Why young people's support of Democrats is waning

+ presidential candidates' records on health care US Edition - Today's top story: Happiness swings votes -- and America's current mood could scramble expectations of young and old voters [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 September 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [TikTok goes on trial – the security and legal issues]( - [‘They’re eating pets’ recalls years of anti-Haitian tropes]( - [Holding kids back a grade often does more harm than good]( Lead story The cost of living and immigration are big issues for voters in the presidential election. But there’s another factor that appears likely to play a role in the election outcome: happiness – or the lack of it. “Research worldwide indicates that [happy people prefer keeping things the same](, and they tend to vote for the incumbent in political elections,” writes political communication scholar Carol Bishop Mills. Mills, who runs a public opinion lab based in Florida, says, “Voters who aren’t as happy are more open to anti-establishment candidates, seeing the government as a source of their discontent.” And while the old truism about voting was that younger voters favored Democrats, while older voters leaned Republican, voters between the ages of 18 and 35 “are more likely to vote Republican than they have been in the past, especially young men.” Why? Perhaps it’s because younger people are not as happy or satisfied with their lives as they used to be, Mills writes, after a childhood interrupted by the pandemic, the dramatic increase in school shootings and costs of living, political polarization, distrust in the media and two wars raging abroad. “Just as much as ideology, the literal pursuit of happiness may be shaping decisions at the ballot box,” Mills concludes. [ [Sign up for our weekly Global Economy & Business newsletter, with interesting perspectives from experts around the world](. ] Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you.]( Happiness is more than a mood – it may factor into how we vote. Adrienne Bresnahan/Getty Images [Happiness swings votes – and America’s current mood could scramble expectations of young and old voters]( Carol Bishop Mills, Florida Atlantic University The 2024 election has upended traditional voting blocs, with young people trending rightward and seniors embracing Harris. New research proposes an intriguing theory: It may come down to happiness. Health + Medicine - [Health care under Harris versus Trump: A public health historian sizes up their records]( Zachary W. Schulz, Auburn University Harris and Trump have starkly contrasting records on health care. This analysis examines their differing approaches to Medicare, the ACA, drug pricing and other public health efforts. Environment + Energy - [Lost in translation: What spirituality and Einstein’s theory of time have to do with misunderstandings about climate change]( Miki Mori, Université de Mayotte On an island off Africa where one of the local languages has no established words for climate change, a researcher discovers lessons for everyone in discussing climate change. Economy + Business - [Denver’s experiment in providing a soft landing for newly arrived migrants and asylum-seekers isn’t cheap – but doing nothing might cost more]( Anita Alves Pena, Colorado State University The city of Denver has passed a new program that gives migrants resources as they wait six months for a work permit. Education - [Why holding kids back fails − and what to do about it]( Laura Link, University of North Dakota; Diana D'Amico Pawlewicz, University of North Dakota The practice of holding kids back a grade is becoming a more popular solution to address low achievement scores. But research suggests it often does more harm than good for students. Politics + Society - [‘They’re eating pets’ – another example of US politicians smearing Haiti and Haitian immigrants]( Nathan H. Dize, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis Trump’s baseless claims about migrants in Springfield, Ohio, reflect a long history of American prejudice against Haitians. In Washington, those falsehoods have driven policy. - [Pennsylvania continues tradition as ‘keystone state’ in presidential elections]( Robert Speel, Penn State At the time of independence, Pennsylvania was also at the geographical center of the 13 original Colonies. It remains a focal point of American politics, and a swing state. Science + Technology - [Tiny robots and AI algorithms could help to craft material solutions for cleaner environments]( Mahshid Ahmadi, University of Tennessee Some materials react and generate potentially helpful particles when exposed to light. Analytical AI can help scientists sort through materials to find ones with this property. - [TikTok ban goes to the court: 5 essential reads on the case and its consequences]( Matt Williams, The Conversation; Eric Smalley, The Conversation Lawyers for the popular video app warned of ‘staggering’ consequences for free speech if ban is allowed to happen. International - [Farm fences trouble turtles in search of water. Here’s how to help]( Eric Nordberg, University of New England; Deborah Bower, University of New England; James Dowling, The Ohio State University Turtles often encounter fences as they wander over land in search of water, or a mate. We tracked 20 turtles to study how they interact with fences. Here’s how to make fences turtle-friendly. Trending on site - [Biobots arise from the cells of dead organisms − pushing the boundaries of life, death and medicine]( - [Pennsylvania’s mail-in ballot system has a problem − but it’s not what Trump is making unfounded claims about]( - [Is weight loss as simple as calories in, calories out? In the end, it’s your gut microbes and leftovers that make your calories count]( Today's graphic 📈 [Raw steel production peaked in the U.S. in the 1960s and '70s, before a swift drop-off. Thousands of Chicago steelworkers lost their jobs as mills closed in the 1980s and 1990s.]( From the story, [Why people stay after local economies collapse − a story of home among the ghosts of shuttered steel mills]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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