The good news for both parties: the youth, even those a few years too young to graduate, are talking about politics with strong opinions. The bad news for the Republicans: almost none of these strong opinions support their party.

In trying to explain why many youths are taking the Democratic stance, one could look at examples of extremism, such as Mike Huckabee telling the youth that legalized marijuana and free college were not reasonable and that military service would be expected instead, or Donald Trump suggesting that we force Mexico to build a wall at their border to prevent illegal immigration. But the truth is that this trend began before the current election cycle started; 51% of millennials lean Democratic, and political analysts believe that the generation preparing to register now could be as much as 82% democratic.

So why, then, is the Republican Party failing so miserably to attract the young vote? The answer lies in the outdated beliefs of the party, mainly with regards to social issues. 70% of millennials and youth support gay marriage, a number closely aligned with the 66% of Democrats who support it. About 21% of teens believe that abortion should be unconditionally legal and about half believe that it should be legal under specific circumstances. And millennials/younger generations believe more strongly than any other generation that immigrants are necessary and that the responsibility of the people is to protect minorities’ civil liberties, all decidedly liberal views. And, while some youth still retain enough traditionally-Republican ideals to identify as Republican (dislike for big government, disdain for large welfare programs, and a more laissez-faire approach to economic actions), they are noticeably less conservative than older Republicans. Since political polarization has, historically, followed generational lines, this could mean trouble for the Republican Party.

And while many Republicans claim efforts to reach out to the youth and recruit them, there is a clear disconnect between the actual attitudes and beliefs of the younger generations and what is perceived to be their attitudes and beliefs. The younger generations are not focused on marijuana because we are all stoners, and we do not want free or partially subsidized college education because we are too lazy to work to earn scholarships or money to pay for our educations and turn to student loans instead, which ultimately cause a burden. The younger generations call for cheaper education because over 60% of college students graduate with extreme debt, and, of the 40% that graduates without this debt, almost all lived with their parents while enrolled in a 2-year or shorter program. And, in all of the political discussions that have been had in school, on social media, or in side commenting, rarely is the medical marijuana debate brought up when discussing whether the Democratic or the Republican candidates would better our country in the long run.

Probably the most important trend among younger generations is that of wider acceptance and a more open-minded attitude. A friend once remarked that, “People here [at school] don’t judge you based on what you do or who you are; people only judge you if you judge others pointlessly”, a quote that seemingly expresses the attitudes of the youth that will be becoming active voters in several years. There is more widespread support for the feminist movement (especially with the emphasis on intersectionality) and less tolerance for racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia and arrogance. The more leftist political views reflect these ideals, so the youth are turning to them.

So, Republican Party, if you are looking to have the votes of the younger generation, they are not hiding from you. In fact, many youth believe that the government has overexpanded, so you have an advantage there. But first and foremost, stop looking down on young people as lazy stoners who are only looking for handouts and see that, perhaps, it is time for a change. That change is going to come either way…it is in YOUR hands whether or not the Republican Party will exist then to even see it come about. Without re-evaluating the positions held by the party, it will remain the “old white man’s party”, and then, when all of the old white men die, there will be no Republican Party. What good is democracy if there is only one ideology for which to vote? America is at a divergent point…and it is up to the Republicans to control this divergence.