.
Feedback

Missouri's Youngest GOP Delegate Says It's All About the Jobs

While President Barack Obama won big with young voters in 2008, Jefferson County's Cody Baker doesn't see that happening this time around.

TAMPA, FL — When President Barack Obama was swept into office in 2008, a large part of his victory was because of the historic level of support he received from young voters.

Exit polls from that election show that 66 percent of voters under 30 cast ballots for Obama — more than double the 31 percent that Republican John McCain netted.  That gap was the largest since exit polling started in 1972.

But Cody Baker, a student at Southeast Missouri University and the state's youngest delegate to the Republican National Convention, says Obama is not going to achieve that level of the success this time around.

The reason? Young people are worried about getting jobs when they get out of college, the 20-year-old from Jefferson County said.

"There are a lot of people who were in my high school in 2008 who supported Obama — even though most of them couldn't vote," he said. "They have turned and have said that was not a good choice. They’re tired of feeling like they have just been forgotten, so they’re ready for some real change."

"We want to have jobs whenever we graduate from college and the way conditions are right now, that’s not the way it’s going to be," added Baker, who is a junior at SMU. "We’re going to be graduating from college and flipping burgers at McDonald’s. While that’s a great place to start, we have a college degree and that’s not where we need to be."

Baker added that many students he knows plan to vote for Republican Mitt Romney in November and that he doesn't see Obama coming close to winning the youth vote by the same margin he did four years ago.

"Unemployment with young people is very high and we’re disappointed with the way things are going," he said. "Obama did take the young vote in record numbers last time, but this time he’s losing that margin very quickly."

A recent poll by by CNN/Opinion Research indicates that Obama's support among young voters does appear to be softening. That poll shows Obama leads Republican challenger Mitt Romney among registered voters by a 56 percent to 37 percentage margin. That's still a hefty lead, but it's down from Obama's margin of victory in 2008. Plus, there's no telling how many young people will actually show up at the polls in November.

In addition to being worried about jobs, Baker said young people are troubled by the national debt — which now stand about about $16 trillion.

"They’re tired of more and more debt," he said. "What’s happening now is being laid on us to take care of later, and that’ s not the way it should be taken care of.

"We don’t need to have the debt taken care of by us or our kids, or our grandkids," Baker said. "It needs to be taken care of now."

Newsletter & Alerts

Get the best stories each day and important breaking news

Subscribe

Not from Arnold Patch? Find your Local Patch »

Rahib September 5, 2012 at 08:25 pm
Really? As Governor of MA, their job creation ranking was 47th. As a businessman, he laid off more than he hired as a larry the liquidator.
RDBet September 5, 2012 at 09:00 pm
Yeah, the GOP jobs plan is to cut taxes for the wealthy (investment income) and then a magical trickledown is supposed to occur.... Even though it hasn't worked with the Bush top-heavy tax cuts - the cuts that factored in the economic bubble and then meltdown.
Devon Seddon September 5, 2012 at 09:30 pm
No, the GOP plan is to cut government waste, cut taxes for everyone, and yes that includes minorities & those that provide jobs, balance the budget, etc. (you mentioned "hasn't worked", but you didn't mention that the current plans don't have any positive results, in fact, you can't explain how they could possibly even work - big government has never worked, ever, anywhere - the idea of spending our way out of debt might be the dumbest thing anyone has ever said or thought - how endlessly attacking job providers can decrease unemployment).
You always mention Bush & how his policies failed, yet you forget WHY he did them and how the House & Senate wouldn't let him continue to fix it, starting with Fanny-Freddie. You leave out that those moves caused the bubble that bought us time to try & fix what had already been broken by those in the House & Senate, and that HE, all the way back to 2001, 2003, & 2005, was the one (along with McCain) warning them that the crash was going to happen. The Democrats (some of which were making money from it, including Barney Frank, Obama & others), laughed at him like he was crazy (like you've been trained to do), and I'll be darned if it didn't happen. Again, you either don't know (in which case I'll get you some episodes of C-SPAN & show you it happening, which probably wouldn't matter to you anyway, you'd still be right), or you are blatantly lying. Which guy you want to be? Oh, and where do I send you the C-SPAN highlights?
Devon Seddon September 5, 2012 at 09:31 pm
I'm with you Earl.
If you want to see "The Centerfold", check out: www...............
Devon Seddon September 5, 2012 at 09:40 pm
I wonder how Sarah's competition is doing. Does she still have any? Just curious, cuuzzz, she's doing great, but when I drive down the Rock Road in St Ann, or Mexico Rd in St Peters, I'm not seeing thriving business, I see empty buildings. People with a goldmine business of owning a strip-mall that can't make the payments. That's what I see.
Hey, wanna go to the outlet mall in Warrenton? Oh, there's nothing there? Wanna buy it, then?
Devon Seddon September 5, 2012 at 09:42 pm
I assume that $150,000 is profit, I wonder if she'll get there if she spends more than she makes.......
Sarah Mitchell September 5, 2012 at 09:59 pm
I guess so your attention span is about 1 minute.
Sarah Mitchell September 5, 2012 at 10:07 pm
A Tea-Party Radical wakes up Women to a whole new reality >“Legitimate Rape”
Akin’s now-infamous comments that a woman’s body has a defense mechanism that keeps her from getting pregnant if she was the victim of “legitimate rape” have gone viral and been roundly criticized by liberals and conservatives alike. "It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, [rape resulting in pregnancy is] really rare,” Akin said in an interview with KTVI-TV. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let's assume that maybe that didn't work or something, I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be of the rapist, and not attacking the child." Almost immediately Akin tried to backtrack, saying he misspoke. “In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year,” Akin said in a statement.
Devon Seddon September 5, 2012 at 10:08 pm
Rahib, you missed the point, that's what ALL businesses have had to do. Blaming the businessman's reaction to being screwed, only means you are looking at the process 1-step too late. You're blaming the result & ignoring the cause.
RD mentions how Romney is for the rich, yet he doesn't have a problem with it (or ignores it) when the current President is owned by the 1% & paid them back with our money. Check out this 1% - George Soros, Warren Buffet, AIG, Goldmann-Sachs, Fannie-Mae & Freddie Mac, General Motors, Chrysler, Bank of America (from Countrywide on down), CitiGroup, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, GMAC, Morgan Stanley, FHA, PNC, US Bankcorp, Suntrust, Capital One, Regions Financial, Fifth-Third Bank, GMAC, Chrysler Financial, and tons of others. Obama gave Trillions & Trillions of dollars to those entities (not the rich, the WEALTHY) & insider traded on that information, but NOTHING to the middle-class. Need more 1%? All of Hollywood, the Green movement (when we have access to free, clean, abundant power, mind you), the Unions, nearly every sit-com, nearly every news outlet, nearly every newspaper.... How long of a list do you need? * More Occupy people showed up at the DNC to protest, than the RNC, look it up. * NOW is also protesting the DNC because they refused to allow children on the Convention floor & provided NO daycare options. They must've been too busy telling people they're on the side of women, instead of actually being on their side.
Sarah Mitchell September 5, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Women are waking up to the Crazed Ideology of the right-wing tea-party Republicans. If they get there way women will be bare foot pregnant, the rights of women and multicultural nationals are at jeopardy, if this right-wing tea-party crazed lunatics get office, they will take the rights of women back to the 1920's
Sarah Mitchell September 5, 2012 at 10:16 pm
Todd Akin spoke was being groomed by Paul Ryan, its all part of a grander plan. Todd Akin was saying what the party believes and what they will do with women's rights
Devon Seddon September 5, 2012 at 10:17 pm
NCK
Let me know when you realize that you are still falling (even with hindsight & no results) for a 4-year old failing promise of Redistribute The Wealth (to that list of 1%ers I gave you, I guess), Hope & Change. Let me know when you realize that you could use those as teaching examples of how to define pie-in-the-sky campaign speak that has no substance & doesn't even bother to address a single issue, or suggestion of how to fix it.
Devon Seddon September 6, 2012 at 07:58 pm
You mean widely taken out of context & twisted.
You guys keep repeating this trying to make it somehow mean something else, (like Karl) as if no woman has ever claimed rape when there wasn't one. That would be a rape that was illegitmate, no matter how you stretch it. So like a good servant, you omitted the inconvenient parts to fit your politics. Stress effects a woman's cycle, always has. Stress is created by stressful situations. Legitimate Rape is a stressful situation. Ergo, Legitimate Rape creates stress. Stress & Shock can both put your body into a "coping" state, in which many of the body's operations become altered. I would imagine there would be some stress in falsely (illegitimately) accusing someone of rape, but likely for different reasons. It's amazing how all of these "my body, my right" people know very little about said body. Plus, None of that rhetoric can even exist unless you dismiss those young ladies that have ruin lives, like our shining example at Duke. Ooops, Sorry, I forgot we were supposed to pretend like these things don't exist while you're hating on Republicans.
Devon Seddon September 6, 2012 at 08:19 pm
You don't know what he said, only what you can twist it to & tie to the whole party.
You don't even know what your own party is about, much less the other party. Oh, and by the way, those folks who are supposed to be all about women, are being protested right now at the DNC by the group NOW, because they won't allow women to bring their kids onto the convention floor, and they provided ZERO daycare for those mothers. They must have been too busy convincing those like you that they are FOR women, to actually BE... FOR women. They are using your emotions against you, just an FYI, they can't do that with your brain (or most brains anyway). Maybe use your brain instead of your emotions to think sometimes. Ex: You keep talking about what the big bad Republicans will do if they get into office, that you will continue to let the people actually screwing you (and all of those people you claim to "care" about) continue to screw you. It's the very definition of "fear-mongering" & proof it works. Look at results. 5.5% to 8.4% unemployment 100% increase in those on food stamps Fair Housing Regulatory..... I know you won't do the research, but if you actually, really want to, I'll get you tons of facts, numbers & results you can look at. That way, maybe with a few facts instead of feelings, you might be able to post something with some substance instead of repeating the exact asinine, baseless, rhetoric of accusations & unfounded claims that you're conditioned to.
Devon Seddon September 6, 2012 at 08:26 pm
Now you're just willfully participating in the hate-mongering.
Please cite the legislation that is being proposed that would cause women to be barefoot & pregnant. You're a left-wing-built idiot, but it's not too late to fix it. You just have to want to see the truth. Bearing false witness isn't a new trick, the downfall is, it only works on the weak-minded.
Devon Seddon September 6, 2012 at 08:29 pm
Quick clarification:
There is ideology, then there is fact. Ideology without fact, is fiction. Ideology that fails to review it's results, is Liberal.
V. Scheurich September 14, 2012 at 03:28 pm
The Democratic Party and their ideology and rhetoric and liberal policies have now led America and the world to riots and death.
The Leader of the free world, Barack Obama, does NOT care about America and actually does NOT care what happens to Americans. He talks a good game but won't walk his talk: http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2012/09/13/unreal_obama_skipped_daily_intel_briefing_immediately_following_assassination_of_us_ambassador
Earl Higgins September 14, 2012 at 03:53 pm
Nice try, Mitt.
RDBet September 14, 2012 at 04:09 pm
If this weren't so sad (Mitt trying to use this for political gain) I would have to laugh ---they even call it a tipsheet. As in, "let us tell you tea partiers what to think and what to "cut and paste" on this topic." .... And then they are off to the internets.
Elizabeth September 14, 2012 at 04:12 pm
The President IS skipping many of the intelligence meetings.
http://g-a-i.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/GAI-Report-Presidential-Daily-Brief-A-Time-Based-Analysis-FINAL-DOC.pdf He also hasn't met with the job council in 6 months. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/18/obama-jobs-council_n_1684221.html
Caffeinated September 14, 2012 at 04:25 pm
Wow, that is disgusting. Bush attended *every* PDB leading up to 9/11...
RDBet September 14, 2012 at 04:43 pm
We are still trying to sort out and learn from past terrorists attacks during presidencies, and conspicuous-looking intelligence reports. Do we even know what Reagan knew before the Marine barracks were bombed in Lebanon? I don't even want to bring up 9-11. FDR and Pearl Harbor?
Then here we have an American jumping to conclusion the day after the attacks. I know we have the 24/7 news cycle -but it is going to take a while to indict the President over this. Mittens candidacy needed a boost. Sorry this is his chosen route. Shameful.
Elizabeth September 14, 2012 at 05:16 pm
So you're okay with the President skipping intelligence meetings and not attending jobs council meetings, but it is "shameful" for anyone to point it out?
That is some interesting logic, RDBet
Caffeinated September 14, 2012 at 05:25 pm
Elizabeth, what are PDB's? Does the President receive this information outside of the in-person briefings? What about the meetings themselves marks them as necessary?
Also, can you explain the Job Council and it's function?
Elizabeth September 14, 2012 at 05:45 pm
The President set up the Jobs Council and named Jeffrey Immelt (sp?) (GE chairman) as its head. See the link below for details.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/advisory-boards/jobs-council As far as the PDB's it is my understanding the the President receives a printed copy of the report and according to WH spokespeople, he reads them. The value of the in-person meeting is that the President can ask questions and/or clarification about intel. supplied in the report.
Cody Baker September 24, 2012 at 04:52 am
cause that makes sense! Since the average American wage has gone down under Obama... along with unemployment going up! Hmmm...There are now 495,000 more unemployed American than there were in 2008, up to 8.1% from Inauguration day (43 months). That is the longest unemployment has ever been above 8.0% since the Great Depression. The Middle Class average income has dropped and gas has gone up. Home values continue to fall, college tuition is up by 25%, 15 million more Americans are on food stamps (up 46%), and our debt has increased by $5.4 trillion (up 51%) in Obama’s first 4 years. How is Obama helping?
Cody Baker September 24, 2012 at 04:53 am
what was that? http://www.mittromney.com/jobs
Cody Baker September 24, 2012 at 04:56 am
Hmmm...There are now 495,000 more unemployed American than there were in 2008, up to 8.1% from Inauguration day (43 months). That is the longest unemployment has ever been above 8.0% since the Great Depression. The Middle Class average income has dropped and gas has gone up. Home values continue to fall, college tuition is up by 25%, 15 million more Americans are on food stamps (up 46%), and our debt has increased by $5.4 trillion (up 51%) in Obama’s first 4 years. How is Obama helping? I had to really search for a job... I can't get through school without loans but when I do get them, I will be paying them off for years. What has Obama done to help any of that? NOTHING! 4 more years of Obama would be asking for more destruction of the American Economy and the American Dream
Cody Baker September 24, 2012 at 04:58 am
they may not directly create my job but they sure as hell can regulate me out of one!
Earl Higgins September 24, 2012 at 12:18 pm
Devon, do you have any facts or studies to back up your specious claim that women don't, or even can't get pregnant from rape? Remember, outrageous claims require outrageous amounts of evidence. Just because you keep repeating something doesn't mean it's just true because you say it is.
Way back where I come from, we have a word for people who say things like that, and you wouldn't like it, trust me.
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
NoCoalAshLandfillInOakville June 14, 2013 at 11:30 am
This illustrates how lax MDNR is when it comes to protecting Missouri's citizens from toxicRead More polluters. http://www.ksdk.com/comments/383707/3/I-Team-Secrets-beneath-the-Westlake-landfill-
Lindsay Toler (Editor) June 5, 2013 at 07:50 am
" The family also asks that all who choose to participate in the search to "Please useRead More caution and be safe in your search as the family does not want any one to endanger themselves in these efforts!" We would also like to thank every one who is helping find Jon." Wow, this is very moving. I'll share on the Facebook page right now. Thanks for posting.
Ryan Martin (Editor) May 30, 2013 at 08:23 am
Thanks, Teresa! We love it too.
Lindsay Toler (Editor) May 30, 2013 at 08:51 am
I totally agree!
Brian Waldrop May 30, 2013 at 09:24 am
All parks in Arnold are Great.