The_wall

Simple. Put decriminalization/legalization of marijuana on your ticket.

Am I wrong or would that make young voter turnout be an all time high (no pun intended).

Decriminalization would defineatly be the safer stance to take on the issue, I think it would get lots and lots of kids to vote. Maybe it's just where I live, but it seems to me that more and more kids are smoking trees these days. You would however likely lose religous votes and (in strictly my opinion) the ignorant parent vote. However I think lots of parents would also like this, because it puts there children at much less risk of being aressted.

Note that I don't want this thread to be about the pros and cons of pot itself, thats been done to death on tfp. I want it about the pros/cons it would have on a presidential platform.

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the_marq

Well I can tell you this, pot was a minor issue in the last Canadian Federal Election and the the voter turnout was one of the lowest ever.

The only way to get the 18-30yr olds to vote is to tell them they can't. Take their vote away and then sit back and listen to the howls.

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#3 in a series

The_wall

Well if that's the case in America it saddens me that people just don't care that thousands of innocent people are being put in overcrowded jails for something that should be a family issue.

Edit: Yet everyone cares whether gays can get married or not.

__________________
"We do what we like and we like what we do!"~andrew Wk

Procrastinate now, don't put off to the last minute.

MSD

It would get younger people to vote, but would alienate many in other demographics. The one to go for is the over 55 group. Say something about prescription drugs for seniors and you'll get the big reaction you want. The whole country will forget that you said it and not bug you for doing nothing about it four years later

ruggerp11

asking the million dollar question are you? 18-24 year old voters are the largest untapped demographic around. If you can persuade them to vote then you can change the entire election.

Now all of this is my personal opinion.

I believe that young voters feel distanced from the actual election. They do not feel old enough for it to truly matter to them. The issues being talked about on a national scale are ones that often times seem out of their grasp time wise. Why worry about RX drugs when most are not old enough to worry abou meds. Why worry about the economy when they are in their own sheltered world of college and post highschool education?

There are issues that matter to these kids (myself included) and the best way is to address them in/on a forum that they will sit up and pay attention to. Honestly, decriminalization of Marijuana is an issue but not one worth taking a stance on. Taking a strong stance on the decriminalization of Pot would not gain enough votes to counter the loss of votes from other demographics. This is because the other demographics (like 55+ that was mentioned) have the history of voting in droves while the young (1st time voter) demographic does not.

Despite this you can take stances on issues such as college tuition (which has been raised by incredible percentages in the last few years), job creation (for graduating students) just for starters.

I was at a Kerry rally yesterday on a college campus in St. Paul (Macalaster). Denis Kucinich, Betty McCullom, and Garrison Kellior (sorry about the spelling) all spoke to motivating the youth demographic. Denis spoke on the importance of not only the election but on youth activism gaining momentum through peers. Both Denis and Betty spoke on making college education affordable. Garrison spoke about the importance of the election and the danger of keeping the current administration in office for another four years.

Speak intelligently and clearly to the young voters about issues they care about in places they pay attention to, and you will be heard.

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--Mark Twain
Do What makes you happy
--Me
BUT!
"Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness" - Chuang-Tzu

Ustwo

People as a whole are quite stupid.

Young people, as a whole, are not only stupid but have little experience as well making them both stupid and naive.

If they don't want to vote, that is most likely a good thing.

Voting age should be 30+

P.S. If the 18-24 year olds voted in the same numbers % wise as everyone else, you wouldn't see a big shift. Whenever they do polls its pretty much split like the rest of the country, most likely based on their parents political affiliations.

Also if the only thing that would motivate someone to vote is so they can get stoned, I fail to see how this helps the country.

Dude I'm SOOOOOO wasted, LETS GO VOTE!

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nanofever

After you are done insulting youngins' with anecdotal evidence, I would then suggest you go on to insulting them uppity negros and woman-folk. I mean if you are going to advocate that 18 year olds fighting in Iraq shouldn't vote; you might as well go for the disenfranchisement trifecta and include women and blacks as well.

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Originally Posted by Norseman on another forum:
"Yeah, the problem with the world is the stupid people are all cocksure of themselves and the intellectuals are full of doubt."

Glava

I would be willing to bet that Kerry personally supports legalization, as probably did Clinton. However, that would alienate many middle-aged (non former-hippie) and seniors, and they, together, control a much higher percentage of the vote than people 18-30.

RAGEAngel9

The problem with trying to run with decriminalization of your platform is the people who stand up to support you. In other words, instead of people who have thought the platform out and realize the insanity of our current drug policy, you get the idiot pot heads that do nothing but get stoned.
NOTE!!! : I am not saying anyone who smokes pot is an idiot pothead. I'm referring to the ones who do little but smoke pot.

What surprises me is how much some of my (18-24 give or take) generation is against it? I personally haven't smoked pot, but I have no problem with those who do. I really don't see it as any different than alcohol.
Ok tangent over.

The_wall

It really suprises me that older people don't see the injustice of sending people who smoke pot to jail. Even if it's as bad as the anti drug propaganda machine says it is, its not like people who smoke are criminals and deserve to go to jail.

__________________
"We do what we like and we like what we do!"~andrew Wk

Procrastinate now, don't put off to the last minute.

drawerfixer

I'm still formulating my thoughts on this topic, and am a member of the 'stupid and naive' 18-24 demographic as Utswo so elegantly puts it. I'm really just waiting for the next 30 years to fly by, so I can become a well-rounded, open-minded, and always correct 45-50 something. Then I'll change the world. However, in the meanwhile, I think I'll just concentrate on booze, pot, pussy and porn.

Somewhere in there though, I'll take 10-15 hours a week to volunteer for The New Voters Project . I would like to explain further, but I think I get more cordial responses from strangers on the street.

Check out the URL though. It's honestly a good project, designed to empower the future.

MageB420666

I would vote for someone who wanted to decriminalize pot, make gay marriages legal, and stop oil drilling in Alaskan wild life reserves. And just because I'm in the 18-24 demographic does not make me stupid and naive. And I do not follow my parents political stances.

__________________
Apathy: The best outlook this side of I don't give a damn.

Paradise Lost

Yeah, too bad voters have absolutely no say whether the country should go into
War, or even for themselves to choose to go into war, being that it is required you
register for the SSS. That's also a lame counter-argument to his stance.

His point is basically valid for many many people I've encountered since I was a
Freshman in High School. One of the only people I know who I can even begin
to have a decent political conversation with is my buddy Nathan, almost no one else
my age even cares, let alone KNOWS what is going on. Whether or not they're in a
war matters little, he's talking about people making a vote backed by good knowledge
of what's happening in their country, and how their vote will either enable a change
or progress the current stance on wards for another four years.
And he's also true that most kids back the same party their parents do, without much
thought to their actual vote.

__________________
"Marino could do it."

Boo

May I add lazy......

IMO -Weed is not legal because not enough people believe it is not a dangerous drug (hint) and that it requires a bit of self control like alcohol (another dangerous drug). When enough people believe in its recreational value then it will become legal. I personally believe that for SOME people it is more addictive than alcohol/other drugs. I also believe that recreational use within reason and in a safe environment can be enjoyable (like good booze). Unfortunately, there are bad examples of pot abuse all over. I see the effects on families, children and businesses almost daily (the same effect as alcohol abuse, though not usually as violent). Personally I do not know if I want another legal ill. We already have too many people in social programs that are a drain on the working Americans.

"Kids" don't need to vote. Young adults with a clear understanding of their actions should vote. A voting person must weigh all of the facts before casting their vote. Voting for a person because of one "hot ticket item" is very narrowminded. What about all the other agendas that the politician has?

You might need to move or set an example of how to enjoy yourself responsibly. Your property values may go down.

I don't feel that "likely" is strong enough. America is not ready.

I don't worry as much about my kids getting arrested as their welfare. A phone call that one of them got plowed by a drunk/stoned driver or got knifed for $5 at the parking garage at the mall so the loser could buy drugs (happened in Anchorage last year). As much as I wish that people could partake, I don't believe that enough have the maturity to. Some people are just too fucking stupid to give weed to. Look at all the current drunkin driving and then add a little weed. Do the math, even with all the fines, public humiliation, minimum prison terms and loss of priviliges PEOPLE STILL DRIVE DRUNK.

I also believe that too many people in prison for weed are proving that they cannot function in public. Just how far did they have to screw up to get the attention of Mr. Policeman?

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Locobot

The best way to get young people to vote would be to reinstate the draft.

Mephisto2

Make voting compulsory, like it is in Australia.

Fail to vote, you're liable to a fine.


Mr Mephisto

Ustwo

Only if it comes with a test with such questions as 'Who is the current president?'

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Mephisto2

Why?


Mr Mephisto