Just A Thought

A few days ago I wrote an opinion as to why our young people don't vote and have no interest in politics. Jon Stewart and his take as depicted on the Daily Show were named as culprits. I looked at the national level of candidates as a pretty good reason for the lack of interest. I should have looked closer to home.

Here in Kootenai County, Idaho we have our county commissioners as a better example. Two, who were recently booted from office, still have time left in their terms. This is either grand revenge on the voters or they just don't get it. Maybe both. If the article in the Spokesman Review regarding the recent hearings on our property tax assessments is accurate and the response from one of the participants is also accurate we need look no further for a turn off on politics and politicians. For any age group.

Consider the reporter is an intern - a YOUNG man. Consider frustrated home owners discussing this across the dinner table. How many of their kids are turned off and tune out? This is about as basic as you can get for exposure to the process and those who control it.

They say young folks don't read the papers. When its full of reporting about the "emperor" and who's in his pocket and who isn't and the next tier being rude and officious if even responsive, why would anyone, what's more young folks, want to read it day in and day out? Especially when it never seems to change?
Maybe people looking for material for their blogs.

It might be wise to remember that readership of papers is down at all levels as is viewership of network and cable news. Voting statistics are abyssmal. It seems to me that the lowest common denominator seems to be the cream that's rising to the top. Cream is fattening, you know. And bad for your health.