Jack Kelly writes:
In the midst of the confusion and chaos of the Iowa Caucus, it’s clear that Bernie Sanders is a frontrunner and a force to be reckoned with in the Democratic race for the presidency.
For many middle-age and older Americans, it’s surprising that so many young people are ardent Sanders supporters. After speaking with a number of people in their 20s to early 30s, it shed light on their intense interest in Sanders and his brand of democratic socialism.
The schools have not taught much about the ravages of socialism and communism in China, Russia, Venezuela and other countries. To young people, socialism is an abstract concept. Due to their current situations, many young people feel that they have little to lose if America pivots from capitalism to socialism. Since they don’t view their current circumstances and future outlook with any degree of confidence, it’s worth it to take a chance and change things up.
Younger people face the frightening realization that they may be the first generation to have a lower standard of living than their parents. They are understandably concerned about how they can be self-sufficient, financially independent and live the American Dream, which was promised to them.
A combination of crushing student loan debt, low-wage jobs and escalating home and rental costs has a huge impact on Millennials and Gen-Zers. If a person does not feel financially secure nor confident about their future, it’s natural to hold off making big commitments, such as getting married, purchasing their first home and having children. These things were once taken for granted by older generations. Now, it’s a hard-to-reach and nearly impossible dream for many people.
If a young person wants to buy a home, they will have to come up with a sizable down payment and closing costs. To maintain the home, they’ll have to pay high real estate taxes, interest on the loans and upkeep to the property. Add a car—if you live in the suburbs—and home furnishings. For a person paying off a large student loan with a job that doesn’t pay that well, this is an unattainable goal.
If you decide to rent an apartment in any large urban city, the costs are shockingly high. You’ll need a security deposit, first month’s rent and application fees, all paid upfront. Add in the costs of smartphones, insurance, car payments, clothes, food, cable television and other expenses and you’re in debt. Using your credit to carry you through becomes another high-interest-bearing anchor weighing you down financially.
Without having any extra money, you will not be able to save, participate in the stock market that has provided a windfall for aging Boomers with money to invest or consider an entrepreneurial endeavor.
Since more high school graduates attend college than ever before, the value of the degree, specifically in certain majors, has been diluted. The vast amount of liberal arts graduates, who don’t possess the requisite skills for specialized, well-paying jobs, find themselves underemployed or unemployed. They’re forced into the gig-economy, serving as a barista at Starbucks or going for a graduate degree—creating even more debt.
A lot of this is not their fault. Parents and adults somehow allow 17 or 18 year olds to sign binding contracts—that can’t even be waived in bankruptcy—that forever chains them to hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. At that tender age, they’re not permitted to legally drink or smoke, but they can sign their financial lives away.
To be fair, there are those who major in STEM-related subjects, such as technology and engineering, and are highly sought after and realize sizable salaries right out of college.
Ironically, the younger generations may be in for a windfall in the future. As their Baby Boomer parents pass away, they stand to receive a large inheritance. It could be the largest wealth transfer in American history.
The catch is that if the market goes down appreciably or crashes, like in the 2008 financial crisis, the parents will sell their stocks at fire-sale prices and there won’t be much left over for their children. If all of the Boomers start selling their homes when they retire—which they are now doing in large numbers—to downsize their lifestyles, housing prices may collapse. This will also lessen the amount of money that could be transferred over to their kids.
In light of their situation, it’s not surprising that Bernie Sanders is surging in the polls and the idea of socialism is gaining traction among young people.
The left here could capture this huge pool of potential votes by doing one thing. Do away with the student loans and they will have a group of voters for life. It wouldn’t surprise me if closer towards the election they announce that as a start they are remitting all interest on these loans. Then as a sweetener, they will say if you vote us in for another term, we will get rid of all student loans.
If the polls for Labour go the way well all want, then I expect them to do just this.
“Why Are The Young Embracing Socialism?”
Because they are **ignorant**.
Young people will always gravitate towards “the other”. Socialism is “the other” and so it is seen as “cool”. Throw in a few Che Guevara t-shirts and they’re hooked.
(Yes, I know he was a scumbag but all that the young people see is the image.)
There is a reason young people don’t have money, it’s because they are young. It’s quite simple they haven’t had time to earn and save. Bad financial decisions are nobody else’s fault but their own. That is how we all learnt what worked and what didn’t when it came to earning and spending our incomes. The youths’ expectation that it is “their right” to a living standard equivalent to their parents is pie-in-the-sky when they haven’t had time to earn and save.
Socialism is being sold to them as “workers having their say” but decision making by the masses will never be used to run a country. The young socialists don’t understand that the elite will always be in charge! Any leader who emerges and believes they can achieve communist nirvana when it has previously always failed with millions dead and broken is precisely the wrong person to lead the day. Once the building blocks for communist rule have been established there is always a bigger, nastier power hungry leader who will emerge and you don’t want to be the leader of the Russian communist party like Vladimir Lenin was when Joe Stalin decided he would take power by force.
The young are sold a socialist dream, a prize, a lotto win that never eventuates. Grow up, earn your money, save and build your own life. Don’t expect others to do it for you.
The young Socialist mouse has no idea why the cheese on the trigger is free…
But when they get overpaid at a young age it creates expectations. When the money runs out on their OE or student
loan then they blame others.
They say that if you want to teach your children the value of money, then don’t give them any.
It’s a balancing act. Do too much for your children and they become weak and dependent (like hot-house orchids). Do too little for them and they lose hope and give up. If you do your job as a parent properly, no one will know if you’ve done anything at all.
Take note of the Trump kids. None of them are “hot house orchids” as have been expected to work, and their dad is a billionaire.
“Younger people face the frightening realization that they may be the first generation to have a lower standard of living than their parents. ”
We’re in uncharted territory.
I pin the blame on the widespread adoption of the “two working-parent household” as a means to enjoy a higher stander of consumer lifestyle. Please note that “consumer lifestyle” refers to the consumption of imported consumer goods. It excludes housing, early child education and family size (who can afford more than 2 children?)
“We can afford a better house if we both work!”
(Wrong). House prices simply rise, to become the new norm.
“A worker can no longer pay off his house and support a wife and 3 children”
(New truth) See what we as a society have lost.
(But then, I am preaching to the choir…)
Its simply a way to express their inner discontent while feeling part of a group. The reality is very banal. They get to express their sense of not belonging, while joining a herd.
The best thing to do is ignore them. It drives them crazy. They should be shown zero consideration or respect.
If you decide to rent an apartment in any large urban city, the costs are shockingly high. You’ll need a security deposit, first month’s rent and application fees, all paid upfront. Add in the costs of smartphones, insurance, car payments, clothes, food, cable television and other expenses and you’re in debt.
Buy a cheaper, second hand phone. You don’t need a brand new, flash iPhone.
If you’re living in a modern city, you don’ need car payments. Use Uber and public transport.
Clothes; beyond the basics reduce what you buy. People buy far too many clothes; instead of what they need.
Forget about cable television. It’s a luxury, not a necessity.
Cut down on all the nonsense spending and focus on what you need. Not what you want. What you want comes as you mature, grow your investments and start having spare spending money.
vast amount of liberal arts graduates
Right. There’s a large part of your problem. Go become a plumber, electrician or something useful. I was talking to a colleague in the States, they are struggling to employ software developers because the likes of Google and Microsoft and Apple pick them up straight out of tertiary education with a baseline of $250,000 per year. Normal companies can’t compete with that. If you want money, do something that pays. Don’t do something that requires you to faff around and look pretentious.
A friend’s daughter chucked in her nursing training. At 25 went back to university and is completing a BA in history and psychology. Sadly she will be one of hundreds of graduates that will have a debt and struggle to find a job that pays enough. She has the intelligence to take on the world but chose to study what she enjoys.