Youth turnout breaks records, gets congress addicted.

Originally published on Music for America, 11/8/06.

The elections are over, and boy are the results ever in...

Yesterday, we let the rest of the country know that we're here by destroying previous young voter turnout records, breaking the 1982 turnout record by 2 percentage points. (About 2 million votes) Although all the numbers aren't yet in, young voters voted 2-1 for change and likely had a huge impact in electing a democratic congress.

You made it happen, whether you voted, or registered people to vote, or volunteered at an MFA show, or threw an election day party, or went naked sky diving with a "go vote banner," love handles rippling in the g-forces...

Yesterday we took control of our lives and the direction of this country.

Let me dork out for a second (like I'm not already). Groups of people with something in common who tend to vote a similar way are called voting blocs. There are lots of'em... thats what people are talking about when they mention "the gay vote" or "the black vote" or "the guy that lives in a van down by the river vote."

If you belong to a voting bloc, and your bloc becomes a difference maker on election day, representatives will start legislating on issues that are important to you in order to get your vote again. Essentially, they become addicted to your vote. They'll do anything to get it.

What does that mean? If you're a kid who's drowning in college loans, congress will work to make paying your bills a little easier, because they need your vote to stay in power.

If you're a young woman or minority who's fed up with unequal treatment, congress will work to even the scales because they're addicted to your vote.

If you're having trouble finding a decent job, congress sure as hell better start working create more jobs, because hell, this good shit we got? It ain't free.

MFA was founded on the idea that if the 65 million 18 - 29 year olds in America (yes, there are 65 million of us) could get organized and involved, we could basically shape this country in any way we damn well please.

In a presidential election, 65 million votes is a majority.

It's not over yet. The young voter bloc is here, now we need to start flexing our muscles. I hope you'll stick around and flex with us, pump some iron and shape vibrant communities full of music and opportunities. Your participation makes MFA what it is. Not mine. Yours.

But for now, go home and take a day off. Forget about politics, watch a movie, hook up with a hot person, listen to some tunes, drink a beer or a soda or a sunnyD or whatever. Go to bed knowing that we all worked together like a team to make this happen, and we're all going to be better off because of it.

This is our greatest accomplishment to date, and it's just the beginning. We really did it.

(Oh yeah, and in 2008, the White House is OUR house.)