One of my children is in college, and the other just graduated. They vote. I’d like to think that has something to do with my long campaign to instill civic values, critical thinking, and interest in politics and history. And it does. But the real reason is their mother: she is an immigrant, fiercely proud her country and the only reason she got American citizenship was to vote. And she’ll be damned if any child of hers would throw that away for any reason.
So, as far as our little brood goes, the Kids are all right. Their older friends from childhood and high school are on the same page as our children, to no small degree because of the discussions we’ve had with them over the years. (Or at least I humor myself to think so. Our dinner table always had another place setting available. But it’s really that look my wife gave when someone would nihilistically talk down our flawed participatory democracy)
But some of their newer friends. Something has gotta be done about those kids!
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I use different approaches depending on the person/people I’m talking with, including but not limited to those discussed here. Some examples:
In general:
— Voting is not about electing your super hero, it’s about supporting a candidate that matches your dream list best.
— It’s the only civic duty we have that is also a right.
— Returning an empty ballot is better than not turning one in at all, b/c it sends ‘a message.’
For the left leaning:
— the GOP is the only major political party in any developed country that essentially denies climate change. In short, while your vote may not make difference, unless you vote against them, you’re most certainly fucked.
— Trump is a dangerously infectious shit stain, and the choice is between Biden and Trump.
— the Youth vote (That means YOU!) was determinate in both 2020, and 2022!
Usually, one of these or the ones mentioned in the link land to some degree.
How about you? What strategies have you used? What have you found more and less effective?
