Josh Bolotsky's blog

As Michael noted yesterday, it can be frustrating just how much of our national discourse still, even after the enormous demonstrable progress in recent years, operates under the constraints of the myth of widespread civic disengagement and apathy among young voters. Like many readers of this site, I get tired hearing these kinds of myths repeated, along with the kind of concern they engender, in the whispered, just-between-you-and-me fears of older relatives.

Which makes me all the more glad to have a visceral sign of young voter interest to point to while assuaging said relatives, and that's the debate watch parties we've seen for the first Presidential debate through Drinking Liberally, which included young people (and young-at-heart people) packing bars, auditoriums and coffeeshops throughout the country, all just to watch that supposedly not-so-cool televised debate with a bunch of their peers. In New York City, no less an authority than Comedy Central described it as "insanely crowded" when we filled DCTV with 200 engaged, overwhelmingly young voters; in Salt Lake City, they teamed up with Young Democrats of Utah to fill the local tavern to the brim; and in Denver, over 150 progressive Coloradoans found their way to the Skylark Lounge. It was a great night.

Though not everyone thought it would be so - when the first Presidential debate was announced as being on a Friday night, some were skeptical. As NPR's Day To Day made clear, Friday night is widely seen as

a time often reserved for dates, sporting events, or the beginning of a weekend getaway.

Which brings up the question - why not make watching the Presidential debates feel like a night on the town?

As DL's Executive Director (and my colleague) Justin Krebs noted,

"Watching political events has become sort of like watching sporting events in New York and around the country...State of the Union nights have become regularly accompanied by drinking games, and the debates are no different."

If we can get people across the country to gather together to watch a football game together, we can get young people to gather together to celebrate retaking their country together. As we prepare for tonight's Biden-Palin debate, be it by playing Palin Bingo or agonizing over debate prep, we can all drink to that.

(I've been thinking a lot of values lately - namely, what it means to say you're in favor of "American Values." And I'm not alone - her disastrous media mystery tour notwithstanding, much of the right-wing noise machine's pro-Palin talking points in the last few weeks is predicated on her sharing "our values." And she showed her values alright, values that apparently include disparaging diplomacy and offering a talking-points explosion while feigning empathy for working people.

And then, there was the 2008 Values Voter Summit, where said voters got to express their deep values by buying "Obama Waffles" replete with a classically racist caricature of the Senator.

These are values, alright - deeply regressive, hateful, reactionary values, but values nonetheless. But just because they *have* values doesn't make them the only type of value voters. Our summer intern, Seth Pearce, just left for his first semester of college, but before doing so got to come with us to the Democratic National Convention, where he got to record a commentary for the Tavis Smiley Show on why he's a true values voter for Obama. I've inluded the entirety of Seth's wonderful piece below - just some food for thought before tonight's debate, now that it's actually happening.)

Too often, people assume that first time voter means the same thing as ignorant voter. This is just not true. Young people care about this election like never before because we know that the biggest impact of this contest will be the impact on our lives. In fact, here in Denver at the Democratic Convention, young people represent 16% of all convention participants, all of whom are here because they care about the future of our country.

Politics plays a role in almost every aspect of our lives. My friends and coworkers at Living Liberally, a national network of over 280 social communities built around progressive politics, are fond of saying that politics isn't something that should be confined to one November day every four years. Nor should it be trapped in linoleum-floored fluorescent lit rooms. It should an active part of the places we socialize, live and learn: our cafes and classrooms, comedy clubs and book clubs and even our prayer communities.

I am a first time voter and I assure you I will not cast my vote based on ignorance or empty rhetoric. I will cast my vote based on my values.

Like millions of other Americans I am a person of faith, and my faith, my core values undoubtedly inspire my political views. I aspire to serve God and love my neighbor to the best of my abilities. I view the issues through this religious and moral lens.

A core part of Judaism, my faith, is Tikkun Olam, the act of repairing the world, curbing the forces that divide us and uniting all people for common good. I want a President who has a plan to repair our Nation and our World.

I want a President who won't spend four more years uniting our enemies and dividing our friends: one who will strengthen our international alliances and use our military responsibly and effectively. Under our last President, terrorist groups around the world grew in size and reach, and extremism took hold in many more world communities. This is a major threat to our national security and our generation knows this. If we continue with these faulty foreign policies, our generation will have to deal with a whole new level of extremism and hate around the world. We need a President who will unite the world against the common threat of terrorism and violent extremism.

I want a President who will establish universal healthcare, not only because it is politically popular, but also because as Americans and as human beings it is our moral obligation to take care of each other. It is a disgrace to our Country and to our moral stature, when people suffer from preventable illnesses and lives are lost even though in our great nation the treatment they need is available.

In the same vein, it is our duty to care for the "least of these" in our community, and for this I want a President who has a plan to reduce poverty and to work towards human dignity for all. One who will create jobs and do that great American task of helping those in need help themselves.

My generation is starting to feel the beginning global warming, a crisis that threatens God's creation that we are morally bound to protect. I want a President who will fight global warming and encourage Americans in the spirit of service and patriotic duty to do their part in tackling this potential catastrophe.

Finally, I want a President who will fight for equality and recognize that all people are made in God's image. Because my conscience cannot stand it when our gay brothers and sisters, who were also created in the divine image, are told that they must remain "separate but equal."

My name is Seth Pearce. I am a first time voter. I am a values voter. I am eighteen years old, and I support Barack Obama.

Rocking Liberally Sound of Change

I don't know about you, but in the Living Liberally offices, the main topic of conversation all day has been Obama's running mate. A pattern emerges, gradually developing into a familiar cycle: the office is relatively quiet as we all work diligently on our given projects, until someone has some new rumor they just have to share ("ObamaSebelius.com seems to be owned by the Obama campaign!" "Joe Biden says he's 'not the guy'!"). Ecstatic to have a potential new lead, we pick it apart in a fever pitch of speculation, hope when considering some of the better options and dread when contemplating some of the worst, and then try futilely to settle back into our work...and all becomes quiet again. Until someone has a new rumor to share...

Yep, waiting can drive you crazy, something that Max Bernstein knows all too well - tired of the wait-and-see approach, he created the 100,000 Strong Against Evan Bayh for VP facebook group you might have heard about. However, even this didn't slake our thirst for any and all VP information.

Thankfully, Max gave us even more material.