Nine Shift

The Future of Gen Y Part II

Dear Washington Post,

While I teach a course on surveys, Emily Ekin’s take on polling of Gen Y on social issues (Millennials like socialism – until they get jobs) fails to take into account historical reality.

 When it comes to predicting social change, surveys have mostly been wrong.

 In 1963 some 60% of Americans believed the March on Washington would be useless and counterproductive.

 In 1965 a Gallop poll found a plurality of Americans, 48%, agreed the civil rights movement was “infiltrated by communists and led by communist trouble-makers”.

 A bit over 100 years ago, socialists argued for the 40 hour work week, and only socialists advocated for public sewer systems. Both Democrats and Republicans were against public sewer systems.

 My family came from Milwaukee. While my great grandfather’s company testified against the 40 hour work week before a Congressional committee, many Milwaukeeans identified themselves as “sewer socialists”  and went so far as to support city parks and improved education.

 Back then, the socialist presidential candidate never polled positively, much less was elected,  by a majority of Americans. Yet today even the staff of the Cato Institute respect our national holiday in honor of one of those “communist trouble-makers,” seem not eager to turn off our public water, and some of them may take the weekend off.

Early spring in Wisconsin, where we can't wait for our first BBQ

The Future of Gen Y Part I

Old people have given up, apparently, trying to change Gen Y. Their new tactic - - predict Gen Y will change in the future.

Emily Ekins writes in The Washington Post last week ("Millennials like socialism - Until They Get a Job")that Gen Y will give up its socialist tendencies once they begin to make more than $100,000.

My brilliant co-author Julie Coates replies that the leading edge Baby Boomers very much reflect the same attitudes and values as Gen Yers.

Leading edge Boomers were born between 1946 and 1951.  And what studies show, she reports, is that these Baby Boomers have the same attitudes and values 50 years ago when they were young. 

Elders in both the Republican Party and Democratic Party are now active in dismissing Gen Y voters.  
Their excuses vary only slightly as to why they refuse to embrace Gen Y's agenda for the 21st century and the prosperity of our society moving forward.

 

Oh no, Gen Y Wants Higher Taxes. Here's Why:

If Gen Y is Driving More and Buying Cars, How Come........?

Obama's Doctor Favored Universal Health Care

Barack Obama's personal physician when he lived in Chicago advocated for universal health care. 

Insurance companies, Dr. Quentin D. Young said, "are in the business of finding reasons not to give care." 

And related to the big progressive movement happening in the United States right now, Dr. Young said "It's true hat over the years I've aligned myself with unpopular causes. But over time, they've become the majority opinions." 

Right now in history we are experiencing that effort to win a new infrastructure for society for the rest of this century.  We still have to see which progressive positions will get enacted, and which ones not. But it is a fight worth waging. Every won battle enhances the lives of wage earners and society as a whole.  Dr. Young died last week at age 92.

Another Prediction Comes True: Jobs

Another NineShift economic prediction comes true !
A number of years ago we predicted around 2016 we would have a shortage of college educated people to fill all the job openings.
Data from last week appear to indicate another NineShift prediction coming true. 

Now, of course, we have a big problem - - and colleges are to blame. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor just reported that job openings increased in January by 260,000 and total job openings now stand at 5.5 million, a 15+ year high.

"The labor market is tight as a drum,"  said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG Union Bank in New York (NY Times, March 18, 2016).

Our new book, Smart Boys, Bad Grades provides the no-cost solution to our nation's biggest economic problem right now.

Note: This graph only takes us to a year ago. Job openings have risen even further, to 5.5 million, in the last 12 months.

How Gen Y Sees Socialism

Here's a great story from Fox News - - yes, Fox News - - about how Gen Y sees socialism.

To summarize, Gen Y sees socialism as social justice and economic opportunity.  

A few good quotes from the story. "Especially when it comes to millennials.....socialism has a whole new meaning."
And that today's problems can only "... be solved only by a government that redesigned and refocused itself to promote equality and social justice."

Not in the story, but I will maintain that Gen Y sees democratic socialism when they travel to Europe, and they like it.
European democratic socialist countries do not limit freedom of speech, freedom of opportunity, initiative, not even pay. 

 

Sanders Agenda is Gen Y Agenda

The reason Bernie Sanders is doing so well among Gen Yers is that his agenda is the Gen Y agenda.

Here's a BBC story comparing Sanders policies to others'.

1.Climate Change and Climate Justice
And you have to include "steering away from the steering wheel" (great phrasing from the Chippewa Falls, Wi newspaper) in the solution to climate change.

2.Free college

3.Elimination of student debt

4.Universal health care

5.Less Income Inequality

6.Greater control over Wall Street and its abuses

And its just hard not to see most of this agenda being put in place and eventually being embraced by all. 

Have The Bernie Sanders Policies Won Already?

Win or lose, have the policies of Bernie Sanders won already? 

100 years ago the socialist Eugene Debs ran for president, and of course never won.
But many of the socialist policies won. Some things socialists supported back then:

1.Free City parks
2.Free public schools
3.40 Hour Work Week
4.8 Hour Work Day
5.Elimination of child labor

We have them all today.  Most all of us like them. And it's hard to see society going back.

 

Another History Making Month

The Bernie Sanders voter support this month is a turning point in the 21st Century.

We suggest the victory sealed a realization that the progressive agenda will become reality.

The progressives are making their move now to reshape society to be more just and more equitable.
They did it, and to a large extent very successfully, 100 years ago.
They are very likely to do it again for this century.