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The CIRCLE report released today shows 46,000 young voters taking part in yesterday’s West Virginia Democratic Primary.

“Young Americans have been turning out to vote at remarkable rates in these primaries. This
reflects their deep concern about the critical issues at stake and the impact of this election on
our country’s future,” said CIRCLE Director, Peter Levine. “Since 2000, young people have
been volunteering at high rates and are becoming more interested in news and public affairs.
Now they are ready to consider voting as a way of addressing major problems. The Millennials
are beginning to make their distinctive and lasting mark on American politics.”

West Virginia young voters (18-29) voted for Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama 56% to 38%, making WV one of the few states that Sen. Clinton has won this demographic.

CIRCLE re-emphasizes the upward trend of youth participation:

The increase in youth turnout observed in most primaries so far continues a trend observed in
other elections since 2000. In the 2006 congressional elections, the voter turnout rate among
18-to 29-year-olds increased by three percentage points compared to the previous
congressional election of 2002. And in the 2004 presidential election, the national youth voter
turnout rate rose 9 percentage points compared to 2000, reaching 49 percent. In 2004,
under-30-year-olds were registered to vote at the highest rate in 30 years.

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Dear Young Democrat Leader,

Chairman Dean and other party leaders have urged Superdelegates to pledge to a Democratic Presidential Candidate. Early today, I headed their calls and announced who I intend to vote for at the Democratic National Convention. It is not an exaggeration to say that this was the hardest decision of my life.

As one of your representatives on the Democratic National Committee, I have worked tirelessly to  fight for young voters and promote the amazing work you are doing around the country. From the beginning I felt that my responsibility to YDA was to make a decision, not based on my personal feeling for any candidate, but to make a choice reflective of all young voters. For nearly a year I have been meeting with the campaigns, talking to YDA members and young voters, and digesting the results of the primaries and caucuses.

My intention is to vote for Senator Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. As we all know if a person votes for a Democrat three times in a row they will be a Democratic voter for life. We saw record turnouts in 2004 and 2006, making 2008 a crucial election to reach out and turn out young voters. Senator Obama’s campaign has demonstrated a commitment to young voters, as evidenced by the activism and the overwhelming support he has received from young people in primary contests. I strongly believe, at this time, it is important that young people who support Senator Obama are embraced by our organization and given that my counterpart pledged to Senator Clinton, I think we now truly represent the Young Democrats of America.

Young people and YDA members, in particular, are not a monolithic group and I realize my intention to vote for Senator Obama will not make everyone happy. I hope you continue to email, facebook, call or write me if you would like to discuss this decision.

As the primary draws to a close, YDA’s mission to mobilize and create a bloc of young voters is mission critical. This means we will dedicate more time, energy and resources to our cause than ever before and I look forward to standing with all of you to send a Democrat to the White House in 2008 and create a bloc of Democratic young voters for our generation.

See you in Nashville,

Crystal

Crystal Strait
Democratic National Committeewoman
Young Democrats of America
dncwoman@yda.org
(916) 595-7975

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Today, Young Democrats of America Board Member and Former California Young Democrats President Crystal Strait pledged to vote for Barack Obama for president. Strait is a superdelegate and Democratic National Committee Member from California. Strait is the 276th superdelegate to endorse Obama.  Obama is 155 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

Strait said, “While representing the Young Democrats of America at the DNC, my number one priority is to ensure that young people are fully represented at the polls and in the Party. Barack Obama has shown a real commitment to young voters in his campaign and in response young people have overwhelmingly voted and caucused for Obama in these primary contests. We know that if a young person votes three times in a row for a Party, they become a Party voter for life. We know that because of high youth turnout in 2004 and 2006, 2008 is the third and critical election for young voters. And that’s why I know I want to pledge my delegate vote to Barack Obama.”

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Another great example of user-generated viral video. Hat tip to Progressive Dispatches.

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The cable news networks have been constantly reporting on head-to-head polls comparing Obama vs. McCain and Clinton vs. McCain and using these polls to determine electability. Questions about whether or not one candidate’s supporters will embrace the nominee have been all over television and the blogs. Despite all the hype that they cause, these head-to-head polls are pretty meaningless until the Democrats have a nominee.

The newest NBC/WSJ poll helps illustrate this:

Indeed, even though Democrats have an 18-point advantage over Republicans in a generic presidential ballot test (51-33 percent), this latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey shows Obama besting McCain by only three points (46-43 percent) and Clinton topping the Arizona senator by only one (45-44 percent).

While the argument can be made that John McCain has more appeal than other Republican candidates, it wouldn’t make that dramatic a difference. Here is what I think is happening. Clinton and Obama supporters, when they are polled, tell the pollster that they would not vote for their Democratic opponent against McCain. Why would they do this? To make their candidate look like a stronger choice for the Democrats in November. However, when they are asked the Democrat vs. Republican question they answer more honestly. Once we have a nominee I predict that the Democratic candidate’s numbers gain dramatically over McCain.

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Both Senators John McCain and Hillary Clinton have proposed a summer Gas Tax Holiday as a response to the dramatic increases in fuel prices across the country. Their plans call for the suspension of the federal tax of 18.4 cents on gas and 24.4 cents on diesel from Memorial Day to Labor Day. At first glance one might think “I would like to pay 18 cents less per gallon, that’s a good idea,” but if you glance again you will see that it is a potential disaster.

First, the revenue from the federal gas and diesel taxes go towards the Highway Trust Fund, to ensure a “dependable source of financing for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways and also as the source of funding for the remainder of the Federal-aid Highway Program.” This is the fund that is used to build, maintain, and repair roads and highways, the importance of which reflected by the tragic collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minnesota last August.

While that calculated average savings for a single commuter during the gas tax holiday ranges from $23 to $28, the holiday could cost the government 9 billion dollars and more than 300,000 jobs. And according to the American Society of Civil Engineers, “every dollar invested in highway infrastructure generates $5.40 in economic benefits through reduced delays, improved safety and lower vehicle operating costs.” (Wired) Is it worth getting a $28 dollar savings if it means more than 300,000 will be left unemployed by it?

Guess what, the savings probably won’t even be that high. The real winners will be the oil companies, which will be able to raise prices to match the increased demand. One economist calculated an actual “9- to 12-cent reduction in the cost of a gallon of gas to the consumer, with the remainder of the reduction coming in wholesale prices.”

Hillary Clinton counters the Highway Trust Fund issue by saying that she would make up the lost revenue with a windfall profits tax. Even so, this is a waste of 9 billion dollars in revenue that could be used to actually address the energy independence issue, but would instead just amount to what equates to at best a $28 stimulus check.

Instead of campaign-year snake oil remedies we should be looking at a real long-term energy strategy. Investing in the next generation of renewable energy technologies while building green infrastructure and green-collar jobs is the solution we should be seeking, not policies that will actually contribute to the climate crisis.

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Here are some links to help you follow today’s long-awaited PA Democratic Primary.

Google Blog – Five Factors to look for in Pennsylvania

Election Incident Tracking and Mapping

Alternet – A Quick Guide to the Pennsylvania Primary

Pollster.com – Pennsylvania Wrap-up

YDA – PA Primary Today: Important Info You Need

Future Majority – PA Election Day Open Thread

Election Journal – PA

CNN Election Returns

Politico – Five things to watch in Pennsylvania

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Curse you, Vermont Teddy Bear Co., for making a Barack Obama teddy bear. Curse you again for making it $100. I will not give in, but oh the temptation.

If you are into Hillary they have one of her too, complete with pantsuit.

Oh, and there is a McCain one, but I’m not going to bother with the link.

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