Gen Dems: The Party's Advantage Among Young Voters Widens

Link to Pew Research story.

Key quote: Trends in the opinions of America's youngest voters are often a barometer of shifting political winds. And that appears to be the case in 2008. The current generation of young voters, who came of age during the George W. Bush years, is leading the way in giving the Democrats a wide advantage in party identification, just as the previous generation of young people who grew up in the Reagan years -- Generation X -- fueled the Republican surge of the mid-1990's.

Speaking of Generation Y......(of which my 2 sons are members)

This year's South Central Library System annual meeting featured "tag-team" keynote speakers from Beloit College: Tom McBride, professor, and Ron Nief, director of public affairs. These two men are responsible for compiling the annual Beloit College "Mindset List." Each August since 2002, as faculty prepare for the academic year, Beloit College releases a list of items that provide a look at the cultural touchstones that have shaped the lives of their first-year students. Class of 2011 examples: They have never "rolled down" a car window. Half of them have been members of the Babysitters Club. Most phone calls have never been private.

McBride and Nief provided an insightful and amusing presentation, by the way -- and answered lots of questions from the audience. Recommended -- although I have no idea how much they charge.