Rep. Dennis Kucinich - Democrat (Born October 8, 1946) Consultant, business president, professor, communications entrepreneur, software and public relations, sportswriter. Dennis is my favorite presidential candidate based on views. He lacks leadership.
Sen. Hillary Clinton - Democrat (Born October 26, 1947) Attorney, professor, is my choice and prediction for the next President of the United States. Hillary is tied for third place with Christopher Dodd matching my views.
Meet the Jones Generation. They decided the US election for George Bush, suggests that the election will be decided by people born between 1954 and 1965. Too young to be baby boomers, too old to know how to download a ringtone, they are Generation Jones " the name comes from American slang, jonesing, meaning yearning. Now aged between 42 and 54, they were brought up to believe they could have it all, but found that they couldn't.
The term was invented by Jonathan Pontell, a US social commentator who explains that, 'as children in the Sixties, Jonesers thought they had a bright future not just in terms of material progress but of personal fulfilment " as we grew older the economy soured and we were left with an unrequited, 'jonesing' quality'.
They have two defining features: they tend to have more money, being at the peak of their career earnings; and they are 'persuadable', because they are not as fixed in their preferences as older people. That combination is a magic formula for the marketing industry.
In last year's presidential election, the polling company Mason- Dixon reported that Generation Jones was pivotal in deciding between Mr Bush and John Kerry. It was the only age group " Joneser women especially " that switched back and forth between the candidates during the campaign before plumping for Mr Bush. What makes Jonesers attractive to the marketing industry also makes them important to political campaigns: they are more likely to turn out than younger age groups, and are less fixed in their political preferences than their elders.
The concept was imported here last year by the media agency Carat with the launch of 'Project Britain', a research programme to map the nation's attitudes and habits. Last month, it was extended to include an analysis of the political characteristics of different age groups.
Andrew Hawkins, chief executive of CommunicateResearch, which carried out the study, said that what marked out Generation Jones was 'the potentially explosive combination of strong likelihood to vote with the propensity to change their mind between now and election day'.
The research finds that 55 per cent of this age group say they are 'absolutely certain to vote', compared with 66 per cent of the war generation, 54 per cent of baby boomers " and only 39 and 15 per cent of Generations X and Y. What is more, Jonesers are more likely than older groups to say that they 'may well change' their minds about how they will vote before election day. One in three Jonesers may change or describe themselves as a 'floating voter'. While higher proportions of younger people are changeable, they are also less likely to vote.
John Coll, Carat's strategy director, warns politicians that Generation Jones is 'capable of springing a surprise. From what we know of their behaviour as consumers, the parties cannot rely on tradition or brand loyalty with this group " they're open to new ideas.' He cites the massive take-up of iPods among over-40s as an example of this " 'they picked up on marketing that was not aimed at them'.
The Carat survey also reveals the political priorities of Generation Jones that mark it out. As with all other age groups except the youngest, Jonesers are most likely to name the NHS when asked which three issues are 'most important in determining which way you'll vote in the forthcoming election'. After health, taxation is more of an issue for them than for any other group. This is the age group under most financial pressure, having to provide for children and worry about their own retirement. And because they mostly have children, they tend to attach as much importance to education as younger generations. The findings suggest that the issues the Conservatives have made their own " immigration and crime " do not have much resonance with the age group that counts in the election.
jonesing: To have a strong need, desire, or craving for something. ... The want of something .. comes from 'keeping up with the joneses'. If you are jonsesing for some waffels you want to have waffles badly ... Of or pertaining to Indiana Jones type of behavior. i.e. A strong need or desire to do something adventurous.
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