Editorial: Romney’s comment about youth voters unfounded

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney doesn’t understand why young people would vote Democrat. GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney doesn’t understand why young people would vote Democrat.

Yes, you read that right. According to The Huffington Post, Romney said on Sunday after his Puerto Rico primary victory, “I don’t see how anyone who is a young person could vote for a Democrat, I’m going to be honest with you.”

We’re going to be honest with you; this guy is so out of touch that he probably doesn’t see why anyone would buy a watch that isn’t a Rolex.

Although statistics show that he’s garnered some support from the 17-to-29 age range in states such as Arizona and Alabama, we don’t see what he’s trying to do with this blanket statement.

In fact, it kind of terrifies us.

Emphasizing that he doesn’t see how the Democratic party could appeal to young people isn’t just absurd, unfounded nonsense — it also shows a complete lack of respect for bipartisanship.

Having at least two ideologies is fundamental to society, and Romney’s catch-all comment shows his misunderstanding of not only young voters, but of the foundations of political thought.

Romney has proven before that he’s not exactly a relatable guy. But this statement just makes him look even more out of touch than before.

(And before you call us a bunch of liberal-leaning Communists, we kindly remind you that our editorial board is comprised of many different political ideologies — some more conservative than you might think.)

Romney really doesn’t see why young people would vote Democratic? Democratic beliefs and policies are much more appealing to us. Let us count the ways.

Most young people are in favor of same-sex marriage, unlike Romney. According to a Pew Research Center study, 65 percent of the college freshmen surveyed in 2009 supported same-sex marriage. In addition, 58 percent of Americans 18 to 29 years old supported it, compared to 39 percent of the nationwide population.

Young people also think very differently from the GOP when it comes to women’s rights. NARAL Pro-Choice America found that 61 percent of young people were “pro-choice,” as they supported legal abortion in all or most cases.

They also heavily lauded President Barack Obama’s birth control mandate, mostly because it addresses women’s needs in a time where women are still fighting for their reproductive rights.

In addition, public amenities like public transportation, higher education and social programs are all things that appeal to young people. GOP members are in favor of cutting them.

Sure, Obama hasn’t lived up to expectations. But compared to the circus that is the current state of the GOP, we certainly have reason to believe that young people will maintain their stances on the issues above.

Above all, we must remember that these are politicians who might — like Romney — say whatever it takes to get votes, even if they don’t believe what they’re saying.

Young people must be able to look past politics in favor of understanding policy.

After all, we identify most with those who support what we believe in — who doesn’t? Romney can’t change the way people operate with a blanket statement, even if his candidacy depends on it.