The Election’s Deciding Factor: Red Said, Blue Said

Dear Red Said, Blue Said,

We finally have our candidates: Barack Obama and John McCain. What do you think is going to be the deciding factor in this election? Why?

The Blue Perspective: Erin Egan

Young voter turnout will be the deciding factor this election.

Never mind that I’m not a young voter anymore. Shocking, given that I’m only thirty-three (and look much younger!). But it’s true—in some circles, only those under thirty qualify as “young voters” these days. Moreover, the experts say, as a “less-young voter,” I’m not part of the generation that will make the difference in this year’s election. The time for Generation X has passed; we are witnessing the rise of the Millennials.
 
And thank goodness! While GenXers are marked by apathy, cynicism, distrust of the government—and are the most Republican generation today—Millennials (roughly, those born in the 1980s to1990s) are politically engaged, civic-minded, and progressive-leaning.
 
Let’s dig a little deeper into the Millennial personality. These young voters:

• Are fundamentally optimistic
• Don’t perceive differences between races, genders, and sexual preferences as past generations do
• Trust government’s potential though aren’t satisfied with today’s political system or their politicians
• Believe government should expand opportunity for all, not just a few
• Are deeply concerned about America’s social and economic inequalities
• Believe we should do “whatever it takes” to protect the environment
• Are “digital natives” who routinely use the Internet, email, text messaging, and social networking sites to inform and get informed

And, given these decidedly progressive attitudes, there’s more bad news for Republicans: Millennials vote! Continuing a trend that began in 2004, young voters have been turning out in record numbers in 2008, tripling and quadrupling vote totals in many primary states. By a two-to-one margin in the primaries, they voted for Democrats and, fortunately for us, they’re only growing as a segment of the electorate.

It’s hard to see how Senator McCain’s unflagging promotion of Bush’s legacy—an endless war, a mountain of debt, a devastated economy—will pass muster with the generation that must actually live with the consequences. How will McCain’s support for Bush’s blank check war in Iraq—to the tune of nearly $10 billion a month—and his plans that ignore health care needs, the mortgage crisis, and exploding education costs sit with the generation that knows this money should be invested in them, in education, alternative energy, and creating jobs?