Mehdi’s Memo on the results of our new poll on Gaza and Iran

  • a lil bee 🐝
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    18 months ago

    You responded to the wrong person. I can reply here though, no worries.

    You’re reading that 34% stat incorrectly. It is not saying that 34% of young people view that as the most important issue, they are saying that when asked about it when put head to head with another issue from that list, it only won 34% of the time. I believe that difference also mostly accounts for your 2nd/3rd choice dynamic as well, because it would have also been paired with those other topics and lost accordingly. Look at the other scores on that list. It’s clear that this conflict is not the primary driver of the election season right now.

    Now, I’d love to see more stats, but between this and that recent Gallup poll, I’m going to start needing affirmative evidence in the other direction before I just start making leaps. For what it’s worth, I also find this conflict heinous. Israel is committing horrific war crimes. Global policy never outperforms domestic issues though. Caring about your own survival is human nature, so I kind of expect it.

    Keep on advocating for Palestine and Gaza. I will be as well. Just don’t expect to be able to hold the election over their heads as leverage, because it’s becoming increasingly clear that leverage doesn’t exist.

    • @givesomefucks
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      8 months ago

      You’re reading that 34% stat incorrectly. It is not saying that 34% of young people view that as the most important issue, they are saying that when asked about it when put head to head with another issue from that list, it only won 34% of the time.

      No, I get that.

      But if everyone’s second choice for dinner is pizza, that might be the choice that gets the most people on board even if it’s no one’s first pick.

      The demographics Biden struggles with the most from the Dem voting base care about this.

      And Biden barely beat trump last time, he can’t afford to keep funding a damn genocide.

      • a lil bee 🐝
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        08 months ago

        The demographic Biden struggles most with isn’t young people and beside that point, every demographic is unique. Young people are impossible to please. Not individually, but as a demographic, they are inconsistent, fickle, wrathful, and fairly apathetic. I’m still in this demographic and it wouldn’t be my first stop for a reliable election winner. Then look at the Gallup poll I sent and think about this purely from a campaigning perspective. How does playing to the youth on Gaza win you anything? Frankly, it looks like the math is stacked against us on this.

        I still think we should fight for this. I still think there should be protests, demonstrations, campaigning for more ethical candidates. I no longer think trying to win this through selling it as a carrot or stick for winning the election is going to work though. The electorate just cares way, way more about economics and Biden (from a campaigning perspective) would be much more well-suited to focusing on that.

        • @givesomefucks
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          8 months ago

          The demographic Biden struggles most with isn’t young people

          Then what demographic do you think it is?

          I’m talking the standard demographics, unless you have some ultra specific one like “people who oppose funding genocide” I don’t know what you mean.

          Young people are impossible to please.

          Not for Obama.

          And they turned out in 2016 when all they knew about Biden was he used to be Obam’s VP.

          Just because they don’t like “moderate” neoliberals or republicans don’t mean they don’t like anyone.

          Hell, when I was young I liked Bill Clinton just because he gave you g voters the time of day.

          Standards are fucking low, it’s just Hillary and Biden didn’t try.

          Historically the youth vote is very important, we can’t just give up on the whole demographic because they don’t like moderates. They’re the fucking future of the party, we need to actively go after them. I don’t expect Biden to bust out a sax solo live on MTV like Bill did.

          But he’s not trying to reach out at all.

          • a lil bee 🐝
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            8 months ago

            Then what demographic do you think it is?

            Older white men, the core republican demographic. Inside of the general democratic camp, it would likely be older Latino males right now, but I would need to refresh my stats.

            Not for Obama.

            You’re joking, right? Ask any young person today what their thoughts on Obama are and you’re gonna hear “drone strikes” first thing. The electoral politics of 2024 are vastly different than the ones in 2012, especially with young people. The way social media delivers news and raw footage to people, especially the youth who know how to operate it best, has completely altered the relationship between foreign policy and PR at home. Obama would be skewered today, and I’m surprised that someone on the left is even holding him up as an example for Biden to follow in foreign policy maneuvers.

            Historical the youth vote is very important, we can’t just give up on the whole demographic because they don’t like moderates. They’re the fucking future of the party, we need to actively go after them. I don’t expect Biden to bust out a sac solo live on MTV like Bill did.

            Totally agree, but I do wish we could get the sax solo. (Sac solo is also a hilarious typo given the Bill Clinton proximity)

            But he’s not trying to reach out at all.

            Don’t agree, and here’s exhibit A of my comment above. He has forgiven as many student loans as seemingly possible with the current court structure and he has made climate change a high priority. Those are both targeted directly at the youth. He’s trying. Now, he might be failing, but why? Because a crisis has occurred that the youth feels incredibly strongly about, and they are one of the most uncompromising demographics. Most other demographics will remember those earlier wins and put the ones they lose in larger context. The youth is uncompromising, which is both their largest strength and weakness.

            For what it’s worth, I’m not trying to argue with you on the broader topic of whether the younger demo is worth pursuing. Technology and political degradation is just going to consistently put the youth demo at odds with the raw math of campaigning, and that’s something I worry about. I don’t want any of what I’m saying to be true, but I worry that it is.

            • @givesomefucks
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              08 months ago

              Older white men, the core republican demographic. Inside of the general democratic camp, it would likely be older Latino males right now, but I would need to refresh my stats.

              Not really.

              https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/04/24/joe-bidens-approval-ratings/

              Both those demographics have more “strong support” but almost no borderline support.

              They’re minds are made up, including if they vote or not.

              Meanwhile the youth are almost all borderline, they’re the ones you just called “fickle” and have some how taken that into “we shouldn’t reach out to them”…

              Which just makes so little sense I stopped reading your comment. It’s not efficient for me to try and explain multiple things at once bud

              I’m putting this time in to try and help you after all.

              • a lil bee 🐝
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                08 months ago

                Not sure you’ve been “having to explain things” to me as much as just having a discussion with someone. I’m not really sure why you felt the need to get so dismissive and rude to someone who has clearly just tried to talk to you about something we both care about and approached in good faith. I really don’t need any “help” and I’m not sure what you even mean by that last statement. I hope you have a good rest of your day?