The Millennial Left Is Tired of Waiting - Very interesting article. Will this split the Democrats?

[RKP5637]

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/07/democrats-are-experiencing-clash-generations/594808/

The Atlantic

The key political partnership of the Millennial left was born over noodles. Saikat Chakrabarti met Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at Potjanee, a Thai restaurant near his apartment in the West Village, in March 2017. She was looking to get into politics; he was helping fund people getting into politics through the Justice Democrats, the progressive political action committee he’d co-founded that year.

The result has been a viral sensation: a House freshman with more than 4.9 million Twitter followers; a call for a “Green New Deal,” which has become a rallying point for young activists; and—from the cages on the border to the committees on the Hill—a serious powering-up of congressional oversight. This has made Ocasio-Cortez the leader of a movement, not just a congresswoman. Chakrabarti, for his part, has been much more than Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff—he’s become the chief strategist of a generational insurgency.

But the political establishment has now trained its fire on their collaboration. It began in June as a clash between the speaker and her best-known freshman, when Nancy Pelosi caved to Republicans and moderate Democrats and agreed to pass an emergency-aid package, skewed heavily right, for the southern border.

But the move horrified members of the progressive left—it was bad politics, they thought, typical of their elders’ timidity, and worse still, little in it would help the child migrants in what Ocasio-Cortez had called “concentration camps” on the border. Their pushback against it, which included tweets by Chakrabarti, outraged the party leadership.

The Democrats are experiencing a clash of generations. As in all such clashes, each side thinks the other is delusional. When the Millennial left looks at the establishment, it sees leaders senescent with decades in the House, blindly clinging to bipartisan civility that no longer exists, unable to view men like Mitch McConnell as their opponents and not their colleagues, and believing that white voters are the only path to victory in 2020. The Millennials see themselves as the realists here.

[Iliyah]

1. No.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

2. Waiting will only give us 4 more years of tRumpty Dumbty!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Me.]

3. Can I JUst Say Im Tired Of The Millenial Left

be tired. Those 7+ months the new freshmen have spent in Congress must be wearing them out.

[empedocles]

7. Unfortunately, they cannot get enough publicity - regardless of the larger democratic costs.

[ChubbyStar]

16. Those Democratic costs would be?

Really, I see the energy as a plus.

[empedocles]

30. 30 red House seats, meaning House control -which is saving us so much since 2018.

Our future will be tremendously determined in 2020.

After a hopefully successful Dem 2020, we can better consider future aspirations.

[Amishman]

39. The Squad is not popular overall and it is dangerous to make them the face of the party

What the politically engaged want and what the general public will accept are very different things.

[TeamPooka]

19. They are the future and I'm rooting for them.

[Me.]

20. That's Your Right

I, however, do not believe in participation trophies

[TeamPooka]

22. Gee what an intelligent, insightful, and original comment. You stereotype very well.

[Me.]

43. Thank You

"Gee what an intelligent, insightful, and original comment"

[Act_of_Reparation]

33. Not all generations can be as successful as yours.

[JI7]

4. no

[GulfCoast66]

5. No.

No matter who our candidate is she or he will represent their values.

And as always with the young. They will Twitter. But actually vote? Remains to be seen.

[babylonsister]

6. No! nt

[ProudLib72]

8. This seems like a rephrasing of the question: Will progressives split the Dem party?

There was a post last night about progressive versus moderate Dems, and I'm very much willing to bet age is the major defining factor. I could be wrong, but look at the average age of the Squad. The impetuousness of youth.

[Celerity]

38. The Squad's ages: Rashida Tlaib (43) Gen X, (same age now as JFK was when he was sworn in as POTUS)

Ilhan Omar (soon 38, in 69 days) is barely a Millennial, if she had been born 9 months 5 days earlier she would be Gen X as well.

Ayanna Pressley (45) Gen X If she won the POTUS in 2020, she would be the same age (13 days after she was sworn in) Obama was when he was sworn in (47) and older than Clinton was (46 when sworn in).

AOC, turns 30 on October 13th, so basically only around 9 months younger when she was sworn in than Biden was when he won his Senate seat for the first time in 1972.

Other than AOC, they are 20 years, 15 years, and 22 years, respectively, older than I am now. Pressley is old enough to have voted for Bill Clinton in 1992, over 3 years before I was even born, and is almost as old as my mum.

It isn't like they are THAT young other than arguably AOC. Their average age is almost 40, and since Ted Kennedy, there have been 19 SENATORS that age (40) or younger than that, 33 total from 1940 onward.

I say arguably in regards to AOC as there have been well over 100 (maybe as high as 123, including possibly a 22yo, William Claiborne) US House of Representatives members who were younger than AOC was when she was sworn in on January 3rd, 2019. Hell, there were 2 SENATORS (the 30yo requirement was waived for them) elected/appointed who were younger than AOC was when she was sworn in as a Rep. 3 others were appointed/elected when they were 29 (Henry Clay and John Jordan Crittenden were allowed to serve, the other, Rush Holt Sr. in 1934 had to wait until he turned 30 in June 1935 to be seated.)

So no, impetuousness of 'youth' is something I am not going to buy into. They only seem so young because the age of Congress (and of POTUS) keeps getting older.

IF we make it a habit of sometimes (down the road) having POTUS's elected as old as Biden would be in 2021, it is theoretically possible that the first time a non Silent Gen (Biden would be the only silent Gen, ALL the rest would be Boomers), non Boomer is sworn in as President will be 2049 or even 2053! That Jan 20, 2053 date is a real stretch, although all it would take to get there is a first time candidate in 2044 only one year older than Biden, same age as Sanders (zero chance for Bernie but I am using him as an example of older candidates who can be a major force) would turn in their first year as POTUS.

That is a possible SIXTY years of non-stop Boomers as POTUS (other than the even older Biden).

I would be 53 or even 57 by then, and I am only a month away from being in Gen Z! (If you start it at 1996, and I was almost 2 months premature so I guess I could claim it anyway, lolol).

That IS too long for basically one generation (with the only exception being an even older one in Biden) to hold the highest office. People are already saying pass the torch, imagine if you tell them it may not be passed inter-generationally until the mid to late 2040's or even the early 2050's. The oldest millennials would be in their 70's, the oldest Gen Xers would be approaching 90!

I am NOT saying (at all) that is a likely scenario, BUT it certainly is within the realm of possibility. IF Biden Chooses Harris or Klobuchar or Steyer or Sestak or Deval Patrick or William McRaven or Warren or Stanley McChrystal or Hickenlooper or Bennet or Inslee (all Boomers) as VP and if they, combined, get a 16 year run, you are already up to 2037 before a non Boomer or older could be POTUS. Furthermore, during the 2036 elections the youngest Boomers (such as Harris) would be younger than Biden, Trump, and Sanders are NOW (and only a year older than Warren would be if she was sworn in as POTUS or VPOTUS in 2021).

[DaDeacon]

9. Can someone please explain to me ...

I am 41 years old and I never thought of myself as super progressive but damn these last few months have proven to me that 1) i must be super lefty or 2) the political shift in this country is far more right than I thought. millennials are demanding and action! On many issues that our leaders have given little more than lip service to. Wait, wait, then nothing changes. We have a 6 hour hearing just to do nothing with information we already knew?!? The party is splitting because too many democratic members have gotten scared of action. Trump will win re-election if we don’t show the American people we are willing to got to bat for them.

[StarfishSaver]

10. "We have a 6 hour hearing just to do nothing with information"

The fact that the Democrats didn't impeach Trump within 24 hours of the hearing being adjourned doesn't mean they're scared of taking action.

[DaDeacon]

12. Really....

Let me know when Dick Chaney is charged with outing and American spy or shooting his friend in the face?!? Yeah I was told to wait then too. We can wait to act when they produce the Muller report, or wait till they have a hearing with him to clear the report up, ah then wait for the people to get really mad. Seems to be a lot of waiting no accountability or action. We aren’t Guaranteed the house past next election. If nothing happens to protect that vote we could be looking at a house flip and a permanent R majority.

[StarfishSaver]

13. We're not talking about Cheney. We're talking about Democrats being criticized for not

not turning the world against it's axis within hours after Mueller's testimony.

But feel free to continue carrying on. It won't accomplish anything, but maybe it's emotionally satisfying.

[DaDeacon]

15. I will ...

And you just keep on waiting for someone to do something it’s worked so well in the past.

[ehrnst]

48. You mean like the Civil rights legislation? The ACA? CHIP?

Support of Planned Parenthood?

Gay Marriage as a right?

Defense of labor?

Affirmative action?

Saving the economy from another Great Depression after the crash of 2008?

Nomination and election of the first African American president?

But really, who cares about those actual, real progressive accomplishments that exist, and aren't just being promised...

But do tell us - What can Andrew Yang do that will top that?

[happy feet]

52. +1,000

The issue isn't age, it's the learning curve on how congress works and how to effectuate change. Change doesn't happen just because you're right. It requires working the right members of conference, developing working relationships, gaining agreement on issues and then having respectful conversations on opposing approaches to solving the issue negotiating to a compromise win/win.

What happened to joining a company/group/organization and learning how to be effective at your job and earning respect before trashing those before you?

That's the issue - experience, not age.

[Amimnoch]

29. Fair points. Let's take a look at them:

Dick Cheney outing Valerie Plame- 2003. George Bush President. House Majority Republican. Senate Majority Republican. Want something done by Democrats? Up to us to get DEMOCRATS in those majorities and offices!!!

Dick Cheney shoots Whittington in the face - 2006. George Bush President. 109th congress with Republican Majority AND Senate Majority. Want something done by Democrats? Up to us to get Democrats in those majorities and offices!!!

We’ve had two.. TWO years since 2000 where we had a House, Senate, and the Presidency. Hell those were a beautiful 2 years. We even ALMOST had a cloture enabled senate.. 56 seats held by the Democratic Party, 2 independents that decide with us for the most part, and Joe Lieberman who was a... special.. case. The economy that was in Republican driven recession (bordered on outright depression) was repaired and driven to an era of prosperity that Cheetolini is riding on to this day! Affordable Care Act- Passed. Lilly Ledbetter fair pay act-Passed. SCHIP-Passed. Fraud enforcement and recovery act-Passed. Helping families save their homes act of 2009-Passed. Healthcare and education reconciliation act-Passed. Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform and consumer protection act-passed. Healthy hunger free kids act-Passed. Food safety modernization act-Passed. Just to name SOME of the highlights!!! AND we did that with Republicans using the filibuster in quantities never before seen in the history of US politics.

But yeah.. Shame on the Democrats for not opening up those 2 bits of old Dick Cheney business.

Right now we have the House of Representatives.. That’s it. Will not get anything done while this remains the fact.

Want to see progress being made again? Especially now that the filibuster power has been largely squashed by the tRumpublicons.. Quit the divisive bullshit and work with us to hold onto the House, Reclaim the Senate, and reclaim the Presidency. Progressive progress DOES happen when we get there.

[DaDeacon]

32. Well said but to my point...

The two bits of old this or that shows the other side there is no consequence for interference. How much better could those bill and policies be if we didn’t have water down everything?!? We could try the government, moderate position, might I add that Republicans don’t.

[ehrnst]

56. Who is "watering down everything?"

[ehrnst]

49. +1000.

[Recursion]

24. No, it's just the same "magic wand" argument we had through 8 years of Obama

There are people who expect politicians to be wizards with a magic wand they can wave to make things happen, and people who don't.

You see the same thing on the Republican side, for that matter.

[ehrnst]

50. Some politicians claim to be exactly that....

but that damn establishment/Wall Street/status quo just WON'T LET THEM!

[Locrian]

37. I'm mid 50s and feel the same way....

I'll take the energy and action of the "squad" etc of justice dems over the loss of 100s' of seats over the past 10-20 years.

I still say the fundamental problem in the party is the refusal to see the massive change in the way "information" (good and bad) is acquired. And they simply do not get that there's a different battleground. But why would they? They've built their entire (successful?) careers on behaving a certain way. When a massive change happens - there is too much inertia and drag to recognize and act on it.

Guns vs swords.... horses vs tanks.... radio vs print, tv vs radio, internet vs tv....
That sort of thing.

[ehrnst]

44. It's been less than 48 hours since the hearing.

What exactly did you expect to have happened in this time period with the 6 hour hearing transcripts?

[ehrnst]

53. So what is it about Andrew Yang that appeals to you?

What do you think he has to offer that will make all these 'scared Dems" get in line?

[Blue_Tires]

11. But the so-called "Justice Dems" aren't part of the left

if they were then their ratio of attacks against so-called "establishment Dems" versus Trump/GOP would be a whole lot better than the 95/5% percentage split it is now...

Too many pundits, bloggers and other thought leaders on the left are orgasmic at the thought of some grand, all-out Democratic Party Civil War and subsequent purge and dream about nothing but making it happen...

[DaDeacon]

14. Nothing wrong with Justice Democrats

It this knee jerk Republicans lite/ moderate Democratic thinking that believes we can all play nice and just do things a “little different” than the Republicans. Being a Democratic Party member has to be more than supporting abortion and being anti theocracy. Economic justice. Civil and economic equality have to be fought for. What good is it to win elections with Wall Street dollars and pretend to be a party of the working class?!? People know it’s BS and the election of Trump proved it! People are willing to run to a lair because they think he will do something different. Racism was a tool but social and economic factors fueled it! We need to move left to shit the right and the middle. Justice Democrats just have a branding but they aren’t alone in thinking.

[Blue_Tires]

17. There's plenty wrong with Justice Dems

if they target "establishment" Dems as their #1 enemy and not the GOP... Even on twitter now all their chatter is on trying to primary this Dem or that Dem so what fucking good are they? Yes, AOC was a nice little assist point for them but they get zero fucking credit for helping win a race in a dark blue district. And I know for a fact that the "Justice Dems" didn't lift a single fucking finger to help us in Virginia during our '17 races...

So until they prove to me that 1. They're actually on OUR side, and 2. They can actually make political noise outside of the liberal strongholds of New York City, Chicago, the Bay Area, L.A. and their protective little college towns, they can FOAD.

[DaDeacon]

18. Point of order ...

Firstly they formed in 2017 how were they supposed to “help you”. Second, not on your side?!? Seems like Nancy P. Thinks they are ... when the photo opp is there. Look it I’m not your enemy neither are they but damn how long are you going to let empty promises push our agenda? If we lose the house in 2020 (unlikely but so was Trump) we lose our shot and holding this guy accountable, we lose our shot at showing the American people bills that work for them, we lose. If we keep the house but don’t show the guts to act, trump and future trumps will just get more emboldened! Millennials see that because they don’t see a future with all the time in the world to act on things.

[Blue_Tires]

42. The Justice Dems were around in Nov. 2017

I know that because they were on Twitter hoping our "moderate" candidates lost (because naturally spiting the DNC means more to them than actually getting off their asses and flipping seats) and that was when I first butted heads with them... If they really want to keep the house instead of merely purging "establishment" Dems in safe districts, they need to show it...

And I'll just leave these here for now:

Link to tweet

Wow, it's November 2017 and the Justice Dems are already a well-established presence! And just how many republicans have they demanded resign for their own tawdry scandals? Asking for a friend.

Link to tweet

Who's funding these guys, anyway?

Link to tweet

Yeah, tell me more about how this "strategy" will help us keep the house and flip the senate

Link to tweet

Since we're doing #realtalk now, all I want to know is if the Justice Dems are just really loud 'useful idiots' or if their actions are intentional and deliberate:

Link to tweet

Follow the $$$$:

Link to tweet

For those who forgot about Cenk and TYT:

Link to tweet

Shall I go on? I've got a lot of work to get done today.

[sheshe2]

54. Damn fine post, Blue_Tires.

Very informative. I never knew about the JD/AOC/ Franken connection.

Thank you!

[ehrnst]

45. Democrats are far more effective than "Justice Democrats."

Branding doesn't accomplish what the most progressive major party in history has. Democrats are the ones that have actually gotten the gains inconomic justice., and Civil and economic equality.

What are you even talking about?

Read Blue Tire's response to you about Justice Democrats, and open your eyes.

[ehrnst]

46. "pretend to be a party of the working class?"

Are you sure you're on the right board?

[Crunchy Frog]

21. About f@king time IMHO.

I'm far from being either a Millennial or a far leftist, but I've been spending almost my entire adult life, nearly 4 decades, watching the same political trends in my party continuing as the country drifts ever farther to the right, and the R party drifts ever closer to pure naked fascism.

You'd better believe that I'm tired of it and ready for some serious change.

[Yavin4]

23. It's really a clash of life experiences.

The elder Dem leadership has been around Washington and politics since the 80s. Some as far back as the 70s. These people grew up during the Cold War, the polarizing 60s, and the Reagan 80s. Millenials didn't really experience the Cold War nor the rise of the Conservative movement. This new generation is on the wrong side of the income divide and their existential threat is Climate Change.

We see this in policy. Both Dem and Republican leaders gave the Defense department $700 billion. For what purpose? Who are going to war with? Why are we building tanks in the age of drones? Yet, when Millenials ask for money to fight climate change, they're scoffed at and ridiculed.

In the end, time is on the Millenials side. Instead of deriding them, we should be grateful for their energy and spirit. Like it or not, they are the future of the party.

[BlueWI]

58. No kidding.

A permanent wartime budget. Threats like climate change can't even be discussed.

[aidbo]

25. Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'

[RandySF]

26. No

[OrlandoDem2]

27. No. And most of the country is not where the Millennial Left is politically.

When most of the country is with them then they can act. FWIW they are a part of the party and they are the future, but they are just that...a part of the whole and we must work together.

[Hortensis]

28. RPK, our defunct party split and collapsed long ago over chocolate v vanilla.

Didn't you know that?

Every day and everywhere you look, our party is supposedly "splitting" over something, whether it's hangnails and batons or 4 members out of 235 who saw political advantage in opposing funding diaper rash medications and food for incarcerated children -- because they knew that their other 231 colleagues would take care of the children and others.

Now, sounds like it's only a matter of time before we're splitting for the 10th time this week alone. Personally, I'm getting tired of changing party names. I'm a mom and grandma and won't be registering with the "The Quad Party." Besides, they'll just split next week and become the "The Pair Party" and "The Better Pair Party."

No, I'll just stay with the evil liberals who overwhelmingly passed "an emergency-aid package, skewed heavily right for the southern border..."

Of course the fucking thing is skewed heavily right. If all those who object had voted Democrat, it'd skew heavily left. Itm, cooperating with Republicans when duty, morality, and decency require is what people like me do.

[Dirty Socialist]

31. A couple of thibgs about the millenial left

1. They are buried in college debt. College costs must be addressed
2. They are more concerned about climate change, since they will be around longer.

[Bettie]

34. Good article, thanks for posting

Unsurprising to see the number of people who think the younger folks should just sit down and shut up and wait their "turn".

Lots of dismissiveness of any voice that is under 60. Apparently, ageism is OK if you hate the young.

[ehrnst]

47. Can you link to the posts that say"The younger folks should just sit down and shut up and wait

their "turn"?"

I missed those.

Thx.

[comradebillyboy]

51. Lots of strawmen running around on DU these days...

[boston bean]

35. I regard all these types of articles and grievances as a threat.

If people would rather help trump by splitting off, attack democrats, because they feel their demands are all that is important then they may as well be the biggest bunch of dumbasses since the birth of the trumpasses.

[SouthernProgressive]

36. Millennials are a very diverse group.

Everyone tries to put them in their little box. The group is into their thirties and will start voting in higher percentages. They will also start becoming less prone to the more extremist bullshit. I would even venture to say a number of them are embarrassed at their support of the Charleston White Nationalist March. Yes, look at the videos. Overwhelmingly millennials in attendance.

Most millennials I know are pretty straight forward. They vote Republican, Democrat, or don’t pay attention.

Mayor Pete is an outstanding millennial as are so many of them. It will all be interesting to see as they are now aging into a group that votes at a higher percentage.

[DeminPennswoods]

40. According to generational theory,

the Millenials are the next great civic-minded generation ala the greatest generation.

[SouthernProgressive]

41. We often like to think that.

We like to know our future is in good hands.

Time will tell. I think they will be about on par with past generations. These things really do have very consistent historical trends.

[MadDAsHell]

55. Is this the guy who wore the shirt honoring the Nazi collaborator/sympathizer?

[elocs]

57. Gee, now who would ever want to split Democrats? Who would celebrate that happening?

If Trump is reelected and Republicans take back the House,
Millennials won't need to worry about their future because they won't have one.
Unfortunately, the rest of us can kiss it goodbye as well.