While the main thrust of this story about a new T-shirt with the slogan, "voting is for old people" is predictable, I found this aside quite interesting:

In 2000, 42 percent of the youth vote turned out at the polls, compared to 70 percent of voters over age 25, the study reported. [emphasis added]

And here I thought the US was the least-participatory democracy in the free world. Oh who knows it probably still is, but it's a damned sight better than the usual "just over half the US votes" line you tend to get.

I got a lot more serious about voting once I learned just how big the difference was in what the federal government spent on those under 25 versus those over 65. The main reason? Old people vote.

Of course, now that I'm not 25 or under, I'm nowhere near as upset by this situation. So by all means please feel free to sit this next election out if you're under 25. Us old farts will be quite happy to help ourselves to your tax dollars. Oh, I'm sorry... it looks like we already are!