The Youth Vote

On this last day of primaries, I want to glee over something. In 2004, not only was I depressed that Kerry lost but on that day of concession, the media kept maintaining that the youth had turned out after all. I had poured my heart, soul and time into annoying everyone I met into voting even if I wasn't involved in Young Democrats or Young Voter Alliance at the time. One of my housemates at the time tried to justify her not voting as, "I wouldn't have voted for the one you wanted anyway." I bitched her out. More important than who you vote for is the fact that you voted at all. The reason that old people get what they want is not only because they have the money, but because they vote and they contact their representatives on a regular basis and those under 30...generally don't.

However, the low turn-out was a lie. As I learned later that month on Michael Moore's website...I was researching for a video on how Bush was like drugs which I unfortunately have lost along the way...that the youth turn-out was the highest it had been since the 70s.

This year, I was so pleased to learn that voting for the primaries by those under 30 more than tripled in Florida when compared to the 2000 primaries.

In 2000, only 4% of those under 30 voted in the primaries in Florida.
In 2008, 13% of those under 30 voted in the primaries in Florida.

That's awesome and I hope it continues in November. It's a fact that those who are aged 13-31 right now will outnumber the babyboomers in 2010. Think about it. The largest population boom in United States history will be usurped by those 15-33!!! That will include those who can't even vote yet and I'm curious to see the results.

My Patriotic CD

Technically, it was my July 4, 2004 cd, but I think it could work for any summer holiday, like Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Flag Day. However, being me, it's not exactly Bill O'Reilly approved, hehe.

Minority -Green Day
We Shall Be Free -Garth Brooks
We Didn't Start the Fire -Billy Joel
America Town -Five for Fighting
America the Beautiful -Ray Charles
Vacation -The GoGos
God Bless the USA -Lee Greenwood
Political Science -Randy Newman
Warning -Green Day
Shiny, Happy, People -REM with the B52s
Get In Line -Barenaked Ladies
The Hands that Built America -U2
State Capitols -Wakko Warner
Summertime Blues -Alan Jackson
The Last Great American -Five for Fighting
We've got to Get Out of this Place -The Animals
Coming to America -Neil Diamond
It's the End of the World as We Know It -REM
Keep on Rockin' in the Free World -Neil Young
The Star Spangled Banner -Dixie Chicks
Danger Zone -Keny Loggins
Mass Destruction -Faithless

While I had wanted to make a Fourth of July happy cd, I did also want an unofficial soundtrack of sorts to Fahrenheit 9/11. I haven't seen anyone else express the opinion, but I really liked the song selection for Moore's last two films.

Since it was July 2004, it doesn't contain any songs off of American Idiot but I do love the two Green Days songs I did pick.

(OT: I also love the French version of "Paint it, Black" that they have in Talladega Nights which is on right now)

When I first played this for my mom, she had never heard "We Shall Be Free" by Garth Brooks and it impressed her since he had always seemed like the stereotypical conservative but he wrote this song which is beautiful and, unfortunately, very liberal. I say unfortunate because the ideas that everyone should have food and everyone should be able to speak their mind without fear have somehow become liberal as opposed to basic human rights as they were intended.

Five for Fighting...I really should check out their newer albums because I loved America Town. I think it was overshadowed by their Superman song so that they became like one hit wonders and their sarcasm was never emphasized as I recall and they are very sarcastic. It's great. However, in the post 9/11 era, you just couldn't get away with having wide radio distribution for America Town and The Last Great American which feature lyrics such as:
"Hail to the chief
Lets just drag them all down
Theres got to be a hero somewhere"
and
"He had a how do you say, ethical like sense
Thats when the president started to giggle"

No patriotic cd would be complete without "God Bless the USA" especially since I still remember all the words from singing it with my friends for a talent show in Second Grade at the height of the first gulf war. We wore red, white and blue ribbons as well as outfits and everything.

I will also use any excuse to have my favorite Alan Jackson song: his version of "Summertime Blues" and to have the Animaniacs...Wakko's my favorite.

The Dixie Chicks did my favorite rendition of the National Anthem. It was sung at the 2003 Super Bowl where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won and was included on a special Bucs cd that I made later that week...that somehow got corrupted. The women sang it like a hymm without feeling the need to show off as Whitney Houston had done. How ironic that weeks later this same group would be accused of being traitors?

I wish I could still get MTVU. It kicks regular MTV's ass. Never did I see Faithless on regular MTV, but the more liberal slanted/ collegiate oriented MTVU had the video for "Mass Destruction" all the time which is what led me to Soundsgreat on South Dale Mabry begging the sales clerk to sell me a copy the day before it was supposed to come out...and he did. He seemed amazed that I'd even heard of Faithless.