A young CPAC attendee - standing with Rand - the image from genprogress.org - asks "...but do conservatives stand with his generation?". Note: CPAC attendees are conservative activists.
An opinion piece on CNN by Julian Zelizer, a CNN Contributor, suggests that Obama, besides his best efforts, is losing the Millenials (18-24) due to a lack of jobs, however, there may be more to the distance than that alone. There is a growing trend in that particular age group , like so many generations before them, that casts a pall over those in positions of authority, specifically government, and the real or perceived injustices of the particular time. They are concerned over jobs, no doubt about it, but also the skyrocketed costs of borrowing money for student loans, an industry that has been placed squarely in the hands of the government, a government they no longer trust due to the NSA data mining of civilians. In addition, they are more self-reliant than the generations before, although much has been made of a few who made headlines recently, those are the exception, not the rule. They know that the costs of the Affordable Health Care Act/Obama Care has increased premiums and has become cost-prohibitive to their parents, and in many cases, some have lost their coverage entirely. In the age of instant information through multiple social networks, making “friends’, is no longer confined to one’s home, state or campus, but includes the nation, therefore, knowing several people who are suffering due to a government program is not out of the question. A growing trend toward self-reliance, entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to partake in the original concept of the founding fathers is fairly amazing – they read the Constitution and are prone to prefer free markets, no taxes and peace through strength. They are not racist and they are not prone to any particular party affiliation – they are, if anything - Libertarians.
Which explains a lot of the appeal for Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, and of all parties, the Tea Party – they are a conundrum – many of whom did not vote in the 2012 election and if they did, are regretting their vote based on advice from teachers , professors and yes, parents.
They speak of having no future and t hey are sick of it, which will play out in one of two ways politically. In the first instance, although fed up – they may also retain the lack of interest in voting as in the previous election (those old enough at the time) and simply not vote. On the other hand, they may join their fellows from Berkeley, and campuses, tea houses, pizza shops, fast-food restaurants, and the like, and get out the vote for the individual who offers them what they want to hear and has done something about attempting to fix any number of the their grievances, someone who appears younger, and in tune with what is currently happening in their lives. They will support the candidate that has never held office, approves of free markets, and lower taxes, in 2014 and in 2016.
The President, like so many before him, has aged, and in the continued drumbeat about his actions or inactions from all sources, he is old and authoritarian to one who is a Millennial. He has also painted the party in the same vein. It is these old men and women, from both parties that are the perceived problem –reminiscent of the 1960’s mantra: “Don’t’ trust anyone over 30”, this generation prefers not to trust anyone over 50 who is currently a politician and a repeat offender (i.e. multiple terms).
The big “if” is at issue – “if they vote”, they could propel the modified Libertarian-Republican party to the forefront of history.
Note: Based on opinions of male and females 18 to 24 years old in random selection partaking in non-scientific interviews from campus and non-campus locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. The particular blue of these areas and the answers of the majority (89.5%) were exceedingly surprising.
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