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October 1 I had the privilege to come to Rutgers to see a screening of 18 in 08
a documentary produced by David Burstein a Haverford College freshman. The
documentarys purpose to get out the youth (18 to 24 year-old) vote and tell
politicians how to make it happen. Burstein and friends interviewed over 60
elected and former office-holders Congressmen Senators Governors mayors state
legislations and Presidential candidates as well as activists campus leaders
journalists and political consultants — but thankfully only one celebrity —
Richard Dreyfuss. If Burstein et al. had to include a celebrity Dreyfuss was an
excellent choice in Mr. Hollands Opus he played a music teacher beloved by more
than two generations of high school students. 18 in 08 is not a Rock the Vote
appeal to youth. It includes the words of many current students and recent
graduates of varied political persuasions that makes it more real-life to
college audiences than celebrity appeals. 18 in 08 does an excellent job of
explaining the obstacles to youth voting which included The right to vote is under-appreciated and
taken for granted. Passed by Congress the 18-year-old vote was signed into law
by President Nixon in 1971. It was oddly enough a reaction to young peoples complaints
that if they were old enough to be drafted into the military service they were
old enough to vote. Politics offers
little in the way of immediate gratification you have to be involved or hold
public office for a long time before you can achieve tangible
accomplishments. Recent high school
graduates college students and recent college graduates are experiencing
dramatic changes in their lives such as a change in schools or move from school
to work so they lack the time to get involved or become more informed about
political issues. Hassles in the
absentee ballot process. College students and military personnel stationed far
from home are not given clear information or direction on how to register to
vote or complete their ballot.
Candidates talk down to young voters or appear disinterested in
mainstream issues such as terrorism foreign affairs and affordable health care
younger voters are just as interested in these issues as their parents
are. Young people do not believe that
politicians are interested in them as voters or as a voting bloc some feel the
two major parties ignore them so therefore an appeal to register by one party
or the other means nothing. Most amazing this short (15-20 minute) documentary
was directed and produced by a 16 year old he and his friends believed strongly
enough in the right to vote to contact and collect all of these interviews
before they were old enough to vote. Burstein took a year off between high
school and college to complete the project its a major sacrifice to delay
personal life plans for personal convictions. The hosts at Rutgers Eagleton
Institute of Politics had gathered some useful facts about the youth vote in
the 2004 Presidential Election to complement Bursteins presentation. Most
interesting was that 87 percent of students registered voters successfully cast
a ballot on Election Day while 13 percent tried to vote but were unable to or
did not attempt to vote at all. On a more positive note 63 percent of students
said they voted because they believed it was their duty as citizens. I hope this
number increases according to Young Voter Strategies a non-partisan project at
the George Washington University potential Millennial Voters ages 18-38 will
become one-third of the U.S. electorate by 2015. It seems contradictory for a
generation known to resist authority (positively and negatively) and challenge
convention to leave the decision about who governs to their elders. I dont know
if this was one of Bursteins intentions but 18 in 08 made me realize that a
career in politics progresses as swiftly as other paths. Elected officials and
campaigns are chock full of activists managers researchers and opinion leaders
under 30 especially in leadership positions. Young elected leaders also have a
history of advancement to higher office. According to my Rutgers hosts of the
19 men who served as President of the United States during the twentieth
century 12 held their first elective office at age 35 or younger. The same is
true for 57 of the 100 men and women in the U.S. Senate in 2003 as well as 215
of the 435 members of the U.S. House and 25 of the 50 governors holding office
that year. Taking those numbers to heart politics is a young persons game. That
makes it more surprising that candidates have such a difficult time attracting
more enthusiasm from young people they have staff more than capable of
designing the right message. Watch 18 in 08 youll see this is a challenge for
political leaders of all persuasions candidates have more control over an
apathetic electorate than an active one but all of the office holders who
appeared in 18 in 08 preferred an electorate that was active and engaged. Party
and ideology didnt matter. Everyone felt the same. If youre a parent order a CD
of the film at the 18 in 08 website (the url is 18in08 dot com). Watch it with your
young voters. You wont need to persuade them to register to vote. Theyll do it
on their own accord.
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