We live in a very contentious environment. Not since the tumultuous sixties have we been
so strongly divided. It is hard to know
where to start when identifying the issues that have created the gap between
us. Gay rights, Black Lives
Matter and gun control are among the topics that have created the rift. It also seems as if everyone has an opinion
on the current administration. The
Congress is divided along party lines and there is more finger pointing than
there is discussion on how to solve the problems. Like in the Vietnam War era, the divide seems
to be generational. A majority of older
American want to “Make America Great Again” while Millennials and members of
Generation Z ask “What’s so great about it?”
Like the Baby Boomers of the sixties, many Millennials hold
views that run counter to those of older Americans. As a voting block they now also outnumber
Baby Boomers, but to this point have not always gone to the polls to express
those interests. An article in the
September 27, 2018 edition of the Dallas Morning News leads me to believe
Millennials might be ready to step-up and go to the ballot box. The source of the data was a recent survey
conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. According to the survey 64% of those ages
15-34 were interested in the upcoming election.
That is up from 41% in just two months since July, 2018. Fifty-five percent (55%) were hopeful about
the election, up from 40% two month earlier.
The percentage of those who felt helpless about the election has dropped
from 40% in July to 36% in September. In
addition, fewer (34%) of those polled felt overwhelmed by the election process,
that is down from 43% in June.
If the study is correct, that is a remarkable swing in a
short period of time. In two month time
it seems like more young adults are interested in making a difference at the
ballot box. That might also be reflected
in the number of Millennials who are anxious about the election, almost half
(49%), a big increase from the 36% who expressed anxiety in July. The real question still remains: will
Millennials actually follow through and show up on November 6?
The fact that their interest in the election has grown
remarkably in just two months leads me to believe they might be ready to
express their opinion at the ballot boxes. Either way, those of us over 65 need to be
ready for the eventual swing in national leadership. The Millennials have already impacted the
world of business, finance and communication.
I strongly believe the polling process is next. I am confident there will be a big change in
the leadership in Washington within the next ten years.
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