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“This country belongs to whoever shows up”

Imagine what sort of government we would get if only older people voted.

Well that’s practically what happened in the USA, where only 46.1 per cent of people 18-29 years old voted in the 2016 Presidential election, and 58.7 per cent of people aged 18-29 voted. That’s not a good return, is it?

The older cohorts, however, stampeded to the polling booths. Of the 45-64 age group 66.6 per cent voted, while 70.9 per cent of those aged 65 and older ticked the box.

Remember, of course, that voting is not compulsory in the United States.

Donald Trump can thank those older people who turned up to the booths, and can thank those younger people who didn’t. Of the 65 and older voters, 52 per cent voted for Trump, while Clinton received 45 per cent. The figures weren’t much different among the 45-64 cohort.

Voting habits haven’t changed a lot since 1980, and with Americans voting in the mid-terms on November 6, one can safely assume that the trend will continue.

Why am I mentioning all this, you might ask.

A satirical election ad (created by NAIL Communications) is going viral in America begging the young to again stay away from the booths in the mid-terms. It is titled “This country belongs to whoever shows up, and do you know who shows up for every election? Old people.”

If only the older people turnout, then it’s an endorsement for Trump, and the Democrats lose all hope of controlling the House of Representatives, let alone the Senate. That’s the way older voters – who are happy with Trump – want it. If the young discard their apathy, then the much anticipated Blue Wave is real.

The short ad is too good not to share with you. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you pass it on to a young Australian who – you guessed it – doesn’t bother to vote.

If any ad is going to get them to a polling booth … this one will.

 

 

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38 comments

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  1. pierre wilkinson

    wow, great endorsement for not exercising one’s franchise

  2. Diannaart

    Love. The. Ad.

  3. New England Cocky

    The Yanks have discovered what Tony Windsor (Independent) preached throughout his terms in Parliaments; “The world is run by those who turn up”.

    Women supporting Adultery support National$

  4. Matters Not

    Big debate within the Democrats (Nast’s Donkeys) whether expending energy on getting people out to vote is a worthwhile ROI. The hardheads in the party (including Pelosi) claim it’s better to just try and sway the voters who will turn up of their own accord. In Australia of course it’s a somewhat different political world

    My own view is that we shouldn’t lie to the youth by claiming that turning up (and voting) will have an effect of any significance. Just because the oldies entertain serious delusions provides no moral basis for a similar corruption of the young.

  5. Kronomex

    Desperation in its purest form from a desperate fourth rate…sod it…bottom of the pile (and in perpetual panic mode) pretend PM –

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/drastic-dual-election-plan-considered-as-government-tries-to-regain-ground-20181105-p50e5k.html

    Gee, I wonder who’s footing the bill for this? That photo makes me want to be sick. He makes the hillbillies in Deliverance look like well educated people.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ghost-bus-the-scomo-express-hits-the-runway-rather-than-the-road-20181105-p50e2g.html

  6. The AIM Network

    We are sad to announce the passing of one of our guest authors: a young American lady who we published posts here (and on Cafe Whispers) under her pseudonym, Vegas Jessie.

    Jessie – who leaves behind a loving husband, Christopher, and two young sons – died suddenly in Las Vegas from an apparent heart attack.

    Jessie was an avowed hater of conservatives, both here in Australia (her dislike of Tony Abbott was legendary) and her home country. As a writer for the popular Crooks and Liars site, she wrote prolifically about the wrongs that the Republicans (Trump in particular) are doing to her country. She also arranged for posts from The AIMN to be published on Crooks and Liars.

    As well as being a political writer, Jessie and her husband run a large gymnasium in Las Vegas, where they train most of the performers who appear in Cirque du Soleil shows.

    Our thoughts are with her.

  7. Kaye Lee

    Sorry to hear that Michael. Even when the connection is purely through the internet, it is always heartening to find a fellow traveller. My condolences to her family and friends.

  8. Michael Taylor

    Thank you, Kaye. That was very nice of you. Carol and I had met with Jessie a number of times. The last being a month into Trump’s presidency.

    Carol and I sat there with jaws dropped, hearing the stories we don’t read about over here.

    As we were leaving the restaurant the manager approached Jessie’s stepfather to tell him there had been a complaint made about our table.

    “Why?” he asked.

    The answer stunned us:

    “Because you’ve been saying bad things about the president.”

    😳

  9. Michael Taylor

    Speaking of which … I’m glued to Twitter at the moment to keep an eye on the mid-terms.

    Early counting of the Senate votes have the Republicans way, way in front.

    “It’s rigged, I tells ya.”

  10. Diannaart

    Thank you for anecdote, Michael.

    ======

    Kronomex

    Today’s moment of “zen” by No Notion and wotsisname.

  11. Kaye Lee

    “there have been voting issues reported around the country, with long lines and technical glitches making it harder to cast a ballot. In Atlanta, the most Democratic part of the swing state of Georgia, voters reported waiting three hours in line up to vote. In Phoenix, Arizona, one polling site ran out of ballots in the morning, after being totally unprepared for the volume of voters.”

    Exit polls…

    “Fifty-five percent of voters disapprove of the president, with nearly all of those saying they “strongly disapprove”. By contrast, only 31 percent say they “strongly approve” of Mr Trump. And while the President is not on the ballot, two-thirds of voters say he was a factor in their vote today. Only 41 percent of voters today say the US is heading in the right direction, a bad sign for the incumbent Republicans.”

    https://www.9news.com.au/2018/11/07/06/37/us-midterm-elections-2018-results-polls-trump-live-coverage

  12. Kaye Lee

    Looks like the Republicans have held on in the Senate. They need 9 out of the remaining 26 seats to have a majority. (74 out of 100 called – Rep 42, Dem 31, other 1)

  13. Michael Taylor

    And the Republicans are leading 31/28 in the House.

    The Senate was always going to be hard for the Dems, but the House results – at this stage – is a surprise.

    If the Republicans win the House, I expect there’ll be hell to pay over there.

  14. Kaye Lee

    61 R to 56 D in the house with 117/435 counted

  15. Kaye Lee

    64/56

  16. Kaye Lee

    70/67 woah

  17. Michael Taylor

    Yet Fox News in the US had called it for the Dems.

    Word is that they’re not to be trusted (😳), as it’s most likely a ploy to encourage people in California to not bother voting.

  18. Michael Taylor

    Thanks, Matters Not. That site’s way more up-to-date than the Guardian’s or anything I’m seeing on Twitter.

  19. Matters Not

    DEMs expected to win HOR

    DEMs need 9 more to flip. Should get there as we go East.

    SEnate 50 to 38

  20. Matters Not

    Now need 7 to flip as we go WEST!

    Very poor result in Senate.

    Dems 140/139 in HoR. Now 141/140 – lead in 19 seats.

    California is hope of side.

  21. Matters Not

    Now need 6 – leading in 18.

    Now need 4. (Hardly a wave. Just a ripple.)
    Gillum loses.

  22. Matters Not

    First female Speaker in HoR? (They are here, there and everywhere.)

    Trump will not like dealing with a female HoR Speaker.

  23. Michael Taylor

    CNN reports that Trump won’t be talking tonight.

    Though personally I am still expecting the mandatory 4am Twitter rage. My guess is that he’ll be capitalising RIGGED ELECTION.

    And somewhere in the feed that follows, Clinton’s emails and “Lock her up” (yawn) will be demanded by Trumpsters.

  24. Matters Not

    217/206

    Senate likely to be 53/47. Disappointing!

  25. Michael Taylor

    The Senate was always going to be tough, MN. But yes, it is disappointing, however the Dems will have a lot more power from January than they did this morning. The fun begins in January.

    Vegas Jessie – rest her soul – would be thrilled with the House win. She voted early, God bless her.

  26. Matters Not

    Michael Taylor, when I studied US government (a thousand years ago) we explored the limits of power as exercised by the President. The lecturer, a former member of the USA HoR, was of the view that the limits of power for the US President was whatever the President wanted them to be. I suspect Trump will spend the next two years demonstrating that very point.

    Trump relies on an enraged, unthinking base and if the HoR tries to limit his power it will be welcomed. Impeachment? Go for it! Make me (Trump) a victim. And so on.

    Let’s see what Mueller can do.

  27. Matters Not

    For an optimistic view of the result, try Kevin Drum:

    Unemployment is at 3.7 percent, a level so low we’ve reached it only once before in my entire lifetime. GDP is growing 3 percent per year. Wages are rising nicely. Inflation is tooling along at a very modest 2 percent. Manufacturers’ shipments are healthy. Consumer spending is strong and household debt is low. Aside from the dotcom boom, consumer confidence is at a 40-year high.

    And yet, Republicans are going to lose three dozen seats in the House and cede control to the Democrats. Has any party ever done so badly in the midst of such strong economic performance?

    Further:

    In raw numbers this might not be the biggest wave election ever, but once you account for the economy it’s one of the great political blowouts of modern history. Donald Trump will never admit it, but don’t be fooled. He was crushed and repudiated tonight in a way that few presidents ever have been.

    And who says reality isn’t constructed? Certainly, not Donald Trump.

    Tonight Was One of the Great Political Blowouts of Modern History

  28. helvityni

    God bless America, at least a dent has been made into Trump’s cockiness; from little things big things will grow…

  29. Michael Taylor

    Trump’s angry. It’s gonna get ugly over there.

  30. Matters Not

    So they have a new (temporary) AG who (in the past) entertained defunding Muller so that there were no staff to pull on the oars. Because the new HoR doesn’t arrive until January 3 (I think)) Trump might move quickly with the acting AG put on trial as it were. Always interesting – and sickening – in the Land of the …

  31. Michael Taylor

    So he’s only temporary, MN. A bit like Trump, then. 😜

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