John Davis Consulting

WHERE ARE THE JOBS? Economic conditions leaving young electorate unemployed, disenchanted

 “We’re no longer interested in Hope, Mr. President, we’re interested in having a future.”  The Rocky Mountain Collegian, August 28, 2012, The Student Voice of Colorado State University Since 1891

 Thursday, August 30, 2012       Vol. V, No. 26      12:13 am

Colorado State Student Newspaper Greets Obama: WHERE ARE THE JOBS?

 On Tuesday, President Obama spoke to students at Iowa State University in Ames and Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, working to rekindle the same enthusiastic commitment to his candidacy that helped him win in 2008.  The challenge facing Obama with America’s youth can be seen on the front page of The Rocky Mountain Collegian, the campus newspaper at Colorado State.  “Where are the jobs?,” screams the headline.

Just below the headline is a picture of a student holding a sign reading, “College grad will work 4 food.”  The story notes that 51% of Colorado State grads in 2011 did not have jobs upon graduating.  What they did have was an average student loan debt of $22,017.

If that curt page one headline and picture was not a clear enough statement of student reservations about Obama’s worthiness of their support in 2012, the student-written editorial on the Collegian’s OUR VIEW page puts an end to any doubt.  Are you listening, Mr. President?

 Are you listening, Mr. President?

 The staff editorial, titled Are you listening, Mr. President?, reminds Obama that he was the first presidential candidate they were able to vote for and how he inspired them to believe that American politics would be different. “Unfortunately,” the students write, “it’s almost four years later and things look almost the same.”

Here is the stirring concluding paragraph in its entirety:

“President Obama has made great strides on some social issues and his administration did nab bin Laden, but securing the youth vote this election will take leadership and concrete legislation to balance the budget, prevent inflation and improve the economy.  We’re no longer interested in Hope, Mr. President, we’re interested in having a future.”

On August 15, 2012, the John Davis Political Report titled, Voter Enthusiasm/Volunteerism favoring Republicans in 2012 as Young American Voters facing 50% Underemployment No Longer Excited about Obama, stated that the young enthusiastic Obama voters from 2008 have not abandoned the cause of hope and change, they have become disenchanted with the leader of the cause.  “Without them, Obama cannot carry North Carolina in 2012,” I wrote. “Without them he cannot win a second term as President of the United States of America.”

 Living in childhood bedrooms, staring at fading Obama posters

 Today, President Obama wound up his two-day outreach to university students with an appearance in Charlottesville, Virginia, home to the University of Virginia.  In Ames, Ft. Collins and Charlottesville, the crowds were smaller than four years ago.  Although America’s youngest voters remain one of Obama’s most loyal constituencies, what’s missing is the enthusiasm.

With the loss of enthusiastic young voters, President Obama and the Democratic Party have lost their most reliable source of ground game volunteers.  Unemployed.  Disenchanted.

Tonight, Paul Ryan, presumptive GOP Vice Presidential nominee, brought down the house at the Republican National Convention in Tampa with the line, “College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life.”

Time reported in March that an astounding 21.6% of Americans ages 25 to 34 are living with their parents.  That percentage represents 5.9 million young adults.  Six in 10 parents said they provide financial assistance to “adult children who are no longer students.”  Enthusiastic Obama volunteers?

No enthusiastic volunteers.  No voter registration advantage.  No turnout advantage.  No victory.

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