Tag: millennials

One in Three Millennials Plans to Vote in Midterms

Buck Banks

31%

A new NBC News/GenForward survey of millennials ages 18 to 34 finds that just 31% of them say they will definitely vote in the November midterm elections, a number that has remained steady since August. “The survey finds that millennials don’t feel represented by Congress, which could be a sign of election disengagement heading into November. A majority of millennials overall (63 percent) do not think that Congress represents the interests of people like them well. About a third (35 percent) think Congress represents people like them well.”

Big Millennial Majority Wants a Third Political Party

Buck Banks

71%

A new NBC News/GenForward poll finds a strong majority of millennials — 71% — say the Republican and Democratic parties do such a poor job of representing the American people that a third major party is needed. “Sixty-three percent of millennials disapprove of the way President Trump is handling his job as president. But millennials also hold a variety of political institutions in poor regard, and 65% think the country is on the wrong track overall.”

Support for Autocratic Alternatives Is Rising

Buck Banks

1 in 6

The share of Americans who say that army rule would be a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ thing had risen to 1 in 6 in 2014, compared with 1 in 16 in 1995, according to data from the European and World Values Surveys, reports New York Times. “That trend is particularly strong among young people. For instance, in a previously published paper, the researchers calculated that 43 percent of older Americans believed it was illegitimate for the military to take over if the government were incompetent or failing to do its job, but only 19 percent of millennials agreed. The same generational divide showed up in Europe, where 53 percent of older people thought a military takeover would be illegitimate, while only 36 percent of millennials agreed.”

Clinton Holds Huge Millennial Vote Lead Over Trump

Buck Banks

56%

Of voters under the age of 35 favor Hillary Clinton, while Donald Trump is backed by only 20%, a new USA Today/Rock the Vote poll finds. “The findings have implications for politics long past the November election. If the trend continues, the Democratic Party will have scored double-digit victories among younger voters in three consecutive elections, the first time that has happened since such data became readily available in 1952. That could shape the political affiliations of the largest generation in American history for years to follow.”

Climate Change Is a Key Issue for Millennials

Buck Banks

73%

Of millennials favor setting a goal to power America with at least 50% clean energy by the year 2030 (including 52% who are very favorable). The same poll, conducted by Hart Research Associates, found that “It is clear from our research not only that Millennials accept the science of climate change, but that a candidate who does not is at a disadvantage. We heard throughout our conversations with swing-state Millennials that climate denial is associated with stubborn or backward-looking thinking. And in our survey, 70% of Millennials say they would have major concerns (45% very major concerns) about a Republican candidate who disagrees with NASA, the US Military, and 97% of climate scientists that human activity is responsible for climate change, including 69% of independents and half (50%) of self-identified Republicans.”

Millennials Have Checked Out of U.S. Politics

Buck Banks

Whether it is entertainment, consumer goods or almost anything else that can be purchased, viewed or clicked on, Millennials are the most coveted demographic. There are about 80 million Americans between the ages of 18-34 and next year they are expected to spend $2.45 trillion. But when it comes to politics and national policy they have relatively little clout because most of them don’t reliably vote and aren’t major political contributors. These young adults have voluntarily checked out of a political system they consider corrupt and dysfunctional.

— Linda Killian, writing in the Daily Beast.