Buying Off the Youth

It is a little old at this point but i just saw it and thought it deserved some higher profile. If i could possible do that then it is worth writing about. There are two distinct attitudes when it comes to elections. The first is the Democratic one, where everyone is encouraged to vote and exercise their civic rights. The second is the GOP model where only rich white land owners should vote. To further their goal of lowering the participation of the non-landed class the GOP thinks they might have found a way to keep the pesky kids -off their lawn- at home.

Republicans can keep young voters who support Democratic nominee Barack Obama at home by giving their young relatives and friends gift cards to iTunes and Starbucks that are good only on Nov. 4, election day.

“That’s the only way to keep them away from the polls,” said Kellyanne Conway, president of The Polling Company, during a breakfast with the delegates at their hotel near the University of Minnesota.

Can you imagine what people would say if we said that we could keep say, African Americans, from voting if we offered them some fried chicken? Hmm thats not tolerance we can believe in.

It is possibly the stupidest idea ever. Neither of the items would prevent young people from going to the polls. The polls are open all day. Gift cards by their nature are good for more than one day. This is about the stupidest most demeaning thing i have read in a while.

So please by all means send those itunes cards my way. It will be so nice to have when i vote against McCain.