Yesterday, there was a local election here in the IC. There was record turnout, not because of the hotly contested city council race, but rather because there was an ordinance on the ballot that would have required all bar patrons to be 21. (You may recall that 19-year-olds can get into bars here but are not supposed to drink, which, in turn, means a steady stream of revenue for the city since there are about 10,000 arrests for possession of alcohol under the legal age in the police blotter every day.) Anyway, students registered and voted in large numbers, and the ordinance failed.
Now, what I'm wondering is whether this surge in registration will translate into high student turnout at the caucuses. I've noticed a curious thing among my students, which is that they'll be all into Barack Obama or Ron Paul or whomever, but when I ask if they're planning to caucus, they say no. Young people, being a Facebook or MySpace friend of a candidate doesn't mean that they'll win! You have to show up!
2 comments:
Seems lame though--being a Facebook friend or voting via Facebook SHOULD be enough. If I can be someone's 'friend' by clicking on a picture of them, I should damn well f'n hell be able to vote for em.
Where the hell is the Facebook mobile voting widget, people?
I AM NOT JOKING.
The Iowa caucus will be happening during the major universities' winter breaks, turns out. Can't count on that. Can't count on youth to do nothing, not for purt' near 40 years now. Obama, gotta aim a bit higher.
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