There has been a lot of talk about the middle class this election cycle. Blue collar workers, Reagan Democrats, independents--these have been the traditional muddied middle that both parties have sought to win over. This year, among the slice and dice demographics, the big "get" will be inattentive, disinterested single women. Watch the video after the orange squiggle.
">Not voting
Not voting
Why is this young woman not voting? Why does she feel that she has no vested interest in the issues being debated? She says no one--democrat or republican--presently deserves to be president. Does she have some nostalgia--like some older voters--for George W. Bush?
Young people, in particular, have been very disappointed in the political process since 2008. Despite efforts by President Obama and the democrats to address concerns of the youth vote--student loan reform, health care, gay rights--,younger voters are disenchanted and seemingly apathetic as to the re-election of Obama, retreating into a comfortable trope that he is no different from the republicans.
Even the recent dust up over contraception, does not seem to engage young women who are not politically dialed in. One can understand that these people are stressed--unemployed, underemployed, gas prices, children, unsure how ACA will affect them.
I tend to agree with Chris Matthews. Many of the voters who will vote in 2012, will do so sotto voce--not expressing their animus until they get behind the curtains. Reagan Democrats, blue collar will turn out and I fear their vote will be a blood vote, ABO: Anybody but Obama.
For re-election, democrats will have to turn out another unreliable demographic.
Whoever figures out how to motivate this young lady and her sisters to go to the ballot box Nov. 6, 2012, wins the election.
Update: As pointed out below and on the CNN page, this woman is a conservative and was so in 2008, so she is not the winnable demographic that I am speaking to. With regards to kbrown0419, it is telling that the dissatisfaction with the GOP slate is so deep. I still believe that despite their dissatisfaction, the conservatives will vote ABO.