When politicians speak, all my generation hears is “blah, blah, blah.” They rehash the same stale policy ideas, but nothing in our economy is changing. Just look at today’s jobs numbers and Generation Opportunity’s Millennial Jobs Report.
15 percent of young people are still out of work, and it’s no secret why. Government is too big, spending levels are too high, and opportunities for us are limited. Politicians in Washington must love the status quo: as we continue to work hard to create opportunities for ourselves, they continue to impose policies that hurt job prospects for our generation.
Our growing chorus of discontent seems to be falling on deaf ears even though lawmakers have more of a vested interest in our generation than they do in any other. Over 80 million Americans are between the ages of 18 and 34, making us the largest generation in the country, and our nation’s future depends on us.
My generation is creative and entrepreneurial, but we’re struggling to succeed in an economy defined by high taxes, excessive regulations, and slow growth. We are motivated, but outdated policies make it extremely hard for us to get ahead.
In today’s sluggish economy we’re still stuck paying disproportionately more than other generations to fund entitlement programs (which will be bankrupt by the time we are old enough to benefit from them) and failing policies like Obamacare. On top of all that, excessive government spending and overbearing regulations on creative industries – like ride-sharing and space-sharing – have left us with little room for success.
And too many members of my generation are unemployed and still living at home. As 15 percent of 18-29-year-olds struggle to find full-time jobs, we’re also shouldering an average of nearly $30,000 in student loan debt.
Just as today’s job numbers were a real disappointment, our confidence in Washington remains at an all-time low – and is it any wonder why?
Washington has failed to provide solutions that increase opportunity and make life better for all of us. Under President Obama, the scope of executive authority has drastically increased. He’s bypassed Congress to impose legislation that hinders job growth and encouraged lawmakers at all levels of government to follow suit. Just consider the current push for a minimum wage hike.
According to a recent Reason/Rupe Poll, almost 40 percent of 18-to-29 year olds consider themselves “independent.” This is in stark contrast to those 30 years and older, of whom just 11 percent don’t identify with either major political party. In 2012, nearly 60 percent of 18-to-29 year olds voted for Obama, but this is certainly not an indicator of elections to come, especially if things don’t get better for us.
Millennials are so disillusioned with Washington’s complacency that we’re opting out of the political process – and this needs to change. More than ever, we need to work to elect officials that will fight for the interests of my generation and not continue the policies of generational theft that have prevailed under the current administration.
While Millennials are unlike any generation before us, we are similar to our parents’ in one way: we believe the key to success is hard work. We also realize, however, that the government is making it increasingly more difficult for our hard work to pay off. High taxes bog us down, debt forces us to move home, and unnecessary regulations make it hard to get our entrepreneurial ideas off the ground. What we want is a free market.
While politicians are busy overspending and overregulating, my generation is thinking up new, disruptive ways to make life better. We are designing new health technologies, making transportation more convenient, and planting urban gardens – solving our own problems.
Washington should take a cue from ride-sharing services, which has disrupted the transportation industry. We need leaders in Washington to step up, disrupt the status quo, and start pushing for policies that are going to make things look up for my generation.
Perhaps then they’ll get us listening again.
