A GenForward poll of millennials found that three quarters of them believe that the United States is failing as a nation, and 90 percent believe that the two-party system is seriously flawed or has real – though fixable – problems.
This poll illustrates the discontent of many millennials who view the current state of the U.S. and its future with a pessimistic lens. Bernie Sanders was the favored candidate among millennials before Hillary Clinton became the presumptive Democratic nominee.
For these young voters who perceive the political system to be broken, Sanders was a breath of fresh air. He promised an economic and political transformation.
These supporters of Sanders were referred to as “the most educated, diverse, and indebted” generation by the Portland Press Herald. Sanders served as a rallying point for millennials who desired an economic and political “revolution” within the federal government.
Sarah Swanbeck, executive director for the Center on Governing & Investing in the Future at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, believes that millennials will be subject to a political and economic future that was not of their own making. “It’s no surprise then that young adults across the country have increasingly turned to ‘political outsiders’ promising to reform the system,” Swanbeck said.
The poll does not show much optimism regarding the presidential candidates, either. Only 39 percent of young people have a favorable opinion of Hillary Clinton, whereas only 19 percent view Donald Trump favorably.
While millennials are optimistic about the possibility of change and reform, they are not confident in the politics of Trump or Clinton.
For many millennials, the two presidential candidates represent the system that they already view as broken. “The Sanders campaign has resonated with millennials for the simple reason that he has been the only candidate to take the issues facing our nation’s young seriously,” Alternet reported.
Millennials who have long been frustrated by seemingly insurmountable student debt and the threat of climate change found Sanders to be a candidate who understood issues important to the young generation.
This generation perceives a slew of problems within the two party system and pines for another candidate option. One who promised change to get elected has greatly contributed to the negative view of the nation’s future.
