More young people are voting - and they lean left

If politicians are to listen to the concerns of young people, more young people need to make their voice heard. The ballot box is one way this can happen.

To that end, I bear good tidings.

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that, for the second major election in a row, young voter turnout rose in 2006. An analysis of the data from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at the University of Maryland confirms early estimates of increased young voter turnout and finds that 10.8 million 18-29 year olds voted in 2006, a nearly two million vote increase from 2002 levels (8.9 million). This is following young voters' large turnout increase in 2004, when 18-29 year olds cast 4.3 million more ballots than in 2000 and increased their turnout rate by nine percentage points, more than twice the overall electorate's 4-point increase. CIRCLE's analysis also shows that while turnout was up among voters of all ages in 2006 (by 1.7 percentage points), 18-29 year olds yet again increased their turnout by more, jumping by 3 percentage points from 2002 to 2006 - nearly twice the increase of the overall electorate.

"The official figures confirm that a new generation has arrived at the polls and is an electorate to watch in 2008," said Kat Barr, Research Director at Young Voter Strategies. "On Election Day 2006, 10.8 million 18-29 year olds voted, two million more than in the previous midterm election. The increased civic engagement and political interest of the Millennial Generation, outreach from campus and community organizations, and attention from campaigns and candidates in 2006 all came together to build on the momentum begun by big young voter turnout in 2004. Young adults are an electorate that campaigns and candidates must reach out to in order to win on Election Day 2008 and beyond.

So more of them are voting... but for whom are they voting? I bear more good tidings:

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.

This is certainly good news. More thoughts on youth activism in a later post.

Democrats in Congress work to fix federal student loan programs

For those who don't think there are differences between the two parties, I give you this:

Less than a year and a half after the then-Republican-controlled Congress raided student financial aid, the new Congress, controlled by Democrats, is working diligently to reverse the raid:

Democrats in Congress are working on sweeping changes to the student loan system, with legislation approved by both the Senate and House education committees that would cut federal subsidies to lending companies by as much as $19 billion, channel most of those savings to student aid, and ease repayment rules for borrowers.

The Senate measure would boost the maximum Pell grant, the nation's main aid program for low-income students, from $4,300 to $5,400 a year. The House measure calls for a smaller grant increase but would cut in half the interest rates on federally backed student loans, to 3.4 percent.

Lobbyists for the student loan industry attacked the legislation, saying that it might force some lending companies out of business. But supporters say that this legislation will aid those who need it most--the students.

Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education Committee, called it, "the biggest single investment in college financial aid since the GI Bill."

As someone who relies on student aid, I applaud Rep. Miller and all of those working diligently on behalf of students across the nation.

The Supreme Court: Six more reasons to vote Democratic

Supreme Court terms begin in October and end in June. Six of the nine justices are 67 years of age or older - older than many ordinary Americans will be when they retire.

Recent decisions assaulting women’s and employee freedoms have put a new focus on the Court. Given the likelihood that we will once again see at least one, if not two or more, vacancies on the Court during the next president’s term, the Supreme Court is poised to be a very crucial issue in 2008, one that I’d rank as important as Iraq, terrorism, and global warming. Perhaps it is the most important issue in the 2008 election, because it involves the heart of what our nation is all about: our freedoms.

Courtesy of Wikipedia, Here are the six justices who, as of the end of the 2008-2009 term (when justices often announce their retirement), will be at least 70 years old or will be approaching 70.

John Paul Stevens
Leans Left
Age in June 2009: 89
Took office: 1975

Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Leans Left
Age in June 2009: 76
Took office: 1993

Antonin Scalia
Leans - well, do I have to tell you?
Age in June 2009: 73
Took office: 1986

Anthony Kennedy
Leans Right, but considered quasi-moderate
Age in June 2009: 72
Took office: 1988

Stephen Breyer
Leans Left
Age in June 2009: 70
Took office: 1994

David Souter
Leans Left
Age in June 2009: 69
Took office: 1990

Introducing JenniferGranholm.com

A new website has been launched to help Michiganders/Michiganians connect with their government.

JenniferGranholm.com is the official website of the Granholm Leadership Fund. John VanDeventer (who, incidentally, served on the MFCD e-board alongside Pat and Andy) tells us more at Michigan Liberal:

The site will allow Michiganders to get involved with important issues through online advocacy tools, make contributions with our secure online form, and discuss the elections and policies that shape Michigan's future on our new blog, The Conversation.

I encourage you all to take a few minutes to check out the new site and would certainly welcome your questions and suggestions. Starting today, we will also be cross-posting all our blog content at MichiganLiberal.com and will look into other ways to partner with you all to make the Michigan blogging network as strong as possible. Also, for those of you already eager to make a donation (bless you), our contribution form is now online and ready to go!

We have a lot of exciting stuff in the pipeline as we move forward with our new site - including some cool ideas to get users involved in the 2008 election process. Stay tuned as the site evolves and please don't hesitate to contact me if you ever have any questions or comments.

A Day in the Life of Joe Republican

Here's something I found in an email. It's a reminder of what we Democrats stand for.

Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of drinking water, which is good and clean because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe’s bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.

Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air.

He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe’s employer pays these standards because Joe’s employer doesn’t want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he’ll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn’t think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

It's noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe’s deposit is federally insured by the FDIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe’s money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time.

Joe is home from work. he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn’t want to make rural loans. The house didn’t have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and demanded rural electrification.

He is happy to see his dad, who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn’t have to.

After his visit with Dad he gets back in his car for the ride home. He turns on a radio talk show. The host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn’t mention that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day.)

Joe agrees, “We don’t need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I’m a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have”.

So the next time you hear conservatives bashing the left, Remember Joe Republican, and how we Americans owe our high standard of living to Democrats.

Ford CEO, Chamber spokeswoman support Democrats' business tax plan

Here's an item from the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island:

Blue and white stickers proclaiming "Pass the MBT" began appearing on lapels Thursday afternoon, about the same time that Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, told reporters that the House's Michigan Business Tax plan needed work.

Democrats like the House plan because it's a better deal for manufacturers, especially carmakers. Republicans prefer a plan that offers more incentive for small businesses.

Ford said the Democratic plan would create a more competitive tax structure for Michigan manufacturers, shift more of the tax burden to out-of-state companies that do business in Michigan and encourage research and development in the state.

...

The Detroit Regional Chamber, which helped write the House plan, weighed in to support it. "We really feel the House approach is better," said Sarah Hubbard, spokeswoman for the chamber.

If the GOP was truly the 'pro-business party,' then why are business leaders flocking to the Democratic plan instead?