Millies

By Michael Oberndorf

Millenials – people born between 1980 and 2000 – have become a hot topic for politicos, economists, marketers, the "mainstream" media (read: Leftist Democrat Propaganda Machine) and a host of others in recent months. It's estimated that there are about 80 million of these Millies in the U.S., a pretty hefty demographic comprising about a third of our population. Though the 2016 elections are nearly a year-and-a-half away, this significant bloc of potential voters is being looked at with increasing interest – more like with drooling jowls – by politicians of all stripes. And what, you might ask, have they found out?

Studies – and as we all know, studies must be taken with large grains of salt – have painted a picture of a generation that is characterized as being confident and tolerant, but also narcissistic, detached from institutions, networked with friends, and with a sense of entitlement. They appear to be more concerned with gaining personal wealth than Gens X and Y, but less interested in "developing a meaningful philosophy of life," and civic and environmental involvement (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennials). And there are indications that these characteristics mostly apply to white Millies who grew up in the suburbs, were indoctrinated in government schools, and learned about life from leftist Hollywood movies and TeeVee sitcoms.

So, how does all this spin out in the political attitudes of this group? A new study by the online survey company Toluna.com has come up with the following:

Voting Behaviors / Plans:

• 30% typically vote in presidential elections, but not local elections.

• 38% typically vote in both presidential and local elections.

• 28% don't typically vote in presidential or local elections.

• 91% plan to vote in the 2016 presidential election (Plans and reality are often two entirely different things-MO)

Right or Left?

• 41% Democratic Party

• 21% Republican Party

• 16% Independent party

• 22% don't associate with a political party

Parental / Family Influence

• 31% say it's somewhat or very likely that the voting choice of one or both of your parents will influence your voting choice

• 32% say not at all likely that the voting choice of one or both of your parents will influence your voting choice

What Matters Matter? Financial Or Social?

• 40% say financial issues (perhaps not surprising that the generation with the most debt is focused most on financial issues!)

• 25% say social issues

• 35% say they're both equally important

Media Preferences: Where Will You Follow The Campaigns?

• TV 72% (The Boob Tube Still Reigns Supreme!)

• Facebook 56%

• Online news outlets 47%

• Newspapers 37% (Print is not dead!)

• Twitter 29%

• Instagram 20%

Do you Wear Your Political Heart on your Sleeve?

• 17% have signage from a previous presidential election displayed somewhere that's visible to the public

• 10% have signage for the 2016 presidential election displayed somewhere that's visible to the public

• 76% have none

Millennials are most aware of

Hillary Clinton and Mitt Romney's stances when polled...

• 53% are very familiar with Clinton's stance

• 41% are very familiar with Romney's stance

Thoughts on the Less Well-Known Politicos:

• 59% have never heard of Martin O'Malley

• 59% have never heard of Jim Webb

• 67% have never heard of Lincoln Chafee

• 51% have never heard of Scott Walker

• 55% have never heard of Bernard Sanders

• 58% have never heard of Bobby Jindal

• 57% have never heard of Carly Fiorina

• 49% have never heard of Ben Carson

Do Millennial Women / Minorities Stick Together?

• 70% of women say it's very important to them that the candidate they vote for is a woman; 30% of men think the same

• 36% of respondents of Hispanic/Latino descent say it's somewhat important to them that the candidate they vote for is a minority

What Turns You Off?

• An arrogant attitude: 50%

• Attacking their opponents too aggressively: 28%

• Cheesy advertisements: 14%

• Too harsh to interviewers: 8%

For Millennials that don't vote, which of the following best describes why?

• I don't follow politics: 43%

• I haven't felt strongly about a particular candidate to vote for them: 25%

• I don't think my vote will make much of a difference in the scheme of things: 14%

• It's a hassle to register: 6%

• Other: 12%

Hmmm...Democrats, 2-to-1 over republicans, and the ever-so-important Independents we are told by the "mainstream" media are ever-so-pivotal to modern elections make up only 16%. Not surprising, from a demographic 72% of which gets its news from TeeVee, with Facebook second. My guess is that the "online news outlets" are uber-liberal MSN and Yahoo, too. It seems, too, that over half of the Millies are so disinterested in politics that they haven't a clue who anyone but Hillary Clinton and Mitt Romney are. Especially interesting how few have heard of Martin O'Malley since – you heard it here first! – he is going to be the Democrat candidate in 2016.

Another interesting finding in this study, and again, one that contradicts the so-called "conventional wisdom" pushed by the Leftist Democrat Propaganda Machine, is that negative attack ads don't work. It has been shown election after election that making sure that the public hears about the bad voting record, the stupid public and private statements, the corruption and other immoral behavior of your opponent works extremely well. That a large majority of the Millies are not "turned off" by attack ad seems to confirm this.

Combine the findings of this study with the fact that half of the Millies are out of work and up to their eyebrows in student loan debt, and it seems that an emphasis on the economy, jobs, and shoring up our failing capitalist system – one that ALL the Democrats want to replace with Third World Socialism, and that Establishment Republicans want to replace with fascism – would be the smart way for Republicans to steer their campaigns. This is assuming, of course, that Obama fails to destroy the country, and we actually make it to the 2016 elections.

© Michael Oberndorf