Obama Courts The Youth Vote?

In 2008, Obama won, thanks in part, to a lot of 18 to 24 year olds who registered and voted for him. This was quite the feat since, customarily, youths have low voter registration and election day turnout rates. Many of those young people voted for him on the simple basis that they felt Obama understood them and would help them.   But, today things are different. America's youth is heavily unemployed and Obama's lack of sound economic policies have done nothing to improve that situation.

Black youths have been hit the hardest with the unemployment rate for men at 37% and women 24%.  Overall, for 18 to 24 year olds it is close to 19%; compared to the 8.2% among all age groups. Then, according to a recent Associated Press report, 1 out of every 2 college graduates is either unemployed or underemployed in jobs that fall well below their education skills; with many of the underemployed working in part-time jobs.

So, obviously Obama has a youth problem; and, he knows it.  That fact was born out by this week's desperate campaign attempt to win back the college voter by visiting 3 campuses and calling for Congress to extend the low 3.4% loan rate for federal college loans.  But, whether I'm in college now or have recently graduated, I would be less concerned about my student loan "rate" and a lot more concerned as to whether or not I'll even get a job to pay for it.