21. "Why Young Voters Don't Show Up" with Anders Ibsen

Why are so many young Americans tuning out? Host Philip Lindholm sits down with Anders Ibsen, a real estate professional, community leader, and former Tacoma City Councilmember, to explore one of the most urgent crises in American democracy: the political disengagement of young people.

From the collapse of civic institutions to the fading promise of the American Dream, Ibsen draws on his years in public service to explain how disillusionment, economic strain, and digital distraction are reshaping an entire generation’s relationship to democracy. Together, he and Philip examine how we can rekindle civic life and why the future depends on it.

Early Leadership and Civic Duty
At just 25, Anders Ibsen became one of the youngest elected officials in Pierce County. He shares how a college internship at the State Capitol inspired his belief that young voices can lead and why waiting on the sidelines is not an option.

The Generational Decline in Civic Life
Citing Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone, Ibsen explains how the erosion of social bonds from church membership to community clubs has left Americans bowling alone. Habits of engagement, he argues, are formed early, and without them, democracy weakens.

Relevance, Not Rebellion
Efforts such as Rock the Vote tried to make politics look exciting but missed the point. What young people crave is not entertainment but relevance. They need to see that government decisions actually improve their lives.

Broken Promises and the Betrayal of the American Dream
From unaffordable housing to student debt, Ibsen argues that both young and older generations feel betrayed by a system that no longer delivers. The result is cynicism, survival mode living, and the erosion of civic trust.

The Social Media Trap
Social media, Ibsen warns, is even worse than alcohol or drugs for its dopamine-driven manipulation of youth. He calls for regulating it as a controlled vice and reinvesting the proceeds into public health and civic education.

Building Civic Habits
Re-engagement begins with institutions that listen. Ibsen describes Tacoma’s participatory budgeting program as a model for giving residents real voice and real results, calling it 'the stuff of rebuilding trust.'

Policy That Restores Hope
Asked to name one national policy to re-energize young voters, Ibsen points to housing reform. Affordable housing, he says, is foundational because when people are in survival mode there is no bandwidth left for democracy.

Reviving the American Dream
Despite growing inequality, Ibsen insists that pragmatic, community-minded policymaking can make the dream of homeownership and civic stability real again if we listen, compromise, and act with empathy.

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