Millennials have been a major driving force in politics, especially in recent presidential elections. Since 2008, about half of voters under 30 went to the polls, making up nearly one-fifth of the total vote cast. Coincidentally, they heavily favored Obama, support that tipped several large battleground states in his favor. That may be about to change by the end of 2014.
In an interview with IVN, Britt Hysen, a social entrepreneur and editor-in-chief for Millennial Magazine, believes that Millennials will be able to change the face of politics starting with local governments and create better solutions that are currently missing in Washington, DC, primarily through greater civic engagement.
“I think Millennials right now are very disenfranchised by both political extremes. I think a lot of them are identifying as independents right now. Their vote is very up for grabs. Libertarians have an opportunity to get in there and really vie for the vote because the core principles of Libertarianism really resonate with this generation.”
It is a paradigm shift that calls for smaller, but more efficient government. Citizens can do more than vote; they can also create solutions themselves. Tech-savvy Millennials sprouted up during the economic downturn and realized the benefits of being fiscally conservative while maintaining their socially liberal tendencies. Unfortunately, issues such as the national debt, student loan debt, and health care will be prevalent in future debates.
Senator Rand Paul’s authenticity resonates with socially liberal and fiscally conservative young voters. Further, the recent economic downturn greatly impacted students entering and leaving college by providing less opportunity and an uncertain future in terms of fees associated with loans, health care, and jobs that don’t make ends meet.@TheVoiceOfGenYI think Millennials right now are very disenfranchised by both political extremes.
The current solutions being debated between the Democrats and Republicans lack clear signs of passage and transparency, a major political tenet of the Millennial generation.
President Obama touted transparency while campaigning and made promises that have yet to come to fruition. The reasons why can be tossed around in debates, but there are several setbacks that severely hindered the president’s approach.
“They [voters] should trust their candidate enough to believe what they say is going to actually take effect,” Hysen said.
With the NSA surveillance threatening privacy, the Benghazi controversy, the IRS scandal, and other issues plaguing Obama’s administration, transparency has turned into uncertainty of what is really going on in Washington.
Liberty and the pursuit of the American Dream is such a positive talking point that no major political party will say anything against it. Democrats and Republicans believe in supporting the Constitution and obviously so do Libertarians, but the difference is in the solutions. The overarching issue facing — or hovering over — Millennials is the economy, and each party has a different way to bring about better times.
The ubiquitous national debt is more than one generation can handle, but if you incorporate private enterprise in the solution, the answer may surprise you.
According to Hysen:
“This [national debt] is for tons of generations to follow and the more we keep spending the more down the line the can gets kicked. In terms of tackling this issue we need to stop spending. Having Millennials in office that realize that you just can’t give away money we don’t have. We need to streamline things and encourage private enterprises to take on some of the issues that a lot of people think the government needs to handle.”
Democrats decide to tax and Republicans decide to simply cut spending, but both have their own untouchable third rail: entitlements for Democrats and defense for Republicans. Debt is not only plaguing government from the federal to the municipal levels, but student loan debt still tops $1 trillion and affects millions of Americans. If Millennials leaving college want to live on their own, they also have to earn enough to cover their rent and now are mandated to buy health insurance.
Millennials such as Ms. Hysen are proponents of personal responsibility and their solutions may be seen as outside the box. For example, in Boston, during the severe snow storms, the city opened up their data to civic hackers like Code for America.
These tech-savvy people created an app that mapped out every fire hydrant in the city and started an adopt-a-hydrant program. Instead of the city spending millions digging each hydrant out one by one, normal Bostonians could select the hydrant in front of their home and dig it out themselves.
This cost-saving process can be scaled into much larger areas and solutions as well.@TheVoiceOfGenYIf we really want things to change, we have to change what we keep voting for.
“If you know that cleaning up trash is somebody else’s job, you’re not going to do it,” Hysen said. “But if you think it is everybody’s job, you’re going to contribute and help clean up that trash.”
Tackling health care is another big issue facing Millennials. Similar to the recession, it has touched many different facets of our lives.
“It’s a really interesting conversation that Millennials will have with themselves and their employers, their insurance providers, and figuring out what is affordable care,” Hysen commented.
What is considered affordable may not be the case, especially if you consider the benefits associated with the cheapest plan.
A recent college grad that is already stuck paying at least $220 in monthly student loan bills may not be able to pay an additional $100 a month for health care. If the college graduate gets sick, out of pocket expenses become another concern.
Preventative care needs to become a bigger component and the benefits Obama touted before passage, such as college students being able to stay on their parent’s health plan until 26, are not enough. This will cost a lot in the long run and not enough “young invincibles” are signing up.
This means the costs will be less affordable, government will spend more, and the issue will continue to grow. Millennials who look into signing up may be in for a rude awakening.
Mrs. Hysen said it best:
“If we really want things to change, we have to change what we keep voting for. We can’t keep repeating the same pattern and expecting a different result. That is the definition of insanity. So, if we really want to evolve, we have to change the game.”
Millennials need a greater voice in Washington and this is hopefully about to change. Candidates like Christopher David (27), in CA-33, and possible candidates like Nick Troiano (who will be 25 on Election Day), in PA-10, could be the first millennial voices on Capitol Hill.
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Josh Smith, I find it ironic that you're slamming capitalism while using the internet. If you were half as well educated as you think you are you'd know the internet is the largest and best example of free market capatalism on the planet. ROLFLMASO!!
And they are generally more liberal. Maybe they can work to get the whoredom out of politics.
Josh is a prime example of young uneducated voters
They changed it alright in the last two elections hopefully they learned something.
John smith, there is a test or a sheet that has gone around with questions for 5th or 8th graders from the 1920' or 30's & I can tell you that the majority of college educated people could not pass it. Just the fact you believe that is telling.
Funny how what the left has demonized as crazy rights are what this country was founded on & what made us who we are. I don't consider anything the left pushes to be what I was raised on or what I stand for. I read allot of history & I find allot of scary similarities in things happening now. Alinsky took what worked in the past propaganda. & made it even more powerful & dangerous. Communist & radicals are not our friends.
You really believe that Josh Smith?
>implying the US has extreme politics Lol
What a joke. This generation is more knowledgeable of the world, committed to activism, and better educated statistically than any generation before.
OP is a twit. Liberals and conservatives are both the same right wing capitalist jokes. The only difference is that liberals are at least mature about it and have good positions on social issues. I guess that's the sort of delusional thinking capitalism inspires in its sheep
You talking about me Dave? I'm a boomer not a millenial
must be a millenial, already have everything figured out even though you have no idea what everything is, or probably even what ANYTHING is! SAD!
i understand and it scares me. They have no more idea about what's going on and important in the world of politics than they do in any other arena. Of course they THINK they do (I was once there myself but I got better) so I'm not really too concerned about them. Of course I have to keep reminding myself that they're the ones responsible for the election of our current problem so maybe I should be concerned.
The center between right-wing and right-wing-lite is still right-wing. It's not going to fix anything.
And yet we're all left wondering that if doing so is so horrible, why didn't your generation do anything to change it?
This is the argument made by democrats when they know they are going to lose. "Its not just us. All government is bad."
3rd Party!
How do liberals kill jobs?
I think it is more than milennials that are disappointed in both parties - there are a handful of good men in both, but they are not enough - most of the entrenched older politicians in both parties are thinking only of their own agenda and not what is good for the country and it's people. I am a citizen and I want the best for my grandkids and great grandkids and the way it is going that will never happen.
Bravo millennials..
Gee Steve. Brave of you showing your stupidity to the masses.
Independent does not mean "in between" Democrats and Republicans. My generation is far to the left of the Democrats. I'm a communist myself.
Every generation has smart and stupid people, the problem isn't their desire, it's their opportunities.
If you are a Millennial, maybe your political brain is not frozen yet. Check out approval voting. Then do some heavy thinking about the wasted vote conundrum.
Because they (and a LOT of Americans like them) cannot achieve the American Dream. Those that came before us took everything that was good in this country and put a price tag on it, told us that we had to become indebted to get even a fair shake, and unless you do something really special, you're nothing to the powers that be. It's not just Millennials, it's everyone who doesn't bring in $100,000 a year (or more).
I think over 50% of Americans are now independents. I used to be a 2 party person but now I am an independent. VOTE FOR AMERICA!!!
The following factors come into play: (1) Increased difficulty to find a job...Some places, such as Walmart placed automatic checkouts. It may simplify shoppers at the register..but would deprive some 16, 17, 18 year Olds of jobs...where they need $$$$ for jobs, colleges; (2) College tuition going up; (3) The likelyhood of no Social Security; (4) corruption in government and corporations; (5) Constant violence on tv...someone getting stabbed or shot in your town or the town next to you; (6) ; Celebrities setting a bad example--drugs, stealing, DUI and getting away with just a slap on the wrist.. (7) The breakup of the American Family; (8) children not spending enough time with their peers on playing sports..like touch football; etc.... I'm sure there's more..but I'm just stating my personal opinion.
I think it's fascinating how so many of these comments both bash people from my generation (the most educated, socially active, and physically mobile generation) for being lazy and uninformed and all the same. I'd guess that those comments were made by people who don't know many from my generation who are teachers or trying to work to fix the government and state of the world that previous generations ruined. BTW Thanks for that
Times they are a changin·
Our 2 party system is killing our freedoms!! That is why!!
TOUGHT
Why? Because Both parties are extremists! What the hell ever happened to compromise? Growing up that was what I was tout
Obviosly that is not true or we would not be in our second term of Obama! The so called millennials were some of Obama's biggest supporters which shows they are not very aware. They voted him in again despite is abysmal failure during his first term. I am afraid that until this group matures significantly, we are doomed to having inept leaders elected by the millennials. I just hope our nation and our constitution will survive!
Millenials were raised perhaps better actually or even just as bad as Baby Boomers and/or X Generation people that had them, in some cases slightly better and in other cases not necessarily as good depending on the individuals within the Millenials generation. Lets face it, a lot of Millenials grew up with baby sitters vs having a parent around while both parents would be working when women were starting to make an impact, or even worse they just grew up with one actual biological parent as many parents to the Millenials were divorced, also a lot of Millenials ate quite unhealthy meals such as with eating junk food cerial a for break fast and fast foods for lunch and dinner and all sorts of other processed foods hence quite possibly factoring in causing lower IQ's and many did not learn to cook which would help us save money in our adult lives, we also watched too much television, movies, listened to too much music and played to many video games or skate boarded, surfed, bycicled or played too many sports which distracted us from being at least more self educated on things. Being a Millenial, I know I can't really conform to many of their small minded standards or illogical social gatherings and that would be just as much if not more the same with prior generational social gatherings except that prior generations could have actually been more intelligent with the way they socialized at least in sort if old school sense.
They are welcome
wtf is an millennial?
I must disagree Steve Dutton, albeit our two party system has allowed many party jumpers to go where they may catch a vote, modern liberalism represents absolutely nothing in the form of conservatism, fiscally, socially or otherwsise. I will concur however, that modern conservativism is much closer to classic liberalism. The modern liberalism model though, is drastically and dangerously closer to full blown socialism and communism.
Lets use the modern social issue of Gay marriage. The ultracon will say, its a sin, no. The liberal will say, government must correct this immediately. The libertarian will say, get the gov out of marriage entirely, it is not their concern which, I feel is not only the most plausible correction, but correct. The transition to that mind set however, is shorter even for the far right ultra con, than for the liberal. This is so, because they have already adopted the ideology of a limited and constitutionally confined government.
Because the political parties are just 2 nuts hanging on the same man part...
Distancing themselves won't work. The boomers are gonna be around for a long time convincing the youth their votes don't matter. Obama could have changed everything. He captured the hearts and minds of the youth. Then he let down a generation by being business as usual. Its gonna take a while for the trust to come back.
Modern liberalism is not, by definition liberal, it's conservatism. Modern conservatism is closer to classical liberalism.
I pray they try and investigate the "Centrist' Party. They are articulate, pragmatic and middle of the roadf. They will make some hard choices for the good of the country!
Two seconds after posting I realized I almost missed the primary in Illinois, and sprinted down the block to make it to the polls with 2 minutes to spare!
I agree and disagree. While I support that a libertarian might be liberal minded, I have strong doubts that a liberal can go libertarian. Big government is the driving force behind all liberalism which, makes me question in fact, what are they liberal about?
You're the one that needs to be better informed. Millenials properly followed their gut and instincts. Our dysfunctional government is 75% the fault of greedy Republicans that don't care about anyone that isn't rich.
You're a clueless imbecile.
Yeah, let the wealthy and corporations call the shots for you instead - you'll be begging for a protective and corrective government to step in. Problem with conservatives and libertarians; they cannot see past step two and see the likely result of what they are asking for.
Exactly, he disappointed by not being as liberal as he led us to believe he was. But i. doesn't help having a far right corporate owned Congress that limits what he can do.
Whatever. Do you have any idea what you are talking about?
Only thing in the middle of the road are yellow stripes and dead armadillos. Stand on principles. My vote goes to anyone that basically says the rich have too much and the poor don't have enough and average Americans need jobs - that probably means to hell with the shareholders, bring back American jobs - and kneecap the rich - they only got so rich by failing to pay workers properly anyway.
derp