The New Politics Institute just issued a report concerning the politics of my generation, the so-called "Millenial Generation" born between 1978 and 1996. We're bigger than the boomers, far more progressive than the Xers, and more optimistic about America and the power of government than any generation since the Greatest Generation.
Find out why we'll change the world below
Im going to pull out some of the highlights from the report but I encourage you all to read it in full.
By the Numbers
First of all, we are a huge generation.
If you use 1996 as the last birth year for the Millennials, so that the number of birth years covered by this generation is the same as that covered by the Baby Boom (1978-1996 vs. 1946-64), this generation is still larger than the Boomers: 80 million today and 83 million by 2016, when the tail end of the generation votes in their first presidential election.
We are also a very diverse generation.
The Millennials are the most diverse generation by far, with almost 40 percent belonging to minority groups, Hispanics in particular. According to March, 2006 Census data, about 62 percent of Millennial adults are non-Hispanic white, 18 percent are Hispanic, 14 percent are black and 5 percent are Asian.
Our Outlook
I think our most defining trait is our optimism
Millennials are fundamentally optimistic, willing to trust political leaders who perform well, and they believe in government again.
I think this optimism comes from the tremendous amount of change we have seen in our short years in areas like information and medical technology. There was no internet when we were born. Today, we don't know how to live without it. When we were born, AIDS was considered a death sentence. Today, it is far different for those with resources.
This optimism translates to our view of government. We belive any problem can be solved if we put our mind to it and government can surely be part of the solution.
Millennials also show a non-cynical attitude toward political action and the usefulness of government. In the Harvard Institute of Politics (IOP) October, 2006 survey of 18-24 year olds, 60 percent thought political engagement was an effective way of solving important issues facing the country and 71 percent thought such engagement was an effective way of solving important issues facing their local community. Millennials disagree with the idea that if the federal government runs something, it is necessarily inefficient and wasteful. According to Pew Values surveys, 18-25 year olds in 2002-03 disagreed with that idea by exactly 2:1 (64-32), while 18-25 year old Gen Xers who were asked about the idea in 1987-88 were split down the middle, 47-47. The 2006 CIRCLE Civic and Political Health of the Nation survey of 15-25 year olds found a strong endorsement among 15-25 year olds of the idea that "government should do more to solve problems" (63 percent), rather than "government does too many things better left to businesses and individuals" (31 percent).
Despite our support for government, we're not very happy with how it is functioning today.
78 percent agreed that "elected officials seem to be motivated by selfish reasons;" 74 percent agreed that "politics has become too partisan;" 69 percent agreed that "the political tone in Washington is too negative;" and 75 percent agreed that "elected officials don’t seem to have the same priorities that I have."
Our Priorities/Views
We are very environmentally conscious. We've seen the destruction as well as our ability to overcome it. I think our optimism and belief in technological progress leads us to believe we can protect the environment while growing economically. Not to mention the fact that we're the ones that are going to have to suffer the effects of the water and resource shortages, global warming, etc.
For example, they take concern for global warming and the environment as a given. Millennials overwhelmingly believe that the country should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment, that stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost and that people should be willing to pay higher prices in order to protect the environment.
We are also concerned about the economic divide in our country. A lot of us had parents struggling to get by as we grew up thanks to Reaganomics and we saw the benefits of the Clinton presidency.
Millennials show deep concern for today's income inequalities and social stratification, and it is possible that looking out for everyone in society may emerge as their mission, much as it did for the GI generation. In the 2004 NES, 84 percent of Millennials (18-26 year olds) said that the gap between rich and poor had grown in the last 20 years and 94 percent thought that the change in the gap between rich and poor was a bad thing. These figures are higher than those for older generations. In the Magid Associates 2006 survey of Millennials for the New Politics Institute, "transition" Millennials (those 18-22, born 1984-88) were more likely than any other age group to favor governmental action to reduce economic differences among Americans
We are internationalists. We have grown up as globalization has accelerated. Studying or traveling abroad is becoming the norm. As we see the world and talk to its people, the idea of the "other" disappears. We know we are going to have to work with everyone as we age in order to solve the tremendous number of problems we face collectively.
In 2004 Pew data, only 29 percent of 18-25 year old Millennials believed that "using overwhelming force is the best way to defeat terrorism," compared to 67 percent who thought "relying too much on military force leads to hatred and more terrorism." By contrast those 26 and over were much more closely split (41-49). In addition, 62 percent of 18-25 year olds believe the US should take into account the interests of its allies even if it means making compromises with them, compared to 52 percent of their elders. And in November, 2004 Democracy Corps polling, 57 percent of 18-29 year olds (note: only the 18-26 year olds in this group qualify as Millennials) believed that America’s security depends on building strong ties with other nations, compared to just 37 percent who believed that, "bottom line," America’s security depends on its own military strength. This was the most pro-multilateralist sentiment of any age group.
Finally, our attitudes are much more enlightened concerning gender, race, and sexual orientation. We are a diverse generation that has grown up in a society where women are more equal and homosexuals are more visible than ever before.
Data from a 2005 Gallup poll underscore these findings; 95 percent of 18-29 year olds said they approve of blacks and whites dating and 60 percent of this age group said they had dated someone of a different race. In addition, 82 percent of white 18-25 year old Millennials in 2003 disagreed with the idea that they "don’t have much in common with people of other races."
In the 2004 National Election study, respondents were asked to place themselves on a 7 point scale relative to the following statements: "Some people feel that women should have an equal role with men in running business, industry and government. Others feel that women's place is in the home," where 1 is the strongest support for women’s equal role and 7 is the strongest support for women’s place being in the home. Two-thirds of Millennials selected 1, the strongest support for women’s equal role and 88 percent of Millennials picked 1, 2 or 3 on the 7 point scale (indicating they felt closer to the equal role statement than to the women’s place in the home statement)—both figures that are higher than for any other generation.
For example, in a 2007 Pew survey, an outright majority (56 percent) of 18-29 year olds supported allowing gays and lesbians to marry, while the public as a whole opposed gay marriage by a 55-37 majority. Other examples: in a 2006 Pew survey, 18-25 year olds favored allowing gays to adopt children by 61-35, while other adults were opposed 50-44; in the November, 2004 Reboot study of 18-25 year olds, an outright majority (53 percent) said they favored legalizing gay marriage; and in an August, 2005 Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (GQR) survey of 18-25 year olds, 82 percent reported that they personally knew or worked with someone who was gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.
Our Actions
Finally, it is important to point out that in addition to being a massive progressive voting bloc, we are already asserting our power by getting involved.
We Volunteer
Or take volunteerism, which is unusually high among Millennials. The American Freshman survey showed 83 percent of entering freshmen in 2005 volunteered at least occasionally during their high school senior year, the highest ever measured in this survey. And 71 percent said they volunteered on a weekly basis.
We Vote
In the 2004 election, Census data indicate that the 18-24 year old group, completely composed of Millennials, increased their turnout 11 points to 47 percent of citizens in that age group, and 18-29 year olds—dominated for the first time by Millennials—increased their turnout 9 points to 49 percent
We Participate
More detail on political engagement is provided by the October, 2006 Harvard Institute of Politics (IOP) survey of 18-24 year olds. In that survey, 48 percent said they had signed an online petition, 31 percent had written an email or letter advocating a political position, 29 percent had contributed to an political discussion or blog advocating a political position, 21 percent had attended a political rally, 18 percent had donated money to a political campaign or cause, and 14 percent had volunteered on a political campaign for a candidate or issue. In addition, 60 percent said they followed news about national politics closely, and a similar 60 percent thought political engagement was an effective way of solving important issues facing the country. A full 71 percent thought such engagement was an effective way of solving important issues facing their local community.
In Conclusion
Our generation is capable of truly driving progressive change in this country. We are bigger, more progressive, and more active than any generation has been in a long time. Our full generation won't be voting until 2014, but already we have begun to assert our strength, aiding the progressive cause in 2004 and 2006. Given our optimism, belief in government, and willingness to act, I have no doubt we will be able to tackle the issues facing our country today and down the line.