Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Advertisements
Advertisements

Age gap will hugely impact politics

We live in an era of generational gaps – an era of stark age divisions along social,
economic and, now more than ever, political lines. Just when the nation thought
it had witnessed the climax of such divisions during the Vietnam War era, the
trajectory of history has proven otherwise. Over the course of the last decade,
American politics has become increasingly dependent on the votes of the younger
generation. In particular, voting by those under the age of 30 has become critical to
the election success of Democratic presidential candidates, according to a Journal Sentinel blog post.

The
age gap in presidential elections has increased rapidly in terms of Democratic
presidential candidate votes since 2000. This increase peaked in the 2008
presidential election, in which President Barack Obama won more than 66 percent of
voters younger than 30. On the opposite end of the spectrum, he received the votes of
only 45 percent of voters over 65. These statistics are telling in regard to the radical age
division along partisan lines that has come to define American politics.

Understanding the age gap in U.S. politics begins with answering the fundamental
question: Why do generational gaps exist? Whether in regard to politics or social life
more broadly, the underlying reasons for generation-based solidarity are critical
indicators of why one voting age demographic will vote differently than another.

Advertisements

According to a study conducted last fall by the Pew Research Center, ideological
affinity exists fairly consistently along generational lines, primarily as a result of
the issues valued most by each generation. The study attributes the conservative
alignment of the Silent Generation, those over 65, to deeply-embedded lifelong
conservative beliefs regarding social issues and the role of the government.

In contrast, the study emphasizes the increasing racial and ethnic diversification of
Millennial Generation voters, ages 20-30, as a primary reason for their gravitation
toward a Democratic orientation. Diversity is perennially associated with liberal-leaning viewpoints in regard to social and governmental issues. In addition,
Millennials have gained notoriety for their tendency to overemphasize these issues
at the expense of economic issues.

Occupying the middle ground between the Silent and Millennial Generations
are the Baby Boomers and Generation X, both of which have proved to be more
inclined toward conservative viewpoints. This is primarily due to their stronger
underlying concern with the economy, which is far more likely to serve as a central
component of a Republican candidate’s election platform. Thus, what is most critical
to developing an understanding of the age gap in American politics is an awareness
of what concerns are most important to each generation, and by extension, which
political party frames these issues in the most positive light according to each
generation.

Although generations tend to align ideologically, political viewpoints along generational lines are far from black and white. In addition, voting patterns among
any group cannot be predicted with any degree of precision due to the perpetual
fluctuation of ideological tides that undoubtedly transcends age divisions.

However,
one thing is certain – young voters, whether Democratic or Republican, are in
the position to have the most significant impact on the fate of American politics.
As proved by the zealous youth of the Vietnam War era, one generation can
dramatically alter the trajectory of history. In the past decade, the once-remote
possibility of a recurrence of such a youth revival has become an attainable goal
toward which we as a generation should strive.

So, what is next? How do we as a generation embrace and unite around the notion
that we have the power to determine our own fate? First and foremost, we must
educate ourselves about the challenges facing our nation, and how they shape the
conditions in which we live. The immeasurable importance of being an educated
voter cannot be understated. This begins with the collective recognition of what
issues are most critical to the well-being of our and future generations, and how
these concerns can be addressed most effectively via political measures.

In light
of the diversity that has set us apart from previous generations, consensus is
seemingly unattainable. However, reality dictates that the greatest threats facing our
generation are not partisan at all, but rather universal. With this in mind, now is the
time to accept the challenge of playing an active political role in determining our
fate as a nation and as a generation.

Hannah Sleznikow ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in political science.

Advertisements
Leave a Comment
Donate to The Badger Herald

Your donation will support the student journalists of University of Wisconsin-Madison. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Badger Herald

Comments (0)

All The Badger Herald Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *