During his 2008 campaign, President Obama related to young voters in a special way, promising jobs under the elusive, ambiguous motto of “change.” For many, he’s been a shoulder to cry on, but unfortunately not much more than that.
In anticipation of November, Obama has distanced himself from economic issues in an effort to hide the fact that he’s only made the economy worse.
His recent endorsement of gay marriage is just one of many social issues he has used to distract progressive young voters from his election promises. He can rave about his spotty record of job creation, but under his administration, the national debt has gone through the roof.
Does he not think we realize we are the ones who will have to pay this all back?
Just like in the 2008 presidential election, the “millennial generation” (those who came of age in the new millennium) will be the defining factor for 2012. We may not have directly seen President Reagan’s example of leadership and fiscal responsibility, but we’ve surely witnessed the economic failures of liberal politics through Obama.
Fewer than half of the students who graduated from college during Obama’s presidency were able to find a full-time job within a year of graduation. And, of course, the burden of debt has only grown worse, averaging $25,000 per graduate; it has now hit the one-trillion-dollar mark. In fact, our nation has more student debt than credit card debt.
Obama has pushed for lowering college costs and freezing student loan interest rates, but at what cost to our future? Such measures will only hurt the economy as more and more banks go under (and get bailed out with taxpayer dollars). Obviously, someone has to pay the tab.
The grimmest statistic: 42 percent of college grads (ages 18 to 29) are currently living with their parents, and 45 percent of this year’s graduates are expecting the same future. For most college students, I’d say this reality is bone chilling.
Amid these gloomy prospects, what is a college student to do?
Well, instead of hitting up Wal-Mart for some replacements to those NASCAR or Justin Bieber bed sheets, now is the time to get active.
The right has responded with open arms via “Crossroads Generation” — a super political action committee, or PAC, geared toward reclaiming this disillusioned demographic. Rather than pushing special interest agendas, this PAC is focused on the one thing that unifies all younger voters: jobs.
As communications director Kristen Soltis said, “Younger voters aren’t looking for a party label. They’re looking for someone to present a solution for how things are going to get better.” Indeed, more and more young voters have opted for “independent” status. Approximately 38 percent of these voters are independents, and this group is generally cynical of politics.
As the Wall Street Journal reported, President Obama’s 2008 victory was the result of effective branding — not America’s sudden endorsement of socialism. Our generation was sold on his taglines of “hope” and “change” without considering his actual agenda (and better yet, its impact on our national debt).
We are the most educated generation, and yet we are the least successful in the job market. Feminists can complain all they want about the disparities between the sexes, but the fact is that the 18- to 30-year-old demographic is actually being underpaid as a whole.
As a more, shall we say, “rationally-based” party, the GOP has always been more successful in using facts to advance its cause. Rather than simply shoving cameras in front of the “disadvantaged,” the GOP tends to use solid statistics to hammer its points.
At this juncture, the facts are unmistakable. Four more years of Obama could rob our entire generation of opportunity. The longer our résumés remain empty, the less likely we will have any success at scoring a dream career in the post-Obama age.
And trust me: the comforts of home aren’t so comfortable when you’re in your late 20s, regardless of how much you love your mama’s meatloaf.