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Friday, September 21, 2018

Interesting email. Joe Radinovich says the obvious, but it's not being said enough, by enough Democrats, who may worry about blowback.

If it is your party and you are comfortable with DC consultancies making money, big buck donors, and middle of the road policies that Wall Street likes, blowback from soliciting votes from the wrong people can be a pain, or threaten pain via reduced voice in the small band of elite grand poobahs.

Despite that reticence basis for some, Joe Radinovich is not planted like a tree in any such camp.

My proof? Joe Radinovich's campaign today emailed:

I had a special opportunity yesterday that I wanted to tell you about. I was excited to speak with a high school civics class in Cloquet (thanks to Mr. Swanson for letting me try out teaching!) about government and politics -- and I want to spread the message far and wide that young people like Cloquet High students are the future of our political system.

If young people turn out to vote in these midterm elections, we can change Washington. But in our last midterms, fewer than 20% of eligible voters under 30 went to the polls.

That’s why we want everyone reading this to pledge to vote in November.

Sign on here >> [link with tracking code omitted; don't you wish they would not put tracking suffixes into email links? a plaintext cut/paste option or a vanilla link not loaded to track would be nice.]

There are more young people eligible to vote than any other age group. If the newest generation of voters doesn’t get out, there will be no representation of their values and priorities in Congress. Those values, like understanding that healthcare is a human right and government should serve people instead of special interests, are shared by so many of us. That’s why we need everyone to show up to the polls in November.

We can turn this country around, friend, but only if our young people vote.

PLEDGE TO VOTE
My best,
Joe

[bolding emphasis added] Aside from criticism via the added italic opinion, the email resonates. The idea is so obvious, but no other solicitation emails seek that, instead saying blah, blah, contribute [various amounts listed, tracking email you can toggle to part with cash]. This one not only has an idea, it has none of that donate/contribute stuff this time.

Yes, those young men and women should be incensed at student debt and only a tepid support level for the modest proposal of a fifteen buck minimum wage. They should see and want change of a pattern of their parents and extended family having modest means and Congress hell-bent to assure an even bigger slice of the pie for big money entrenched interests. But, there is friction in the machine; the DCCC and DNC are glacially changing, at best, to admit they need a shot of adrenaline to keep a pulse and fog a mirror. They are moribund while being set in comfortable ways.

Joe rocks that boat, by saying the obvious - if the young stay home the likelihood of that Blue Wave drops precipitously.

So, Dem politicos and poobahs, offer young women and men of voting age something up front and appealing please. With emphasis. Including offering an honest ongoing real voice in things. If they do not come to the party, in droves or in lesser waves, the party must reach out to recruit. That or move toward irrelevance. One Dylan song line, those not busy being born are busy dying. Think it over.

A shout out: Any reader in CD8 leaning Democrat this cycle, please think of four young voting age people you know, and pull on their sleeves. That is what recruitment means, at a minimum. And Radinovich in stating the case deserves that response.

UPDATE: There should be a chorus of political symbiosis - the young need us and we need the young. Not a hard soundbite to comprehend, but it needs to be heard.