LIHUE — Nine months before Election Day, and many first-time voters on Kauai are feeling the Bern. And can’t stop laughing at the Internet memes that compare the candidates’ issues. A favorite seems to be Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose face
LIHUE — Nine months before Election Day, and many first-time voters on Kauai are feeling the Bern.
And can’t stop laughing at the Internet memes that compare the candidates’ issues.
A favorite seems to be Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose face and political views have become immortalized through his supporters’ online catchphrases.
“I think it’s really interesting how politics are using memes to influence younger people,” said Allison Culliney, 18. “I was even looking at Donald Trump’s page on Instagram and the fact that he has an Instagram, that’s really weird.”
It’s all part of an effort to appeal to the younger voter, she said.
The Garden Island recently interviewed random voters, from teens to seniors, and asked their views on the presidential election.
Many pollsters believe Sanders could have a shot at the Democratic nomination in Philadelphia this July. A recent Quinnipiac University poll had Sanders and Hillary Rodham Clinton virtually tied, at 42 percent and 44 percent, respectively.
But if it came down to it, Anna-Rose Chaney, 18, knows who she’s not voting for. Hillary Clinton has “skeletons in her closet” and is inconsistent, she said.
“Hillary’s debates are interesting,” Chaney said. “She often contradicts herself, if you make comparisons. I was watching a YouTube video of her saying her beliefs like six or seven years ago compared to now; she keeps on changing it depending on who she is talking to or what area she is in, to go along with that area.”
Another first-time voter agreed.
Clinton tries to appeal to anybody, said Ricky Oshita, 19.
“I saw a video of Clinton and I didn’t really like it,” Oshita said. “Her points don’t really have anything to back them up. She’s just trying to relate to any voter.”
But Juvann Menor, 19, said his family is all about Clinton and he is confident she will win the Democratic nomination. He’s excited he gets to vote this year.
“I am rooting for Hillary but I do like some of Trump’s policies on economics,” he said. “I think she is very charismatic. I think she tends more to the needs of the merchant class, people just like us.”
Oshita said he likes to check out the funny memes that pop up on the Internet about the candidates and compare them that way.
One meme, titled “Bernie or Hillary?” compares the two in a series of fake campaign posters.
The posters are about topics such as movies, music or food, and show that Sanders is more knowledgeable than Clinton.
“Memes have a blunt kind of statement, so they (make) a point,” Oshita said. “Sanders makes his points valid. Clinton just has one-liners.”
Sanders, a socialist, wants to eliminate college tuition, which Oshita, a Kauai Community College student, said she likes.
Chaney said voting is like “picking the lesser of evils,” and has given thought to Sanders.
She hasn’t spent a lot of time on exploring the issues, but knows that Sanders is a favorite with her friends and shares a lot of viewpoints with them, she said.
“It’s about the issues,” said Trysten Caberto, 21. “Not about who makes us laugh more. If it were about that, then I’d be voting for Donald Trump. He’s very entertaining.”
Caberto said he typically roots for the Republican candidate, but this year it’s different because Sanders’ ideas are refreshing.
“Sanders has some interesting and revolutionary ideas that may positively impact the middle class which I feel is drowning right now,” Caberto said. “Bernie gets a lot of (expletive) because he calls himself a socialist and in America we really fear that. But I don’t think Americans know what that really is. It’s a nice philosophy actually.”
Caberto said most Americans still think of Russia when they think socialism and can’t see beyond the red when they think of communism.
He thinks young people are disconnected from Sanders’ political message.
“Young people like (Sanders), but don’t know why they like him,” Caberto said. “He’s trying to do the whole free tuition thing and that’s cool.”
While younger voters are feeling the Bern, Ronnie Toki, 40, thinks it’s funny that they are voting Democrat. He said he’s “Trump all the way.”
“It’s the Obama administration that I’m against,” Toki said. “Hopefully, our military will be strong. Trump backs up our military. That’s basically one of the reasons why.”
But 73-year-old Priscilla Adamos said Trump talks too much. She’s been a Clinton supporter since the 1990s when Bill Clinton was president.
“My family is a Democrat all the time,” Adamos said. “All my kids.”
If Sanders were to win the nomination, would she vote for Bernie?
“That is a tough one,” she said, while laughing.
Gavin Yotsuda, 44, said he would choose a Democratic candidate and not a Republican, mainly because he doesn’t like Republican policies.
“Clinton or Sanders, because they are for the working class,” Yotsuda said. “They are not the best choices, but I will stick to the Democrats.”
Mark Espiritu, 54, said Trump would forget about the middle and lower income class. He’s voting for Clinton.
Two demographics would ensure the Democratic nomination for Clinton, Espiritu said.
“It’s going to be between women and the younger voters,” he said.
Espiritu said Clinton’s “drama,” including the Monica Lewinsky scandal and Benghazi, tends to not be forgotten by voters, but her experience in the White House made her “familiar with foreign counties” and that would make her a strong president.
As for Culliney and her family, talking politics is not a good idea, she said.
“My parents are Trump supporters,” she said. “We do not talk about politics.”
Culliney took a quiz to see which candidate she most matched up with. The quiz had several categories including environment, military and social aspects.
“There were some questions that I had no idea where I stood, so I just didn’t answer the questions,” Culliney said. “It tells you how much percent you match up with each candidate. (I matched up) with Bernie for 89 percent.”
