Slog
News & ArtsSaturday, April 28, 2012
2012 This Will Not Help with the Youth Vote, Mitt
Posted by Paul Constant on Sat, Apr 28, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Who are the young people of America going to vote for: The celebrity, or the guy who thinks everyone's parents are angel investors?
Speaking during a campaign stop Friday, Mitt Romney encouraged students at Otterbein University in Ohio, to show enterprise by going into business — with a little help from their parents, if necessary...."We've always encouraged young people: Take a shot, go for it, take a risk, get the education, borrow money if you have to from your parents, start a business," Romney said.
This is not the first time that Romney has suggested that wealthy parents make for a great small business safety net. It's practically part of his stump speech at this point.
1
Once upon a time people did save money. Now people buy the latest I-gadget with credit. No saving of money needed. They spent $101 dollars for every $99 they make. Romney is talking America 1960, not 2012.
2
He's so fucking one percent. Arrogant, narcissistic and completely insulated. Roman Emperor comes to mind.
3
@1 it wouldn't be the case if we were actually paid well. You know, proportional - wrt: GDP or CEO pay - to what we made in 1970.
4
That's Romney's tin ear again but the youth vote isn't as fickle as the punditeers would like us to believe. Like everyone else, the youth will make a personal decision as to whether Obama has done a good enough job as a president or if a change is required.
The election is Obama's to lose. The youth vote to Obama's to lose. Kerfuffles and gaffes by either team by doesn't really sway anyone at all.
The election is Obama's to lose. The youth vote to Obama's to lose. Kerfuffles and gaffes by either team by doesn't really sway anyone at all.
5
He is right in the sense that young people today have seen wealth shift from them to the older generation. So people in their 20s can look around at each other, and imagine all of them having a net worth about three times as large. That's Mitt's generation -- forget about Mitt's class. His generation had three times as much money. That's how good they had it.
If conservatives want to turn back the clock, and take America back to the good old days, they need to raise income taxes. Raise them by a hell of a lot. And bring back regulation of banks and Wall Street. But their agenda is to run headlong into a strange, uncharted future. A corporatist, Randian plutocracy worse than anything we've seen so far.
Anyway, kids, go tell your grumps if they want to vote Republican this year they need to put their money where their mouth is and lend you $40,000 to start your business. Believe in America!
If conservatives want to turn back the clock, and take America back to the good old days, they need to raise income taxes. Raise them by a hell of a lot. And bring back regulation of banks and Wall Street. But their agenda is to run headlong into a strange, uncharted future. A corporatist, Randian plutocracy worse than anything we've seen so far.
Anyway, kids, go tell your grumps if they want to vote Republican this year they need to put their money where their mouth is and lend you $40,000 to start your business. Believe in America!
6
@3, it would be nice even to have the pre-Bush-recession ratio. But 93% of income gains in the "recovery" year of 2010 went to the 1% instead.
@4, I think Christampa called it the other day. You're our late, unlamented Raindrop, aren't you?
@4, I think Christampa called it the other day. You're our late, unlamented Raindrop, aren't you?
7
Typical conservative rhetoric... convincing everyone that they'll ALL be successful.
Take risks, don't worry, you'll be a millionaire too, you really will, just believe it!
And if they fail, as the majority of them would, then fuck off and don't ask for any help.
The conservatives want everyone to treat life like a lottery game.
Take risks, don't worry, you'll be a millionaire too, you really will, just believe it!
And if they fail, as the majority of them would, then fuck off and don't ask for any help.
The conservatives want everyone to treat life like a lottery game.
8
@4
You must be a troll. If you really are a gay dude for Romney then you are beyond hope at this point.
You must be a troll. If you really are a gay dude for Romney then you are beyond hope at this point.
9
Romney is an unimaginative dullard ... can you imagine a world where everyone went to business or engineering school? In his speech at Otterbein, Romney told students to study something that would get them a job ... he has so little curiosity or understanding of the world outside of his little privileged bubble that he doesn’t get that we need people with all sorts of educational backgrounds for society to function. Remember what happened the last time we elected a man w/o curiosity or understanding of the world beyond his privileged bubble?
10
It doesn't really matter anyway. Kids don't vote. Us old farts pick the president. And everyone else.
13
@8 I've met my share of Ayn Rand reading, money worshiping faggots. I can see why a real gay dude would prefer Romney to Obama.
14
so, do you think the "old farts" want the president telling kids to borrow money from their parents?
Plenty of these people have delayed retirement, having their wealth pissed away on tax breaks for Romney?
Attention baby boomers, not only will you have to dig out of the hole created by the 1% profit taking out of the economy through the shift in the tax system from the last decade, but President Romney expects you to loan your children startup money for their business ventures.
Plenty of these people have delayed retirement, having their wealth pissed away on tax breaks for Romney?
Attention baby boomers, not only will you have to dig out of the hole created by the 1% profit taking out of the economy through the shift in the tax system from the last decade, but President Romney expects you to loan your children startup money for their business ventures.
15
@13: You are one of the more intelligent Slog contributors; but I must say that worshiping money is totally unnecessary, making it is sufficient.
16
@8 and 13, i can think of at least one former friend that fits that profile.
You don't have to be straight to be a parasite on that kind of scale.
You don't have to be straight to be a parasite on that kind of scale.
17
I have to admit, this comment was beyond dumb.
With a Government that takes thousands and thousands from middle class parents in taxes, and distributes it to cronies and con-men as subsidies, I'd have to say to Mitt to first give us our money back, and then we can give it our kids.
18
OK, then time for a woman president.
http://www.jillstein.org/
http://www.gp-wa.us/
THU May 3, 4 pm - Jill arrives Seattle
THU May 3, 7 to 8 pm - phone interview with David Cobb on Humboldt County radio
FRI May 4, 3 to 6 pm - Reception in Olympia at the Urban Onion, 116 Legion Way
SAT May 5, 8 to 8:30 am - Skype conversation with Maine Convention
SAT May 5, 9 to 5 - Spring Gathering in Seattle at the Labor Temple, 2800 1st Ave; see menu to left
Sat May 5, 6 to 9 pm - Openhouse/fundraiser at the Labor Temple again
SUN May 6, 12 noon onward - Port Townsend at the Port Townsend Senior Center, 620 Tyler St.
SUN May 6, 6:30 to 9 pm - Reception in Mt Vernon at the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, 202 S 1st St, Rm 309
MON May 7, early AM - flying to SF
http://www.makestickers.com/pc/2889/jill…
http://www.jillstein.org/
http://www.gp-wa.us/
THU May 3, 4 pm - Jill arrives Seattle
THU May 3, 7 to 8 pm - phone interview with David Cobb on Humboldt County radio
FRI May 4, 3 to 6 pm - Reception in Olympia at the Urban Onion, 116 Legion Way
SAT May 5, 8 to 8:30 am - Skype conversation with Maine Convention
SAT May 5, 9 to 5 - Spring Gathering in Seattle at the Labor Temple, 2800 1st Ave; see menu to left
Sat May 5, 6 to 9 pm - Openhouse/fundraiser at the Labor Temple again
SUN May 6, 12 noon onward - Port Townsend at the Port Townsend Senior Center, 620 Tyler St.
SUN May 6, 6:30 to 9 pm - Reception in Mt Vernon at the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, 202 S 1st St, Rm 309
MON May 7, early AM - flying to SF
http://www.makestickers.com/pc/2889/jill…
19
@11
No. You're trolling because you are trolling.
Just as you've done before.
http://www.thestranger.com/slog/archives…
No. You're trolling because you are trolling.
Just as you've done before.
http://www.thestranger.com/slog/archives…
20
Romney(through Bain Capital) and others already laid off their parents and stole the pension funds. The parents are using their remaining savings to survive until 62 when they can collect partial Social Security. Those "kids" will be lucky if they aren't supporting their parents in their 30s. You're going to need Mom and Dad's SS checks to make the rent.
21
Have rich parents. Sounds like sound advice for success. It worked for Mitt.
Good thing George Romney's not the nominee, or that advice would seem silly.
Good thing George Romney's not the nominee, or that advice would seem silly.
22
Most of the parents of college kids I know are already using the majority of their free income pay for tuition and school feesl. They've saved their whole lives to put their kids through college and recent hikes have made that saving insufficient, so they're using what's left of discretionary income, if any. What are these kids supposed to be borrowing, retirement accounts, housing equity? Romney has absolutely no concept of middle and working class realities.
23
@7
@20
"And if they fail, as the majority of them would, then fuck off and don't ask for any help."
Exactly. Wherever you get your statistics you will see that 50%+ of new businesses fail within there first X years.
Which means that the money you borrowed from your parents is GONE.
If you had a good idea for a business, wouldn't you pitch it to your parents and THEY would start the business because they have YEARS more experience than you do.
"The parents are using their remaining savings to survive until 62 when they can collect partial Social Security."
Well, they can always take another mortgage on the house and HOPE nothing goes wrong and if something does then there's sure to be some rich investment guy willing to take it off their hands for a fraction of what it is worth.
And if Mom and Dad don't have any money left for retirement ... well there's always Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid to take care of them.
Except Romney wants to gut those programs as well.
@20
"And if they fail, as the majority of them would, then fuck off and don't ask for any help."
Exactly. Wherever you get your statistics you will see that 50%+ of new businesses fail within there first X years.
Which means that the money you borrowed from your parents is GONE.
If you had a good idea for a business, wouldn't you pitch it to your parents and THEY would start the business because they have YEARS more experience than you do.
"The parents are using their remaining savings to survive until 62 when they can collect partial Social Security."
Well, they can always take another mortgage on the house and HOPE nothing goes wrong and if something does then there's sure to be some rich investment guy willing to take it off their hands for a fraction of what it is worth.
And if Mom and Dad don't have any money left for retirement ... well there's always Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid to take care of them.
Except Romney wants to gut those programs as well.
24
Oh, and of course there are gay people for Romney. They're also known as selfish, self-loathing idiots.
26
i love the hostility toward gay dude and seattle blues. someone comes in with a contrary opinion and people who occasionally say something clever instantly degenerate
28
@27: Young people are less likely than other groups to have driver's licenses. Students attending college out-of-state are going to have a harder time obtaining such ID, particularly when the new laws require a birth certificate. Some of the laws specifically do not allow student IDs and restrict absentee voting.
Older people and poorer people are also disproportionately affected by such requirements. The way the demographics break down definitely favors Republicans over Democrats as far as which group is more likely to lose voters. Since there is zero evidence of the sort of widespread vote fraud these laws purport to address, and these laws are almost exclusively being advocated by Republican lawmakers, it is a reasonable inference that they are politically motivated.
Older people and poorer people are also disproportionately affected by such requirements. The way the demographics break down definitely favors Republicans over Democrats as far as which group is more likely to lose voters. Since there is zero evidence of the sort of widespread vote fraud these laws purport to address, and these laws are almost exclusively being advocated by Republican lawmakers, it is a reasonable inference that they are politically motivated.
30
@9, Romney's a piece of #^@@& but there's nothing wrong with telling kids to get a degree--or take a training course--that will actually get them a job.
There are plenty of 20s-30s-somethings with liberal arts degrees (several in my own family, one with a degree in French and the other with a degree in Dance) who are bitter baristas living with three roommates or even more bitter residents of their parents' basements. Believe it or not, you can actually learn to appreciate world literature, culture, and history on your own. You needn't spend 4 years living on loans to do so.
Just because Romney's a jerk doesn't mean everything he says is stupid.
There are plenty of 20s-30s-somethings with liberal arts degrees (several in my own family, one with a degree in French and the other with a degree in Dance) who are bitter baristas living with three roommates or even more bitter residents of their parents' basements. Believe it or not, you can actually learn to appreciate world literature, culture, and history on your own. You needn't spend 4 years living on loans to do so.
Just because Romney's a jerk doesn't mean everything he says is stupid.
31
@30 Great. A country full of employed dullards who chant "U-S-A! U-S-A!" as their solutions to all issues foreign & domestic.
32
In other news, RON PAUL won today's Republican caucuses in Louisiana!
Even though he's virtually the nominee, Romney just can't win in the south.
I expect a lot of Republicans to not vote in the fall.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2…
Even though he's virtually the nominee, Romney just can't win in the south.
I expect a lot of Republicans to not vote in the fall.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2…
33
Mitt is a savvy political operator. I would not discount him so easily. It support his knowledge of the game the fact that is in the lead.
34
@32 - You taught me something today. I've lived in Louisiana for 10 years now and had no idea we had caucuses. We had our primary back in March, and I thought that was the end of the story.
The Baton Rouge Advocate, which I know is a pretend newspaper, didn't even mention them. I really should read Nola.com more often. The Times-Picayune is actually pretty good.
The Baton Rouge Advocate, which I know is a pretend newspaper, didn't even mention them. I really should read Nola.com more often. The Times-Picayune is actually pretty good.
35
Everyone borrows from their parents at some point in their lives. This is how Bill Gates started (his dad is/was a partner at one of the largest, most prestigious law firms in the state...I love how that has turned into a rags to riches story). How is this a bad thing? He's encouraging innovation and he's encouraging people not to be beholden to financial institutions.
So, you're comparing good, sound advice which would actually have an overall benefit to the country to the celebrity status of someone else, and you come down on the side of the celebrity.
This is basically like saying Paris Hilton is preferable to Dan Savage, should those two ever find themselves embroiled as adversaries in an election. Someone should tell Dan his job might be in jeopardy...
So, you're comparing good, sound advice which would actually have an overall benefit to the country to the celebrity status of someone else, and you come down on the side of the celebrity.
This is basically like saying Paris Hilton is preferable to Dan Savage, should those two ever find themselves embroiled as adversaries in an election. Someone should tell Dan his job might be in jeopardy...
36
@30 "a degree that will get them a job" -- sure, it sounds like a good plan in theory. But the actual getting of an actual job is a complex interaction between the skill and experience of the person and the job market at the time they graduate, which is at least four years after they started school.
You can emerge from college with a computer science degree or a business degree (because that was perceived as a guaranteed paycheck when you started school) only to find that four years later there's a glut of graduates in that major, and you aren't the one getting hired -- because you selected a major based on what you perceived to be a sure meal ticket, and not based on what you were any good at, and therefore you kinda suck at it.
Anyway, my experience looking for work over the years has led me to believe that my BA in English Lit -- which I eventually settled on as my quickest route to graduation -- is an important foot in the door compared to my husband's failure to graduate in economics.
You can emerge from college with a computer science degree or a business degree (because that was perceived as a guaranteed paycheck when you started school) only to find that four years later there's a glut of graduates in that major, and you aren't the one getting hired -- because you selected a major based on what you perceived to be a sure meal ticket, and not based on what you were any good at, and therefore you kinda suck at it.
Anyway, my experience looking for work over the years has led me to believe that my BA in English Lit -- which I eventually settled on as my quickest route to graduation -- is an important foot in the door compared to my husband's failure to graduate in economics.
37
@35 Um, everyone who is already rich, perhaps. The rest of us hope to borrow from banks with insanely high interest rates. But most of us get turned down anyway, because our parents aren't rich. That's how it works, actually.
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