Although, full disclosure, I know NOTHING about Pokemon Go. Not even sure I so much as spelled it correctly here...

Allison Burnett @Allison_Burnett

Brilliant idea to get millennials to vote: Get Niantic to place Pokemon in polling places. #lostgeneration
11:46 AM - 2 Aug 2016 · Los Angeles, CA, United States

I don't follow anyone on Twitter, though, so it's not surprising, really.

I don't know. Do a social media push on election day and offer a free drink to voters. Give free Metro passes out for election day, too.

Let's set up AARP booths for all the olds while they belt out golden oldies.

Ageism goes both ways. We're not all mindless smartphone drones, HAHA SO FUNNY.

other human beings that are literally inheriting a mess of a planet, a mass extinction happening now, student loan debts in the trillions, and a job market or "gigs" without benefits or living wages. Continuing in the current direction will have us experiencing massive climate change issues by 2050. While I'm a bit older, I'll probably still be living to experience this. Keep laughing.

Here's their voting record for a few elections. Explain to me how they're contributing their opinions:

Very much like the way my fellow Gen X-ers did back when we were complaining and not voting...

that who gets elected affects their lives. For me, it happened when I was very young, long before I could vote. We talked about elections in grammar school and our teachers talked about how what happened in elections affected the future. I was listening, and time proved to me that they were correct.

In 1960, when I was a sophomore in high school, I volunteered for the JFK campaign in my little town in California and in the county where I lived. I started attending Democratic Party functions and volunteered to stuff envelopes, set up chairs and anything else that I could do. I was 15 years old on election day, and sat all day in the polling place where my parents voted. I brought soft drinks to the poll workers and assisted older people who needed help in getting around.

I didn't get to vote until the 1966 mid-term elections, when I was already serving in the USAF. I was at the Russian Language school where I was in a 24-hour-a-day total immersion language program. I registered to vote by mail, requested an absentee ballot on the first day I could, and mailed my ballot the day after I got it. I have never missed an election. Not one. From school board elections to presidential elections, I have always voted. I vote in primary elections, too. Every damned one of them, and always have. I work on campaigns, in GOTV efforts and in other ways.

I was told as a child that my vote was a precious right, time and time again. So, I exercise that right every time I can.

When I see an entire generation that is not participating in elections in large numbers, I simply do not understand it. Yes, we face many problems in the future. We always have faced many problems. As individuals, voting is one of the ways we make changes happen.

So, for millennials who think I'm attacking them, I'm not at all. Go vote! Make a difference! Influence the future! Why on Earth would you not do that?

I ignored elections when I was 18 through 20, only voting for the first time when Clinton ran in 92.

To my further shame, I didn't give a shit about non-Presidential elections for the next several cycles. Now I vote without fail in every primary and local election that comes around.

When it's pointed out that a majority of millennials don't vote, they simply have no more basis to complain than my stupid slacker ass did back in the 90s. It's a problem with a simple--and readily available--solution: VOTE.


And to the vocal handful who DO vote: Bravo! Keep it up!

That'll show this old geezer, for sure. Show me you care, millennials. Go vote! If you do, I'll post a congratulatory post to celebrate.

this is the LACK of basic Civics knowledge. Hell, they don't even make a requirement in school anymore. A large part is also what they're raised to believe about voting in general. It's not just a right, it's your civic duty.

really is no reason for them all not to tell everyone to get lost, and start over. Mostly they would make it, perhaps everyone else - those who overbuilt, who overate, who burned too much fuel - not so much. Just us. I mean justice.

Otherwise they have nothing but a lifetime of paying off bills for which they didn't get much, until they die. Their lifestyle will never be anything close to what ours was.

And our message to them is "So long, and thanks for all the fish".

We treat them like the underfunded part of town, and intend to saddle them with our excess. They haven't ever had a choice at a vote that does anything at all to ameliorate that. Not a thing.

Then we seem to wonder why they don't come to the barn dances on Saturday nite. Or vote.

We should perhaps be careful what we ask for. If they ever read the right books, or listen to the right speeches, or start sitting around in circles wondering why they are all being fucked over 6 ways from Sunday, we may find out what it is like to live a debt-free life.

#1.. young people are NOT taught civics anymore (dumbing down the electorate is a good way to keep people from voting).

#2.. many are on the move in that age bracket. I was in college and lived in at least 3 or 4 different apts and states during that time period. Registering to vote tends to be a hassle in many states AND if you move to close to an election, you can't vote in many states; especially in primaries.

#3.. The politicians aren't addressing a damn thing that makes a difference anyway. Sure they talk a good game depending on who is in front of them in the audience, but the only people who seem to get anything for themselves is the big corporate/ wealthy donors that own both major parties. Look at how well Bernie did by not taking money and by addressing major issues real people young and old face.

#4.. We don't have a mandatory national service which allows young people a "right of passage" and a feeling of inclusion with the rest of the country. It takes Americans longer to "grow up" and some never do (perfect example: Donald Trump). If we had 18 yr olds joining into peace corp, ameri corp, military, national parks service, etc, they would meet more Americans, meet people from around the world, experience different ideas, culture, and inclusion. I'm not usually a big "have to" person, but I do believe this "mandatory" item of "giving a shit" for a year would be more than healthy for young people growing into adulthood to experience. Most of us who have been lucky to have the money to go to college, travel other countries, or live in different regions of the country, tend to have more empathy, tend to relate to other people and cultures in a positive respect, and tend to incorporate those different ideas and experiences of other people into our world/ policy views.

it was the Boomers who were in the youngest age group.

It's not as though we Boomers were civic minded and immediately started voting in huge numbers as soon as we were old enough. The truly sad thing is the large drop in every age group for the off-year elections.

The rather astonishing thing is the almost perfectly uniform rates of participation of each age group across the time shown.

How even the voting record is by age group is telling, I think.

I'm sure my age group voted in lower numbers, too. Not me, though. I figured it out very early and have always voted. Maybe it's just an age thing, generally. Young people don't think they matter. That's too bad. They could, if they wanted to, dominate the voting results. If they voted in the same percentages as the oldest age group, the entire political system would turn around and focus on them. They don't, though, so they get less attention than the older age groups who consistently turn out and vote.

The lesson that chart teaches is a very simple one. Those who vote in large percentages get the focus. That's only natural. All the Millennials need to do is to show up in high percentages in 2016 and they'll never be ignored again. Even better, they'll elect people who will do more of what they want. It's a very simple equation. Vote in high percentages and you'll get even more of what you want.

I'd like to see 2016 become the year when millennials surprised everyone and took over from the geezers like me in turnout percentages. That would have a miraculous effect on politics - one that would affect every election from now on.

So, go vote, millennials. All of you. You want change? Then show everyone that you want change. Vote. You'll get the changes you want by making yourselves the dominant voting bloc. Don't believe me? Try it, and you'll see.

We would like to get more of them to the polls. Said group vote in low numbers historically. It's absolutely nothing new and millennial is just the discriptor of a group repeating history. A history each person commenting here would like to change.

Not only is there no offense here, we are all in agreement. Increasing turnout of younger voters. Pokemon is something all age groups have gotten into. To say it skews toward a younger crowd and that can be used as part of a larger strategy is not offensive. Once it can be agreed upon that this op simply isn't offensive, there is nothing left by complete agreement that you agree with the op in wanting to change the historical trend.

Democrats welcome Millennials and want them even more involved in the democratic process.

OP made a stupid joke about Pokemon. That is in no way indicitive that all "Democrats don't want Millennials".

Welcome to DU!

Bernie had what, the 45 and younger crowd that has been very pinched.

There's only one ability to post to one person at a time, but the first few posts were pretty guffaw, chuckle, chuckle. It's disingenuous.

Maybe instead of ha ha, we can figure out some way to have voting integrity and vote by an AP or website of some sort. It's so damned old school the means we vote, and it's completely untraceable. If I order something on Amazon, I get a damned receipt. If I vote for a singer on the Voice, we can see in real time the % totals going to one singer over another by them tracking a twitter account.

Even here, place a pokemon and they will come.. Um, they shouldn't have to stand in 5 hr long lines to vote either.

Also, why isn't everyone instantly enrolled into an Voter ID that can follow everyone from apt to apt, county to county, state to state.. The IRS sure as shit can find me. Companies know when I move. We can't have a national Voter ID that can follow us around?

These are solutions to creating easier access to voting, creating easier access for inclusion... The problem is that the PTB doesn't want informed, active participants in the system. People are told politics are boring (when they literally dictate their entire lives and societal make up). Just this election season, we saw massive amounts of people being thrown off the voting rolls and out of the damned party.

Another demographic that has a hard time voting is the homeless and poor. It's a poll tax just to get to the damned polls. Plus voting often predicates having an address so you have a zip code/ zone to vote within. Who do you think they would tend to vote for or with if they could have access.

Let's face it, America is a large collection of states, everyone is doing something different in almost every state or even across municipalities. AND not only do our jobs compete with one another across a very large body of land, we are also now competing globally. While its ok to be inclusive, allowing the corporate asshats to create all the trade agreements keeping so many people in the bottom has been a massive fraud on all people. We have had these trade agreements that have caused so much harm for here and abroad accumulate, and the people in these other countries often have no say or very little rights to stand up to these abhorrent corporations. We, who are supposed to live in a democracy, can't seem to find people who aren't bribed stooges to even help ourselves out. Year after year, its one more lesser of evil.. Well, when are we actually going to wake up and see the "evil" we have allowed?

I'm angry at my party. I'm angry that those in "charge" are selling out our futures. I'm angry that the whole damned system is so thoroughly corrupt and rigged. I'm certainly not going to blame the "kids" who are younger and who we should have taught better and helped to feel included and wanted.

Will further note that it is Republicans who are making it harder to vote, not Dems.

Dems are pushing back on voter ID laws and are pushing for early voting. In my college town there are early voting stations all over campus as well as in convenient locations all over town for about a month. If one is not able to do that, then one requests an absentee ballot.

When've I've done GOTV, we register new voters, encourage them to vote early, and if they can't we help them fill out the absentee ballot request and then follow up with them and will even come pick up their absentee ballot and turn it in if they want us to do so.



Yes it is different state by state. That's why we harness our anger and work like hell to defeat Republicans who make it difficult to vote.

I have voted in every election, both local and national, since 1966. I don't do it to be trendy. I do it because it's my responsibility as a citizen to vote. I take that shit seriously, you see.

We superannuated geezers go to the polls on election day. We do it in higher percentages than almost any other group. Millennials are just the opposite. They vote in low numbers. So, I'm suggesting ways to get them out to vote in higher numbers.

When turnouts for that age group get closer to those for my generation, we can talk again.

Some reporter wrote about an encounter with three Millennials. All male. All Bernie supporters, as it happened. They spoke at length about why they supported him, and what they believed they could expect from a Bernie Sanders administration. But then the reporter asked them - "are you going to the caucuses tomorrow night?" The response? One of the three said - "uh, well, I might." The other two said they had water polo practice.

Okay, so there's also this: Whoever that water polo coach was - should have told the team there'd be no water polo practice on caucus night. Seriously, WHICH is more important? Why set things up so you encourage people to have a reason NOT to go to something as important as caucus night? And then, too, why are these things held in high school gymnasiums where there are no chairs, and no places for older people to sit for the long hours it'll take? Where's the child-care for someone who might not otherwise be able to get away to come sit or stand for hours on end, while the caucus proceeds? Where's the transportation for those who can't get there and back, otherwise? Where's the alternative for those who have to work late? Where's the flexibility in scheduling for those who have tests to study for the next day - why should that test have to be scheduled the day after caucus night? There are all kinds of corrections that would need to be made, systemically here. (Personally, one of the first things I'D do would be to do away with the caucus system entirely. It's completely unfair to large blocks of voters.)

But the takeaway for me here was how easy it was for someone to feel encouraged or motivated to skip something as important as voting for President of the United States.

in 2020. Still, the primaries are poorly attended. We have one on Tuesday for our congressional election. My wife and I will be there at the polling place, as always. Turnout will be under 20%, though. I predict about 15%.

We do better here in the general election. We consistently get about a 60% turnout in Minnesota. But, for me, that means that 40% of registered voters don't even bother to vote in a presidential election. I just don't get it.

People seem to think that I don't want millennials to turn out. Just the opposite. I wish they'd turn out in numbers that overtake the geezers, like me, in participation. I hope they show me that they give a shit who runs the government. If they don't, I'll be forced to shrug, once again, and hope they'll eventually get it that their votes can make a difference. My old geezer peers will be voting, though. That I can guarantee. We know that it matters.

We know that it matters. Although I remember being so eager to be old enough to vote! I couldn't wait! I was in college by then. Never missed a chance since.

The only thing I can see is the conflating of millennials as a name for the historical trend. Most data points you have presented weren't defined as millennials, more by age group. The general descriptive term changes over time.

That is some of the most solid hair splitting I have ever done. I just can't figure out how it's offensive.

Love your idea. Think about teaming up with the gaming company for weekend voter drives across the country. Gasp. Dare I say that would be directed at younger voters.

For some reason I have a hard time taking you serious.

You into Pokeman go man? I tease my friends all the time and they're pretty good natured about it.

My niece and nephew play it.

I was into Pokémon when it first came out. When it was all gameboy and trading cards.

But after I was robbed by another kid for it, (Pokémon is crack after all) I gave it up.

And then after the Pokémon roster went from 151 monsters to over 500, I said fuck this. Lol

I was teasing one friend on Facebook with this--got it from my daughter


She said she'd bring a shotgun if she had to go in a sewer

the stuff currently popular with the millennial crowd holds a candle.

We've seen again and again that younger people have consistently low turnout on election day, often accompanied by a list of high-minded excuses for that low turnout.



You can set up your AARP booths if you like, but the 65+ crowd already turns out in large numbers, so your time would be better spent in inspiring your indignant fellow non-drones to get their non-mindless asses to the polls.

Rather than recognizing that young people don't vote in large numbers, you opted to complain that someone was highlighting that fact.


Interesting.

Tagged as the #lostgeneration and joked about as mindless smartphone addicts.

Just like my generation (X) was mocked for lack of participation in its day, your generation is chided for the same. Know why my generation isn't mocked for that now? Because we participate in larger numbers than we did then. Sorry, but that's how it is.

Know how to fix that perception? Get millennials to the polls.



I also note that the OP didn't use the words "mindless" or "smartphone" or "addicts," nor "#lostgeneration."

I'm betting your generation simply grew up and started replacing it's predecessor and by that means, you became the majority to the polls.

So, if you're trying to see eye to eye with we, the next in line, acknowledge that you didn't do anything special to become more involved, you simply grew up. Like every generation does.

Edit: op doesn't have to use exact words and "#lostgeneration" was from a tweet shared by an agreeing user.

I didn't claim to "fix" anything, and when people mocked my generation for failing to vote, I had no basis to complain about it, since it was true. It sure was fun to complain about it, though--just as millennials are doing now.

Okay! Will do mister!

And yeah, you implied that your generation fixed something about itself.

As you note, we grew up, thereby "fixing" ourselves. Presumably yours will eventually do the same, thereby "fixing" yourselves.

In the meantime, you can shit and kneel or do whatever helps you feel fulfilled, but it's pointless to complain about observations that your generation doesn't vote in great numbers when, in fact, your generation doesn't vote in great numbers.

I know, I know. #notallmillennials. You're a shining beacon of electoral responsibility in the dark wilderness of intractable apathy.

What, exactly, are you pissed off about? The observation re: low millennial voter turnout? Or the speculation that a rare Pokemon might inspire them to go to the polls?

You claimed that this was implied, but that's simply a matter of your perception. With equal justification, I would assert that the OP is a complaint about low voter turnout among Millennials and what might be done about it.

In essence, you're complaining about your own inference.

By your own assertion, you replied to the OP's post to complain about something the OP didn't post.

It's almost meta. You're offended by me being offended by something and therefore feel the need to correct it?

Odd!

You could just accept that not everyone shares your high and mighty perspective but hey, it's my problem to be offended by it.

If you really choose to be offended by me being offended by it, then damn. Who's really complaining about petty things?

You don't get it, that's cool. Carry on. Otherwise, be meta.

ETA: I bet you're sitting there shaking your fist and thinking, "BUT YOU'RE OFFENDED BY SOMETHING SO STUPIDDDD". It doesn't matter if you understand why I find it demeaning. Again, just carry on with yourself.

It's also not "meta" at all. It's me explicitly calling you out for taking issue with something that the OP didn't assert.

It doesn't offend me that most Millennials stay home on election day. That's stupid of them, but it was stupid of my generation when we did it, too. It would be silly to be offended by something of which I myself have been guilty.

What no one in the thread understands is why you're mad at the OP for pointing out the fact that Millennials don't vote. It's a demonstrable fact, and by your own assertion you don't see any obligation to do anything about it, and by your further assertion you're angry that someone has proposed a way to get Millennials to the polls.

You seem remarkably fragile on this subject. Why?

Oh no some one is pissed off by something!!!

Why make that such a big deal? I'm offended by it? Why does this bug you?

It seems entirely sufficient to say that I have little patience for nonsensical poutrage, and your initial reply (along with your subsequent rationalizations) reeks of it.

Don't let them bother you so much.

TMI, my friend, TMI.

Imagine teaming up with the game company for a weekend voter drive. Have one large public area in counties across the country. Ensure they are in areas where free speech is not restricted so candidates can have tables as well, if they want.

It's fair to say something like that would be directed at younger voters. That is not offensive. Including if I started this post by saying "you know how we can get more of the younger voters registered...."

That is no different than the thought the op has put forward.

And AARP does talke part in helping to ensure the elderly have everything necessary to have their vote counted. Not offensive toward them.

"to hell with substance, let's lure them with addictions"

It's the same as using sex to sell a car in my eyes. It appeals to the easily bought just to benefit others.

"Sex to sell a car"

What?

Pick Sanders, Clinton, or Trump and I will show you where they directly targeted the youth vote by providing imagery, verbiage, surrogates, merchandise, and advertisements(very close to imagery) that was directly target at specific age groups. I will provide an example of all of those with either one. I'm talking non-ideological incentives luring the youth to take part.

There is zero offense here.

I'm honest.

Though I truly don't see how you aren't kidding.

Do you think Sanders was going for the AARP vote when he stood onstage at a Vampire Weekend concert during the primary?

You requested a Sanders example. Just want to make that clear.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's great. I think attracting the youth to participate is great.

This is done by all candidates and many groups. It should and must be done. It truly couldn't be less offensive.


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I still find the Pokémon go smartphone addiction idea demeaning.

Vampire weekend: give them music they may like.

Smartphone games: appeal to their addictions.

I'm not addicted. Nor are most of the youth playing it. See. What you just did is offensive. Inaccuratley broad brushed the youth with claims of addiction.

Pretty amazing turn in conversation we just had.

What will drive millions of Group A to the polls?

That was the broad brush statement that started the whole thing.

All they have to do is go and vote. That'll show me!

Amazing. I'm challenging them to prove me wrong. I hope they do. I doubt they will, but I hope they do.

This is what the older people called false equivalency.

Taken as a whole they are showing a bit more wisdom, a bit more restraint than their predecessors.

The ones that work for me are such smart flexible thinkers that I think they ought to run the company.

why doesn't the Clinton campaign follow Bernie's or Warren's footsteps and suggest that the debt loaded grads be allowed to refinance their loans at the current rate of near 0% like the banks get. That would get their attention!

There is a lot there to like and she does talk about it.

https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/college/

She's also calling for tuition-free four-year colleges, loan forgiveness for those who go into careers like teaching and public service. See, you're not paying attention, but you're assuming that she hasn't done the things you would like. She has, though. You have to pay attention, though, and do something to learn what candidates are proposing.

I saw her say exactly that on TV last week. It was on the news, of all places. I suggest you watch and learn from the candidates themselves. Really.

I'm abroad and have only the internet for information. Our media is thorough but I do have a life. It was a suggestion that I thought of.
sorry I missed it.

As much as I admire Elizabeth Warren, that plan alone isn't actually a solution for a couple of reasons. The first is that on a month to month basis a reduction from lets say 4% which is what my federal loans were at, doesn't actually save much. The biggest benefit is in refinancing which extends the life of the loan, but costs more over time.

But even more fundamentally, the issue isn't the cost of student loan interest (especially given that it's tax deductible). It's the actual cost of going to college. On average, tuition has gone up about double inflation for many years. That is what needs to be addressed. 4% of say a $3000 dollar a year tuition bill is very different than 4% of a $50,000 a year Boston College charges. We need to address the underlying cost of an education as it is too high, yet it's still lower than the cost of not having an education in our society.

That said, I don't think Clinton has a solid plan on addressing the underlying cost either, but I think too many people are focused on things like lowering interest rates, or making it "debt free" (at least to individuals) without addressing what is actually causing the total student debt in terms of tuition, room and board etc.

Would be to render the fees and interest on student loans subject to bankruptcy, provided that the borrower's loan is not in default at the time that bankruptcy is declared.

The student would still be obligated to repay the principal, but it would free them from the crippling additional charges that can vastly exceed the actual borrowed amount.

Even if the borrower contrives to void most or all of the interest via bankruptcy, this will be little different from what a "near 0%" loan would have accrued anyway.

Pokemons don't exist beyond being digital images. So, they're not really in the voting booth at all, you see.

Last edited Sun Aug 7, 2016, 06:29 PM - Edit history (1)

each poling place!

Appears grate minds think alike.

massive voter outreach to all aol.com email addresses....




HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! AREN'T THOSE SOME KNEE SLAPPERS?!?!?!

(not that they are the only ones who are interested in legalization). Last I heard this was polling at 50-50 and that is not good.

As a daily consumer of the kind herb back in the late 60s and early 70s, I have zero problem with its legalization.

"No, no, no, no - I don't smoke it no more."