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ryno2323.bsky.social
@ryno2323.bsky.social
97 followers 870 following 0 posts
Married liberal in IL. Still trying to come to terms with how many people in this country either don’t give a shit or love how things are going.
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hunterw.bsky.social
This whole discussion about Democrats needing to listen to new voices reminds me of what Obama told the 2019 House freshman in private remarks that @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social and I obtained for our book. www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1324...
Even some proponents of the progressive economic agenda were wary of the identity issues and cultural concerns some younger activists saw as urgent priorities. Embracing the needs of the new generation risked potentially turning off more moderate voters or falling prey to Republicans eager to paint new political correctness and gender equality as a dangerous ideology. When Underwood asked Obama for his "thoughts about engaging young people," the former president responded that there is "power in people just being seen and recognized." "When we lose them, it's because they don't feel seen and they don't feel heard," he added. Obama then harkened back to his roots as a community organizer. "When I used to organize, one of the basic principles was, before you ask people to do something, no matter what it is, try listening to them first. Try. It's a magical thing. You take the time to listen to other people. Find out what is on their minds, find out what their issues are but, more import-antly, find out what their stories are, right?" Obama said. "Because we have a story inside us that's sacred about how we see the world and meaning and our deepest values." Obama also shared an anecdote from his first presidential race. "One of the reasons my campaign back in '08 did well with young people: It wasn't just that I was young; we just put them in charge. We were all like, okay you figure this out. Go," Obama said. "So, they come to the office, yeah there [was grunt work but there was also 'Oh, we're just going to drop you off in the middle of a cornfield, and you figure out how all those people are going to end up caucusing for Obama." Rather than giving young staffers a "script," Obama said his campaign encouraged them to "just go talk to people and listen to them and find out what they care about." He made the case that being "predis-posed to the power of those young people" and listening to them was how Democrats should operate on the Hill in between elec-tions, as well as on the trail. "That's true in campaigns, I think that's true as a party. That should be true in your office, by the way," said Obama. Obama broke down the math that made young voters such a vital target for Demo-crats. Most Americans support the party's platform of reproductive rights, increased access to health care, gun control, and gay rights. It's just a question of who's actually motivated to vote. "You're not going to get one hundred percent involved. It's never going to happen. But as all of you, I think, are aware, if you get a ten percent boost in the youth vote in the next election or in your district, then it is basically a different match," Obama explained. "This is not a fifty-fifty country. This is a sixty-forty country except older folks vote more. And our folks are distracted, discouraged, disempowered, and so we have to work to make them feel included and em-powered. But if we do, they'll respond."
November 27, 2024 at 8:56 PM