Comments on: The Millennial Generation

By: Rudi

Rudi — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:25:42 +0000

The Millennium Democrats are just this generation's version of Macomb Reagan Democrats from 1980. These white blue collar voters stayed with the Republicans for 20 years until their 401K's disappeared due to a voodoo curse.

By: kathykattenburg

kathykattenburg — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:42:07 +0000

PWT,

And a man who takes glib, catchy jingles too seriously is a fool?

By: kathykattenburg

kathykattenburg — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:39:39 +0000

Michael, of course it doesn't always hold out. We're talking about a huge cohort of people — we're talking about a strong correlation over a large population group, not every single individual in that group.

By: PWT

PWT — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:48:58 +0000

It has nothing to do with the generation, it has everything to do with age. To bastardize an old quote:

“a man under 25 who is not a progressive has no heart,
a man over 25 who is a progressive has no mind.”

By: superdestroyer

superdestroyer — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:06:40 +0000

If the Milliennialist are such activist then why are they working so hard to ignore the consequences of things such as open borders and unlimited immigration, a 3.5 trillian dollar budget, the changing demographics of the U.S. Do the progressives really believe that the U.S. can maintain a massive social-welfare state while having a population that will soon be less than 50% white?

If white progressives are so tolerate of diversity then why do they keep holding up Finland, Sweden, and Denmark as being examples of the best counties in the world and why do they all want to move to Vermont or Portland?

By: Michael Merritt

Michael Merritt — Tue, 19 May 2009 05:08:39 +0000

I came of age during the middle of W's presidency. What does that make me? I consider myself a moderate in some cases, but also have fairly wildly ranging views, some conservative and others liberal.

So I'm not sure the “you are who your president was” theory always holds out.

By: StockBoySF

StockBoySF — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:51:17 +0000

So… does this mean that the GOP is dead? I'll donate a grave marker.

By: kathykattenburg

kathykattenburg — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:38:47 +0000

I agree, Mikkel, and why shouldn't they be? There's a significant difference in the political, social, and cultural landscape from one generation to another. Nate Silver had an interesting article recently in which he described how he found that a person's political viewpoint (meaning, liberal or conservative) was strongly correlated with who was president when they came of age. If you came of age during Eisenhower's admin or earlier, you are much more likely to be conservative than if you came of age after JFK. I came of age in 1968 (Lyndon Johnson's second term). My daughter came of age at the end of George W. Bush's run. Of course, I'm sure there's much more to it than that, but it could be a factor.

By: DrToast

DrToast — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:16:06 +0000

I think the Internet has a big impact on the Millennials being more progressive.

I think it's easier for them to be exposed to other cultures, even if it is only done digitally.

By: mikkel

mikkel — Mon, 18 May 2009 22:31:46 +0000

“Weelll, it’s interesting… But I don’t really believe in this generations thing. I think it’s kind of a huge generalization to say people think a certain way because of their generation.”

I didn't either until I started working with and thus interacting with people of all ages…the worldviews and aptitudes are extremely different in the 20-35, 35-45 and 50+ groups. At least intellectually if not politically.