Monday, April 26, 2010

First time politics

Don't worry, I'm not going all party political on you. In fact it's just a quick post as our internet connection isn't good at the moment and often won't let more than one computer online at a time. In fact I'm having to use my mobile broadband dongle (why does that word always make me snigger?) to get online now, as both the boys are home.

But I thought it was worth noting that Son 1, who is eligible to vote for the first time ever, is showing an intelligent interest in the election. As Son 1 is not a great reader (I know, I know, we tried our best), the reason for this is, I'm sure, the televised leaders' debates. Son 1 has watched them with us. He has been intelligent enough to form his own views and independently remarked on last Friday morning's biased print media response to the previous night's debate.

If he has become this engaged by the TV debates I wonder how many of the other young first-time voters have done the same and what difference, if any, this will make?

3 comments:

Queenie said...

There was a piece in our local paper about this, with young people around here saying they had much more idea what the election was about because of the televised debates. I didn't watch them myself - would rather sandpaper my nose flat - but that's a personal preference, and overall I do think they're a Good Thing.

HelenMWalters said...

I hope they have made young people think. It's tragic to think of anyone wasting a vote.

Cathy said...

I think the debates have been a success, they certainly give us a rounder picture and of course have already lead to the 'Clegg effect'. It's really difficult to get many teens to engage with anything so if their interest has been caught it has to be a good thing.