The Cost of Disillusionment – Obama and the Young

Headlines these days are full of news about members of the President’s administration hiding the truth about Benghazi and using government powers to discriminate against political foes.  And Obama is seemingly ignorant of it all.

Claiming a lack of knowledge about damaging events has long been a staple of political survival.  Government leaders hiding behind the shield of “plausibility of denial” of knowledge of wrongful conduct by one’s subordinates did not originate with the Obama administration.

But wasn’t this president supposed to be different?  Remember “hope and change”?  “Believe” was the mantra of a youthful, articulate candidate who said appealing things such as his intention to bring post-partisanship to Washington, to lead a government which was honest with Americans, and listen to its citizens.  In other words, Barack Obama promised to herald all the qualities which George G. Bush had supposedly ignored or undermined during his eight years in office.

So what was not to like?

Some observers noted that Obama’s brief political career to that date had not exactly reflected an abhorrence of partisanship.  In fact, he had revealed himself to be a leftward ideologue.

Many on the right pointed out that as appealing as the message of the Obama campaign might be, it also was very calculating and cynical.  But in the midst of the “Obama fever” reverberating across the land – aided greatly by a media suspending disbelief – such voices were easily disregarded.

The young, particularly, followed the Pied Piper’s flute.  In 2008, 66% of voters between 18 and 19 fell under the Obama spell. 

Support from this group dropped somewhat (6%) in 2012 so perhaps some disillusionment had sent in.  But the reduction was hardly dramatic, suggesting that most young people were still clutching at the promise of hope despite the Obama administration’s highly partisan and distinctly “old school” activities.  Ramming the unpopular Obamacare through Congress and lambasting the Republicans are examples that come readily to mind. 

So will the scandals of 2013 (IRS, Benghazi disclosures, press intimidation, so far) finally shake the young free of their wishful-thinking illusions? 

In time, if not yet, the shift will take hold and spread as the realization finally sinks in that “they’ve been had”:  They will be unable to avoid feeling  great disillusionment when they finally recognize that they’re been treated as compliant dunces in Obama’s efforts to transform American into his leftist ideal. 

Disillusionment will turn to bitterness and cynicism indeed toward government and their ability to affect its conduct.

Broadly speaking, Americans have always – with good cause – been suspicious of government.  But Obama told the young, in particular, that this was a wrong-headed attitude.  “Believe,” he said, under his administration things would be different.

The shattering of this dream will result in the long term alienation of the young from politics.  Hopes dashed, they will be far less likely than before 2008 to trust our system of government.  That can’t be good.

This legacy of President Obama will be unheralded, of course, but its poisonous nature may be the longest lasting.