Earlier this week, Americans sent a clear message to Washington: We want freedom. And freedom won. After years of government intrusion, over-regulation, and out-of-control spending, we now have a chance to turn the tables on policies that are harming our generation.
The incremental economic improvements shown in today’s job report are encouraging. But if today’s jobs numbers are any indicator, the economic situation for my generation still looks bleak. As indicated in Generation Opportunity’s Millennial Job’s Report, 14.7 percent of young people aged 18-29 are still out of work. It’s still especially tough for young people of color, like Hispanics who struggle with 15.3 percent unemployment and the 21.9 percent of black youth who are out of work. These consistently high youth unemployment numbers are what left Millennials feeling dissatisfied with Washington, and we saw the results on Tuesday.
The midterm election marked a significant shift in Millennial attitudes, according to exit polling data from both CNN and The New York Times. Young voters were more likely to get out and vote for Republicans than in 2010. We were motivated this election cycle by buyer’s remorse – we voted for hope and change, and ended up with hardship and despair.
Young people are staring down the barrel of bad policies. For one, the through-the-roof price tag for a college degree has left us struggling to pay off student loans. And further, the federal government refuses to enact real reforms, proposing instead to artificially lower interest rates on student loans. We know that is just a veiled way of telling us we’ll have to pay more, later.
Next, we have an expensive and inefficient healthcare law that not only reduces coverage and lowers care, but disproportionately raises healthcare premiums for young people. What young woman wants to pay, on average, 41 percent more for a narrower network of doctors and less coverage? I don’t! The Affordable Care Act is rigged against us by forcing us (a younger, healthier generation) to pay more to cover the high costs of older, sicker generations. Policies like these leave us wondering whether our elected officials even considered my generation when formulating or supporting fundamentally flawed polices.
Let’s not forget that regulations on disruptive technologies stifle innovation and market solutions to societal problems. Millennials are an entrepreneurial generation, but we’re being penalized for developing applications that create new marketplaces for buyers and sellers to find each other.
The votes we cast on Tuesday were a cry for help – a plea for our new leaders in Washington to fix these policies that have put our generation in this dire situation. Now, D.C. politicians have a chance to embrace this tendency as well – to capitalize on the Republican victories and to fight for economic freedom and independence from inefficient and ineffective government.
My generation is in a unique position of power despite our economic struggle. We are not loyal to any institution, brand, or individual; you have to earn our trust and our support every day. That’s a warning to Tuesday night’s winners: If you follow in the footsteps of those who opt for inaction and government intrusion, don’t expect our support in two years.
We voted for freedom, now we need to see results.
