignorant is prideful displays of disrespect to your elders, especially when grabbing their votes could be done with a word of kindness and some information. We are supposed to care for our elders, not the other way around. The responsibility is ours.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

29. What a bunch of bullshit. There is nothing "fun" for me in watching people

vote against their best interest. Lots of seniors know what the deal is and which party has opposed and threatened the programs they now benefit from. There is no excuse for idiots going around talking about keeping government out of their Medicare. There are many well informed people in all age groups. Seniors should actually know better than the rest of us since they have more experience and have lived longer through the ups and downs of this country.

You want to know what's "vulgar"? Is you talking about these willfully seniors as if they're special ed students who just can't help themselves. The information is out there. The evidence is clear for anybody whose willing to see it. You are the one who is talking as if a certain segment of our society is incapable of learning or asking questions and getting information. We live in a country where information is freely available.

Oh and BTW you have no fucking clue what I know or don't know about taking care or spending time with older people. I'm not going to tell you what you can do with your comments. I will instead treat you with "kindness and understanding".

[kctim]

46. Now THAT was a bunch of BS

You have no idea what is in anothers 'best interest,' especially when those others 'have more experience and have lived longer through the ups and downs of this country.'

Idiots? I think not.
Well informed people know that if they pay for something, they better get their promised return. Well informed people know that if they are forced to pay for something, they DAMN well better get their promised return.

Idiots are those people who believe they should think for others.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

47. "Idiots are those people who believe they should think for others."

Sure, idiots also like to put up straw man arguments and have no reading comprehension. If these people being conned into supporting pukes would think for themselves. They would know that there's not one iota of truth to all the propaganda they're bombarded with. Guess what, you go out protesting government interference with health care, socialism and whatever other bullshit was fed to you by Faux while benefiting from SS and Medicare. Yes you're a goddamn hypocrite and not too bright.

Well informed people know that this country has been bankrupted by the right wing. Saying the Democrats are shit is fine by me. Voting for republicans because of "because of the parties' stands on policy such as fiscal and personal responsibility," is just fucking dumb.

You wanna stick up for right wingers? Knock yourself out. I'll just stand over here and LMAO.

[kctim]

56. "Sticking up for right wingers"

and blaming the right wing for everything? Is that really the best you got? Now I am the one LMAO!

These 'idiots,' as you call them, are protesting govt altering what they have already paid for, or were forced to pay for. They are "benefiting" because they have paid for it for most of their lives and demanding a promised return on their investment does not make them a "goddamn hypocrite." Holding views which differ from yours, does not make them an "idiot."

You may believe it to be BS, but Blue is totally correct, the administration did not do a good enough job of informing. And you may believe it is "sticking up for right wingers," but alot of this could have been avoided by them doing a better job at that.

Well informed people know this country has been bankrupted by BOTH parties and believing either party is better than the other on fiscal policy is laughable at best. Personal responsibility? Well, thats another matter.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

61. Right wingers in both parties have put the country in this situation, period. So

called moderates like Bacchus, Lieberman and people withing the administration itself are included in this. As I've said for months not only did the White House do a terrible job at the start of this debate. They seemed to be negotiating with themselves before even putting their cards on the table that much is clear. But it is up to people to educate themselves when outrageous claims are made. Read the article (on which my comments were based on) in case you haven't:

"This whole business about death panels and pulling the plug on granny has whipped up older people,"

"Canady said the Democrats and independents she talked to supported Democratic efforts to impose new rules on the finance industry. The feedback she's getting from seniors on health care has been "50-50," however.

"A lot of them listen to the sound bites and the fear," she said. "The fear is huge in our country right now. We have to make sure we're out there all the time talking to people."

A lot of this is base don fear and ignorance. I don't feel sorry for these teabaggers one bit. How many times do they have to be conned by Republicans before they get it? Are the Democrats that much better? Maybe not by much but they are talking about supporting the same people that didn't even want to make the slightest adjustment to the status quo.

As I said specifically the people who complain about socialism for the rest of us but are perfectly fine with their socialism or think Medicare is not a government program are hypocritical and idiots. I'm talking about a very specific few who by their own admission are getting their information from right wing sources. They are not children and should know better. And no that doesn't mean Medicare and SS are free and we don't pay into it. But the very existence of these programs was due to an expansion of the scary "big government". In my opinion for the better of the country.

People want to criticize this bill for not being aggressive enough. I'm right there with them. But that whole stupid death panel/socialist boogie man argument is crap.

The person you're defending made a bunch of assumptions and silly comments that were not even related to anything I had said.

[Bluenorthwest]

64. Be specific in your accusations, Guy Whitey

I did not make assumptions nor did I make silly comments, and every thing I said was related to the issue at hand.
Which assumptions did I make about you? Please, list them so I can correct myself. I see not a one. What comments would you call 'silly'? List them, and the reasons you find them to be silly.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

68. Okay

"Castigating them is useless, save for the personal jollies."
Stupid assumption that I'm somehow amused by this. The article itself talks about people being frightened.

"Half of DU thinks Medicare is 'free'. The other half thinks seniors do not pay taxes. So the ignorance I see is among the younger people."
I didn't say that nor do I know what that has to do with me. Nothing is free, especially in this country. So yeah it's silly to throw that tin there directed at me.

"Also ignorant is prideful displays of disrespect to your elders,". Another silly ass comment. A lot of these teabaggers should know better the information is out there. For everyone of these guys though there are seniors who know better. I'm talking about a specific group. You're trying to make it out as if I'm taking a dump on all senior citizens.

As I said before you don't know anything about me. If it were up to me I'd cut the "defense" budget and a bunch of other crap. So that seniors wouldn't have to pay a single cent for their health care. GIven that SS doesn't do shit given the constant rise in the cost of living. If you would've asked me who or what I was talking about specifically instead of getting on your high horse. I'm sure we could have found agreement in that senior citizens are treated like shit in our society and that needs to change. i value experience and wisdom but that doesn't mean that if an old person makes stupid comments. Or votes for an even worse choice because they've allowed themselves to be manipulated. They're not above being called an ass.

[kiva]

34. For Bluenorthwest...

A great response :applause: To those who use terms like ignorant and hope these people die soon, do the rest of us a favor and don't campaign for the dems this fall...you're part of the problem, not the solution.

[mitchum]

48. You really do have reading comprehension problems, don't you?

No one on this thread is "wishing" that they were dead. We are merely stating the inevitable.
When people are unaware of the truth, they are indeed "ignorant"

Why don't you stay home this fall
and study the meaning of words?
As someone once said, "you're part of the problem, not the solution"

[laughingliberal]

50. Excellent post! nt

[CountAllVotes]

52. fine post

and yes you are so right - many around here seem to think that Medicare is free. It is far from being "free" and furthermore, it doesn't cover many things, has many limitations and all of this ends up landing in the pocket of the recipient.

:dem:

[Darth_Kitten]

87. Wisdom has never come with age.

You can have very wise young people and stupid, old people who remain as dense and dumb as when they were younger.

[Jennicut]

11. Seniors are more conservative these days but voters 18 to 34 are more liberal.

And we younger folks will live longer (no offense to any Seniors here who happen to be liberals). My Grandmother is 89 and voted for FDR and JFK (and Obama). But the generations behind her are more conservative.

[krabigirl]

59. Many people over a certain age want this country returned to the mythical 50s.

[LibDemAlways]

12. My aunt, age 84, listens to Rush and Hannity all day. Has been

brainwashed into believing Obama is a Socialist/Communist. When reminded that she is a Medicare and Social Security recipient, her standard response is that she worked hard for those benefits. It all comes down to racism, though. What it's really all about is that she hates minorities. I suspect that's the case with most of these seniors who identify with the white guy - even when he's an ass like McCain.

[WinkyDink]

79. Well, my 85-yr-old mother is a flaming liberal.

[Jefferson23]

13. And what makes them think they will ever see fiscal responsibility

from Republicans?? This is a commentary on how these folks are poorly informed.

Personal responsibility, meaning what, that Americans are suppose to figure out how to split a dollar a million ways?


Pathetic!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

14. Yup. nt

[peace13]

15. Makes me wonder why we keep paying for their Medicare and SS.

As a small business owner I have been pumping in double Medicare and SS for 25 years. The whiny recipients need to realize that if folks like me stop feeding their habit they would grow broke in a heart beat. All of this while realizing that by the time that I am 65 or whatever age the government deems me suitable to stop the work a day habit, there won't be funds for Medicare or SS.

I know several older Americans who understand that it is the Dem's who are responsible fiscally. However the bulk of my senior acquaintances are raging Rethugs who would be too embarrassed to admit that they have been voting against America their whole lives. Too proud to admit that the debt from *'s unpaid wars is what is killing us now.

[boomerbust]

22. Ahem

I paid for my Medicare and SS with 35 years of factory work, not the whiny small business owners.

[Bluenorthwest]

23. Wow. Health care is a 'habit'?

You do understand that seniors pay for Medicare, with premiums, co-pays and deductibles, after a lifetime of contributing just like you do, don't you? They also pay income tax. Did you know that?
It is not surprising that your pals are Republicans, as you sound just like one.

[CountAllVotes]

36. and you claim to be a Democrat do you?

wow, thanks for all of wonderful things you are contributing to the party. Thinking like yours deserves a category of its own IMO. How sad, how very sad indeed. :( :( :(

:argh:

[scottalias2]

95. some of these oxygen junkies need to quit the habit

[MARALE]

16. I think it is the infiltration of the church

Over the last 10-15 years, the republican party has really made a large effort to make all that go to church Republicans. this is one of the reasons we stopped going to church. they have propaganda and Focus on the Family shit everywhere. It is a guilt thing and they make you believe if you do not vote republican you will go to hell.

[Arkansas Granny]

93. Absolutely. Many of the Republicans I know are single issue voters and those

issues are often preached from the pulpit where liberals are characterized as being Godless, immoral and lazy.

I've been watching the primary ads here in Arkansas and the Republicans boast of their Christian upbringing and their involvement in the church. For many of them, it's the first thing they mention followed closely by tales of hard work and personal responsibility. It's as though these are the attributes that separate them from Democrats.

[msongs]

17. yeah you wanna put people over 65 in death camps and get rid of em? how nice of you nt

[madmom]

18. Well this granny and her large circle of granny friends are VERY MUCH democrats.

We all worked our collective butts off for Obama and in fact that's how most of us met, we were working as volunteers in his campaign office.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

41. You and your friends are what has kept this party going since many in my generation are too

damn detached and could give a shit what happens to the country. :thumbsup:

I have many problems with the Democrats and have expressed my displeasure endlessly. But vote for a Repuke???? Are you kidding me?

[Darth_Kitten]

90. You GO, girl!!!

:D

[boomerbust]

19. Here is my take on this article

Complete and utter BULLSHIT!

[Webster Green]

25. Guess they missed the rethugs trying to put their Social Security into the stock market

That would have worked out real nice.

[MisterP]

63. or they noticed the "deficit panel" wanting to do the same (e.g., Zeke Emmanuel) nt

[michreject]

28. No raise in SS didn't help

Some rely on those raises.

[CountAllVotes]

51. and no increase for 2011 either

and that is not going to help one tiny little bit either as the Wall Street racketeers rake in billions of dollars while the elderly and the disabled have less and less and less. Don't be fooled by the no inflation B.S.

Difficult times for folks on fixed tiny incomes!

Will they all run and vote GOP because of it? I rather doubt it.

Desperate situation no matter how you view it. :(

[sinkingfeeling]

32. Well, I'm one senior who has never, ever, voted for anybody except a Democrat.

[NNN0LHI]

37. Lot of seniors are home bound and stuck watching Fox news propaganda

That explains a lot of it.

Don

[krabigirl]

57. I agree...too bad they aren't online instead :(

[robcon]

39. I think older people have always been conservatives; younger people are liberals.

No news here.

[CountAllVotes]

40. huh?

That is not true. A Democrat is our President and don't you think that more than just a few people that are older than 50 voted for him?

That GOP is history, repeat that after me, HISTORY!

[Andy823]

49. No but

Some people are more "gullible" than others no matter what their age, and some people are more "paranoid" than others no matter what their age, and some people are just plain "crazy" no matter what their age. Age may play a part if a person has dementia or other age related mental problems, but in all no one group is more conservative or liberal than another age group.

I

[krabigirl]

58. not really

[Blue_In_AK]

70. May I just say...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

speaking as an "older person." :rofl: I can't stop laughing.

[robcon]

73. Interesting. 4 responses denying that older people are less likely to vote Democratic.

Not one of them quotes a poll supporting that position.

Here's one supporting mine...

[Blue_In_AK]

77. The only poll I can go on

is myself and all my "old" friends who are about as liberal as they come. And, like I said, nobody's polled me lately.

[robcon]

91. I didn't think anybody on DU would conclude based on your "old" friends.

Don't you think a broader array of 'seniors' would be more accurate than your self-described "liberal-as-they-come" friends?

I didn't think anyone on DU would make a conclusion based on his/her circle of friends.

Why can you "only go on" talking to your liberal friends?

[Blue_In_AK]

94. Whatever, dude.

I just think you're generalizing as much as I am. Generation wars break out here all the time.

[Odin2005]

76. That is a myth originating in the 50s, the elder generation at the time WAS conservative.

But that generation, the so-called "Lost" generation, was ALWAYS conservative. The Greatest Generation has always leaned liberal.

[Rex]

60. Really? Then why did they poo poo on the Repukes over AARP?

Another Repuke lie. My my my - repukes are soooo scared...this is early imo to show such panic about Nov. Good!

[gulliver]

62. Dems need to run against HCR repeal, Bush, and the recession.

The fact that the GOP has backed down on HCR repeal means one thing: They want to repeal it, but they know it is a loser. Therefore, now that they are stopped in their tracks on the issue, we should start to push and bully them on it. The GOP wants to repeal HCR! The GOP wants to put the donut hole back in! ...that sort of thing.

And let's not forget Bush and the GOP recession so soon, of course.

[blindpig]

67. You think that's bad....

Wait until the hatchet job on Social Security is revealed. Doesn't matter that the proposals will be 'bi-partisan', the party in power will be blamed. Rightfully, I might add.

[Blue_In_AK]

69. Oh, please.

I'm an "older American," a grandma, and I'm not down on the Democrats. Who do they poll anyway?

[MattBaggins]

71. Looks like it's time to dismatle medicaid... selfish bastards

[WinkyDink]

80. Do you even know what Medicaid is?

[MattBaggins]

81. I forgot the sarcasm tag

[moondust]

72. Frightened nostalgia voters.

I think many learned to trust TV news back in the days of Walter Cronkite and three TV networks constrained to mostly reporting news (Fairness Doctrine, limited airtime, etc.) but that trust made them vulnerable to today's endless barrage of propaganda on cable TV and radio.

[scheming daemons]

74. Seniors, by and large, are gullible and susceptible to Fox News-like programming

There's a reason that most scam artists target the elderly.

They're gullible.



And the white ones are scared to death of the "black man" in the white house.

[Odin2005]

75. Bitter, old BIGOTS.

[Cha]

82. Those grandmas aren't very smart..and their

memory is faulty.

My memory is just fine thank you and I think the Dems are doing an admirable job cleaning up after the bushcheney nightmare.

I guess corporatemediawhores have done their jobs on those poor things.

[Darth_Kitten]

89. Well, then, maybe those "Grandpas" are just as dense?

n/t

[eridani]

84. I'm betting it has more to do with possible attacks by the administration on Social Security

HCR is not really a threat to Medicare, but the secret deficit commission might well be.

[Imagevision]

85. The Woodstockers and those protesting the Nam war are too gullible, do you?

[Imagevision]

86. sorry! "aren't too gullible!!!

[Darth_Kitten]

88. Just don't touch my social security!!!

n/t