It seems the Democrats are out here trying to charm young male voters with the latest in “How to Politically Totally Misunderstand Your Audience” campaign. Introducing Olivia, whose T-shirt slogan reads “Respect existence or expect resistance.” And let’s be real, some people might look at her and think, “Is this a scene out of a cartoon?” Perhaps they’re right, because confusing political strategy with a meme-worthy fashion statement is definitely a new low. If they were aiming for a political Peter Griffin, they certainly nailed it!

Now, you’d think political parties would do a little homework before jumping into the dating pool of young voters, especially young men. But apparently, they think all it takes is a fun shirt and a friendly demeanor to win hearts and minds. Spoiler alert: it’s not. Newsflash, folks—young men are looking for policies that actually make sense, not just someone who’s willing to pose for a TikTok dance with them. They likely want policies that work, and it’s not just because they’re sitting around sipping energy drinks. These guys have opinions, and they care about more than just their next gaming session.

The thing is, many young men actually share some common ground with conservative policies. It’s not all about sitting around in their parents’ basements, complaining about life. Many support things like pro-choice stances and same-sex marriage, contrary to the stereotype that they’re all far-right extremists. It might surprise Olivia and her shirt brigade to know that young men do tune into issues like Black Lives Matter, even if they sometimes disagree on approaches. It’s called critical thinking, folks—maybe give it a whirl!

So, why are young men shifting right? It’s not the policies that are turning them away; it’s how those policies are presented. Instead of being hit with the emotional weight of political agendas, they want something that resonates on a practical level without the kumbaya moment shoved down their throats. Maybe when Olivia gets a little better at understanding this, they’ll stop treating political engagement like a high school popularity contest. Spoiler alert: voting isn’t based on the coolness factor or how sparkly the campaigns appear on social media.

Finally, the notion that changing up the messenger will magically yield new results is like believing that wearing a new outfit will fix your terrible karaoke skills. Newsflash, no one’s going to vote for a policy just because the person speaking it looks good in a trendy shirt. So, it’s time to put away the slogans and the cartoonish antics and focus on real debates about real issues, or they can continue to wallow in a “who wore it better” contest. Either way, 2024 is going to be interesting!