Although the Democratic Party touts its support among young voters, many express concern about the very idea of political parties and the “mob mentality” they create, according to The Washington Post.
The newspaper interviewed almost 50 left-leaning young voters in Texas, Nevada, Michigan and Pennsylvania and found that most express “a deep skepticism toward party politics, and the Democratic Party,” according to the Post’s Emily Davies and Hailey Fuchs.
Dana Fattouh, 18, said, “I think political parties are stupid.” Her friend, 18-year-old Hana Thai, said: “I’m not going to shut down the idea of voting for a Republican if they can back up what they’re saying and it kind of makes sense. We have to break from the mob mentality.”
“I don’t believe that a bipartisan system is sufficient. I can’t see myself identifying with establishment candidates,” said Tessa Schutt, 20 of Grand Rapids, Michigan. “It’s a lot of platitudes, less concrete action.”
“Democrats are usually on the right side of things, [but they] don’t go far enough on some issues,” said Brian Will, 22 of Traverse City, Michigan.
Catherine Wicker, 22 and the president of Texas College Democrats, told the Post that “the policies the candidates make will affect young people every single day,” and that “everyone says we are the future of the party, but we’re not the future. We’re the now.”
She added, “Everyone says to us, ‘You’re the future of the party. We need your help volunteering and blockwalking. We will offer you unpaid internships.’”