It’s Their Fault

I’ve been meaning to link to a recent opinion piece by Bob Herbert about the Millennials.  I don’t love this particular term for the generation, just like I don’t love Generation Y (or Generation Screwed) but, in any case, it’s well argued and relevant, so I’ll let him speak for himself.    

This is a generation that is in danger of being left out of the American dream — the first American generation to do less well economically than their parents. And that economic uncertainty appears to have played a big role in shaping their views of government and politics.

A number of studies, including new ones by the Center for American Progress in Washington and by Demos, a progressive think tank in New York, have shown that Americans in this age group are faced with a variety of challenges that are tougher than those faced by young adults over the past few decades. Among the challenges are worsening job prospects, lower rates of health insurance coverage and higher levels of debt.

More doom and gloom after the jump…

The landscape is changing before our eyes. Younger voters struggling with the enormous costs of a college education, or trying to raise families in a bleak employment environment, or using their credit cards to cover everyday expenses like food or energy costs are not much interested in hearing that the government to which they pay taxes can do little or nothing to help them.

Whether young Americans can shift the balance of the presidential election is an open question. But there is very little doubt that over the next several years they are capable of loosening the tremendous grip that conservatives have had on the levers of American power.

Any better name suggestions for the post Gen-X generation?  I think Echo Boomers is a good term, because it begins to address how significantly we are affected by the Baby Boomers.  But I’m sure there’s a better term to come…