Are all those young voters suffering from"High Holidays Syndrome?"

Where have all the young voters gone? Johanna Neuman wrote in the Nov. 4 online edition of the Los Angeles Times.

In both New Jersey and Virginia, the day before, Republicans won impressive victories in races that depended on who showed up at the polls. "Put another way," Neuman says, "the young people who fueled Barack Obama's historic presidential victory last year stayed home."

Someone on Air America Radio this afternoon opined at how surprised she was -- nay, she said she was "shocked" at the no turnout last week by all those young people, African Americans and Hispanics who were the key to Obama's victory last year.

We never should have expected a reprise of the unprecedented 2008 election. The election of Barack Obama was very special... special like the Holy Days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are special to Jews.

Most American Jews who pack their temples to SRO status for the two or three High Holiday Services (as they are called) each fall, never set foot into a synagogue on any other day of the year. Most first-time voters who cast ballots in the 2008 presidential election may never vote again.

I call it the "High Holidays Syndrome." Maybe by next year someone will find a cure.

For more info: 
eXaminer.com coverage of New Jersey, Virginia election results
Barack Obama and me
Rare buttons, mugs, shirts available from '08 campaign

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